Honestly, at 23 you should be filing independently anyway. Your parents had you as a deduction for 22 years, time to adult up. I started filing my own taxes at 18 and never looked back!

Make sure you and your parents don't both try to claim your personal exemption! Had this happen in my family and the IRS flagged both returns. We had to submit documentation to prove who should actually claim the exemption and it delayed everyone's refunds by months.

Everyone's missing a key point here. The Constitution explicitly gives Congress the power to levy taxes, not the president. Article I, Section 8 states that "The Congress shall have Power To lay and collect Taxes, Duties, Imposts and Excises." A president can propose tax policy but cannot implement it without Congress passing legislation. The 16th Amendment, which enables income tax, would potentially need to be addressed as well. Also, historically, before income tax became the primary federal revenue source, tariffs WERE the main funding mechanism for the federal government. But that was a much smaller government with far fewer programs and obligations.

I work in international logistics and I can tell you tariffs aren't just a simple tax that gets applied. It's incredibly complex with different classification codes, country-of-origin rules, trade agreements, and exemption processes. My company deals with imports from 12 different countries, and even the existing tariff system requires multiple full-time compliance specialists. If tariffs became our primary tax system, the compliance burden on businesses would be enormous. Also, companies would change behavior to avoid tariffs - more domestic manufacturing (potentially good) but also complex corporate structures to exploit loopholes and trade agreement differences (definitely complicated).

With your situation, I'd definitely go with a CPA this year. I was in almost the identical situation last year (job change, stock losses, unemployment) and tried using TurboTax premium. Ended up going to a CPA afterward who found nearly $1,200 in additional deductions TurboTax missed! The COBRA premiums especially - there are special rules about medical expense deductions that the software just doesn't explain well. And with stock losses, a good CPA can help with tax loss harvesting strategies for the future. H&R Block and TurboTax are both fine for simpler returns, but when you have multiple complex elements like yours, the professional guidance is worth every penny.

One thing nobody's mentioned is that you could try a middle-ground approach. Use TurboTax or H&R Block to prepare everything yourself first, then take it to a professional for review. Many CPAs offer a "review service" that costs less than full preparation. This gives you the best of both worlds - you learn how to use the software and understand your tax situation better, but also get professional eyes on it to catch mistakes or missed opportunities. I did this last year and paid $125 for the review instead of $350 for full preparation. If your situation gets simpler next year, you'll have learned enough to possibly handle it yourself with confidence.

For food businesses specifically, you really need to check your local cottage food laws. Many states allow small-scale food production from home kitchens up to certain income thresholds before requiring commercial licensing. In my state, you can sell up to $25,000 of homemade food items annually under cottage food laws without needing a commercial kitchen, though you still need a basic food handler's permit and to follow labeling requirements. Ice cream might be trickier though, as dairy products often have stricter regulations.

OP, I did something similar with beard oil I made. Started selling to friends, then friends of friends. My advice: separate bank account ASAP! Even if it's just a second personal account. I got absolutely wrecked at tax time trying to separate personal and business transactions from one account.

One thing nobody's mentioned yet - make sure you're paying quarterly estimated taxes going forward! As a content creator making that kind of money, you should be making payments every quarter to avoid underpayment penalties like you're experiencing now. 2025 estimated tax payment deadlines are April 15, June 15, September 15, and January 15, 2026. Each payment should be roughly 25% of your expected tax liability for the year. TurboTax or any tax software can help calculate what these payments should be. Trust me, it's WAY easier to pay $10k four times a year than scrambling to find $40k all at once!

Since you mentioned having a child, don't forget to look into the Child and Dependent Care Credit if you pay for childcare while you're working on content creation. This is separate from the Child Tax Credit others mentioned. If you pay for daycare, nanny, or other care services so you can work, you can claim up to $3,000 in expenses for one child. Also, as a new parent, start thinking about a 529 college savings plan. Contributions aren't deductible federally, but many states offer tax deductions for contributions, and the growth is tax-free when used for education expenses. It's never too early to start saving!