Does anyone know if having unpaid court fees affects filing taxes? I still owe about $3,500 in restitution and I'm worried they'll take my refund if I file.

Hey, I'm really glad you're taking this seriously and getting your life back on track! Filing taxes can definitely feel overwhelming at first, but you've got this. A few things to add to what others have said: 1. **You're required to file** - Since you made $27,000, you're well above the filing threshold, so yes, you do need to file by April 15th. 2. **No special forms needed** - Your parole status doesn't require any special tax forms or disclosures to the IRS. Just file like anyone else with your income level. 3. **Watch your withholdings** - Check your paystubs to see if enough tax was withheld. Sometimes people coming out of incarceration don't realize they need to adjust their W-4 form with their employer. 4. **Free filing options** - If your income is under $73,000 (which it is), you can use IRS Free File. Go to irs.gov and look for "Free File" - it'll connect you with free software that walks you through everything. 5. **Keep your PO informed** - It sounds like you're already doing this, but letting your parole officer know you're handling your tax obligations shows you're being responsible. The fact that you're asking these questions and trying to do everything right shows you're on the right path. Don't let the process intimidate you - thousands of people file their first tax return every year and figure it out just fine.

Azlo Bank used to be perfect for this situation but unfortunately they shut down. I've had good luck with both Novo and BlueVine for clients with similar situations. They're primarily concerned with the business's legitimacy rather than your personal banking history. Just make sure your LLC paperwork is completely in order. They'll want to see your Articles of Organization and EIN letter at minimum. Some tips: - Have a clear business description ready - Be prepared to explain expected monthly transaction volume - Having a professional website or social media for the business helps

I went through a similar situation about 18 months ago after bankruptcy. Here's what worked for me: **Novo Bank** was by far the easiest approval. They focus heavily on your business documentation rather than personal credit. I was approved within 2 days with a 520 credit score and multiple ChexSystems flags. No monthly fees, decent online platform, and they've been reliable for my home-based consulting LLC. **For building business credit separately**, I'd recommend starting with: - Net-30 vendor accounts (Uline, Grainger, etc.) once you have your business account - Dun & Bradstreet business credit file (free to establish) - Consider a secured business credit card from Capital One or Wells Fargo after 3-6 months of banking history **Pro tip**: When you apply, emphasize that you're running a legitimate business operation and be ready to explain your business model clearly. Banks want to see you're not just trying to hide personal finances behind an LLC. Also, since you're filing as S-Corp, make sure you understand the payroll requirements - you'll need to pay yourself a reasonable salary and handle payroll taxes. This actually helps with business credit building since it shows regular business activity. Don't let the past financial struggles discourage you. I'm now at a 720 business credit score and have access to $50K in business lines of credit. It takes time but it's absolutely doable!

Make sure you document EVERYTHING about your working conditions! I made the mistake of not keeping enough evidence when I was in a similar situation. The more documentation you have about schedule control, micromanagement, etc., the stronger your SS-8 case will be. The fact that he controlled bathroom breaks is a HUGE red flag that proves employee status. Also, the firing after asking for a rate increase that accounted for self-employment taxes shows bad faith. The IRS takes these misclassification cases very seriously now since they lose so much tax revenue from it.

This is a textbook case of employee misclassification! The level of control your employer had over your work environment - mandatory schedules, micromanaging bathroom breaks, controlling your work location, and even timing your breaks - clearly indicates you were an employee, not an independent contractor. A few key points to consider: 1. **Don't sign the W-9** - By signing it now, you'd be validating their misclassification. You have every right to refuse. 2. **File Form SS-8 immediately** - This asks the IRS to make an official determination about your worker status. Given the facts you've described, it's very likely they'll rule in your favor. 3. **Document everything** - Save all communications, schedules, payment records, and any evidence of the micromanagement you described. 4. **Consider Form 8919** - You can file this with your tax return to pay only the employee portion of Social Security and Medicare taxes while the SS-8 is pending. The fact that he's paying everyone through Venmo and requiring W-9s from all staff while maintaining complete schedule control suggests systematic misclassification. This could result in significant penalties for the employer. You're absolutely doing the right thing by questioning this situation - employee misclassification costs workers thousands in extra taxes and lost benefits.

Last year I got my trace number on March 5th with a pending date of March 7th. The money showed up in my account at 12:01 AM on March 7th - I literally stayed up to watch for it because I needed it for my car payment! Every bank is different though. My sister has the same pending date through Chase and didn't get hers until almost noon. I'd say once you have that trace number, you're in the home stretch. The anxiety of waiting for tax refunds is something we all go through every year!

Congrats on getting your trace number! That's definitely a relief when you finally have that confirmation. I went through the same thing last year - had to call TurboTax because their app wasn't showing the trace number either. It's frustrating when the technology doesn't work as expected, but at least their phone support was able to help. In my experience, once you have that trace number and pending date, you're pretty much guaranteed to get your refund. The 2/24 date they gave you should be accurate. I'd expect to see it either late on 2/23 (some banks process overnight) or early morning on 2/24. My credit union usually posts these around 6 AM on the scheduled date. The hardest part is just the waiting now! But you're so close. Having that trace number means all the processing is done and it's just a matter of the money moving through the system. Good luck!

Anyone know if weight loss programs are HSA eligible? I've heard conflicting things. My doctor told me to lose weight but didn't write an official prescription for a program.

As someone who's dealt with similar HSA frustrations, I completely understand your anger about this backwards system! What helped me was learning that while we can't change the current rules overnight, there ARE some strategies to maximize what we can use HSA funds for within the existing framework. Beyond the great advice already shared about Letters of Medical Necessity, here are a few other things that might help: Many people don't realize that things like air purifiers, ergonomic equipment for work-related injuries, and even certain mattresses can be HSA-eligible with proper documentation. Also, if you're doing all this preventative work and still end up with any health issues, keep detailed records of how your healthy lifestyle has helped - this documentation could be valuable if rules ever do change. For advocacy, the HSA Coalition and similar organizations are actively working to expand eligible expenses. Following their work and supporting their efforts might be more effective than individual petitions. The fact that over-the-counter medications were recently added shows the system can evolve, even if slowly.