Great point about credits. For 2024, there aren't stimulus payments like during COVID, but depending on your situation, you might qualify for credits like the Recovery Rebate Credit (if you missed previous stimulus payments) or certain educational credits if you were taking classes. Even with zero income, you might qualify for the Earned Income Tax Credit if you had any income at all in the previous 3 years and meet certain other requirements. This is called the "lookback rule" and it's often overlooked.

Thanks for that info! I'd completely forgotten about the lookback rule for EITC. That's definitely something OP should look into if they had income in previous years.

That's actually really helpful - I am planning to apply for some assistance programs and didn't think about needing proof of my (lack of) income. Definitely another good reason to file. Thanks for sharing your experience!

Do you need receipts for every single repair part? What if I bought some stuff with cash and don't have receipts anymore?

Yes, you absolutely need receipts for every part you're deducting. The IRS requires documentation for all business expenses, and vehicle expenses are one of the most scrutinized categories. Without receipts, you have no proof of the expense if you're audited. In some very limited cases, you might be able to use bank or credit card statements that clearly show the purchase, but actual itemized receipts are much better since they show exactly what was purchased. For cash purchases with no receipt, unfortunately you're probably out of luck for deduction purposes. This is why I've started keeping digital copies of all my receipts using my phone's camera.

I used TurboTax last year for my Uber driving. It does ask you about both methods and will calculate them, but I found it a bit confusing. They don't really explain the long-term implications of switching from standard mileage to actual expenses very well. I ended up having to do some research outside the program to be sure I was making the right choice.

That's what I was worried about. I need something that will clearly show me the comparison and explain the consequences. Seems like I might need to look at some alternatives or maybe consult with a tax pro who understands delivery driver deductions specifically. Thanks for sharing your experience.

Thanks for this tip! I just checked my tax transcript but I'm not sure I'm reading it correctly. Would these codes show up before I file my taxes for this year or only after I've filed and they process my refund?

These codes typically show up after you've filed and your return has been processed. They indicate that your refund is being diverted to pay another debt. Before you file, the transcript wouldn't show these specific codes. However, if you've had offsets in previous years, you might see these codes on your past transcripts, which could indicate you might face the same issue again if the underlying debt hasn't been resolved.

That's a great point. My husband had his state refund taken for child support arrears even though he was current on payments. Turns out there was an accounting error and we had to fight to get it back. Always good to check with both federal AND state before counting on that money.

Yes! And what's worse is that sometimes the different government departments don't communicate well with each other. I had paid the ticket but it wasn't properly recorded in their system. If you're concerned about state offsets, most states have their own offset programs you can call to check, similar to the federal TOP system. Just search "[your state] tax refund offset phone number" and you should find the right contact info.

Do you have any articles or links about these proposed changes? I'm working with my parents on their estate plan and we're considering a GRAT, but I'm worried about starting one right before the rules change.

There's a good overview in the most recent Treasury Greenbook - search for "General Explanations of the Administration's Fiscal Year 2025 Revenue Proposals" and look in the section on estate and gift tax reforms. The proposals have been consistent for several years but haven't made it into legislation yet. If you're concerned about rule changes, you might consider using shorter-term GRATs (2-3 years) that would likely complete before any new legislation would take effect. Even if new rules pass, they typically don't apply retroactively to trusts already established. That's one advantage of the rolling GRAT strategy - you can adjust as the legal landscape changes.

Great question! If the assets in a GRAT underperform (meaning they don't grow faster than the IRS Section 7520 rate), you still have to make the scheduled annuity payments as defined in the trust document. This could mean returning most or all of the assets back to yourself as the grantor. In your example, if your $1 million of stock drops to $800k, you'd still need to make the promised annuity payments. The "worst case" is that all assets return to you and nothing passes to your beneficiaries - essentially the GRAT "fails" but you're not worse off tax-wise than if you'd done nothing. You've just incurred the setup and administration costs without achieving the tax benefit. This is actually why GRATs are considered relatively low-risk compared to some other techniques - there's upside potential if assets appreciate rapidly, but limited downside if they don't.

That makes so much more sense now, thanks! So basically if the investments tank, I just get my own assets back and it's like the GRAT never happened (minus the attorney fees). And if the investments do well, the excess growth goes to my kids tax-free? That seems like a pretty good risk/reward setup.

Thanks for mentioning this! The letter does have a notice number (CP504) and there's info about appeal rights. I looked it up and CP504 is a "Final Notice of Intent to Levy" which is freaking me out even more. Does this mean they're about to take money from my accounts?

A CP504 is indeed a legitimate IRS notice and it's basically warning you that they may levy (seize) your assets or tax refunds if you don't address the debt. However, it's not actually the final notice before levy despite what the title suggests. Before they can actually levy your bank accounts or wages, they must send you a "Final Notice of Intent to Levy and Notice of Your Right to a Hearing" (Letter 1058 or LT11) and give you 30 days to request a Collection Due Process hearing. The CP504 is serious, but you still have time and options before any levies would occur. This would be a good time to contact the IRS to discuss resolution options like a payment plan or making a dispute if you believe the assessment is incorrect.

For the "Currently Not Collectible" status, what kind of documentation do they require? I've been unemployed for 9 months and there's no way I can pay my tax debt.