This thread has been absolutely eye-opening! I work as a financial advisor and constantly have clients who are shocked when I show them their true tax burden. What most people don't realize is that tax planning should really be "total tax planning" - looking at ways to minimize your burden across ALL these different categories, not just federal income tax. A few strategies that can help reduce your overall burden: 1. **Location arbitrage**: Moving even one county over can sometimes save thousands in property taxes while barely affecting your daily life. I've had clients save 2-3% of their total income just by relocating 20 minutes away. 2. **HSAs are triple tax advantaged**: No federal, state, or FICA taxes on contributions, growth, or withdrawals for medical expenses. It's literally the only account with this treatment. 3. **Timing major purchases**: If you're planning a big purchase anyway, timing it for a state with lower sales tax (like during a move or vacation) can save hundreds. 4. **Property tax appeals**: Most people never question their property assessment, but successful appeals can reduce this burden for years. The fragmentation everyone's discussing is frustrating, but once you see the whole picture, you can actually use it to your advantage by optimizing across all these different categories instead of just focusing on April 15th.

This entire discussion has been a masterclass in understanding the true cost of government in America! I've been nodding along to so many of these comments as someone who went through this same realization a few years ago. One thing I'd add that hasn't been mentioned much is the psychological impact of discovering your real tax burden. When I first calculated that I was paying close to 40% of my income in various taxes, I went through what I can only describe as the stages of grief. First denial ("that can't be right"), then anger ("why didn't anyone tell me this?"), bargaining ("maybe if I move to Florida..."), and eventually acceptance with a plan to optimize what I could control. What helped me was reframing it not as "the government is taking 40% of my money" but as "I'm purchasing 40% worth of services including roads, schools, military protection, courts, emergency services, etc." Some of those services I use directly, others benefit society broadly, but at least now I can make informed decisions about whether I'm getting good value. The tools and strategies mentioned here (especially the tax burden calculators and location arbitrage) are spot-on. I'd also add that understanding your true tax burden makes you a much more informed voter. When politicians talk about tax cuts or increases, you can actually evaluate how those changes would affect your total picture rather than just thinking about federal income tax rates. Thanks to everyone who contributed their expertise - this thread should be required reading for anyone trying to understand personal finance in America!

I've been doing dog walking and pet sitting for 3 years now and went through this same confusion. I called the platform I use and they explained that the 1099 they issue follows IRS requirements - it shows payments made to you during the calendar year. For your own sanity, I recommend: 1) Use cash basis (report income when received) 2) Keep good records showing both service dates and payment dates 3) Deduct expenses in the same year as the related income 4) Save about 30% of all income for taxes (learned this the hard way!) And don't forget to make quarterly estimated tax payments if you expect to owe more than $1000 in taxes for the year. That was another expensive lesson for me...

Great advice in this thread! As someone who's been doing freelance pet services for 4 years, I want to add a few things that really helped me get organized: For tracking income vs 1099s, I use a simple spreadsheet with columns for: Service Date, Payment Date, Client, Amount, and Notes. This lets me easily sort by either date depending on what I need. At tax time, I just filter by Payment Date to match my 1099. One thing I wish someone had told me earlier - if you're using multiple platforms (Rover, Wag, etc.), each one will send you a separate 1099 if you earned over $600 with them. Don't forget to include ALL of them on your Schedule C, even the smaller amounts. Also, for mileage tracking, I highly recommend using an app like MileIQ or Everlance. It automatically tracks your drives and you just swipe to categorize them as business or personal. Way easier than trying to remember to write down odometer readings for every trip! The quarterly tax payment advice is spot on too. I learned that lesson the expensive way my second year. Now I treat it like any other business expense and it's much less stressful.

As someone who just went through this verification process a few weeks ago, I can definitely relate to your frustration! The 14-digit control number should be printed somewhere on the physical letter - in my case, it was in a small rectangular box near the top right of the letter, but I've heard it can appear in different locations depending on when the letter was printed. Here are a few things that helped me locate mine: - Use bright lighting or even your phone's flashlight to check for faint printing - Look carefully at both sides of the entire letter - The format is typically 3 letters followed by 11 numbers (like ABC12345678901) - Check along the margins - sometimes it's printed vertically in smaller text If you've searched thoroughly and still can't find it, there's a chance it wasn't printed clearly or got damaged in transit. In that case, you'll need to call the IRS at 800-829-1040 and explain that you received the identity verification letter but the control number is missing or illegible. They can confirm the letter was sent to you and issue a replacement. Just make sure to verify the authenticity of your letter by cross-referencing any phone numbers with the official IRS.gov website before calling. Once you do complete the verification process, expect about 9 business days for your refund processing to resume. Have your previous year's AGI and two forms of ID ready when you make the call. Good luck - I know it's stressful, but you'll get through it!

I just went through this exact verification process about 3 weeks ago and completely understand your stress! The 14-digit control number is definitely printed on the physical letter they mailed you, but it can sometimes be tricky to spot. In my case, it was in a light gray box in the upper right corner labeled "Control Number" - the format was ABC12345678901 (3 letters, 11 numbers). Here's what worked for me when I was having trouble finding it: - Used my phone's flashlight to illuminate the entire letter under bright light - Checked both sides carefully, including all margins and corners - Took a photo with my phone and zoomed in to look for faint printing - Made sure I was looking at the actual letter content, not just accompanying documents If you've thoroughly searched and it's genuinely missing or illegible, call 800-829-1040 and explain the situation. They can verify that a verification letter was sent to your address and potentially issue a replacement, though expect 7-10 business days for a new letter to arrive. Before calling anyone, double-check that all phone numbers match exactly with what's listed on IRS.gov to avoid scams. Once you find that control number and complete verification, your refund should resume processing within 9 business days. Have your prior year AGI and two forms of ID ready when you call. Don't give up - that number is somewhere on that letter!

Just want to point out that this arrangement could also affect your in-laws' taxes in ways they might not realize. When they eventually transfer the property to you, they might face capital gains tax implications depending on how the sale is structured. Also, if they're charging you below-market interest rates (which is common in family arrangements), there could be "imputed interest" issues where the IRS treats the transaction as if a market rate was charged, even if it wasn't. Your in-laws should definitely consult with a tax professional about this. My parents did something similar with my brother and ended up with unexpected tax consequences when they formally transferred the property years later.

I'm dealing with a similar situation with my parents and wanted to share what I learned from my CPA. The key issue is that for the IRS to recognize this as anything other than rent, you need to establish "equitable title" - basically proving you have a real ownership interest that goes beyond just a promise to sell later. My CPA explained that true rent-to-own arrangements for tax purposes require: 1) A clear purchase price stated upfront, 2) Specific allocation of each payment between rent and purchase equity, 3) A definite purchase timeline, and 4) evidence that you're building actual equity (not just credits toward a future purchase). Without these elements, the IRS typically treats it as a lease with an option to purchase, meaning no mortgage interest deduction for you. The tricky part is that even if you formalize the agreement now, the IRS looks at the substance of what actually happened during those past 2 years of payments. I'd strongly recommend getting both a real estate attorney AND a tax professional involved to review your situation. Family property deals can get messy fast if not done right, both legally and tax-wise.

I've been following this thread with interest since I'm dealing with a similar situation. My consulting firm had to transition from in-person client meetings to virtual only for about 8 months in 2020-2021 due to government restrictions. What's been helpful from reading everyone's experiences is understanding that the "more than nominal" test isn't just about revenue drops - it's about operational changes. In our case, we had to completely restructure how we delivered services, which definitely impacted more than 10% of our normal operations. One thing I'd add for anyone still figuring this out: keep detailed records of exactly when government orders went into effect and ended in your area. I created a timeline showing the specific dates restrictions changed, which quarters they affected, and how our operations were modified during each period. This documentation has been crucial for substantiating our claim. Thanks to everyone who shared their experiences with the various tools and services - it's reassuring to know there are resources available to help navigate this complex process.

Reading through this thread has been incredibly helpful! I'm dealing with a similar situation with my fitness studio. We were forced to close completely for 3 months in 2020, then allowed to reopen but with severe capacity restrictions (from 40 people per class down to 8) and no group fitness classes allowed - which was about 60% of our revenue. I've been hesitant to claim the ERC because I wasn't sure if the capacity restrictions counted as a "partial suspension" once we reopened. But based on what everyone's shared here, it sounds like we clearly meet the "more than nominal" threshold since group classes were such a significant part of our operations. The documentation advice about keeping records of specific government orders is spot on. I still have all the health department notices that detailed exactly when restrictions changed and what we were/weren't allowed to do. One question for those who've been through this process: when calculating qualified wages, do you include wages paid to employees who were working reduced hours due to the capacity restrictions, or only wages paid during periods of complete closure? The IRS guidance on this specific scenario has been confusing. Thanks to everyone who's shared their experiences - it's made me much more confident about moving forward with our claim!