That's a brilliant idea! Do you need the actual physical address to search county records? The daycare my kids went to operated under a different name than what was on the building (it was like "Sunshine Learning" but the business name was something completely different).

You usually just need the business name to search county records, though having the address helps narrow things down if there are multiple businesses with similar names. If the name on the building was different from their legal business name, try searching both. You can also try searching by the address itself, as most county business license databases allow searching by location too. Some counties even have map-based interfaces where you can click on the property and see what businesses are registered there. It's worth checking your state's Secretary of State business entity search as well, which often contains EINs for registered businesses.

Oh no, that sounds scary. Did you end up having any issues with your own taxes after that happened? I'm in a similar boat with a daycare that just vanished overnight.

Does this apply to online donations too? Like if I donate through the church website on Dec 31st but they don't process it until January?

Yes, it absolutely applies to online donations too! The IRS considers the donation made when the transaction is initiated for credit card and electronic payments. So a donation made through your church's website on December 31st counts for that tax year, even if the church doesn't process it until January. Just make sure you have confirmation of the transaction date. Most church online giving systems send an email receipt showing the date you made the donation, which is perfect documentation for tax purposes.

Is that charitable mileage deduction separate from the standard deduction? Or would I still need to be itemizing to claim it?

With FreeTaxUSA, you can absolutely do this! Complete both your federal and state returns in the software, but when you get to the filing stage, only select to e-file your state return. There should be an option to "file state only" somewhere in the filing process. For your federal, make sure you fill out and submit Form 4868 for the extension and pay your estimated amount owed. You can either generate this form through FreeTaxUSA or use the IRS direct pay website to make the payment, which automatically gives you the extension.

I hadn't heard about VITA before. Do they accept complete beginners or do I need some basic knowledge first? And is the training comprehensive enough that I could actually use it to get hired somewhere afterward?

VITA absolutely accepts complete beginners! They provide all the training you need to get started, usually beginning with basic returns and gradually introducing more complex situations as you gain confidence. The training is definitely comprehensive enough to help with employment prospects. Many tax offices view VITA experience very favorably because it demonstrates both technical knowledge and client interaction skills. It's not just about learning the forms - you develop experience explaining tax concepts to clients and solving real-world tax situations. Plus, you'll have verifiable experience you can put on your resume. Several people I trained with at VITA went on to get hired at tax firms or even start their own tax businesses.

This is great advice. I spent way too much on pro software my first year only to realize I didn't even know how to use all its features. Which one would you recommend for someone just starting out who wants room to grow?

That's a great suggestion about the state nonprofit association - I hadn't considered that angle. Do you know if the extension request needs to be submitted in a specific format or to a particular office at the SBA?

The extension request should be submitted through your SVOG portal account under "Correspondence." Include a detailed explanation of your efforts to secure an auditor (with dates and names of firms contacted) and specify how much additional time you need. Be sure to mention that you're specifically struggling to find auditors familiar with Title 2, Subtitle A, Chapter II, Part 200, Subpart F requirements for SVOG grants. Don't wait until the last minute to request this - submit at least 30 days before your deadline if possible. In my experience, the SBA has been reasonable about extensions when you show you're actively trying to comply.

Is that threshold based on the actual awarded amount or the amount spent? My SVOG was for $265k but I only ended up using $248k of it and returned the rest. Not sure if that changes anything regarding the Single Audit requirement.

The threshold is based on the amount expended during your fiscal year, not the amount awarded. So if you only spent $248k of your SVOG funds, you would fall under the $250k threshold and could opt for the simplified compliance audit instead of the full Single Audit requirements outlined in Title 2, Subtitle A, Chapter II, Part 200, Subpart F. Make sure you have proper documentation showing exactly how much was spent and when. This distinction has saved several venue operators a lot of time and money, so it's definitely worth confirming your exact expenditure amount!