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One thing nobody's mentioned yet is the QBI (Qualified Business Income) deduction, which allows eligible pass-through entities to deduct up to 20% of their qualified business income. This deduction works differently depending on your tax classification. For a pass-through sole proprietorship, the calculation is usually straightforward. But with an S-Corp, the salary you pay yourself doesn't count toward QBI, only the distribution portion does. So while you save on self-employment taxes with an S-Corp, you might reduce your QBI deduction. At lower income levels, this is another reason the pass-through option might be better initially. As your income grows and you potentially hit the QBI phase-out limits, the calculation changes.
I hadn't even considered the QBI deduction! So are you saying that with the pass-through option I might actually get a larger QBI deduction than with an S-Corp because the entire profit would be eligible? What income levels does the QBI start to phase out?
Exactly right. With pass-through, your entire profit is potentially eligible for QBI. With an S-Corp, only the distribution portion (not your salary) is eligible. The QBI deduction begins to phase out in 2025 at taxable income of $382,200 for single filers and $384,400 for married filing jointly. It fully phases out at $432,200 for single and $434,400 for married. These thresholds change each year with inflation. If your business is a "specified service trade or business" (like consulting, health, law, etc.), these limits are particularly important since you lose the deduction completely above the threshold.
Just wanted to share a real-world cautionary tale. I started my graphic design LLC with pass-through treatment, but switched to S-Corp after reading online that it would save me money. Big mistake without proper guidance. I didn't realize how much work would be involved - quarterly payroll filings, separate tax return, state unemployment accounts, workers' comp requirements in my state, additional bookkeeping to separate personal from business transactions, etc. I was spending 5-6 hours EVERY month on compliance that I could have spent on billable work. After 2 years, I switched back to pass-through and started paying the self-employment tax again because the mental burden and time cost wasn't worth the tax savings (which were about $4,200/year for me). Unless you're making significant profit OR plan to hire employees soon anyway, the default pass-through is usually simpler.
Did you have to pay an accountant to help with all the S-Corp compliance or did you try to handle it yourself? I'm wondering what the total cost was including both direct expenses and your time.
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Just FYI, you can request a transcript of your tax records from the IRS which might show if the casino already reported your winnings to them. Go to irs.gov and search for "Get Transcript" - you can create an account and see what forms have been filed under your SSN. If the casino did submit the W-2G to the IRS, it would show up there and you could see the exact amounts, which might help you file even without the physical form.
Thanks for this tip! I just created an account and checked my transcript. Looks like the casino did submit my W-2G to the IRS about a week ago (which is frustrating since they never sent it to me). At least now I can see the exact amounts to report on my return. Gonna file tomorrow. Really appreciate everyone's help here - I've been stressing about this for weeks! So relieved to know I'm not facing penalties since I'm due a refund.
Happy to help! That's exactly why I mentioned checking the transcript - casinos are usually good about reporting to the IRS but sometimes slow about sending the actual forms to winners. Now you have all the official information you need to file accurately. The transcript method is super useful for all kinds of missing tax documents. I've used it for missing 1099s and W-2s in the past. Makes filing much easier when you can see exactly what's been reported under your SSN.
Btw which tax software are you using? TurboTax has an option specifically for filing with missing forms where you can enter the information manually. I had to do it last year when an employer sent my W-2 to the wrong address.
I'd recommend FreeTaxUSA over TurboTax for this situation. It's way cheaper and handles missing forms just as well. I used it for a similar casino winning situation last year.
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One thing nobody's mentioned yet is that if you lease your vehicle, there are special rules. With a lease, if you choose the standard mileage rate, you can't switch to actual expenses later. But if you start with actual expenses, you can switch to standard mileage in a later year. Also, with standard mileage, you can still separately deduct business parking fees and tolls. So even if you go with the simpler method, don't forget to track those expenses!
Do loan interest and registration fees count as separate deductions with standard mileage too? Or are those already included in the standard rate?
Loan interest and registration fees are already included in the standard mileage rate, so you can't deduct those separately if you choose that method. That's one reason why actual expenses might be better for some drivers, especially in states with high vehicle registration fees. If you use your vehicle for both personal and business use, you'd need to calculate the business percentage of these expenses if you go with the actual expense method. For example, if you use your car 70% for delivery driving and 30% for personal use, you could only deduct 70% of your registration fees and loan interest.
I switched from itemized to standard mileage last year and it was the best decision ever! Saved me like $480 and so much hassle. All I do now is use a mileage tracking app (I use Stride but there are tons of others) that automatically logs my trips. I just open the app at the start of my delivery shift and close it when I'm done. It creates professional-looking reports that would satisfy any audit requirements. Way easier than keeping a folder full of gas and maintenance receipts!
What if you forget to turn on the app sometimes? Does the IRS accept reconstructed mileage logs? I'm terrible at remembering to track this stuff consistently.
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Some other AGI-lowering strategies to consider: - Unreimbursed partnership expenses if applicable - Capital loss harvesting (sell investments at a loss) for up to $3k AGI reduction - Contribute to traditional IRAs for both of you if eligible - Check if you qualify for the student loan interest deduction - Certain educator expenses if either of you are teachers - Health insurance premiums if self-employed Honestly though, with a $19k gap to close, it's going to be tough unless you have some business losses or other major deductions available.
Thanks for these suggestions! We don't have any partnership income or self-employment, but the capital loss harvesting is interesting. We do have some investments that haven't performed well. Would selling those at a loss help lower AGI this year?
Yes, capital loss harvesting would help lower your AGI. You can deduct up to $3,000 in net capital losses against ordinary income per year, which directly reduces your AGI. If you have investments that are currently at a loss, selling them would realize those losses that you can use on your tax return. Just be aware of wash sale rules - if you buy substantially identical investments within 30 days before or after selling at a loss, you can't claim the loss for tax purposes.
Any chance either of you have student loans? The student loan interest deduction can reduce AGI by up to $2,500, but it phases out at higher incomes. Still, every bit helps. Also, does your company offer any pre-tax benefits you're not taking advantage of? Some employers offer things like dependent care FSAs, commuter benefits, etc. that can lower your taxable income.
The student loan interest deduction phases out completely for married couples filing jointly when MAGI reaches $155,000, so that wouldn't help in their situation with $227k income unless they file separately. And if they file separately, neither spouse can claim the student loan interest deduction at all. It's one of those weird tax rules.
Cass Green
If you filed with TurboTax and paid for it using your refund, definitely check the SBTPG site. But if you used H&R Block with the refund transfer option, you need to check the Axos Bank site instead. Every tax prep company uses a different bank partner for refund transfers. H&R Block → Axos Bank TurboTax → SBTPG Jackson Hewitt → Republic Bank TaxAct → Republic Bank Also fyi these sites will typically show your refund 1-2 days before it actually hits your account. Its so annoying how many middlemen take a cut of your tax refund without being super clear about it.
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Finley Garrett
•Is there a way to check if you didn't pay for tax prep out of your refund? I filed with FreeTaxUSA and just paid the state filing fee with my credit card.
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Cass Green
•If you didn't pay for your tax prep out of your refund (meaning you paid upfront with a credit card or other payment method), then your refund is coming directly from the IRS to your bank account. In that case, the "Where's My Refund" tool on the IRS website is your best option. You could also create an account on the IRS website and view your tax transcript, which sometimes updates with refund information before the "Where's My Refund" tool does. The transcript can be a bit confusing to read, but there are guides online that explain what the different codes mean.
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Madison Tipne
Guys I'm in the same boat and tried calling the IRS 8 times now! Anyone know if theres a best time to call? I've tried morning and afternoon...
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Holly Lascelles
•I've had the most luck calling right when they open at 7am Eastern time. The queue fills up FAST. Also try calling on a Tuesday or Wednesday - Mondays and Fridays are usually the worst.
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Madison Tipne
•Thanks for the tip! I'll try Wednesday at 7am Eastern (that's 4am for me on the west coast, ugh). The things we do to get our own money back...
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