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Yara Haddad

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Another thing to consider - if your mother-in-law is getting tax advice from friends her age or an older accountant who hasn't kept up with tax law changes, there might be some outdated information floating around. The gift tax rules have changed several times over decades, but gifts to individuals have never been income tax deductible in my lifetime. Maybe show her the IRS publication that covers gifts? Sometimes seeing it in official print helps convince people. Publication 559 covers this topic.

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Dylan Wright

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That's an excellent point about possibly getting outdated advice. She mentioned getting this information from "her tax guy" who I suspect might be someone she's been using for decades. Where can I find that IRS publication online to show her? And is there a specific section that directly addresses this gift vs income deduction issue?

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Yara Haddad

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You can find Publication 559 directly on the IRS website (irs.gov), but the publication that most directly addresses gift taxes is actually Publication 950 "Introduction to Estate and Gift Taxes." Look specifically at the section titled "Gift Tax" which clearly explains that gifts aren't income tax deductible. Another helpful resource is the IRS's FAQ page on gift taxes which explicitly states that gifts to individuals don't qualify as income tax deductions. Showing her these official sources should help, especially if her tax preparer is giving outdated or incorrect advice. If she's been doing this for years, she might want to consult with a different tax professional to see if amended returns are necessary.

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Keisha Robinson

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Just wanted to add - your mother-in-law should be careful! My aunt did this exact thing (deducting gifts to family from income) for several years and got audited. The IRS disallowed all those deductions, charged her back taxes plus penalties and interest. It was a mess to clean up. The only exception would be if she's making these gifts from a charitable remainder trust or something similar, but that's a whole different situation that requires proper legal setup.

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Paolo Conti

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Did your aunt have to file amended returns for all those years or did the IRS just assess the additional tax? I'm worried about my parents who might have been doing something similar.

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QuantumQuasar

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Here's how I would approach your specific situation: Track your ACTUAL costs for 3 months to get a true picture. Include: - Gas (easy to track) - Insurance (monthly premium) - Maintenance (oil changes, repairs, tires - annualized) - Depreciation (harder to estimate, but maybe 15% loss per year for a Jeep) - Registration/taxes - Loan interest if applicable Then calculate your true per-mile cost. For a Jeep Wrangler getting 15mpg, I'd guess you're looking at 75-80 cents per mile in reality, significantly higher than the IRS rate. For your moving decision, multiply your actual per-mile cost by the annual mileage difference to see your true savings. This will give you a much more accurate figure than using the standard deduction rate.

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Luca Romano

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Thanks for this breakdown! Two questions: 1) for depreciation, should I just take the current value and multiply by 15%? And 2) would you divide all these costs by total annual mileage to get the per-mile figure?

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QuantumQuasar

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Yes, for a quick depreciation estimate, take the current value and multiply by 15% (Wranglers hold value well, so you might even use 12-13%). That gives you annual depreciation cost. You've got it exactly right for calculating the per-mile figure. Add up all your annual vehicle costs (gas, insurance, maintenance, depreciation, etc.), then divide by your total annual mileage. This gives you your true cost per mile. Most people are surprised how much higher this is than they expected - especially for vehicles with lower fuel efficiency.

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Just want to mention - don't forget that the $0.54 (now $0.67) mileage rate is for business/self-employment use. If you're calculating for a regular commute to your job, that's not tax deductible at all under current tax law. So while calculating your actual savings from moving closer is definitely smart financial planning, just be aware you can't deduct regular commuting miles on your taxes regardless of the rate. The IRS considers commuting a personal expense.

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Jamal Wilson

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Wait really?? I've been deducting my commute miles for years! Is this a new rule?

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One thing nobody's mentioned yet - have you considered just waiting until you're 24 to start school? FAFSA automatically considers you independent at 24 regardless of your situation. Might be worth delaying a semester or two if your birthday is coming up soon. Also, don't make major life decisions like marriage just for financial aid! That could be a recipe for disaster in the long run.

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Natalia Stone

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I've definitely considered waiting until I turn 24, but that's still about 11 months away. Starting school is pretty time-sensitive for me since there's a specific program I want to get into that only accepts students in the fall semester. If I wait until I'm 24, I'd basically be delaying my education (and future career) by a full year. As for the marriage thing - we were already planning to get married eventually, this would just change the timing. Definitely wouldn't make that decision ONLY for financial reasons, but it seems like it might be beneficial on multiple fronts.

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That makes sense if the program only starts once a year. Just wanted to make sure you'd considered that option since so many people don't realize the age 24 cutoff can make such a big difference. If you were already planning to get married anyway, then the timing adjustment might be worthwhile. Just make sure you're both on the same page about doing it sooner than originally planned. Good luck with school and congrats on the home purchase!

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Zane Gray

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Just a heads up that there are other ways to qualify as independent for FAFSA besides marriage or age! If you have a child who receives more than half their support from you, are a veteran, were in foster care, are emancipated, or have dependent parents you support, you can be considered independent. The FAFSA website has a detailed questionnaire that determines your status: https://studentaid.gov/apply-for-aid/fafsa/filling-out/dependency

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Maggie Martinez

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Also worth mentioning that if you have unusual circumstances, financial aid offices can sometimes do a "dependency override." It's rare, but if you can document unusual family situations, it's worth asking. Parents refusing to provide info usually doesn't qualify though.

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Natalia Stone

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I looked through all those independence qualifiers already and unfortunately don't meet any of them. No kids, not a veteran, wasn't in foster care, not emancipated, and don't have dependent parents I'm supporting. I also asked about the dependency override at the financial aid office, but they said they only do those in extreme circumstances like documented abandonment or abuse. My situation with my parents is fine - we just don't have a financial relationship anymore since I support myself.

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Mason Lopez

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Have you considered meal prepping? I'm a mobile massage therapist and I just bring food with me in a cooler. Not deductible either way but saves a ton of money. I keep it in the car with some ice packs and eat between appointments. Saves me at least $2000 a year compared to buying food out.

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Gemma Andrews

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That's actually a really smart idea! Do you have any tips for foods that work well for car-based meal prepping? I'd be worried about things getting soggy or spoiling throughout the day, especially in summer.

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Mason Lopez

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Definitely go for foods that are stable at various temperatures. I keep a good insulated lunch bag with ice packs. Wraps work better than sandwiches because they don't get soggy as quickly. Pasta salads, grain bowls, and hearty salads (hold the dressing until eating time) all work great. I also keep a bunch of shelf-stable snacks in the car - nuts, granola bars, dried fruit, etc. These are perfect for shorter breaks between clients. If you invest in a good thermos, you can also keep soups or hot meals that stay warm for 4-5 hours.

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Vera Visnjic

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Music teacher here too! Just wanted to mention that while meals between lessons probably aren't deductible, don't forget about other expenses that definitely ARE. I just learned you can deduct: - Streaming service subscriptions IF used mainly for teaching/demonstration - Instrument repairs and maintenance - Sheet music and teaching materials - Portion of home internet if you do any virtual lessons - Professional society memberships - Continuing education Made a big difference on my taxes this year!

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Jake Sinclair

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Would apps like Spotify Premium or Apple Music count as deductible if you use them during lessons to demonstrate songs to students?

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Charlotte Jones

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11 Don't forget about quarterly estimated tax payments if your wife's business grows! My husband and I got hit with an underpayment penalty our first year running our Etsy shop because we didn't realize we needed to pay quarterly when self-employed. Also look into self-employment tax (Schedule SE) - that surprised us too.

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Charlotte Jones

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19 How do you know how much to pay for those quarterly payments? Is there a minimum amount your business needs to make before you have to start doing that?

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Charlotte Jones

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11 The general rule is you should make quarterly estimated payments if you expect to owe $1,000 or more in taxes for the year. The amount depends on your projected income, but there's a "safe harbor" provision - if you pay 100% of last year's tax liability (or 110% if your AGI was over $150,000), you won't face penalties even if you end up owing more. You can use Form 1040-ES to calculate your estimated payments. Alternatively, you can increase withholding from a W-2 job if either of you has one, which accomplishes the same goal. The IRS treats withholding as if it happened evenly throughout the year, even if it's all at the end.

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Charlotte Jones

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16 Something that really helped me with my side business was using expense tracking apps like QuickBooks Self-Employed or even just a dedicated credit card for business expenses. Makes it so much easier at tax time to separate business vs personal expenses. Whatever you do, start tracking EVERYTHING now - it's a nightmare to reconstruct expenses after the fact!

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Charlotte Jones

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23 Is it ok to just use a spreadsheet instead of paying for software? I'm trying to minimize costs while the business is still small.

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