3 Wait, so even if the form wasn't blank, you still don't need to include it with your return? I'm confused because I thought health insurance was required for taxes.

22 You never need to attach any 1095 forms (A, B, or C) to your tax return - they're information documents only. You use the information from them to fill out your tax return correctly, but the actual forms stay with your personal records. The health insurance requirement for tax purposes (the individual mandate) had its penalty reduced to $0 at the federal level starting in 2019. So while technically the requirement still exists, there's no federal penalty for not having coverage. Some states do have their own penalties though, so it depends on where you live.

20 TurboTax will ask you about health insurance during the filing process, but you don't need to physically enter the 1095-C if it's blank. The software mainly needs to know if you had coverage and for what months. If you already told TurboTax you didn't have coverage through your employer (which matches your blank 1095-C), then you're fine - no amendment needed.

That's a great suggestion! Do you find that the time zone differences are manageable? And did you find them through a referral or some other way?

The time zone difference is honestly not a big deal. We schedule video calls that work for both of us - usually early morning my time, late afternoon Seattle time. Most of our communication happens through email anyway, and she's really responsive. I found her through an American expats in Thailand Facebook group. That's usually my first recommendation - join Facebook groups or forums for expats in your specific country and ask for CPA recommendations. You'll get feedback from people in very similar situations to yours.

This is good advice. I used an EA who specializes in expat taxes last year after a regular tax preparer completely messed up my return. The EA fixed everything and the difference in knowledge was night and day. Cost me about $550 for a pretty complex situation with income from three countries.

Thanks for this suggestion! I hadn't considered FreeTaxUSA. What's the difference in features compared to TurboTax? Is it as user-friendly for first-timers?

FreeTaxUSA has all the same forms and capabilities for small business owners, but the interface is slightly less polished than TurboTax. Still very user-friendly though - it asks you all the same questions to find deductions and walks you through Schedule C step by step. The big difference is price - usually under $20 for state filing compared to TurboTax's $120+ for self-employed. The federal filing with FreeTaxUSA is completely free, even with business income. It doesn't have the fancy import features for certain banks, but if you're organized with your numbers, it works perfectly.

Do you pay for the Self-Employed version of TurboTax or can you get by with the cheaper options? I'm in a similar situation and trying to decide which version to buy.

Thanks for this advice! I just started downloading all my bank statements. I'm realizing I had way more little side jobs than I remembered. Should I be separating the income by different clients/sources or just lumping all 1099 work together when I get organized?

For organization purposes, it's good to separate income by different clients, especially if you received actual 1099 forms from them. This makes verification easier if the IRS has questions. When you actually file though, all your self-employment income will be reported on Schedule C (Profit or Loss from Business). You'll list the total income there, but keeping records of which client paid what is important for your own documentation. If you earned more than $600 from any single client, they should have issued you a 1099, and the IRS will be expecting to see that income reported on your return. The more organized you are by client source now, the easier it will be to match everything up when filing.

Be really careful with tax relief companies. Most of them charge thousands upfront and just do what you could do yourself by calling the IRS directly. They advertise "pennies on the dollar" settlements (called Offers in Compromise) but most people don't qualify for those. For unfiled returns, you're much better off working with a local EA or CPA who charges a reasonable hourly rate rather than a tax relief company charging huge fees.

Do these exemptions require applying every year? My parents are seniors and I'm trying to help them figure this out for their property tax increase.

It varies by location. Some exemptions like the basic homestead exemption usually only require a one-time application that remains in effect as long as you own and occupy the home. Senior exemptions often need annual renewal because they're typically income-based, and they want to verify the person still qualifies. Some places have simplified renewal processes where you just confirm nothing has changed. Check your county assessor's website for specific requirements or call them directly - this is definitely worth looking into for your parents!

That approach alone probably won't work. Assessments are based on market value, not condition. If homes are selling for 40% more in your area (even with old roofs), that's what they'll use. You need to focus on: 1) comparable sales that support a lower value, 2) specific issues with your property they missed, or 3) errors in how they calculated the assessment.