For the inherited annuity question - make sure you check if the annuity was a qualified or non-qualified annuity. This makes a HUGE difference in how it's taxed. Qualified annuities are purchased with pre-tax money (like in an IRA or 401k), so distributions are fully taxable. Non-qualified annuities are purchased with after-tax dollars, so only the earnings above what your mom paid into it (the basis) should be taxable. The trickiest part with inherited annuities is that the insurance company often doesn't know what the original owner paid in, so they put the full amount as taxable. But you can contact them and ask for the "cost basis information" - sometimes they have it but just don't put it on the 1099-R automatically.

Has anyone had experience with the 10-year rule for inherited annuities? My spouse inherited an annuity and we're trying to figure out if we need to take all the money within 10 years or if different rules apply for non-spouse beneficiaries?

I created a custom Excel spreadsheet that helps with ERTC/PPP optimization that I'm happy to share. It's not as fancy as dedicated software, but it has formulas that calculate different scenarios based on which wages you allocate where. Key features: 1. Separates employees by quarter/PPP period 2. Calculates ERTC for different qualified wage caps 3. Optimizes PPP forgiveness with non-payroll expenses 4. Shows total benefit comparison between different allocation methods Message me your email if you want a copy. It comes with no guarantees but has worked well for my 30-employee manufacturing business.

Has anyone actually had their ERTC claim accepted and received a check yet? We submitted amended 941s for Q2-Q4 2020 and Q1-Q3 2021 almost a year ago and haven't heard anything. Our CPA says the IRS is backlogged by 18-24 months on these claims. Just wondering if there's any light at the end of this tunnel...

Check if your old employer might have done a "forced rollover" of your 401k. This happened to my husband. He left a job in 2017, completely forgot about a small 401k (like $8k), and then in 2024 got a 1099-R out of nowhere. Turns out the company's plan administrator had changed and they did a forced transfer of inactive accounts under a certain dollar amount. They claimed they sent notices but we never got any. The money had been moved to some default IRA provider we'd never heard of. Call the company on the 1099-R and ask specifically about the source of funds and when the account was opened. Get as much info as possible about where the money came from originally.

If it helps, you can check the National Registry of Unclaimed Retirement Benefits at https://www.unclaimedretirementbenefits.com or your state's unclaimed property website. Sometimes forgotten 401ks end up there. Also, do you remember if you worked for a company that might have been acquired or merged with another? Sometimes during corporate restructuring, retirement plans get transferred to different administrators and people lose track.

I had a similar experience but the opposite way - TurboTax showed $280 more than TaxSlayer. Turns out TurboTax was correctly applying a savers credit that TaxSlayer missed. One trick I learned: you can view the actual forms before filing with either service. If you look at the completed 1040 forms from both and compare them line by line, you'll usually spot where the difference is coming from. It's usually on one specific line or schedule, and once you find it, you can research whether that specific calculation is correct.

Just to add another perspective - sometimes the difference isn't because one software is "right" and the other is "wrong." Tax law has gray areas where reasonable people can interpret things differently. If you're self-employed or have investment income, check how each platform is handling your qualified business income deduction or investment expense allocations. These areas have some subjective elements where different software might make different but equally legitimate calculations. I personally would go through the comparison process others have suggested, but if both approaches seem reasonable, I'd probably go with the higher refund. Just make sure you can justify the positions taken on your return if asked!

Another option to consider is using USPS mail forwarding service instead of a PO box. You can set up temporary forwarding for the time you'll be gone, and it's usually cheaper than a PO box. I did this when I spent 3 months abroad last year. Just make sure to set it up well in advance of your departure.

Has anyone changed their address directly with the IRS temporarily? I found this form 8822 for address changes, but I'm not sure if it's worth filing for a 2-month temporary change.