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If I could give 10 stars I would If I could give 10 stars I would Such an amazing service so needed during the times when EDD almost never picks up Claimyr gets me on the phone with EDD every time without fail faster. A much needed service without Claimyr I would have never received the payment I needed to support me during my postpartum recovery. Thank you so much Claimyr!
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Andre Moreau
3 Some additional advice from someone who went through this exact situation: make sure you get written confirmation from the reverse mortgage company about whether they're reporting any forgiven debt to the IRS. In my case, they initially said they wouldn't but then sent a 1099-C for the forgiven amount. The mortgage servicer and the actual lender sometimes don't communicate well with each other. Get EVERYTHING in writing, especially any agreements about debt forgiveness.
Andre Moreau
ā¢11 Did you end up having to pay taxes on the forgiven debt? My parents' reverse mortgage is underwater by about $65,000 and I'm terrified of getting hit with a massive tax bill if we do a short sale.
Andre Moreau
ā¢3 I didn't end up paying taxes on it, but only because I kept all the documentation and fought it. When I received the unexpected 1099-C (Cancellation of Debt) form, I had to file Form 982 with my tax return to claim an exclusion. In my case, I qualified for the exclusion because the debt was considered "qualified principal residence indebtedness" under a temporary extension of the tax relief provisions. But the rules change frequently, which is why consulting with a tax professional who specializes in real estate is so important. The documentation I had from the mortgage company proving it was a principal residence was critical to avoiding that tax bill.
Andre Moreau
21 One thing nobody's mentioned - don't forget about the stepped-up basis for capital gains purposes when you inherited the house. If you do end up selling for more than the loan amount (even if it's less than what your parent paid), you likely won't owe capital gains tax because your basis is the fair market value at the time of death, not what your parent paid for it.
Andre Moreau
ā¢8 How do you determine the fair market value at time of death? Do you need a formal appraisal or can you use comps from around that time?
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Drake
One thing nobody's mentioned yet - make sure you're also factoring in mortgage insurance premiums if you have them. They can be deductible too if you itemize and your income is below certain thresholds. Also, don't forget that your state taxes might work differently! In my state, we have a much lower standard deduction, so I itemize on my state return even though I take the standard deduction federally. Weird but it saves me $$$!
Sarah Jones
ā¢Wait you can file differently on state vs federal? I had no idea! How complicated is that to do? I'm using TurboTax and wondering if it handles this automatically.
Drake
ā¢Yes, in many states you can absolutely file differently! Most tax software should handle this automatically by calculating which method is most beneficial for each return. TurboTax definitely does this - it will recommend the best filing method for both federal and state returns separately. It's actually not complicated at all from your perspective. The software does all the work of determining whether you should itemize or take the standard deduction at each level. You just need to input all your potential deductions (mortgage interest, property tax, charitable donations, etc.) and let the program determine the optimal approach for each return.
Something else to consider - the mortgage interest deduction benefits tend to decrease over time as you pay down your loan. In the early years, more of your payment goes to interest, but that gradually shifts to more principal. For example, on my $400k mortgage at 6.5%, I paid about $25k in interest the first year. By year 10, it'll only be around $20k annually. By year 20, it drops to around $12k. So the tax benefit diminishes over time. This is why some people find it beneficial to itemize in the early years of their mortgage and then switch to the standard deduction later.
Emily Sanjay
ā¢Good point about the interest decreasing over time. Do mortgage refinances reset this pattern? Like if I refinance after 10 years, will I go back to paying mostly interest again?
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The revenue sharing aspect is the most interesting part of this proposal to me. I've worked in economic development for a manufacturing state, and we've always struggled with the fact that we produce goods but the tax revenue goes to the states where consumers live. 20% seems like a reasonable starting point, though I imagine high-consumption states with no sales tax (like NH) or minimal manufacturing (like FL) would strongly resist. The real challenge would be creating the administrative framework for this revenue sharing. This system could actually reduce some of the tax incentive battles between states trying to lure manufacturers. If production states automatically get a revenue share, there's less pressure to offer massive tax breaks.
Wouldn't this system potentially hurt consumers though? If retailers have to implement complex new compliance systems, those costs will just get passed along to buyers. Plus, I imagine the definition of "production state" could get messy - what if components come from multiple states?
That's a legitimate concern about costs, but the proposal actually addresses this by building on existing systems rather than creating entirely new ones. Many retailers already use automated systems for multi-state sales tax compliance post-Wayfair. Extending these to include origin data isn't as big a leap as starting from scratch. Regarding the multi-state production issue, you're right that it complicates things. A workable approach might be to use the final assembly location or implement a proportional system based on value-add at each production stage. The automobile industry already tracks this kind of data for regulatory compliance, so there are existing models to follow.
Ruby Garcia
Has anyone else noticed that the South Dakota v. Wayfair decision has completely changed the compliance landscape for small businesses? Before 2018, I only had to worry about collecting tax in my home state. Now I'm tracking economic nexus thresholds across 45+ states. If this hybrid system adds another layer to track (origin-based calculations), it could push more sellers to marketplace platforms like Amazon who handle tax compliance. That would actually strengthen the role of marketplace facilitators, which aligns with part of the proposal.
This is exactly why I moved all my sales to Amazon last year. The compliance burden post-Wayfair was just too much for my small operation. I was spending more time on tax research than actually running my business. The irony is that marketplace facilitator laws were supposed to level the playing field, but they've pushed more of us smaller sellers onto the big platforms. If this hybrid system gets implemented, I bet even more sellers will decide it's not worth the hassle of compliance.
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Niko Ramsey
Word of advice from someone who's been claiming EIC/CTC for years - DO NOT count on that refund money until it's actually in your account. The IRS timeline estimates are just that - estimates. I've had refunds come in 2 weeks after Feb 15 and I've had some take 2+ months. The absolute worst thing you can do is take out loans expecting your refund to arrive by a certain date. The interest on those loans will eat up a chunk of your refund if there's any delay. If you're in a tight spot, look into other options like: - Payment plans with your current bills - Local emergency assistance programs - Community action agencies - Food banks to reduce grocery expenses temporarily Most utilities and even landlords will work with you if you communicate before you're late with payment.
Thanks for the reality check. The loan I was thinking about has pretty high interest, so maybe I should just call my landlord instead. Do utility companies really give extensions? I've never tried asking before.
Niko Ramsey
ā¢Most utility companies absolutely have hardship programs or payment arrangements - you just need to call before your bill is late. Explain your situation (expecting a tax refund but delayed) and ask what options they offer. Many will let you delay payment by 2-4 weeks without penalties, especially if you have a good payment history. For landlords, it really depends on the individual, but many will accept a partial payment now with the remainder plus a small fee when your refund arrives. The key is to approach them before rent is due, be honest about your situation, and offer a concrete plan for when you'll pay the full amount. Coming to them with a solution rather than just a problem makes a huge difference in how they respond.
Have you checked if your return might be caught in PATH Act verification? The IRS has to verify income for all EIC/CTC claims, and sometimes employers are slow reporting wage info to the Social Security Administration, which can cause delays. One thing that helped me last year was creating an account on the IRS website to view my tax transcript. It shows detailed codes that tell you exactly what's happening with your return. The "Where's My Refund" tool is worthless compared to what you can see in your actual transcript. Look for transaction codes like 570 (refund hold), 971 (notice issued), or 846 (refund issued). If you see a 570 without a 846, that means they're still reviewing something.
Jabari-Jo
ā¢This is really good advice! I just checked my transcript and saw code 570 followed by 971. Any idea what that specific combo means? Now I'm worried.
Carmella Popescu
I've used TaxSlayer for the last three years and really like it. It's way cheaper than TurboTax but has a clean interface. Around $50 for federal and state with Schedule C included. Not the absolute cheapest but a good middle ground. Tax Hawk is another budget option if you're really trying to save. About $25 total but the interface feels a bit outdated. One tip: whatever service you pick, don't file in January if possible. Wait until at least mid-February when they've worked out any software bugs and updated for all the latest tax law changes.
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Vera Visnjic
ā¢Thanks for the TaxSlayer suggestion! I hadn't heard of that one. Is it pretty straightforward for first-time filers? And good tip about waiting until February - I was planning to file right away but it makes sense to let them work out the bugs first.
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Carmella Popescu
ā¢TaxSlayer is definitely straightforward for first-timers. They use a guided interview process similar to TurboTax but without all the upselling. The help content isn't quite as extensive, but still good enough for most situations. One other tip - whatever service you choose, create your account now and start entering basic info like personal details and W-2s as they come in. That way you're not trying to do everything at once when you're ready to file. Most services save your progress so you can work on it a little at a time.
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Kai Santiago
Don't overlook Credit Karma Tax (now called Cash App Taxes). Completely free for federal AND state filing, including Schedule C. I switched from TurboTax two years ago and haven't looked back.
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Lim Wong
ā¢Just be careful with Cash App Taxes if you have anything complicated. They don't support multi-state filing, rental properties, or foreign income. But for W-2 and basic 1099 income it works great!
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