Do scholarships count as taxable income? My financial aid letter called everything "scholarships" but some were grants I think.

Scholarships and grants used for qualified education expenses (tuition, fees, books, required supplies) are generally tax-free. However, if you receive scholarships or grants that exceed your qualified education expenses, or if they're used for room, board, or optional expenses, then that portion becomes taxable income. Your 1098-T should break down what was paid for tuition and qualified expenses, but you'll need to determine yourself if any scholarship/grant money went toward non-qualified expenses like housing or meals. FreeTaxUSA will walk you through this calculation when you enter your education information.

I had to switch to the Lifetime Learning Credit last year after using AOTC for 4 years. The Lifetime Learning Credit is definitely not as generous - only 20% of up to $10k in expenses (max $2,000) and it's non-refundable. But it's better than nothing after your AOTC eligibility runs out.

Does filing an extension help if I already got the tax bill? I thought that meant they had already processed my return.

If you've already received a tax bill, that means your return has already been filed and processed, so an extension wouldn't help in that case. Sorry I misunderstood your situation. In that case, your options are mainly setting up a payment plan with the IRS (installment agreement), making an Offer in Compromise if you qualify, or requesting Currently Not Collectible status if you're truly in financial hardship. Definitely contact the IRS to discuss your options before ignoring the bill, as penalties and interest will continue to accrue.

This is solid advice. I did this last December and was able to book about $12k in losses while keeping basically the same crypto portfolio. Just make sure you document everything meticulously because the IRS loves to scrutinize crypto transactions.

1 I didn't even think to check that... just looked at my forms and you're right, my total tax paid went up a lot this year (like $1400 more than last year), but my withholding didn't increase enough to match it. I did do some DoorDash on weekends this year that I forgot about, and that probably didn't have any withholding on it. That explains a lot, thanks!

7 The DoorDash income is definitely a big factor then! Self-employment income doesn't have taxes automatically withheld, so that would explain why your refund was smaller - you earned money throughout the year that didn't have any tax withheld from it. For next year, you might want to consider making quarterly estimated tax payments on that income, or increasing your withholding at your main job to cover it.

11 I work at a grocery store and have the same problem. I think it's because our hours fluctuate so much week to week, so they can't really predict what we'll make for the whole year. My sister is a teacher with a steady salary and her withholding is almost perfect every year.

3 That makes a lot of sense about the fluctuating hours! I didn't think about it that way. I guess if some weeks I'm getting 38 hours and other weeks only 22, the withholding system probably gets confused about what my actual annual income will be.

Does the same apply for H&R Block software? I have a similar situation with U.S. Government Securities but I'm using H&R Block instead of TurboTax.

Yes, this applies to H&R Block software too. The process is similar - you'll need to enter the U.S. Government Securities income information at the federal level first, and then when you get to the filing stage, you should see options for which amended returns you want to file. H&R Block's interface is slightly different, but the concept is the same since all tax software starts with federal information and flows to state. Look for a filing selection page toward the end of the amendment process where you can choose to only file the state amendment.

In my experience, if you file the amended state return promptly after discovering the error, many states will waive penalties but might still charge interest from the original due date. I amended my NY state return for U.S. Government Securities income I missed, and they charged interest but waived the penalty since I voluntarily corrected it.

Omg that's incredible! I do have about $45k in student loans still. I had no idea this was a thing. Do you know if it matters that I'm working remotely? Does your wife have to do anything special to qualify for this program?

Remote work doesn't affect PSLF eligibility - it's about who your employer is (a qualifying non-profit), not where you physically work. The key requirements are: working full-time (at least 30 hours per week), making 120 qualifying monthly payments under an income-driven repayment plan, and being employed by a qualifying employer during those payments. My wife had to submit the PSLF Employment Certification Form annually to track her progress. The most important thing is to start this process ASAP - get the Employment Certification Form filled out by your HR department once you start. Many people miss out because they don't properly document their qualifying employment from the beginning.

This is great advice! I'd add that you should also check whether they offer a 403(b) retirement plan rather than a 401(k) - it's the non-profit version and sometimes has different contribution limits or match structures.