Thanks for mentioning this! I didn't even consider that there might be updated tables for 2025. Where can I find the most current versions? Is there a specific publication number or section on the IRS website?

You can find the most current withholding tables in Publication 15-T for 2025, which should be available on IRS.gov in the Forms and Publications section. The direct URL would be something like irs.gov/pub/irs-pdf/p15t.pdf (though you might need to update the year in the URL). I'd also recommend checking the IRS's Tax Withholding Assistant for Employers tool, which gets updated with the latest formulas and tables. That's probably the most foolproof way to ensure you're using the current information.

I noticed this too! I think it's because the Excel spreadsheet might be applying the withholding slightly differently. When I tested with my info (married filing jointly, $120k combined), the Excel sheet withheld about $37 more per paycheck than what I calculated with the 15-T tables.

Thanks for confirming! I wonder if this is intentional by the IRS to make sure people don't underwithhold. When I think about it, that $43 per check adds up to over $1,100 annually, which seems significant enough that it can't just be a rounding error.

17 Do you know how long it typically takes for amended returns to be processed? I'm in a similar situation and worried about how long I'll be in tax limbo.

5 Right now amended returns are taking approximately 16-20 weeks to process according to the IRS website. However, in my experience with a similar situation, it took closer to 6 months because they had to process both years together. I recommend filing the amendments electronically if possible because paper amendments take even longer. Also, make sure you don't file your actual 2020 return until the amendments are fully processed, or it might create further confusion. You can request an extension if needed to give time for the amendments to clear the system.

9 I used the Taxpayer Advocate Service last year for a similar issue. You need to demonstrate that you're facing "significant hardship" as a result of the IRS delay. In my case, I was being denied a mortgage because of the incorrect tax filing. The advocate was helpful, but it still took about 2 months to resolve after they got involved. You can request assistance through Form 911 or by calling them directly.

2 Thanks for sharing your experience. My situation might qualify as a hardship since I'm unable to get approved for student loans because of this tax filing mess. I'll look into Form 911. Did you submit yours online or did you have to mail it in?

That's really helpful info! My AGI is around $95k so it sounds like I would qualify. Do I need to do anything special to claim these losses, or does it happen automatically when I file Schedule E?

It should flow through automatically when you complete Schedule E and Form 1040. The key is that you need to be "actively participating" in rental management decisions (which it sounds like you are). The tax software should handle this calculation, but just make sure the loss from Schedule E is being applied against your other income on your 1040. One caveat - if you use a property manager and aren't making most of the management decisions yourself, you might not qualify as "actively participating," so keep that in mind.

And remember that if you do keep part of the pet deposit for damages when a tenant moves out, you can offset that income with the actual cost of repairs! So if you keep $300 of a deposit but spend $300 fixing chewed baseboards, it's a wash for tax purposes.

Woah, that sounds complex and potentially expensive. So how do you determine if your foreign LLC is considered a corporation for US tax purposes? Is that something I actively choose or does the IRS decide for me?

By default, a foreign LLC with a single owner is treated as a disregarded entity (essentially a sole proprietorship) for US tax purposes, unless you elect otherwise. If there are multiple owners, it's typically treated as a partnership. You can file Form 8832 to elect corporate treatment if that's beneficial for your situation. The key thing to understand is that the US tax classification might be completely different from how your entity is classified in the foreign country. So your "LLC" abroad might be treated as something entirely different by the IRS. This is why getting proper advice early is crucial - the filing requirements and tax treatment vary dramatically based on the classification.

Yeah, this is a common problem. Many foreign banks don't want to deal with US citizen customers because of the FATCA reporting burdens. I had to shop around in Thailand to find a bank willing to work with my company. Usually larger international banks are more willing to deal with US citizens than smaller local ones.

Thanks for the info. I'll check with some of the bigger banks here. It's super frustrating that being a US citizen makes banking so difficult abroad even when I'm legitimately running a business in another country where I also have citizenship.

3 Do you need to make a certain amount from freelance work to claim the home office deduction? I only make like $2000-3000 a year from occasional design projects while my kid is at preschool a few hours a week. Is it even worth claiming?

9 There's no minimum amount required to claim a home office deduction for freelance work. Even with just $2000-3000 in annual income, it's definitely worth claiming if you have a dedicated space for your design work. The key requirement is that the space must be used "regularly and exclusively" for business. If you have a desk or corner that's only used for your design projects, you can deduct a percentage of your home expenses (rent/mortgage, utilities, etc.) based on the square footage of that space. You can also deduct business-specific expenses like design software, equipment, etc. For someone in your situation, this could easily save you several hundred dollars on your taxes.

21 I use Mint for tracking all our family expenses and just tag childcare-related stuff with a specific category. Makes it super easy at tax time to pull a report of all those expenses. There's also apps specifically for co-parenting expense tracking like Splitwise that work well even if you're not separated/divorced.