Do you know if there's a time limit for filing these complaints? The taxes were from 2022 but we just found out about the error when we got the IRS notice last week. Also, how would I find out if he has liability insurance? He hasn't mentioned anything about insurance, just offered to pay the penalties.

The time limit for filing complaints with state boards of accountancy varies by state, but typically it's between 1-5 years from when the incident occurred or was discovered. Since you just found out about the error, you should still be well within the timeframe. You can directly ask the accountant if they have professional liability insurance (sometimes called errors and omissions insurance). Most legitimate accounting practices carry this coverage. If they're hesitant to answer, that's a red flag. You can also mention that you're considering filing a complaint with the state board - this often motivates professionals to reach out to their insurance carriers rather than risk disciplinary action or damage to their reputation.

This is good advice. My sister got all her penalties waived when her accountant messed up. The IRS was actually pretty reasonable once she explained and had documentation.

That's really helpful advice! My Australian client doesn't provide any official tax documentation either. What specific information did you include in that letter to satisfy the IRS? Did you need to get it notarized or officially certified in any way?

The letter included my full name, the tax year, total gross payments made to me, total tax withheld, confirmation that the tax was paid to the Australian Tax Office, and it was on the company's official letterhead with a signature from their finance director. No notarization was required - the IRS just wanted official company documentation. I also included a spreadsheet showing each payment date, the gross amount in AUD, the tax withheld in AUD, and the USD conversion using the IRS annual average exchange rate. This detailed accounting really helped demonstrate that everything was properly calculated and reported. The audit went smoothly once I provided these documents.

You do need separate Forms 1116 for each category of income, but not necessarily for each country. Since you're dealing with freelance work from multiple countries, you would generally combine all similar income on one Form 1116 under "General Category Income" - assuming it's all the same type of personal services income. If you have significantly different types of income (like royalties vs consulting), then you would need separate forms for each category. Most premium tax software can handle multiple 1116 forms, but you might need to upgrade from basic versions. TaxAct and H&R Block Premium handled this well for me last year.

Would this browser trick work with Edge too? I don't have Firefox installed and don't want to download another browser just for this if I don't have to.

I haven't personally tested Edge, but other users have reported success with it. The key seems to be avoiding Chrome, which has some weird compatibility issues with the Free File system's PDF handling. Edge should work better than Chrome since it uses a different rendering engine. The main thing is that some browsers handle the form submissions differently, especially with checkboxes and special characters. If you're getting the same rejection repeatedly in one browser, it's definitely worth trying a different one before giving up.

I actually tried that method last year with a different form (not 8863) and it failed because the Free File system requires certain forms to be filled electronically so their system can read the data. You can't just attach a scanned form as a PDF - the system needs the actual data in the fields.

Thanks for this advice! Would it help if I started paying a portion of the rent directly to the landlord instead of giving the money to my boyfriend? I'm worried that the Cash App transfers labeled "rent" might not be enough proof since the actual rent receipts are in his name.

That would definitely strengthen your case! If you can arrange to pay even a portion directly to the landlord, that creates a clearer paper trail. Ask the landlord if they can note your payment specifically in their records, even if the lease remains in your boyfriend's name. The Cash App transfers labeled "rent" are still useful evidence, especially if they show a consistent pattern that aligns with rent due dates. But direct payments to the landlord would be more compelling. Also, consider getting a simple written statement from your boyfriend acknowledging that your Cash App transfers are contributions toward household expenses - this adds another layer of documentation.

I used TurboTax last year with a similar HOH situation. It asks you the basic qualifying questions but doesn't really get into documentation issues. It'll let you file HOH if you say you meet the requirements, but doesn't help you prove it or explain the gray areas. You might want to consult with a tax pro if you're uncertain.

Thanks for sharing your experience. Did you have any issues after filing with TurboTax? Like did the IRS question your HOH status afterward or did everything go through okay?

Do you happen to know what the threshold is for 2025? I'm trying to plan ahead and figure out if I'll be close to that 22% bracket.

For 2025, the threshold between the 12% and 22% brackets for single filers is projected to be around $47,150 (up from about $44,725 in 2023). For married filing jointly, it's projected to be about $94,300. These are estimates based on inflation projections, and the IRS will announce the official numbers later this year. But they should be pretty close to these figures unless inflation changes dramatically.

While I agree the system favors the wealthy, that's not entirely accurate. The top 1% pays about 40% of all federal income taxes collected. The issue is more about proportional tax burden and the different treatment of earned income vs capital gains.