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Just some additional info - I'm a tax preparer and this comes up all the time. You're looking at two separate questions: 1) Head of Household - Need a qualifying person (child or relative who qualifies as your dependent) 2) Claiming girlfriend as dependent - Possible IF her income is under $4,700 for the year AND you provide more than half her support But important note: if you claim her as your dependent, she cannot claim herself on her own return, and she would be ineligible for stimulus payments. Most couples in your situation do better filing separately unless one person has very low/no income.
Thanks for breaking this down! One follow up question - does my girlfriend's income from last year affect whether I can claim her as a dependent? She made about $4,500 in 2024 but expects to make more this year.
For dependency purposes, what matters is her income in the actual tax year you're filing for. So if you're filing 2024 taxes, it's her 2024 income that counts. If she made $4,500 in 2024, that's under the threshold ($4,700), so that part of the dependency test would be met. What would affect your 2025 taxes would be her income during 2025. If she expects to make more than the threshold in 2025, then you likely wouldn't be able to claim her as a dependent when you file your 2025 taxes next year.
Has anyone considered the Married Filing Separately option? My partner and I did that last year and it worked better than trying to claim HOH or dependent status.
You can only file as Married Filing Separately if you're legally married. OP specifically said they're unmarried and living with a girlfriend, so that's not an option for them.
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Here's another option to consider - many communities have free tax help specifically for people who don't speak English well. Check if your local library or community center offers Volunteer Income Tax Assistance (VITA) programs. They usually have volunteers who speak multiple languages and can help interpret notices like this. I volunteered with them last year and we helped dozens of families with CP2000 notices and other tax issues. The service is completely free for qualifying individuals (generally making under $60k).
That's really helpful, thank you! Do you know if they can help with responding to the notice too? Or just explaining what it means? My parents are really nervous about writing back to the IRS in English.
They can definitely help with responding to the notice too! VITA volunteers are trained to assist with the entire process - from explaining what the notice means to helping draft an appropriate response. They can even help gather the necessary documentation to support your parents' case. Many sites also have volunteers who speak multiple languages or can arrange for interpreters. Just call ahead to make sure they have someone who speaks your parents' language and to schedule an appointment. Bring the CP2000 notice and any related tax documents (like the original tax return and the 1099 from the delivery company).
Just a quick warning - whatever you do, don't ignore the CP2000 notice! The IRS gives you a specific deadline to respond (usually 30 days), and if you miss it, they'll automatically process the changes and send a bill for the additional tax plus interest and maybe penalties. Even if you need more time to gather documents, at least send a response requesting an extension. Trust me, I learned this the hard way last year and ended up with a much bigger headache than necessary.
This is so important! I work at a tax office and we see people every week who ignored notices thinking they would "go away" and end up with liens, levies, or wage garnishments. Even a simple "I'm working on gathering documentation and need more time" letter can prevent automatic assessments.
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I've been a tax preparer for 12 years and I'll give you my honest take. For your situation, here's what to consider: 1) Home sale - This is the biggest potential benefit of using a professional. If you have a significant gain, there are strategies to minimize tax impact that TurboTax might not suggest. If you lived in the home as your primary residence for 2+ years, you likely qualify for the capital gain exclusion, but reporting it correctly matters. 2) Investment accounts - If you have simple investments, TurboTax handles these well. But if you have complex investments, tax-loss harvesting opportunities, or wash sales, a pro might help. 3) Child tax credits - Honestly, TurboTax does a good job with the standard credits if your income is below the phaseout thresholds. My suggestion? If your home sale resulted in significant gain (over $250k), or if your investments are complex, a consultation with a pro might be worth it. Otherwise, TurboTax is probably fine.
The home sale had about $120k in gains (bought for $180k, sold for $300k) and I did live there as my primary residence for 4 years before getting married. For investments, we mostly have basic ETFs and some company stock, nothing too complex. Based on this, do you still think TurboTax would handle it okay?
With a gain of $120k and having lived in the home for 4 years as your primary residence, you should qualify for the full capital gains exclusion, which means you likely won't owe any tax on the sale. TurboTax should handle this correctly as long as you answer the questions accurately about how long you lived in the home. For your investments, basic ETFs and company stock are typically straightforward for TurboTax to handle. The software will import all your 1099-B information and calculate gains/losses appropriately. Just make sure you have your cost basis information for any positions you sold during the year. Based on what you've described, I think you'd be fine continuing with TurboTax. If you want extra peace of mind, you could use one of the tools others mentioned to double-check your work, but I don't see anything in your situation that would require paying several hundred dollars for a professional.
My two cents - I've used both and here's my take. TurboTax is great for straightforward situations but sometimes misses niche deductions. The child tax credit is standard and TurboTax definitely handles that correctly. The property sale is the only complex thing I see in your situation. One option you might consider - finish your return in TurboTax, then pay for a one-hour consultation with a CPA to review it before filing (many offer this service for $100-150). This way you get the best of both worlds - the convenience of TurboTax plus a professional double-check. Whatever you decide, don't wait too long - tax pros get super booked up closer to the deadline!
I really like this idea of doing it yourself then having someone review it! Do most CPAs offer this type of service? Seems like it would be cheaper than having them do the whole return from scratch.
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One thing to consider is that your paycheck might have had other irregular factors that affected withholding. Did you get any bonuses or commission in that paycheck with zero federal tax? Sometimes those can be taxed differently and mess up the calculations. Also, if your pay periods aren't consistent (like if you get paid bi-weekly vs. semi-monthly), that can sometimes cause weird withholding amounts. I'd wait to see what happens with your next normal paycheck before making changes. If it shows zero federal withholding again, then definitely update your W-4 with additional withholding.
Thanks for the suggestion! I checked and there weren't any irregular payments or bonuses - it was just my standard salary payment. And we're on a consistent bi-weekly schedule. The only change was adding the new dependent on my W-4. I'll definitely keep an eye on my next paycheck though!
From what you described, you need to adjust your W-4 ASAP. With a $72k salary and a non-working spouse, even with two dependents, you'll definitely owe federal taxes. The Child Tax Credit helps but doesn't eliminate your tax liability. I'd recommend adding a fixed dollar amount to line 4(c) on a new W-4. For your income level, probably around $150-200 per paycheck would be appropriate. You could also check the box for "higher tax rates" in step 2 if you want to be extra cautious. The worst thing is to reach April 2025 and suddenly owe thousands in taxes plus potential underpayment penalties.
Wouldn't checking the box in step 2 withhold at the higher single rate? That might be too much withholding for someone with 2 kids and a stay-at-home spouse. Could create too big a refund, which is just giving the government an interest-free loan.
Darren Brooks
I think the real issue is that there's a huge difference between tax preparers vs tax planners. A lot of CPAs just focus on completing forms accurately based on what you give them (preparation) rather than actively looking for ways to optimize your tax situation (planning). When interviewing a new tax person, I'd specifically ask: "Do you provide proactive tax planning advice or just tax preparation?" A good tax planner should be having conversations with you throughout the year, not just at tax time.
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Darcy Moore
•That's a really helpful distinction. Do you think it's reasonable to expect both services from the same person? Or should I be looking for two separate professionals - one for planning and one for preparation?
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Darren Brooks
•Most comprehensive CPAs should be able to provide both services, but you may need to specifically request and possibly pay extra for the planning component. Many tax professionals offer tiered service packages - basic preparation at one price point and more comprehensive planning at a higher price. For someone in your situation with increasing income, business activities, and life changes like marriage, I'd definitely recommend finding one person who can handle both aspects. Just be clear about your expectations upfront and make sure they explicitly offer tax planning as part of their services.
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Rosie Harper
Honestly, I ditched CPAs years ago and just use H&R Block premium online. It walks you through everything step by step and actually prompts you about stuff like HSA contribution limits, IRA opportunities, etc. It's way cheaper than a CPA and I've found it catches most of the same stuff.
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Elliott luviBorBatman
•Tax software is fine for simple situations but it misses a lot for complex cases. I tried this approach with my small business and rental properties and ended up getting audited because the software didn't properly handle some depreciation calculations. A good CPA is worth every penny for complicated tax situations.
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Rosie Harper
•You're right that it's not for everyone. I should have mentioned my situation is pretty straightforward - W2 income, mortgage, some investments. For folks with businesses, rental properties or more complex situations, a CPA probably makes more sense. I still think tax software has gotten much better at prompting for common deductions and credits though. Mine specifically asked about HDHP coverage and whether it was individual or family, then calculated the maximum HSA contribution automatically.
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