Did you give notice or just walk out? I'm worried about how to handle it professionally if I do decide to leave. Also, were you able to use the tax experience on your resume effectively even though you didn't finish the season?

I gave one week's notice, which was less than they wanted but all I could handle mentally. I was honest but professional - just said the hours and stress were more than I anticipated and affecting my health. My direct supervisor was actually understanding even if upper management wasn't thrilled. I absolutely still list the experience on my resume! I just write the months I worked there (Jan-March) without drawing attention to the fact I left before April 15. During interviews, if asked directly, I'm honest that the 70+ hour weeks were not sustainable with my health, but I emphasize what I learned. Most interviewers seem to respect the honesty rather than seeing it as a red flag.

Most tax prep places already require using their specific software. The software itself isn't usually the problem - it's the volume of clients, unrealistic appointment scheduling, and dealing with people who are stressed about money and taking it out on you.

That's a really good point. Do they usually send these out at tax time or should I ask for something now before investing?

Most firms will provide some basic tax information when you first invest that explains the general tax implications. Then toward tax season (usually January-March), they'll send out more specific guidance along with any required tax forms. I'd recommend asking them for any tax overview documents before you invest, since that might help ease your concerns. They should be able to explain what forms you'll receive, approximate timing, and the general tax treatment of their specific investment products.

This is solid advice! I'd also add that you should keep really good records of when you invested and how much. Makes tax time way less stressful.

I honestly hadn't considered identity theft! I did trade on the platform, but definitely not enough to generate $29,800 in proceeds. Is there a way to check if someone else accessed my account? I'm going to download my credit reports right now just to be safe.

Most trading platforms have login histories you can request that show IP addresses, devices, and timestamps of account access. Contact WealthSurge's security team specifically and ask for this information - explain your situation and they should provide it. Also, when you get your trading records, look carefully for any transactions you don't recognize or that happened after you thought you stopped using the platform. If you do find evidence of unauthorized access, file a police report immediately - you'll need it to dispute the tax bill on grounds of identity theft.

What's the best way to respond? Should you call or send a letter? And does it have to be certified mail or anything specific?

Good point about state fees! Also, does anyone know if you can change your mind later? Like if we start as a partnership, can we convert to S Corp next year if we decide that's better?

Yes, you can absolutely change later. Many businesses start as partnerships for simplicity, then convert to S Corps when their profits justify it. The conversion is straightforward - you file Form 8832 to elect to be taxed as a corporation, then Form 2553 to elect S Corp status. Just be aware there are timing requirements. Generally, if you want S Corp status for a particular tax year, you need to file within the first 2.5 months of that year (or within 75 days of forming your business if it's a new entity).

This is what tipped our decision for our handyman business. We needed to buy a lot of equipment the first two years, so we stayed as partnership. Year three we switched to S Corp once we were taking home steady money. Saved about $6k in SE taxes last year alone!

What percentage should married couples have withheld? We both put "married" on our W-4s but still ended up owing this year.

There's no one perfect percentage that works for everyone, but for married couples with two incomes, a common issue is that both of you are having taxes withheld at the married rate, which assumes the other spouse doesn't work. If both of you select "Married" on your W-4 without any adjustments, you're essentially both claiming the full married tax bracket benefit, which results in underwithholding. In 2025, you should either select "Married, but withhold at higher Single rate" on your W-4s, or use the Two-Earners/Multiple Jobs worksheet (or your company's payroll system calculator) to determine the additional amount to withhold per paycheck.

Yes! This is the simplest solution. I use TurboTax and it lets you compare both filing statuses side by side to see which saves you more. MFS was worse for us by about $3k.