This is so important! The tax prep companies are super sneaky about this. They advertise "free" filing everywhere but then hit you with fees at the very end. I almost fell for this too until someone told me about going through the IRS site directly. Does anyone know if there's an income limit for the Free File options? And does unemployment income count toward that limit?

The income limit for most IRS Free File options is $73,000 in Adjusted Gross Income (AGI). And yes, unemployment benefits do count toward that limit since they're considered taxable income. However, even if your income is above that threshold, the IRS still offers Free Fillable Forms which are electronic versions of paper forms - though they provide no guidance, so they're best if you're comfortable doing taxes yourself. Also worth noting that some Free File providers have lower income limits or age restrictions, so you need to check each one's specific requirements through the IRS portal to find your best option.

I used Cash App Taxes this year and it was surprisingly good for being completely free! It handled my unemployment and some freelance work without issues. The interface isn't as polished as TurboTax, but it asks all the same questions and I got the same refund amount when I compared them. Only downside is that it doesn't import as many forms directly - I had to manually enter some information. But for literally saving $100+ compared to TurboTax, I can spend an extra 15 minutes typing.

Thanks for the feedback! That's really helpful - I don't mind spending a little extra time if it saves that much money. As long as it handles everything correctly, that's my main concern. Did you have any issues with state filing? That's where I usually run into problems.

The home energy efficiency credits (like for your mini splits) are non-refundable but can be carried forward for up to 5 years if you can't use the full amount in the installation year. So you don't lose it! But be careful - the rules are different for the clean vehicle credit. The used EV credit that OP mentioned ($4,000) cannot be carried forward, so if you don't have enough tax liability to use it all in the purchase year, you lose the remainder.

Thanks for that info! That's a relief - we only got to use about half of our mini split credit last year, so good to know we can apply the rest to this year's taxes. I didn't realize the EV credits work differently though. That's important for anyone planning to claim both in the same year to consider which one to prioritize if they won't have enough tax liability for both.

I actually did get documentation from the installer, but it doesn't specifically say anything about meeting IRS requirements or efficiency standards. It's just the invoice with model numbers and installation details. Is that going to be a problem? Should I be requesting something more specific from either the manufacturer or the installer?

That's a really good point about state requirements. I'm in Colorado - does anyone know if there are specific requirements here I should watch out for? And what's the difference between SEP IRA vs Solo 401k in terms of setup complexity in TurboTax?

Colorado has an annual report requirement called a "Periodic Report" that costs $10 to file online. It's due in the anniversary month of your LLC's formation. It's not a tax form, but a filing with the Secretary of State's office to keep your LLC in good standing. TurboTax won't remind you about this. For retirement accounts, a SEP IRA is simpler to set up in TurboTax - just a few questions and you're done. A Solo 401k gives you potentially higher contribution limits, especially if you want to make both employer and employee contributions, but requires more paperwork outside of TurboTax and you'll need to file Form 5500-EZ once your balance exceeds $250,000. For your income level, a SEP IRA is probably simpler to start with.

I had a similar issue but fixed it by making sure I was completely exiting the program properly (not just closing the window). Also, make sure your Mac isn't going into any kind of deep sleep mode between sessions. I started using the save feature obsessively after losing data once - hit save after every major section.

That's actually super helpful! We are planning to set up a joint account right after the wedding, but I hadn't thought about the refund issue. Did you have any problems updating your name with the IRS after you got married? I'm taking his last name so I'm a little worried about that process too.

The name change process wasn't too bad, but make sure you update your name with Social Security first before doing anything with the IRS. The IRS system checks against the Social Security database, so if the names don't match, it can cause processing delays. For the refund situation, you could either wait to file until you have a joint account set up, or you could always have the refund sent to just one of your existing accounts temporarily. Some people even choose to get paper checks for this reason, though that takes longer.

What wedding expenses could possibly be tax deductible??? I've never heard of this!

How do you handle items that are partially personal and partially for business? Like if I get a pedicure and use it both for content but also just for personal reasons?

You need to calculate a reasonable business-use percentage. For example, if you get a pedicure primarily for content creation but also enjoy it personally, you might deduct 70-80% as a business expense. The key is being reasonable and consistent with your approach. If you're using something like a cell phone for both business and personal, you'd calculate what percentage is business use. Same with internet, clothing items, or beauty treatments. Just be prepared to explain your calculation method if ever questioned. And always keep good records showing the business purpose of each expense.

Yes! I use an independent CPA (not one my family knows) and just say I'm a "digital content creator" or "online media producer." They know what questions to ask about expenses and deductions without needing specific details about the content. Just find someone who works with a lot of social media people and online businesses.