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.

Did you just call TurboTax customer service to get the refund for the early feature? I want to try this too since I'm in the same boat - paid for early refund but still waiting because of Child Tax Credit.

I used their chat support on the website and explained that I felt the feature was misleadingly advertised since it didn't disclose the PATH Act restrictions for Child Tax Credit claims. I was polite but firm that I wouldn't have purchased it had I known it wouldn't actually get my refund any earlier due to the mandatory IRS hold. The first agent tried to explain how the feature works, but I asked to escalate to a supervisor who approved the refund. Just be persistent - they know it's a bit deceptive for CTC filers!

Do you know if this also applies to the Additional Child Tax Credit or just the regular Child Tax Credit? I claimed both and wondering if that makes the wait even longer.

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!

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.

Is the Credit for Other Dependents the same as the Foreign Dependent Credit mentioned earlier? Or are these two different credits I could potentially claim? And would my children still need to meet the residency test to qualify for this credit?

The Credit for Other Dependents is the official name of what some people call the Foreign Dependent Credit. They're the same thing - a $500 credit for dependents who don't qualify for the full Child Tax Credit. This is exactly what was created for situations like yours. No, your children don't need to meet the US residency test for this credit, which is why it works for dependents living abroad. They still need to qualify as your dependents under tax law, meaning you provide more than half their support. You'll claim this on your Form 1040 in the same section where the Child Tax Credit would be, but you'll indicate they qualify for this $500 credit instead.

That's incorrect advice and could get you in trouble. The IRS residency test requires the child to have the same principal residence as the taxpayer for more than half the year (183+ days). A 31-day visit doesn't meet this requirement.