Thank you for mentioning this! I had no idea about this rule. Neither of us has enough deductions to itemize currently, but that's really good information to have. Would this apply even if only one of us has student loans? Or is that not related to the itemizing issue?

The student loan situation itself doesn't directly affect the itemizing rule. This rule only applies when one spouse chooses to itemize deductions - then the other spouse MUST also itemize, even if it's not beneficial. The student loans come into play in your decision about whether to file jointly or separately. If you file separately to keep your loan payments lower, then this itemizing rule could potentially become relevant if either of you has enough deductions to make itemizing worthwhile.

Did filing separately affect your ability to buy a house? We're in a similar situation but planning to apply for a mortgage next year and I'm worried that filing separately will make it harder to qualify.

What about things like beauty treatments, fitness expenses, etc for adult content creators? Are those considered legitimate business expenses? My friend says she deducts her hair salon visits but that seems risky.

For beauty treatments, fitness expenses, etc., it really depends on whether they're "ordinary and necessary" for your business. This is somewhat of a gray area and varies by individual circumstances. Hair styling specifically for photo/video shoots can often qualify, but regular maintenance haircuts typically don't. The key is whether these expenses are directly tied to your business rather than personal care. For example, if you're marketing yourself as a fitness model and your workouts are specifically to maintain that brand image, you might have a case for deducting some gym expenses. However, you should maintain very good documentation and consider consulting with a tax professional who specializes in entertainment/performance professions, as these deductions can be audit triggers if not properly substantiated.

I was audited last year after 3 years of content creation. The key was having detailed records of EVERYTHING - all income, all expenses with receipts, dates, descriptions. I used a separate bank account and credit card for all business transactions which helped tremendously. The IRS didn't care about the nature of my work AT ALL. They just wanted to verify my income reporting and expense documentation. Having a mileage log for travel to shoots and a dedicated space for my home office deduction was super important. The audit was stressful but I came through fine because my documentation was solid.

Is it true that if your LLC makes less than $400 in a year, you don't have to pay self-employment tax? I heard that somewhere but not sure if it's accurate.

Yes, that's correct. If your net earnings from self-employment are less than $400 for the year, you don't have to pay self-employment tax. However, you still need to report the income on your tax return regardless of the amount. Be aware that even if you don't owe self-employment tax, you might still need to file other forms related to your business activities depending on your situation. And some states do have minimum tax requirements for LLCs regardless of income, so always check your specific state rules.

Is there an app you recommend for tracking business miles? I always forget to log them and probably missing out on deductions.

Thanks for sharing your experience! Do you separate out different types of expenses (like initial purchase vs. ongoing care) or just lump everything together under educational supplies?

We actually do separate the expenses into different categories. The initial purchase of the animal goes under "Equipment" since it's like acquiring a new business asset. Ongoing expenses like food, bedding, and regular checkups go under "Educational Supplies" since they're consumable items related to our curriculum. For larger vet expenses like that emergency surgery, we categorize it under "Repairs and Maintenance" - similar to how you'd categorize fixing a broken piece of classroom equipment. Our accountant said this approach gives us cleaner books and is easier to defend in case of an audit.

That's actually a really good point. The IRS considers animals to be property, so more expensive animals might need to be capitalized. What threshold did your accountant use for deciding to depreciate vs. expense?

Thank you so much for mentioning this! I am pretty sure I'll be getting a refund based on my withholding, but I didn't realize there was actually a 3-year window. That takes some pressure off, though I still want to get this done soon. Do you know if the refund amount stays the same over those 3 years, or does it increase with interest or anything?

Unfortunately, the IRS doesn't pay interest on refunds if you file late. The refund amount stays exactly the same whether you file on time or 2 years late. That's actually why it's always best to file on time even if you're getting a refund - you're essentially giving the IRS an interest-free loan of your money for however long you delay.

I used freetaxusa for a late 2022 return last year. The process is exactly the same as filing on time. The software doesn't change at all - you just select the correct tax year (2023 in your case) and proceed normally. They keep the previous year's software available specifically for late filers.