Thanks for pointing that out about the child support. I didn't think it was deductible but wasn't 100% sure. Do you know if there are any tax benefits I can still get even with the married filing separately status? I'm worried my tax bill is going to be much higher now.

While married filing separately does limit many tax benefits, you can still claim some deductions. You can take your portion of mortgage interest and property taxes if you itemize (though remember you can only deduct what you actually paid). You can still contribute to retirement accounts like 401(k)s and IRAs, though income limits for deductible IRA contributions are much lower when filing separately. You might still qualify for the child and dependent care credit if you're the custodial parent, but the income limits are lower. And don't forget that you can still take your standard deduction - it's just half of what joint filers get. Your tax professional can run scenarios to see whether itemizing or taking the standard deduction benefits you more in your specific situation.

Just want to add to this - if you're losing health insurance coverage because of divorce, that counts as a qualifying life event that lets you enroll in a marketplace plan outside of open enrollment. You have 60 days from when you lose coverage to enroll. Don't wait until the divorce is final if your coverage will end before then!

You definitely want to include specific language about how uncovered medical expenses will be split (like 50/50 or proportional to income). Make sure it clearly defines what counts as a medical expense - does it include just doctor visits and prescriptions, or also dental, vision, therapy, and orthodontics? Also include details about who needs to approve non-emergency medical treatments, how information about health issues will be shared between parents, and how reimbursement will work (timeframes for providing receipts and making payments). The more specific you can make these provisions, the fewer conflicts you'll have later. And remember that medical expense arrangements for the children can be modified in the future if circumstances change significantly.

Thanks for mentioning this! I do actually use my personal phone to coordinate with the cleaning company about the referrals, and sometimes I drive to meet potential referral clients to assess their needs before connecting them. Would those miles be deductible? And what percentage of my phone bill could I reasonably claim?

Yes, the mileage for driving to meet potential referral clients would absolutely be deductible! Keep a log of those trips with dates, miles driven, and purpose. The current mileage rate for 2025 is 67 cents per mile, which adds up quickly. For your phone, you would deduct the percentage that you use for business purposes. If you use your phone about 30% of the time for these referrals, then you could deduct 30% of your bill. Just make sure you have a reasonable basis for whatever percentage you claim and keep your phone bills as documentation. You might also consider a separate phone line for business if the volume increases.

But you can deduct half of the self-employment tax on your 1040, which helps a little bit at least!

Do you know if they consider future earning potential? I'm in school right now with low income but will likely have higher income in a couple years. Would that affect my OIC chances?

Yes, they absolutely consider future earning potential, especially for younger taxpayers or those in educational programs. If you're in school for a high-earning profession, they may be less likely to accept a low offer since they anticipate your income will increase significantly. The IRS looks at your specific situation - age, education, profession, industry, employment history, and health status - to make reasonable projections about future income. If you're young, healthy, and gaining qualifications in a lucrative field, they'll factor that into their decision even if your current income is low.

Does applying for OIC extend that 10-year collection period? I'm wondering if I should just wait since my assessment was back in 2015.

Is Publication 15 easy to understand for someone who isn't great with tax stuff? Or is there a simplified version somewhere? Also, what specific parts should I look at to check my withholdings?

Publication 15 isn't the most user-friendly document if you're not familiar with tax terminology, but the withholding tables are actually pretty straightforward. Look for the section called "Income Tax Withholding Tables" - there are separate tables for different pay periods (weekly, biweekly, monthly). The key sections to check are the Federal Income Tax tables, the Social Security tax rate (currently 6.2% on earnings up to a certain limit), and Medicare tax (1.45% on all earnings). For most people, verifying these three calculations will catch the majority of potential errors. If you have state income tax, you'll need to check your state's department of revenue website for those rates.

I work in HR for a large company that uses ADP. Most bigger companies finish processing W-2s around mid-January, but they often don't release them until closer to the January 31 deadline. Sometimes this is because they're still making final adjustments or quality checks. With ADP specifically, employees can usually get early access through their online portal before paper copies are mailed. Check if you have an ADP login - if so, your W-2 might be available electronically 1-2 weeks before the paper version is sent.

Thanks for the insider info! I do have an ADP login but never really use it except to download paystubs occasionally. I'll definitely check there in mid-January. Hopefully I can get a head start on filing since we're planning to use our refund for a down payment on a house!

I actually double-checked this. The points were definitely on the original 1098 that I provided to my CPA. I found my copy and it clearly shows the points in Box 6. I think it was just an oversight on their part.

In that case, they definitely should fix this for free. Since you have proof the information was provided to them correctly on the original 1098, this is 100% their responsibility to correct without charging you. Make sure to emphasize that when you talk to them. If they give you any pushback, consider finding a new CPA next year. Mistakes happen, but how they handle fixing those mistakes tells you a lot about their professionalism.

That's only if the amendment changes your AGI significantly enough to affect your premium tax credit calculation. Adding mortgage points as a deduction would likely lower AGI, which could actually increase potential premium tax credits rather than reduce them.