I switched from TurboTax to FreeTaxUSA last year and am SO much happier. They already have form 4684 ready to go for 2025 filing season (I'm using it right now). The interface takes a little getting used to if you're coming from TurboTax, but it's WAY cheaper and handles all the same forms. The only real difference is you don't get the same hand-holding as TurboTax, but if you've been doing your taxes for years, you probably don't need that anyway. Plus their customer service is surprisingly responsive if you have questions.

Consider checking TaxAct too. They've already updated their form 4684 for the 2025 filing season. I've been using them for years after getting fed up with TurboTax price increases. They're much more affordable and their interface is clean and straightforward.

Whatever you do, DO NOT ignore the CP2000 notice even if H&R Block is handling things on their end. I learned this the hard way. I had a similar situation with another tax prep company, and I assumed that since they were "taking care of it," I didn't need to formally respond to the IRS myself. BIG mistake. The IRS never received a timely response, so they processed the additional assessment, and I ended up with a tax lien that affected my credit score for years. Make sure you respond to the IRS within their timeframe even if it's just to say "I'm working with H&R Block to resolve this issue and will provide complete information by [date]." Then request an extension if needed. The IRS is actually pretty reasonable about extensions if you ask before the deadline.

I hope you took pictures of what you gave to the tax preparer! I've worked in a tax office (not H&R Block) and sometimes the preparers can try to cover themselves by saying you never provided certain documents. If you have digital copies or photos of what you submitted, that makes your case much stronger. Also check your emails - if you sent any documents electronically or if they confirmed receipt in any way, save those messages. Since the 1099-K appears on their summary sheet, that's pretty clear evidence they received it but failed to include it properly. H&R Block's Peace of Mind guarantee should definitely cover this situation since it's clearly their error. One more tip: If H&R Block tries to claim you're at fault, ask to speak to a district or regional manager. Sometimes the local office might resist paying out on guarantees, but higher-level management usually understands that honoring these guarantees is important for their reputation.

One thing nobody mentioned - make sure you organize receipts for any improvements you made to the rental room! Things like new paint, furniture for tenant use, portion of utilities, etc can be deductible against that rental income. I wasn't prepared with those at my first accountant meeting and had to schedule another appointment after digging through a year's worth of Home Depot receipts.

Don't forget to tell your tax accountant about any side hustle expenses! When I started my second job, I didn't realize I could deduct my home internet since I was using it for work. Lost out on like $600 in deductions that year :

In addition to what others have mentioned, check if you accidentally claimed any education credits that F1 students aren't eligible for. When I used TurboTax my first year, it automatically tried to give me the American Opportunity Credit, which nonresident aliens can't claim. This resulted in an incorrect calculation showing I owed much less than I actually did (and would have resulted in an audit later). Also, ask your international student office if they have free access to any tax preparation software specifically for international students. My university partners with a service that's free for us and understands all the special rules for F1 visas.

I went through this exact same thing last year! What country are you from? That makes a huge difference because of tax treaties. I'm from India and there's a specific provision for students that reduced my taxable income significantly. Also, check your state tax situation too. Some states like California and New York tax nonresidents pretty heavily, while others are more lenient with F1 students.

Don't forget about the other benefits of claiming your college student as a dependent! If you meet the tests, you could qualify for: 1) Head of Household status (better tax rates than single) 2) AOTC or Lifetime Learning credit for education expenses 3) Higher income limits for certain deductions 4) Possibly child tax credit if they're under 17 for part of the year But remember your child can't claim their own exemption if you claim them as a dependent. My son and I actually calculate it both ways each year to see which saves our family more in total.

The qualifying child tests can be confusing! Here's what helped me figure it out for my college kid: Relationship: Your child, stepchild, foster child, sibling, or descendant of any of these Age: Under 19 OR under 24 and full-time student for at least 5 months of the year Residency: Lived with you for more than half the year (temporary absences for education count as time living with you) Support: Child didn't provide more than half of their own support Joint Return: Child isn't filing a joint return (unless it's just to claim a refund) The tricky part for college students is calculating "support" - scholarships don't count as the student providing their own support!