Holly, I see you're getting great advice here about the California community property rules potentially derailing your MFS strategy. But I want to add another angle that might help - have you looked into whether you qualify for any of the other clean vehicle credits that might have different income limits? For instance, if you're considering a used EV instead of new, the used clean vehicle credit has lower income thresholds ($150k MFJ, $75k MFS) but also a lower credit amount ($4,000 max). There's also the commercial clean vehicle credit if you have any legitimate business use, though as others mentioned, you need to be very careful about the business use requirements. Also, some states and utilities offer additional EV rebates that aren't tied to federal income limits. California has the Clean Vehicle Rebate Project (though it might be paused right now) and many utilities offer cash rebates for EV purchases. These could help offset some of the lost federal credit if you can't make the income limits work. Worth exploring all your options since the federal credit situation seems challenging with your income levels and California's community property rules.

Holly, after reading through all the great advice here, it sounds like your original MFS strategy unfortunately won't work due to California's community property rules. Since you'd each have to report about half your combined income (~$192,500 each), you'd both be over the $150k MFS threshold. However, I notice you haven't mentioned what your 2023 combined income was. If it was under $300k and you can take delivery in 2024 (before Dec 31), you might still qualify for the full credit by filing jointly using your 2023 income. A few practical next steps: 1. Check your exact 2023 combined AGI 2. Confirm your chosen EV model still qualifies (the eligible vehicle list changes frequently) 3. See if you can accelerate delivery to 2024 if your 2023 income works 4. As others suggested, look into California state rebates and utility incentives as backup options The timing of delivery is really crucial here since it determines which tax year's income you need to use. If you're flexible on delivery timing and your 2023 numbers work, that might be your best path forward.

I messed up on this last year. If your mini split cost $13,500, the credit isn't automatically $2,000. The calculation is 30% of your cost, so 30% of $13,500 = $4,050. But since the max credit is capped at $2,000, you'll get the full $2,000. Make sure you're claiming this on Form 5695. In TurboTax, I found it in the deductions section under energy credits. Don't get confused by the old Nonbusiness Energy Property Credit - for 2023, it's now the Energy Efficient Home Improvement Credit which is much better!

I went through this exact same situation last year with my mini split installation. One thing that really helped me was making sure I had the manufacturer's certification statement that shows the SEER and HSPF ratings - TurboTax actually asks for these efficiency numbers when you're entering the heat pump information. Also, if you're still having trouble finding the right section in TurboTax, try searching for "Form 5695" directly in the software. It should take you right to the Residential Energy Credits section where you can enter your mini split as an "Energy efficient heat pump." Keep all your documentation including the invoice, installation receipts, and the manufacturer specs. The IRS has been pretty strict about verifying that systems actually meet the efficiency requirements, so having everything organized will save you headaches if they ever question the credit.

This is a really common issue that many former international students face! I went through something very similar with Wells Fargo a few years ago. The key thing to understand is that banks often don't have staff who are well-trained on the distinction between different tax forms for non-residents. When you call back, be very clear and persistent: "I am a non-resident alien living permanently outside the United States. I need to complete form W-8BEN, not W-9. The W-9 is only for US persons, which I am not." You might need to escalate to a supervisor or their international banking department. Also, keep in mind that once you submit the correct W-8BEN form, the bank will likely withhold 30% tax on any interest earned (unless your home country has a tax treaty with the US that reduces this rate). This is normal for non-resident accounts and much better than accidentally being classified as a US person for tax purposes. Don't let them pressure you into the wrong form just because it's easier for their system!

I've been dealing with a very similar situation with my TD Bank account after moving back to the UK. The confusion around W-9 vs W-8BEN is incredibly common, and banks often default to requesting W-9s because it's what they're most familiar with. Here's what worked for me: I called and specifically asked to speak with someone in their "international accounts" or "non-resident banking" department. Regular customer service reps often aren't trained on these distinctions. When I explained that I was a non-resident alien who needed to file W-8BEN instead of W-9, they knew exactly what I was talking about and sent me the correct form immediately. Also worth noting - make sure you have documentation of your current foreign address ready when you call. They'll need to verify your non-resident status, and having utility bills or bank statements from your home country can help speed up the process. The W-8BEN will properly classify you as a non-resident alien and allow you to claim any applicable tax treaty benefits between your home country and the US. Much better than accidentally being classified as a US person who needs to file annual returns!

As someone who's been doing delivery driving for a while, I'd suggest starting simple for your first year. Track your phone usage for a typical week or two to establish a baseline business percentage - don't just guess. For a $1350 iPhone used part-time for deliveries, you're probably looking at somewhere between 20-40% business use realistically. The key is being able to defend your percentage if questioned. Keep records of your delivery hours, and consider that business use includes not just active delivery time but also time spent checking for orders, navigating, and communicating with customers. For TurboTax, you'll enter this on Schedule C under "Other expenses" and create a line item for "Cell phone (business portion)". The software will walk you through whether to depreciate or take the immediate deduction based on your usage percentage. One tip: don't forget you can also deduct things like a phone mount for your car, charging cables you use while driving, and even a portion of your phone case if you bought it specifically for delivery work protection. These smaller items add up!

Great question about phone deductions! Just wanted to add a few practical tips from my experience doing gig work taxes: For tracking business vs personal use, I recommend keeping it simple but defensible. When you're actively logged into the delivery app and available for orders, that's clearly business time - even if you're multitasking with personal stuff. The IRS understands that modern phones are used for multiple purposes simultaneously. A reasonable approach is to calculate total hours you were "on shift" (logged into UberEats and available) versus total phone usage time. You don't need to track every minute perfectly, but having some logical basis helps. For your iPhone, since you only worked Oct-Dec 2024, make sure to prorate the deduction for partial year use. So if you calculate 30% business use, you'd take 30% of the phone cost, then multiply by 3/12 (the portion of the year you were working). Also remember that the monthly payments you're making can be deducted as they're paid, using the same business percentage. So each month you make a payment, you can deduct the business portion of that payment. Keep good records and be conservative but reasonable with your estimates. The IRS expects some judgment calls with mixed-use items like phones.

Hey Isaiah! You're smart to ask about this early. Just want to emphasize what others have said - definitely report those gains even if they seem small. The IRS has been cracking down on unreported investment income lately, especially from popular apps like Cash App. One thing I haven't seen mentioned yet is that you might also want to look into whether you need to make estimated quarterly tax payments going forward if you plan to keep trading. If your investment gains are significant next year, you could owe penalties for underpayment if you don't pay taxes throughout the year. Also, since you're new to this, consider keeping a simple spreadsheet of your trades as backup documentation. Include buy date, sell date, stock symbol, shares, and amounts. It'll make next year's taxes much easier and gives you peace of mind if there are any discrepancies with your 1099-B. Welcome to the world of investment taxes - it gets easier once you've done it a few times!

Hey Isaiah! Looks like you've gotten some great advice here already. As someone who's been through this exact situation, I just wanted to add one more thing that might help - if you're feeling overwhelmed by all the tax forms and calculations, don't hesitate to use tax software like TurboTax, FreeTaxUSA, or H&R Block online. They all have sections specifically for investment income and will walk you through entering your 1099-B information step by step. The software will automatically calculate whether your gains are short-term or long-term based on the dates you enter, and it'll populate all the right forms (Schedule D and Form 8949) for you. Since your gains are under $1,000, this should be pretty straightforward even for a first-timer. One last tip - when you do get your 1099-B from Cash App, don't panic if it looks complicated with lots of transactions. The tax software will import most of the data automatically if you upload a PDF of the form, which saves tons of time compared to entering each trade manually. Good luck!