I completely understand the confusion and stress you're both feeling! As someone who went through this exact same situation during college, I can confirm that your dad is mixing up different tax rules, which happens to SO many families. The bottom line is this: as a full-time student under 24, there is absolutely NO income limit that would prevent your parents from claiming you as a dependent. You could make $20K, $30K, or even more - it doesn't matter at all for dependency purposes. Your dad is likely thinking of either the $4,300 limit that applies to "qualifying relative" dependents (like elderly parents) or the standard deduction threshold where you'd start owing income tax yourself. Neither of these affects whether your parents can claim you as a qualifying child dependent. The only test that matters is whether your parents provide more than 50% of your total support. With them paying $18,000 for tuition alone, plus presumably covering things like your health insurance, phone bill, car insurance, and housing when you're home, they're almost certainly providing way more than half your support even with your $13,200 in earnings. I'd recommend checking out the IRS Interactive Tax Assistant tool (search "ITA dependency" on irs.gov) - it's free and will give you an official answer in about 5 minutes that you can show your dad. Also look up IRS Publication 501, Table 5, which clearly shows "No limit" for the income test for qualifying child dependents. Go ahead and pick up those holiday shifts without worry! Your parents will still be able to claim you, and you won't mess up anyone's tax situation. In fact, earning more money helps reduce the financial burden on your family while building your work experience. Win-win!

I just went through this exact same situation with my parents last month! Your dad is definitely mixing up the tax rules - as a full-time student under 24, there's absolutely NO income limit that would disqualify you from being claimed as a dependent. The confusion usually comes from people seeing the $4,300 limit that applies to "qualifying relative" dependents (like elderly parents or non-student relatives), but that doesn't apply to you as a student. You're classified as a "qualifying child" dependent, which has completely different rules. What actually matters for your parents to claim you: 1. You're under 24 and a full-time student ✓ 2. You live with them more than half the year (dorms count as temporary absence) ✓ 3. They provide more than half your total support With your parents paying $18,000 for tuition alone, they're almost certainly providing more than 50% of your total support even with your $13,200 in earnings. When you add up tuition, housing, food, medical expenses, insurance, etc., that tuition payment probably covers the majority right there. The $14,500 figure your dad mentioned is just the standard deduction threshold - that's when YOU would start owing federal income tax on your earnings, but it has zero impact on whether your parents can claim you as a dependent. I'd recommend showing your dad IRS Publication 501, specifically Table 5, which clearly shows "No limit" for the gross income test for qualifying child dependents. That official documentation from the IRS should put his mind at ease immediately. Go ahead and pick up those holiday shifts guilt-free! Your earning more money won't affect your dependency status at all, and it'll actually help reduce the financial burden on your family while giving you valuable work experience.

Just a heads up from someone who works in software retail - the reason H&R Block limits downloads to one platform is purely a licensing/revenue issue. They want people with multiple computers on different platforms to pay twice. It's the same reason Adobe used to charge separately for Mac/Windows before they went subscription-based. You might want to consider TurboTax instead if cross-platform is important. I believe they allow you to download both Mac and Windows versions with a single purchase, though their software is generally more expensive than H&R Block. Another option is TaxSlayer which lets you install on multiple computers regardless of OS.

I actually ran into this same issue a few years ago and found a pretty simple solution that might work for you. Since you mentioned you're comfortable with dual-booting and using different operating systems, you could purchase the H&R Block software for whichever platform you use most frequently, then use a virtual machine to run the other version if needed. For example, if you buy the Windows version, you can run it natively when you boot into Windows on your main machine, and also run it in a Windows VM on your girlfriend's MacBook using something like Parallels or VMware Fusion. The performance is totally fine for tax software since it's not resource-intensive. This approach gives you the flexibility you want without having to deal with H&R Block's customer service or pay for multiple licenses. Plus, you'll have the exact same version and data files across both setups, which makes things consistent. I've been doing this for three years now and it works great - just make sure to keep your tax files synced between the systems using a cloud service or USB drive.

One thing that hasn't been mentioned yet - make sure you're handling the security deposit correctly if you decide to require one. Even though it's between related entities, you still need to follow state landlord-tenant laws for how security deposits are held and returned. In my state, security deposits have to be kept in a separate escrow account and there are specific timeframes for returning them after the lease ends. I made the mistake of just keeping the deposit in our general business account initially, which could have created legal issues if there had been a dispute. Also consider whether you want to include annual rent increases tied to inflation or market rates in your lease agreement. This helps maintain the arm's length nature of the transaction over time and prevents the rent from becoming artificially low compared to market rates as years go by.

Another important consideration that often gets overlooked is maintaining separate bank accounts and financial records for each entity throughout the entire arrangement. Even though you're dealing with related LLCs, the IRS wants to see that each entity is truly operating independently. Make sure the Property LLC has its own business checking account where rent payments are deposited, and all property-related expenses (mortgage, insurance, maintenance, etc.) are paid from that account. Your marketing agency LLC should pay rent from its own business account with proper documentation like invoices or payment memos. I'd also recommend having the Property LLC issue proper invoices to your marketing agency each month, just like any other landlord would. This creates a clear paper trail and reinforces the business relationship between the entities. Keep copies of all rent payments, invoices, and any correspondence about the lease arrangement. One more tip - consider having an annual review where you reassess the rental rate against current market conditions. Document this review process to show you're actively maintaining arm's length pricing. This ongoing diligence can be valuable if the IRS ever questions the arrangement years down the road.

Quick question about record keeping for Section 179 - my accountant says I need to track every single business trip with mileage logs but a business friend said he just keeps a general percentage. What's actually required for the IRS if we get audited???

Just wanted to chime in as someone who went through this exact scenario last year! I bought a pickup truck for my consulting business and was initially confused about the Section 179 vs regular depreciation decision. A few things that helped me figure it out: First, definitely keep detailed mileage logs from day one - don't wait until tax time. I use a simple app that tracks GPS automatically and lets me mark trips as business or personal. Second, the luxury auto limits are real and can significantly reduce your first-year deduction even with Section 179, so run the numbers both ways. One thing I wish I'd known earlier is that you can actually elect out of bonus depreciation and Section 179 if regular MACRS ends up being better for your situation. The key is understanding your current vs future tax situation. If you're expecting your business income to grow significantly, spreading the depreciation over several years might actually save you more in total taxes. Also, make sure you're clear on what counts as business use - it's stricter than you might think. Driving from home to your first client of the day usually doesn't count, but driving between clients does. The IRS is pretty specific about this stuff during audits.

Late to the party but went through this exact situation last year. Form 4549 is basically the IRS's way of saying "here's what we MIGHT charge you if you can't prove your claim." Don't panic! Make sure your documentation includes: - Itemized receipt showing separate costs for equipment and labor - Manufacturer's certification statement (this is crucial!) - Copy of your original Form 5695 that you filed - Photos of the installed system (not required but helpful) - Utility interconnection agreement if grid-tied

I actually just went through this exact same situation with my solar panel installation from 2022! The Form 4549 definitely freaked me out at first, but everyone here is right - it's just showing you what would happen if they disallow your credit. The key thing that helped me was organizing my documentation really clearly. I created a simple cover letter that said something like "Response to Form 15508 - Residential Energy Credit Documentation" and then listed out each document I was including and what it was proving. One thing I'd add to the great advice already given - if your installation involved any electrical work (like a new electrical panel or service upgrade), make sure to clarify which costs are eligible for the credit and which aren't. The IRS will sometimes question mixed installations where only part of the work qualifies. My audit was resolved in about 8 weeks after I submitted everything, and they accepted my credit in full. The Form 4549 basically became irrelevant once I proved my eligibility. Don't let it stress you out too much - just focus on getting solid documentation together for the Form 15508 response.