I just wanted to add another data point to this helpful discussion. I successfully completed my ID.me verification yesterday after dealing with the same E4401 error for over a week. What worked for me was a combination of several suggestions from this thread: - Unfroze Experian and TransUnion for 5 days (left Equifax frozen) - Waited 6 hours after unfreezing before attempting verification - Used Edge browser in InPrivate mode (Chrome kept giving me camera issues) - Did the verification at 2 PM with natural window lighting - Had my driver's license, most recent tax return, and utility bill ready The key insight for me was that the error wasn't just about credit freezes - it was also about browser compatibility. I had tried multiple times with Safari and Chrome, but Edge was the only browser that properly handled the camera and document upload steps without glitches. One thing I noticed that others haven't mentioned: make sure your driver's license isn't expired or close to expiring. Mine expires next month, and I initially got rejected even with credit unfrozen. I had to use my passport instead for the document verification step. The whole process took about 25 minutes once everything was properly set up. Finally got access to my tax transcripts and submitted them to my lender this morning. Thanks to everyone who shared their experiences - this thread was incredibly helpful!

I've been lurking on this thread for days while dealing with my own ID.me verification nightmare, and I finally got through this morning! Wanted to share what worked for me since I tried almost everything mentioned here. My winning combination: - Unfroze all three major bureaus (Experian, Equifax, TransUnion) for 4 days - Waited exactly 12 hours after unfreezing before attempting verification - Used Firefox in private browsing mode (surprisingly, this worked better than Chrome for me) - Did it at 10 AM with my phone positioned near a window for optimal lighting - Had my passport, latest W-2, and current mortgage statement ready The breakthrough moment was realizing that my address on file with the credit bureaus was slightly different from what I was entering (I had "Street" abbreviated as "St" in some places but not others). Once I made sure to enter my address exactly as it appears on my credit reports, the verification went through smoothly. One more tip: if you have multiple addresses in your credit history (like if you've moved recently), be prepared to verify information from your previous address too. ID.me asked me about a mortgage I had at my old house from 2 years ago. Total time from start to finish was about 18 minutes. Now I can finally access my tax transcripts! This thread was a lifesaver - thank you everyone for sharing your experiences.

Has anyone noticed that TurboTax sometimes resets the dependent checkbox if you go back and forth between sections? This happened to me last year and I ended up filing incorrectly because I thought I had checked the box but it somehow got unchecked.

Just wanted to add that if you're using TurboTax Online, the dependent question sometimes appears differently depending on which version you're using (Free, Deluxe, Premier, etc.). In the Free version, it's usually right after you enter your basic info, but in the paid versions it might be nested under "Tax Profile" or "Personal Information." Also, a helpful tip: once you check that you can be claimed as a dependent, TurboTax will automatically gray out certain sections that don't apply to you (like claiming your own exemption in older tax years). This is actually a good visual confirmation that the software recognized your dependent status correctly. One thing to watch out for - if you have any 1098-T forms from college, make sure you coordinate with your parents about who's claiming education credits. As a dependent, you generally can't claim them yourself even if the 1098-T has your name on it.

I went through this exact same confusion with my Schwab statements last year! The way I finally understood it: your broker creates the 1099-B showing all your stock sales, and they also organize that same information in Form 8949 format to make your life easier when filing. You're not double-reporting anything - you use the 1099-B data to fill out Form 8949 on your actual tax return. Think of the broker's "Form 8949 section" as a helpful cheat sheet showing you how to organize the 1099-B information. In FreeTaxUSA, just go to the investment income section and enter each transaction from your 1099-B (or use that organized section your broker provided). The software will automatically generate the real Form 8949 and Schedule D for your return. Pro tip: if you're missing sale dates, try downloading your year-end tax statement from your broker's website - it usually has more complete information than the consolidated document they mail you. Most brokers keep detailed transaction records available online for at least 3 years.

As someone who's been dealing with investment taxes for several years now, I can confirm what others have said - you're definitely not double-reporting! The confusion is totally understandable though. Here's the simplest way to think about it: Your broker sends the 1099-B to both you and the IRS showing what happened. Form 8949 is YOUR form that you fill out using that 1099-B information to report it on your personal tax return. Many brokers now format their statements to show both because they know it helps taxpayers. One thing I'd add that hasn't been mentioned - make sure you pay attention to the "Box 1a" codes on your 1099-B. These tell you whether the cost basis was reported to the IRS or not, which affects how you fill out Form 8949. FreeTaxUSA will ask you about this when you're entering the transactions. Also, don't stress too much about getting every tiny detail perfect on your first year. The IRS computer systems will catch most discrepancies and send you a notice if something doesn't match up with what your broker reported. Just be as accurate as you can with the information you have!

Don't forget you need to keep track of these payments yourself!! I learned this the hard way. TurboTax doesn't automatically know about that check you wrote to your state last year. You have to manually enter it when you get to the itemized deductions section. Same goes for any estimated state tax payments you made. Keep records of EVERYTHING because it's super easy to forget by the time next tax season rolls around.

This is such a common confusion! I went through the exact same thing last year. The key thing to remember is that you deduct state taxes in the year you actually PAID them, not the tax year they were for. So your $650 payment from last year gets deducted on THIS year's federal return if you itemize. But here's what tripped me up initially - make sure you're not double-counting anything. If you had state taxes withheld from your paychecks last year AND paid additional taxes when you filed, you can deduct both amounts, but they go on different years' returns. Also, don't forget about the $10,000 SALT cap that others mentioned. If you live in a high-tax state and own property, you might hit that limit pretty quickly between state income taxes and property taxes. I ended up barely under the cap, so every dollar of state tax deduction actually helped me. Definitely worth running the numbers both ways (itemized vs standard deduction) to see which gives you the better result!

Consider creating a separate entrance for your home office if possible! When I set up my foundation, my accountant strongly recommended this to strengthen the case for exclusive business use. If IRS ever questions it, having a separate entrance makes it much more defensible. Also, make sure you understand the difference between a "home office deduction" (Schedule C) versus "reimbursed expenses" from the foundation. They're treated differently. The foundation can reimburse you for the actual expenses related to that space, but it must be reasonable and documented with a formal board-approved policy. Don't forget insurance considerations too - you may need additional liability coverage when running a foundation from home. Standard homeowners policies often exclude business activities.

Great discussion here! As someone who's been through the foundation setup process, I'd add a few practical considerations that came up during my experience. First, timing matters for the home office deduction. You'll want to establish the foundation and begin using the space exclusively for foundation business before claiming any deductions. Keep a detailed calendar showing when you transitioned the space to exclusive foundation use. Second, consider the ongoing record-keeping burden. You'll need to track not just square footage, but also document how utilities, maintenance, and other shared expenses are allocated. I found it helpful to set up a separate checking account just for foundation-related home expenses to make the paper trail cleaner. One thing that surprised me was how the exclusive use requirement affects family dynamics. That office space really can't be used for personal activities - no kids doing homework, no personal computer work, etc. It's stricter than many people realize. Regarding H&R Block - while they might handle Form 990-PF, I'd strongly recommend finding a CPA who specializes in nonprofit tax work. The penalties for errors on foundation returns are severe, and the complexity goes well beyond what general tax software typically handles well.