This is exactly what I've been looking for! As someone who's been using tax software for years but never really understanding the calculations, the educational approach sounds perfect. I'm particularly interested because I've been trying to get better at tax planning throughout the year rather than just scrambling at the last minute. The discussion about the TCJA expiration and 2025 changes has me really concerned - I had no idea such significant changes were coming. Having a transparent tool that shows exactly how different scenarios affect your tax liability could be invaluable for planning, especially if tax brackets are really going up and the standard deduction is decreasing. @Sebastián Stevens, I'm definitely interested in learning how to access this spreadsheet! Your uncle's 30-year commitment to keeping this updated is incredible - that kind of dedication really speaks to the quality and reliability of the resource. With all the uncertainty around tax law changes, having an educational tool like this seems more important than ever. I love the idea of using it alongside FreeTaxUSA for verification as you mentioned. That combination of learning the fundamentals while still double-checking everything sounds like the perfect approach for building real confidence in tax preparation. Thank you for sharing this amazing resource with the community!

Hey everyone! I'm totally new to this community but have been absolutely blown away by this discussion. As someone who's been terrified of doing taxes independently, the idea of a spreadsheet that actually teaches you how everything works instead of just spitting out numbers is exactly what I need. I've been reading through all the amazing questions about the 2025 tax law changes, advanced features, and audit protection - this community is incredibly knowledgeable! @Hunter Hampton's points about the TCJA expiration are particularly eye-opening. I had no idea such major changes were coming, and it's making me realize how important it is to actually understand the mechanics rather than just trusting software. @Sebastián Stevens, I'm adding my voice to everyone asking about how to access this incredible resource! Your uncle's 30-year dedication to maintaining this spreadsheet is truly inspiring - that kind of commitment to helping people understand taxes is amazing. With all the complexity around the upcoming changes, having an educational tool like this could be life-changing for people like me who have always felt overwhelmed by taxes. I'm especially drawn to your approach of using the spreadsheet to learn and then double-checking with FreeTaxUSA. That seems like the perfect way to build confidence while still being safe. Thank you so much for sharing this with us! I really hope we can get access details soon.

I totally understand your frustration! That "Maximum attempts exceeded" error is super annoying, but it's actually a security feature that kicks in after too many failed login or verification attempts. Unfortunately, there's no way to bypass the 24-hour lockout - the IRS system is pretty strict about this. When you try again tomorrow, here are some things that should help you avoid getting locked out again: **Make sure you have the exact information:** - Use the precise refund amount from line 35 of your Form 1040 (not an estimate - even being off by $1 can trigger a failed attempt) - Double-check your filing status matches exactly what you filed - Enter your SSN carefully without extra spaces **Try a different approach:** - Use the basic "Where's My Refund" tool first instead of going straight to transcript access - it's less sensitive to lockouts - Only attempt once or twice max - if it doesn't work, wait another day The good news is this lockout doesn't affect your actual refund processing at all! Your refund is still being processed normally behind the scenes. The IRS just tightened security a lot this year after some data breaches, which is why everything seems more sensitive now. I know waiting another day when you're anxious about your refund status is tough, but you should be able to get through tomorrow with the right info! 🤞

I've been in your exact situation and it's so frustrating! The "Maximum attempts exceeded" error is a security lockout that triggers after failed verification attempts, and unfortunately you really do have to wait the full 24 hours - there's no workaround. Here's what I learned to avoid getting locked out again: **Critical details to get exactly right:** - Use the EXACT refund amount from line 35 of your Form 1040 (not an estimate - even $1 off counts as a failed attempt) - Make sure your filing status matches precisely what you filed - Double-check your SSN entry for any typos **Better strategy for tomorrow:** - Try the basic "Where's My Refund" tool first instead of jumping straight to transcripts - it has a higher threshold before triggering lockouts - Only attempt 1-2 times max, then step away if it doesn't work - Clear your browser cache before trying The silver lining is this lockout doesn't affect your actual refund processing at all - your money is still being processed normally behind the scenes. The IRS just ramped up security big time this year after data breaches, which is why everything seems so much more sensitive now. I know waiting another day when you're anxious about your refund is awful, but you should be able to get through tomorrow with the precise info from your return! Hang in there! 💪

Anyone know if there's a minimum threshold for reporting? Like if someone paid me with just one gold coin worth about $2,200, do I still have to report it? Or is there some minimum amount before the IRS cares?

This is a great question that comes up more often than you'd think! I dealt with a similar situation when I received some American Gold Eagles as payment for freelance work. The key thing to understand is that the IRS treats this as a barter transaction, and you absolutely must report the fair market value, not the face value. For your $20 Liberty coins, you'll need to determine their current market value based on gold content plus any numismatic (collector) premium. Check recent sales on reputable dealer sites or get quotes from local coin dealers. Document this valuation process - save screenshots of prices or get written quotes, because you'll want backup if the IRS ever questions your reported value. One thing to be careful about: don't just use the "melt value" (pure gold content value). Liberty coins, especially if they're in good condition, often trade for more than their gold content due to their collectible nature. Make sure you're capturing the full fair market value that someone would actually pay for those specific coins in their current condition. Also remember that this establishes your cost basis in the coins for when you eventually sell them - another reason to document the valuation carefully now!

I upgraded to FreeTaxUSA Pro this year and have mixed feelings about the value. The CPA access was helpful when I had questions about deducting my home internet bill for work-from-home expenses - they gave me clear guidance on what percentage I could deduct and how to document it properly. However, I found their responses were pretty conservative and didn't offer much beyond what I could find in IRS publications. For straightforward questions, the basic version plus some research might be sufficient. The audit support is nice peace of mind, but honestly most people never get audited anyway. If you're on the fence and your situation isn't too complex, I'd suggest starting with the free version and only upgrading if you run into specific questions you can't answer yourself. You can always upgrade mid-filing if needed, which is what I ended up doing.

I upgraded to FreeTaxUSA Pro last year and found it worthwhile for my specific situation. I had questions about reporting RSUs from my tech job and some freelance income alongside my regular W-2. The tax professional I spoke with was knowledgeable and helped me understand the quarterly payment requirements for my side income that I had been missing. What really sold me on the value was when they caught an error in how I was calculating my estimated tax payments. Their advice saved me from potential penalties, which more than paid for the upgrade cost. The response time was solid - usually got back to me within 12-24 hours. That said, for your situation (W-2, investments, mortgage interest), you might be fine with the basic version unless you have specific questions about things like wash sale rules on your investments or complex itemization scenarios. The basic FreeTaxUSA software handles standard situations really well on its own.

Reading the comments, I'm still confused about one thing. My son's 1098-T shows a big amount in Box 4 ($3270) but nothing in Box 1. If they adjusted a prior year payment, shouldn't that money show up somewhere on this year's form?

Based on what you've described, you're in a pretty straightforward situation. Since you didn't claim any education credits in 2021 and your scholarships exceeded your qualified expenses that year, the Box 4 adjustment of $2,016.12 likely won't require you to amend your previous return. Here's what I'd recommend: First, check your 2021 1098-T to see if that $2,016.12 was included in Box 1 (payments received) that year. If it was, and you didn't use it for education credits because your scholarships already covered everything, then removing it now doesn't change your 2021 tax situation. For your 2022 return, you only need to worry about the $1,425 in Box 5. Since you dropped the classes and presumably didn't have qualifying expenses to offset this scholarship amount, that $1,425 would be taxable income for 2022. The Box 4 adjustment is just the school's way of saying "we reported this payment in the wrong year previously" - but if you weren't getting tax benefits from it anyway, the correction doesn't hurt you.