5 Has anyone used TurboTax for this situation? Does it ask the right questions to figure out student status when you had different enrollment levels?

For anyone still confused about the 5-month rule, I wanted to share what I learned when I dealt with this exact situation. The key thing to remember is that you count ANY part of a calendar month where you were enrolled full-time. So if your fall semester ran from late August through mid-December, that's 5 months (Aug, Sep, Oct, Nov, Dec) even if you weren't enrolled for complete months at the beginning and end. Also, don't forget that this 5-month rule applies to different tax benefits differently. For determining if you can be claimed as a dependent, it's about full-time student status. But for education credits like the American Opportunity Tax Credit, you only need to be enrolled at least half-time for one academic period during the year. I'd recommend double-checking your school's definition of full-time vs half-time too - it can vary by institution, though 12+ credit hours is pretty standard for full-time.

Reading through your situation, I completely understand your concerns and you're definitely not being paranoid. The combination of poor communication, dismissive responses about deductions, and the timing of increased spam is enough to warrant investigation. Here's what I'd recommend as immediate next steps: First, verify your CPA's credentials through your state Board of Accountancy and the IRS Preparer Directory. Any legitimate CPA should have verifiable licensing that you can look up online. Second, request copies of all documents they used for your return along with detailed explanations for their deduction decisions - they're legally required to provide this. The communication breakdown alone is a major red flag. While tax season is busy, professional firms should have systems to manage client communications properly. One-word email responses and unreturned calls are simply not acceptable when someone is handling your sensitive financial information. For the deduction issues, consider getting a second opinion from another tax professional. Many CPAs will review a completed return for $100-200, which could identify missed opportunities or confirm whether your original preparer made appropriate decisions. Regarding the spam increase, while it could be coincidental with tax season, I'd recommend placing fraud alerts on your credit reports as a precaution. It's free and only takes a few minutes online. Trust your instincts here - even if this isn't an outright scam, it sounds like you received subpar service that warrants finding a new tax preparer for next year.

Your situation definitely raises some legitimate concerns, and you're right to trust your instincts here. The communication breakdown alone would be enough to make me uncomfortable - busy season or not, professional service providers should have systems to manage client communications properly. What stands out to me most is their dismissive response about deductions without providing explanations. A competent CPA should be able to clearly articulate why specific deductions don't apply to your situation, citing relevant tax code sections or limitations. The fact that they brushed off your questions suggests either incompetence or corner-cutting. While the spam increase could be coincidental (tax season does see upticks in scam attempts), combined with the other issues, it's worth taking seriously. I'd recommend placing fraud alerts on your credit reports immediately - it's free and takes just a few minutes. Here's what I'd do in your position: First, verify their credentials through your state's Board of Accountancy website. Second, request copies of all documents they used and detailed explanations for their decisions - they're legally obligated to provide this. Third, consider having another CPA review your return for potential errors or missed opportunities. Even if this isn't an outright scam, you clearly received substandard service. The $375 you paid should have included professional communication and client education, not dismissive responses and radio silence. Start looking for a new tax preparer now for next year - someone who treats client communication as part of their professional service, not an inconvenience.

Just a heads up - make sure you keep good documentation of everything. Your mom might still try to claim the credit anyway, and if both of you claim it, the IRS will definitely flag both returns. Maybe have a calm conversation with her explaining what you've learned here. If she still insists on trying to claim it, you might want to file your return early so it goes through first. The second person to file claiming the same credit will likely get a letter from the IRS.

I went through almost the exact same situation last year! My dad was convinced he should claim my education credits because he helped pay for some of my expenses, even though I wasn't his dependent anymore. What really helped me was sitting down with him and going through the actual IRS dependency tests together. We used the IRS Interactive Tax Assistant online to determine my status step by step. Once we confirmed I didn't meet the criteria to be claimed as a dependent (mainly because of my income level), it became crystal clear that the education credits belonged to me. The key thing to remember is that it's not about who contributed money - it's purely about dependent status. Since you're working full-time and not a dependent, those credits are legally yours to claim. Your mom can't just decide to take them because she helped with expenses. I'd suggest showing her Publication 970 (like others mentioned) or even using the IRS Interactive Tax Assistant together. Sometimes having that official IRS source makes all the difference in family tax discussions. Good luck!

Has anyone else noticed that this seems to be happening more often lately? I returned something to HomeGoods last week and they tried to keep the tax too. When I questioned it, they suddenly "found a way" to refund the full amount. I think some retailers are trying this as a sneaky profit tactic hoping people don't notice or complain.

This is really concerning if retailers are systematically doing this. I work in tax compliance and can tell you that what BigTech Store told you is absolutely incorrect. Sales tax refunds on returned merchandise are governed by state law, not store policy. When you return an item, the original transaction is essentially being reversed. The store collected that tax as an agent of the state - they don't get to keep it when the underlying sale is canceled. Most states have specific provisions requiring retailers to refund sales tax on returned items, and failure to do so can result in penalties for the retailer. I'd recommend going back with your receipt and asking to speak with a manager. If they refuse, you can file a complaint with your state's department of revenue. They take sales tax compliance seriously and will investigate retailers who aren't following proper refund procedures. The fact that some commenters are seeing this happen more frequently suggests this might be a deliberate policy at some chains, which is even more problematic from a regulatory standpoint.

Has anyone actually been audited over this? I've been deducting my gym membership for years as a 1099 dance instructor and never had a problem. I figure as long as it's not a crazy amount and I'm not claiming other suspicious deductions, the IRS has bigger fish to fry.

Thanks for sharing your experience, Jasmine - that's exactly the kind of real-world outcome people need to hear about. For anyone considering this deduction, it's worth noting that even if you have a legitimate business case, you need to be prepared to defend it with solid documentation if audited. The fact that fitness is required for your job doesn't automatically make gym memberships deductible - the IRS still applies the "personal benefit" test pretty strictly. If you do decide to take this deduction, I'd recommend: 1) Keep a detailed log showing gym usage specifically for work-related fitness (not general health) 2) Document any specific fitness requirements in your referee contracts 3) Consider whether you'd have the membership anyway for personal reasons 4) Maybe consult with a tax professional if the deduction is substantial The potential tax savings might not be worth the audit risk and hassle for everyone, especially if it's a borderline case.