Has anyone used TurboTax for handling home office deductions? I'm in a similar situation (small apartment, running a business) and wondering if the software makes this process any easier or if I should just hire a professional.

I'm dealing with a very similar situation - junior in college with an LLC that I'm building while in school. After reading through all these responses, I think the key takeaways are: 1) You absolutely need exclusive business use of the space (no eating/sleeping/studying in your "office area"), 2) Document everything with photos and business activity logs, 3) Keep the percentage reasonable (under 20% seems safer), and 4) Make sure you can show legitimate business intent even without profits yet. One thing I'm still curious about - if you're claiming part of your studio as business space, do you also need to adjust your security deposit and utilities proportionally as business expenses? Or is it just the rent that gets the percentage deduction? Also, since you mentioned you're heading into sophomore year, have you considered whether claiming this deduction might affect your financial aid eligibility at all? I know business income can impact FAFSA calculations, so wondering if business expenses do too.

If they're worried about the exact amount, they can also call the IRS automated system at 1-800-829-1040. I was able to get my balance without talking to a human. Just needed my SSN, filing status, and zip code from last return. It's not as helpful as talking to a person but at least gives you the current balance.

I went through this exact situation with my parents last year. The key thing to remember is that paying the original amount on the return immediately stops the bleeding - no more penalties and interest accumulating on that base amount. What I learned is that the IRS system can take 4-6 weeks to update online accounts after processing payments, which explains why the online account isn't showing a balance yet. Don't let that delay action though. Here's what worked for us: We paid the original tax amount through IRS Direct Pay, kept all confirmation records, and then waited for the penalty/interest bill. When it came about 3 weeks later, we called and successfully got first-time penalty abatement since they had a clean history. The interest still had to be paid (about $85 in our case), but eliminating the penalties saved almost $400. The most important thing is to act now rather than waiting for perfect information. Every day they delay costs more money in additional interest.

Make sure you request a "Letter 147C" from the IRS too! It verifies the EIN (Employer Identification Number) of the company that issued the 1099-R. I had a similar situation where two insurance companies had similar names, and the 1099-R was actually for someone with a similar name but the IRS computer system matched it to my SSN by mistake.

This is exactly why I always tell people to keep detailed records of everything! I went through something similar with my mom's estate last year. The key thing that saved us was having her maintain a simple spreadsheet tracking all her insurance policies, loans, and any transactions. For your dad's situation, I'd also suggest requesting Form SSA-89 from Social Security if this involves any retirement accounts - sometimes there are cross-references between agencies that can help verify whether money was actually received. Also, don't overlook checking with the post office if you suspect mail theft. They can sometimes provide delivery confirmation records going back several years. One more thing - if your dad has moved addresses in recent years, make sure the IRS has his current address on file. Sometimes 1099s get sent to old addresses and the IRS assumes you received it even when you didn't. You can verify this by calling the IRS directly or checking online.

Just a thought - with that Earned Income Credit amount, do you have dependents? Make sure nobody else (like an ex) claimed the same dependents on their return. That's a common reason for 570 holds on returns with EIC. The IRS has to determine who has the right to claim them.

I went through this exact same situation last year! Had a 570 code for almost 3 months and it was driving me crazy. Turns out they were just verifying my EIC eligibility because I had qualifying children. The frustrating part is they don't always send you a notice right away, so you're left wondering what's happening. Since it's been 2 months already, I'd definitely recommend calling or using one of those callback services people mentioned. In my case, once I finally got through to someone, they were able to tell me exactly what was being reviewed and gave me a timeline. The agent said my case was actually already resolved but just waiting for the final processing - got my refund 2 weeks later. Don't lose hope! The 570 code is super common with EIC returns and most people do eventually get their refund. It's just the IRS being extra cautious with credits that have high fraud rates.

Has anyone checked the IRS "Where's My Refund" tool? Sometimes that will show pending payments even before they fully process. Go to irs.gov and click on "Get Your Refund Status" - you'll need your SSN, filing status, and exact refund amount, but it might show what this payment is for.

I'm active duty as well and had a similar situation last year. Turned out to be a correction from when I had to file an amended return due to military spouse residency issues - the IRS processed it way later than expected. One thing to check: if you used the military's free tax software (MilTax) or got help from the base tax center, they sometimes file amendments automatically if they catch errors. You might not even realize an amended return was submitted on your behalf. Also, TREAS 310 payments specifically from "MCFT" usually indicate it's a Treasury-processed payment rather than a regular IRS refund. Could be related to a Treasury offset program credit or even unclaimed military pay that was finally processed. The January 15th timing is actually pretty standard for when the Treasury starts releasing accumulated adjustments from the previous year. Once it posts, definitely check your military pay statements on myPay to see if there are any notes about tax corrections or back pay.