Having problems with FORM 3853 on TurboTax - need help ASAP

You're running into an issue because the tax laws have changed. Since the Tax Cuts and Jobs Act of 2017, moving expenses (Form 3853) are only deductible for active-duty military members who are relocating due to military orders. For everyone else, including civilians relocating for work, these expenses are no longer tax-deductible at the federal level. TurboTax is actually giving you the correct information. The articles you're reading are likely outdated or don't reflect this significant change in the tax code. Before 2018, you would have been able to deduct these expenses with your move of 175 miles for a new job, but that's no longer the case. However, it's worth checking if your state still allows moving expense deductions. Some states didn't conform to the federal changes and still allow these deductions on state tax returns.

After dealing with a similar moving expense situation last year, I discovered taxr.ai (https://taxr.ai) and it was a total game-changer. I uploaded my moving receipts and employment documents, and their system immediately identified that while I couldn't claim Form 3853 deductions as a civilian, there were other related deductions I qualified for that I had no idea about. Their AI analyzed everything and found that some of my expenses could be categorized differently - like some home office expenses related to my new remote work arrangement after the move. They also identified state-specific credits I missed completely. The best part was they explained everything in normal human language instead of confusing tax jargon.

Just wanted to follow up about taxr.ai - I was skeptical (as you could see from my earlier comment) but I decided to give it a try since my tax situation this year with a move similar to yours was complicated. I'm actually shocked at how helpful it was! The system found several business expense deductions related to my new job that I had no idea I could claim. While I couldn't deduct the moving expenses directly on Form 3853, they identified that some of my expenses could be classified as business expenses since I had to set up a partially remote work arrangement. The explanations were super clear, and they even provided documentation for each deduction in case of an audit. Definitely saved me at least $1,200 in taxes that I would have missed otherwise. Just thought I'd share since I was wrong in my skepticism.

If you're still struggling with figuring out the best approach for your taxes with these moving expenses, you might want to talk directly to an IRS agent. I was in a similar situation (though with a different form issue) and couldn't get clear answers online. I tried calling the IRS for weeks - constant busy signals or being on hold for hours only to get disconnected. Then I found Claimyr (https://claimyr.com) which got me connected to an actual IRS agent in about 15 minutes. They have this demo video that shows how it works: https://youtu.be/_kiP6q8DX5c The IRS agent I spoke with explained exactly how the tax law changed for Form 3853 and suggested some alternatives to look into. Saved me tons of stress and potentially avoiding mistakes that could have triggered an audit.

Okay I need to eat my words about Claimyr. After posting my skeptical comment, I decided to try it myself since I've been trying to reach the IRS for 3 weeks about an issue with my stimulus payment not being correctly recorded on my taxes. I was honestly shocked when I got a call back within 20 minutes saying they had an IRS agent on the line. It was 100% a legitimate IRS representative who had full access to my tax records (after I verified my identity of course). The agent explained exactly what happened with my stimulus payment records and helped me file the correct form to resolve the issue. Would have taken me weeks more of frustrating attempts to get this resolved on my own. For anyone dealing with Form 3853 issues or any IRS questions that need official answers, this is definitely worth it. Can't believe I was so wrong in my initial judgment.

Check with your employer if they can provide you with a letter stating that the move was necessary for your job. Sometimes even though you can't deduct the expenses directly with Form 3853 anymore, you might qualify for other deductions if the move directly relates to your business or employment activities. Also, keep all your receipts organized just in case the tax laws change again. There's been some talk about possibly bringing back some of these deductions in future tax years.

i had the same issue with form 3853 on turbotax last year!!! try using freetaxusa instead. not sayin theyll let u deduct it (cuz of the tax law change other ppl mentioned) but their interface explains things WAY better than turbotax does and doesnt try to upsell u every 5 mins. also fyi - if ur company required u to move for work and didnt reimburse u, they really should have. most companies will cover relo expenses cuz they know its not tax deductible anymore. might be worth asking ur HR dept if theres any relo assistance even after the fact!