Great question about the Outlander PHEV! As someone who just went through this exact process, I can confirm it absolutely qualifies at 6,063 lbs GVWR. One thing I wish someone had told me earlier - consider getting a pre-purchase tax consultation if you're buying specifically for the deduction benefits. I almost made the mistake of assuming all the tax savings would happen automatically, but there are some nuances around timing (when you place it in service vs when you buy it) and how the deduction interacts with any state incentives for PHEVs. Also, since you mentioned you're new to business tax stuff, make sure your business structure actually allows you to benefit from Section 179. If you're a sole proprietor or LLC, you're good to go, but there can be limitations if you have other business structures or if your business income is below the deduction amount. The Outlander PHEV is a solid choice - you'll get both the tax benefits from the weight qualification AND potentially some additional incentives for the plug-in hybrid aspect depending on your state. Just make sure to start that mileage tracking from day one!

Hey Yara! I just went through something similar with my business and wanted to share what I learned. Your Outlander PHEV at 6,063 lbs definitely qualifies for Section 179 - you're safely over that 6,000 lb threshold. One thing that really helped me was understanding that the $28,900 limit for heavy SUVs is just for Section 179, but you can potentially stack other depreciation methods. For example, if your Outlander costs $40,000 and you use it 80% for business, you could take the $28,900 Section 179 deduction and then apply bonus depreciation to part of the remaining balance. Since you mentioned being new to business taxes, I'd strongly recommend setting up your mileage tracking system before you even drive the vehicle off the lot. The IRS pays special attention to luxury SUV deductions, and having solid documentation from day one will save you major headaches if you ever get audited. Also, double-check that your business income will be high enough to absorb the full deduction this year - Section 179 can only offset your actual business profits, so any excess would carry forward to future years. Good luck with your purchase!

I've been through this exact same frustrating experience! Filed 1/25 and had zero movement for weeks. What finally worked for me was calling 877-777-4778 (Taxpayer Advocate Service) around 7:45 AM on a Tuesday morning. I explained that I'd been trying the main lines for over two weeks with no success and that my return had been in processing since late January with no updates on transcripts or WMR. They were actually really helpful and assigned me a case advocate who followed up within 3 business days. Turns out my return was stuck in a verification queue that just needed a simple identity confirmation. The whole thing was resolved within a week of that call. I know it's one more number to try, but TAS is specifically designed for situations like this where normal IRS channels aren't working. Don't give up - there are people there who actually want to help!

I'm going through the exact same nightmare! Filed 1/22 and still showing absolutely nothing on transcripts, WMR, or SBTPG. After reading through all these helpful suggestions, I'm planning to try multiple approaches tomorrow morning. First, I'll call the Taxpayer Advocate Service at 877-777-4778 around 7:45 AM based on Miguel's success story - the fact that they actually assigned a case advocate who followed up is exactly what I need right now. If that doesn't work out, I'll try the 866-682-7451 ext 569 number that several people have had success with. The Spanish language line idea is also brilliant - I speak both languages so that could be another option if the English lines are jammed. At this point, after almost 7 weeks with zero updates, I think we definitely qualify for TAS assistance since we've clearly exhausted normal channels. Thanks everyone for sharing your experiences - it's reassuring to know we're not alone in this frustrating situation!

For anyone still looking, here's the direct link to ALL 2021 forms related to 1041: https://apps.irs.gov/app/picklist/list/priorFormPublication.html?value=1041&criteria=formNumber&submitSearch=Find I just had to file one for my dad's estate and the IRS actually has pretty decent instructions. Saved myself $450 in CPA fees by just reading through their guide!

I was in almost the exact same situation last year with a family trust that had unreported capital gains from 2021. After struggling to find the forms and getting quoted outrageous fees from accountants, I ended up finding a much simpler path. The key thing to know is that for small amounts like yours ($800 in gains), the 1041 is actually pretty straightforward if you take it step by step. I used the direct links others have shared here, and the IRS instructions are clearer than I expected. One tip that saved me time - call the IRS early in the morning (like 7 AM when they open) if you need to verify anything. I got through in about 20 minutes versus the hours-long waits during midday. The agent confirmed that for simple capital gains reporting, I only needed the basic 1041 and Schedule D. Don't let your accountant scare you into paying $750 for something you can handle yourself, especially for such a small amount. The penalty for late filing is usually much less than what they're charging you!

Has anyone used TaxSlayer Pro? I'm seeing a lot of ads for it lately and the price point seems more reasonable than some of the others.

This is such great timing for your question! I actually made the jump from corporate accounting to tax prep about three years ago and it's been one of the best decisions I've made. A few things I wish I'd known starting out: First, don't underestimate how different individual tax prep is from what you're used to. The technical knowledge translates, but you'll be dealing with a completely different set of forms, credits, and client situations. I'd strongly recommend getting some formal training - even just a basic individual tax course will save you tons of time and potential headaches. For software, I started with TaxAct Professional and found it pretty user-friendly for beginners. It's less expensive than some of the bigger names but still handles most situations you'll encounter starting out. The key is picking something with good customer support since you'll have questions. One practical tip: Start charging appropriately from day one, even with friends and family. I made the mistake of doing returns too cheaply at first, and it was hard to raise prices later. Even if you're learning, your CPA credentials have value. You're definitely not too late for the 2025 season - I'd say you have the perfect amount of time to get trained and set up. The busy season doesn't really start until late January anyway. Good luck!

I filed on January 29th as soon as the IRS started accepting returns, and my direct deposit hit my account on February 8th - so exactly 10 days. My sister filed on February 6th and just got hers yesterday (Feb 14th), so 8 days for her. We both have pretty simple returns though, just W-2 income and standard deductions. Seems like they're moving pretty quickly this year compared to the last few!

I filed my taxes on February 5th with direct deposit and got my refund exactly 7 days later on February 12th! I was shocked at how fast it was - definitely much quicker than the usual 21-day estimate they give you. One thing that might have helped speed things up for me was double-checking all my banking information before submitting. I've heard horror stories about people having to wait weeks longer because of typos in their routing or account numbers. Also used the same bank account I've used for the past few years, so that might have avoided any additional verification steps. The "Where's My Refund" tool was super helpful too - it updated to "Refund Approved" on day 5 and then "Refund Sent" on day 6, with the money hitting my account the next business day. Definitely recommend checking that instead of just waiting and wondering!