Have you considered using a free file service that offers an advance on your refund instead? Some tax prep companies will give you part of your refund immediately after your return is accepted, then the rest comes when the IRS processes it. Might be worth looking into if you need the money quickly. Just watch out for the fees - they're usually not worth it unless you absolutely need the cash right away.

I used Netspend for my tax refund two years ago and it worked fine - got my deposit on the same day my friend got hers through Bank of America. The main issue I ran into was the fees afterward. Between the monthly maintenance fee and ATM charges, I ended up paying about $15 just to access my own refund money over the course of a month. If you do go with Netspend, I'd recommend transferring the money out to a regular bank account or withdrawing it all at once to avoid getting nickel and dimed. Also make sure your name on the Netspend account exactly matches what's on your tax return - I've heard of people having issues with even minor spelling differences.

3 Just to add my two cents - if you use accounting software like QuickBooks Self-Employed, they have specific features for handling PayPal transactions correctly. It automatically imports your PayPal activity and separates the fees from your income, but still accounts for everything properly on your tax forms.

As someone who's been dealing with self-employment taxes for several years, I can confirm the advice about reporting gross income and deducting fees separately is absolutely correct. One additional tip I'd suggest - make sure to save your PayPal monthly statements as PDFs throughout the year. These statements clearly show the breakdown of gross payments vs. fees, which can be invaluable if you ever need to provide documentation to the IRS. Also, don't forget that other PayPal-related expenses might be deductible too, like currency conversion fees if you receive international payments, or chargeback fees if you unfortunately deal with those. The key is keeping everything well-documented and categorized consistently. Good luck with your first year of self-employment taxes - it gets easier once you establish a good system!

I'm going through something similar - filed my 2023 return in March and got stuck in "Action Required" status after ID verification in October. What helped me was calling the Taxpayer Advocate Service (1-877-777-4778) after hitting the 12-week mark. They can actually see what's causing the hold and sometimes expedite the review process. Also, try checking your IRS online account if you haven't already - sometimes there are notices posted there before they mail the physical copy. The "Action Required" message is super vague but usually means they're doing income/withholding verification or checking your Head of Household status eligibility. Don't lose hope! I know it's frustrating but most of these manual reviews do eventually clear. Keep documenting everything like Laura said - dates, reference numbers from calls, etc. You're not alone in this mess! 🤞

Been dealing with this exact same situation! Filed my 2023 return in April and got the "Action Required" status after ID verification in November. What finally worked for me was getting my account transcript from the IRS website - it showed specific transaction codes that explained what they were actually reviewing (in my case it was income verification from a W-2 mismatch). The key thing to understand is that "Action Required" doesn't always mean YOU need to do something right away. Sometimes it just means they're waiting for their internal systems to complete cross-referencing your info with third-party sources like employers or banks. I'd recommend ordering your 2023 Account Transcript online if you can access your IRS account - look for any 400+ codes which indicate what type of review they're doing. If you see codes like 424 (income verification) or 430 (dependent verification), that gives you a clearer picture than the vague WMR message. After 10 weeks I finally called and they told me the review was actually complete but hadn't updated in their system yet. Got my refund 2 weeks later. Hang in there - I know it's super stressful but most of these do resolve eventually! 💪

I was scared to take the home office deduction for years because I heard it was an "audit flag" but my accountant finally convinced me it was leaving money on the table. As long as you have a legit office that's exclusively used for business, you should absolutely take it. And document everything - take pics of your office, keep receipts for all office equipment, etc.

Based on your situation, you definitely should be able to take the home office deduction for both businesses. With $130k profit from your LLC and $8k from your online store, plus a dedicated 25% office space, you have a solid case. One thing to consider - since you have two separate businesses using the same space, you might want to allocate the deduction between them based on actual usage. For example, if you spend 80% of your office time on the LLC and 20% on the online store, you could split the deduction accordingly. This can actually be beneficial for tax planning since they're different business structures. Also, don't forget about other home office expenses beyond rent/utilities - office supplies, equipment depreciation, repairs to the office area, etc. With your income levels, these deductions will really add up. Just make sure you have good documentation for everything since the IRS does pay attention to home office deductions on higher-income returns. Your plan to get a good CPA is smart - they can help you optimize the deduction and make sure you're doing everything by the book.

Just wondering if anyone knows why this shift is happening? Is it just CPAs trying to save time, or is there something regulatory driving it? My tax guy is also requiring more upfront information this year but said it was because of "new compliance requirements.

As someone who's been through this exact situation, I completely understand your frustration. At 68 with health issues, you shouldn't have to spend hours deciphering confusing questionnaires when you're already paying $525 for professional tax preparation. This shift is unfortunately becoming more common as preparers try to streamline their workflow and handle more clients, but it doesn't mean you have to accept it. Here's what I'd suggest: 1. Call your CPA directly and explain your situation - mention your age, health concerns, and that this new process is overwhelming. Ask if they can accommodate the traditional service model you've been used to. 2. If they won't budge, consider shopping around for a smaller local firm or independent practitioner who still offers personalized service. Many do, especially for established clients with straightforward returns. 3. You could also ask about a fee reduction since you're doing more of the legwork, or inquire if they have different service tiers available. Don't feel obligated to struggle through this process just because it's "becoming standard." There are still tax professionals out there who believe in providing full-service preparation, especially for clients in your situation. Your business has value, and you deserve service that works for you, not the other way around.