Great question! I'm in a similar situation with my small business. One thing I'd add to what others have mentioned is to document your decision-making process. I keep a simple spreadsheet showing how I determined my business use percentage - things like "take client calls during work hours," "use for business banking apps," "post inventory photos," etc. Also, since you mentioned you're thinking about using your business credit card - definitely do that! It creates a clean paper trail and makes it obvious this was a business purchase. I learned this the hard way when I mixed personal and business purchases on the same card and had to sort through months of statements later. One last tip: if you're getting a high-end iPhone (like the Pro models), keep the receipt and any documentation about why you chose that specific model for business purposes. Sometimes the IRS questions whether premium features are "necessary" for business use, so having a business justification ready can save headaches later.

Adding to what everyone else has said - make sure you understand the difference between deducting the phone purchase versus the monthly service. The phone itself (especially a new iPhone) is considered equipment and might need to be depreciated over several years unless you elect Section 179 or bonus depreciation to expense it immediately. The monthly service bills, on the other hand, are operating expenses that you can deduct each year based on your business use percentage. Since you're an LLC, you have some flexibility here. If you're planning to expense the phone purchase in full this year (rather than depreciate), make sure your tax preparer knows so they can make the appropriate elections on your return. This is especially important if you're buying a higher-end model that costs over $1,000. Also, I'd recommend taking photos of your current phone setup and any business apps you use - this documentation can help support your business use percentage if questions come up later. Good luck with the RV business!

My wife's name was misspelled on our joint return last year (Maria vs Mariah). We did nothing about it and still got our refund on time with no issues. I think people get way too stressed about minor stuff like this. The IRS has bigger problems than hunting people down over a typo lol.

I actually had the exact same issue with my name last year - Aleksandre vs Alexandre! What a coincidence. I ended up calling the IRS using that Claimyr service someone mentioned earlier (after wasting 2 hours on hold the traditional way first). The agent I spoke with said that as long as the first letter and general structure of the name are the same, and your SSN matches, it typically won't cause processing delays. She did recommend that I make sure my tax preparer uses the correct spelling next year though, because repeated discrepancies over multiple years could potentially flag your account for additional scrutiny. The agent was able to add a note to my file about the spelling variation, which gave me peace of mind. My refund came through right on schedule, so I think you should be fine. But definitely worth getting it on record with them if you can get through!

Has anyone used TurboTax for claiming education expenses that aren't on the 1098-T? Will it flag this as an issue or let me enter additional qualified expenses?

This is a really common situation that many graduate students face! You're absolutely right that computers can qualify as educational expenses when required for coursework, and the fact that your 1098-T shows $0 doesn't prevent you from claiming legitimate additional expenses. For your $850 laptop purchase, here's what I'd recommend for documentation: keep that bank withdrawal record, any text/email communications with the seller, and definitely get something from your school showing computer requirements for your online courses. A syllabus mentioning required software or a program tech requirements page would be perfect. The key is being able to demonstrate that the computer was necessary for your education. Since you were taking online courses requiring video conferencing and specialized software, that's a pretty clear educational need. The IRS understands that not all educational expenses flow through the school's billing system. One thing to keep in mind - make sure you're eligible for the Lifetime Learning Credit based on your income limits and other factors. And if you end up getting audited (unlikely but possible), having that documentation ready will make the process much smoother. You're being smart to do this correctly rather than just skipping a legitimate deduction!

Anyone using any specific workpapers to handle the disconnect between the GILTI inclusion and the Sec 250 deduction? I'm trying to create a reconciliation schedule for our audit team that clearly shows why the full GILTI amount flows to the 5471 without the corresponding Sec 250 deduction.

This is a great discussion that really clarifies the conceptual framework. I've been dealing with a similar situation and was getting confused by the mechanics, but reading through these responses really helps. One follow-up question: when the CFC eventually makes an actual distribution of these earnings that created PTEP through the GILTI inclusion, is that distribution tax-free to the extent of the full GILTI inclusion amount, or only to the extent of the net amount after the Section 250 deduction? I'm thinking it should be tax-free up to the full GILTI inclusion amount since that's what created the PTEP in the first place, but I want to make sure I'm not missing something about how the Section 250 deduction might affect future distributions.

I haven't personally experienced this situation, but I know the Department of Education has had various pause periods on collections activities. It's worth checking directly with the IRS about your specific refund status too - you can call them at 1-800-829-1040 or check "Where's My Refund" on their website. Sometimes there can be delays even when offsets are paused. Also, make sure to get any pause information in writing from your loan servicer if possible. Hope you get your refund soon!