Just a thought - have you looked into whether any of your father in law's $4700 income might be non-taxable? Things like certain VA benefits, some Social Security benefits depending on total income, and certain disability payments don't count toward the gross income test for dependency. If enough of his income is non-taxable, he might actually fall under the threshold and could potentially qualify as a dependent, which would solve your head of household problem.

This is a complex situation that highlights how tricky the head of household rules can be! I'd recommend double-checking a few things that might help your case: First, as others mentioned, carefully review what types of income your father-in-law receives. If any portion of that $4,700 comes from non-taxable sources (like certain Social Security benefits, VA disability, or other exempt income), it wouldn't count toward the gross income test. Even reducing his taxable income by a few hundred dollars could make him qualify as your dependent. Second, the special parent rule mentioned by Ryan Andre could be really important here. Since your partner is supporting his own father and paying more than half the household expenses, this might be the path to head of household status even if the father can't be claimed as a dependent due to income. I'd also suggest getting professional help given the complexity - either through one of the AI tools mentioned, calling the IRS directly, or consulting with a tax professional who specializes in family support situations. The potential tax savings from head of household status versus single filing could be significant enough to justify the cost of getting expert guidance. Keep detailed records of all expenses your partner pays for the household - this documentation will be crucial regardless of which filing approach you end up taking.

The simplest solution might be to just have your business pay you additional compensation (bonus, distribution, etc.) and then you pay for the remodel personally. This keeps everything clean - your business isn't directly paying for potentially personal expenses, and you can still claim the legitimate home office deduction on your personal taxes. Just make sure your business accountant helps you structure the compensation properly based on your business entity type (S-corp, LLC, etc.) since different rules apply. This approach also helps you avoid the "corporate veil" issues someone mentioned.

Great discussion here! As someone who went through a similar situation recently, I want to emphasize how important it is to get this right from the start. I made the mistake of mixing business and personal funds for a home renovation and it created a nightmare during tax season. What really helped me was documenting everything meticulously - I created a detailed spreadsheet showing square footage calculations, took photos of my dedicated office space, and kept all contractor invoices organized by business vs. personal portions. The IRS loves documentation, especially for home office deductions. One thing I learned the hard way: if you're planning to sell your home within the next few years, make sure you understand the depreciation recapture rules before claiming any home office deductions. I almost got blindsided by this when I was considering a move. Connor, given that you're in a high-tax area, the savings might be significant, but don't let that cloud your judgment on proper compliance. The cleanest approach really is separate payments for separate purposes, even if it means more paperwork upfront.

been waiting since February... welcome to the party 😭

I feel your pain! Been there myself and the waiting is brutal. Just to confirm what others said - you definitely won't get your refund before the 846 code shows up. That code literally means "refund issued" so it has to appear first. 3 weeks isn't too bad yet though - the IRS says to allow 21 days for e-filed returns. If you hit the 21 day mark and still nothing, then you can start digging deeper into what might be causing the delay. Hang in there!

Why not just get the two workers to chip in for gas? I know several carpooling arrangements at my workplace where passengers pay the driver a small amount to cover gas and wear on the vehicle. It's not a tax deduction, but it's a practical solution.

I work in HR and have dealt with this exact situation before. One thing that might help is proposing a "qualified transportation fringe benefit" program to your employer. Under IRS Code Section 132, employers can provide up to $315 per month (2024 limit) in tax-free transportation benefits to employees. This could cover things like transit passes, parking, or even vanpooling arrangements. If your company set up a formal vanpool program where you're the designated driver, they could potentially reimburse your vehicle costs tax-free up to that monthly limit. The key is making it a formal company program rather than just you driving people around. Your employer would need to document it properly, but it could solve both the tax issue and get you reimbursed. Worth bringing up when you make your business case about retention costs!

Did u verify ur identity on id.me? That's usually step 1 for these freezes

Code 810 freezes are frustrating but usually resolve within 9-16 weeks from the freeze date. Since yours was placed March 2nd, you're getting close to that timeframe. The good news is your transcript shows no math errors or adjustments - just the freeze preventing release of your $10,712 refund. With self-employment income that high and such a large refund, they're likely doing income verification or checking for potential fraud patterns. The fact that you already completed ID.me verification is good, but sometimes they need additional documentation. I'd recommend calling the Taxpayer Advocate Service number mentioned above, but also try calling the regular IRS line early morning (7-8am) for better chances of getting through. Ask specifically about timeline for code 810 resolution and if they need any additional docs from you. Keep checking your transcript weekly - when it updates you'll see a code 846 (refund issued) with your direct deposit date. Hang in there, the money is definitely there waiting for you!