That's really helpful to know! Do you happen to know if VITA volunteers can help with Schedule C for self-employment? That's the main complication in my return this year.

Most VITA sites can handle simple Schedule C filings, especially if your business doesn't have employees, inventory, or losses. However, there are limitations - if your business expenses exceed $35,000 or you have more complex situations like home office deductions or depreciation, some sites might not be able to help. I'd recommend calling your local VITA site directly to ask about their specific capabilities regarding self-employment income. Some sites have specialized volunteers who can handle more complex returns, while others stick to simpler cases. You can find the nearest location by using the VITA Locator Tool on the IRS website or calling 800-906-9887.

Is there any quality control at these places? I thought tax preparers had to pass some kind of test or certification. It's scary to think someone with minimal training is handling something as important as taxes.

Did they at least help with setting up your books initially? That's what I'm most worried about - getting started with the right systems.

They did provide initial setup help with QuickBooks, which was somewhat useful. They created a chart of accounts specific to my industry and showed me how to categorize expenses properly for a SMLLC. They also helped set up integration with my business bank account. The issue I ran into was more with ongoing support and inconsistent advice after the initial setup. For just getting your books set up correctly from the start, they might be okay, but you could probably find a local bookkeeper to do that initial setup for much less than their full package price.

I used TurboTax Self-Employed for my single-member LLC last year. It worked fine for me, but my business is pretty simple - just consulting services with minimal expenses. The software walked me through Schedule C and self-employment tax calculations. If your business has inventory, employees, or more complex deductions, you might want more help than just tax software. Also, TurboTax doesn't help with quarterly estimated payments during the year - you'll need to figure those out yourself.

Smart approach! Did you have any issues with the Free File program? I heard they ask fewer questions than the paid versions, which makes me nervous about missing deductions.

I found the Free File program through the IRS site asked all the important questions for my situation. They do have a slightly more basic interface than TurboTax or H&R Block, but all the essential deductions and credits were covered. For someone with a straightforward W-2 job and maybe some basic investment income or student loan interest, it works perfectly. I did notice it might be less intuitive for self-employment or rental property situations, so in your case with the side gig, you might want to evaluate if your potential deductions would exceed the cost of the paid software.

Which app did you use? I tried one last year (can't remember the name) and it kept crashing when I tried to upload my W2.

This is actually brilliant. The psychological barrier of "sitting down to do taxes" is what causes me to procrastinate. Definitely trying the mobile approach next year!

Thanks for sharing your experience! Did your surgeon break down the cost by percentage or did they actually itemize specific parts of the procedure as medical vs. cosmetic? I'm trying to figure out how detailed this needs to be.

My surgeon provided both. The itemized bill showed specific charges for each part of the procedure, and his letter indicated which aspects were medically necessary with a rough percentage estimate. The most important part was his documentation of medical necessity for specific portions. The IRS doesn't require a precise percentage calculation, but they do need sufficient documentation to show what portion was medically necessary versus purely cosmetic. Make sure your doctor clearly explains why certain aspects of the surgery address a functional medical issue rather than just appearance.

Is there any advantage to trying to bunch medical expenses in one tax year rather than spreading them out? Like if I'm having this surgery in January 2025, would it be better to prepay some costs in December 2024?

Did you have any issues with trips back to the US during that time? I'm working in France but typically go back to the US for about 3 weeks each year for holidays with family. Worried this might disqualify me.

Short trips back to the US won't disqualify you from bona fide resident status. That's actually one of the main advantages of using the bona fide resident test instead of the physical presence test. I typically spent 3-4 weeks in the US every year visiting family, and it never affected my foreign earned income exclusion eligibility. What matters is that your "tax home" remains in France and that these visits are genuinely temporary. Document that your life is centered in France - your housing, banking, social connections, etc. The IRS understands that foreign residents still visit their home country. Just be careful not to make statements to US officials suggesting you're just "temporarily" overseas, which could contradict your bona fide resident claim.

Yes, I used the streamlined foreign offshore procedures after living in Germany for 3 years without filing. It was fairly straightforward - filed last 3 years of returns claiming FEIE, included a statement explaining my non-willful conduct, and submitted form 14653. No penalties and got everything resolved cleanly.