Does H&R Block have a free version? Cash App and FreeTaxUSA are appealing because they offer free or really cheap filing options. I don't want to spend $50+ on tax prep if I can avoid it.

H&R Block does have a free version but like all the "free" tax services, it's only free for simple returns. If you have anything slightly complicated (investment income, self-employment, itemized deductions, etc.), you'll end up having to upgrade to a paid version. Honestly, FreeTaxUSA is probably your best bet for affordable filing - their federal filing is free and state is only like $15. Cash App might be convenient for banking, but as you've discovered, it's pretty limited as a tax service. Whatever you choose, just stick with ONE service next year to avoid this headache!

Nothing complicated really - just standard W-2 income from one job and some basic interest income from my savings account. No major life changes or anything fancy. I just got lured in by Cash App's free filing and didn't realize they couldn't do my state taxes until after I'd already submitted the federal return.

If it's a simple return like OP described, they should definitely be able to file state-only through most services. I've used TurboTax for state-only before when I had a similar situation. Just make sure to select "I've already filed my federal return" option when you start.

Has anyone here actually successfully used the TAS recently? I tried back in 2023 for a different tax issue and they sent me a letter saying they were too backlogged to take new cases except in extreme hardship situations.

You're right that they've been overwhelmed in recent years, but their backlog has improved significantly in the last 6-8 months. The key is to clearly demonstrate the financial hardship the audit is causing you - be specific about any loans you've had to take, mental health impacts, inability to make financial decisions due to the uncertainty, etc. I've found that if you include supporting documentation of hardship with your Form 911, you're much more likely to be accepted. Also, calling your local TAS office directly (rather than just mailing in the form) can help get your case prioritized.

Thank you so much for this suggestion! I never would have thought of contacting my representative. Did you reach out to your House rep or Senator? And did they ask for anything specific besides the privacy form?

That sounds helpful! Do I need some kind of professional evaluation to do this component depreciation thing or can I figure it out myself?

For a single small rental property, you can probably DIY it with good documentation. Basically, you need to break out the costs of appliances, carpet, window treatments, etc. and depreciate them separately on a 5-7 year schedule instead of lumping them into the building's 27.5 year schedule. Professional cost segregation studies are typically used for larger properties or commercial buildings where the potential tax savings justify the cost. For your situation, just keep good records of anything you replace or upgrade, note the value, and depreciate those items on their shorter schedules. Most tax software can handle this if you set up each component separately.

This is so important! My brother didn't know this when he inherited our dad's rental property and he used the original purchase price. He missed out on thousands in depreciation deductions before his accountant caught the mistake.

This is super helpful! My program coordinator mentioned something about the practical hours counting toward credits but I didn't connect that to the tax implications. Does that mean I should include all my apprenticeship hours and not just the classroom time when figuring out if I meet half-time status?

Yes, absolutely include all hours that the college is counting toward your credits or certificate. Many apprenticeship programs are structured so that your on-the-job training hours translate to a certain number of credits in addition to your classroom time. For example, I had a client whose 4-week classroom portion only equated to 4 credits, which wouldn't meet the half-time requirement. But when we included the supervised work experience that was part of the program curriculum (which added another 4 credits), they qualified for AOC. The key is that these work hours must be formally recognized by the educational institution as part of your academic program.

Yes, online courses absolutely count toward your workload calculation for AOC purposes as long as they're part of your eligible program and offered by a qualifying educational institution. The IRS doesn't distinguish between delivery methods (online vs. in-person) when determining eligibility. What matters is the credit hours or equivalent as determined by your educational institution. For your situation with 3 weeks in-person plus 4 weeks online, you'd need to find out how many total credits/units that represents at your institution and whether it meets their half-time threshold.

Whoa, I had no idea about this! How do I apply for the First Time Abatement? Is that something I can do online or do I need to call them?

You'll need to call the IRS and specifically request a "First Time Penalty Abatement" for your failure to pay estimated taxes. Have your notice handy when you call. The agent will check your compliance history for the past 3 years. If calling seems daunting (which it can be), you can also write a penalty abatement letter and mail it to the address on your notice. Be sure to reference the notice number, explain that this is your first time missing estimated tax payments, and specifically request a "First Time Penalty Abatement" in your letter.

Does it work if you use a different tax software to actually file your return? I use H&R Block to file but would love something that reminds me about quarterlies.