Does anyone know if you need to enter Box 14 info into TaxAct? Their interface is confusing me because it keeps asking about "other income" and I'm not sure if that's where Box 14 stuff goes?

For TaxAct specifically, you usually don't need to enter Box 14 items unless they're specifically asked for elsewhere in the program. Box 14 is mainly informational and used for things that don't fit elsewhere on the W2. The "other income" section in TaxAct is typically for reporting income that wasn't reported on a W2 or 1099 - like cash jobs, jury duty pay, etc. It's not where you'd put Box 14 items from your W2. If a Box 14 item is relevant to your taxes (like state disability insurance that might be deductible), TaxAct will usually ask about it specifically in the state tax section or deductions area.

I work in payroll and can confirm this is exactly what's happening. Different payroll systems use different placeholder characters for null values. Some use dashes, others use backslashes or X's. It's just a quirk of the software and means there's no data to report in that field.

Just checked and it has CP12 at the top right! Does that tell you anything specific about my situation?

CP12 is actually good news! It means the IRS found a math error on your return, but in this case, they're sending YOU money, not asking for payment. The $582.46 should be coming to you as an additional refund. The payment coupon at the bottom is probably just a standard part of their notice template that wasn't removed, which is why it was confusing. You don't need to send anything. The notice should state somewhere that they're issuing you a refund, and you should receive it within 4-6 weeks from the date on the notice.

This is exactly right. CP11 = you owe money. CP12 = IRS owes you money. They look almost identical except for that key difference. The OP needs to check the notice code carefully.

I've seen the CSEP mentioned before but wasn't sure if it was worth it. How much did it cost and how long did it take to complete? Did you see an immediate impact on your practice after getting it?

The CSEP program cost me around $3,800 total and took about 8 months to complete while working full-time. It's not the cheapest option, but the ROI has been excellent for my practice. I did see an impact pretty quickly. Within the first three months after completion, I was able to raise my rates for estate planning clients by about 25% because I could offer more comprehensive services. The credential also gave me confidence to pursue higher-net-worth clients. The most valuable aspect was that it taught me to spot planning opportunities that I was previously missing. For example, I now regularly identify trust income splitting strategies that save my clients thousands annually.

I've used both BNA and Lacerte Tax Planner. BNA is more robust for complex scenario modeling, especially for trust distributions and estate planning. The learning curve is steeper, but it's worth it for high-net-worth clients. Lacerte is more user-friendly if you're just starting, though it lacks some of the advanced features.

Shoot, I didn't even think to check that! Just looked at my paperwork and everything seems correct with my banking details. They did claim the education credit for my online classes last year, but no EIC or child credits. I'm gonna try that Where's My Refund tool tonight when I get home.

That's good that your banking info is correct! The education credits shouldn't cause any special delays like the EIC or ACTC would. Definitely use the Where's My Refund tool - it'll at least tell you if your return has been received and accepted, which is the first step. Don't worry too much yet - 4 days is really early in the process. Most people I've worked with (I volunteer with VITA too) see their refunds within 2-3 weeks for straightforward returns. It's only been a few business days since Saturday!

TurboTax's tracker just pulls data from the IRS where's my refund tool. It's not any faster or more accurate, just repackaged in their app. I've used both and they always show the same status. Save yourself the trouble and go straight to the IRS site.

Thank you for the practical advice! What about her supplies and equipment? She has some receipts but definitely not all of them. Can she still claim those expenses without complete documentation?

She can absolutely still claim business expenses even without every single receipt. The IRS doesn't require receipts for expenses under $75 in most cases, though it's always good practice to keep everything. For the missing receipts on larger items, she should use bank/credit card statements as backup documentation. Have her make a list of all major equipment purchases she can remember (dryers, straighteners, chairs, etc.) with approximate costs. For recurring supplies like shampoo, colors, etc., she can make reasonable estimates based on client volume and the supplies typically used per client. The key is being reasonable and consistent with the estimates - don't claim amounts that are unusually high for her business size.

This happened to my dad! He didn't file for his construction side business for 2 years, and the IRS found him 8 years later. By then he had literally thrown away all his records thinking he was "in the clear." Ended up having to pay WAY more because he couldn't prove any of his expenses.