Did your refund come faster or slower when you filed jointly vs separately? I've heard joint returns sometimes take longer to process.

Our refund actually came slightly faster when we filed jointly compared to previous years filing separately. We e-filed in early February and had our refund within 14 days, which was about a week faster than our experience with separate returns. I think what matters more for processing time is how early you file and whether your return has any complicated elements that might trigger extra review. In our case, a straightforward joint return with W-2 income and child tax credits was processed very efficiently.

Yes! TurboTax has a feature that lets you compare filing statuses. After you enter all your info, there's an option somewhere in the tax tools section called "Tax Scenarios" or something similar that shows the difference in refund/amount owed. I did this last year when deciding between joint and separate filing. It's not super detailed in explaining WHY one is better, but it does show you the dollar difference.

Thanks for the info! That sounds exactly like what I need. I don't need the deep explanation as long as I can see which option saves us more money. I'll look for that Tax Scenarios feature when I start our return this year.

But wouldn't it be weird to only charge for storage 14 days per year when the products are stored there all year round? Seems like it might raise red flags.

You're right that it might seem unusual to only charge for 14 days when the storage is ongoing, but that's actually how the Augusta rule works. Many business owners choose specific days throughout the year to "rent" their home to their business. You're essentially creating 14 individual rental events spread throughout the year. The key is proper documentation - having a written agreement specifying which days your home is being rented to the business, what spaces are included, and making sure the rental rate is comparable to market rates. This approach is completely legal as long as you stay within the 14-day limit and have the proper paperwork to support it.

Did you end up owing more taxes or just having to provide documentation? I'm always worried about making innocent mistakes that could turn into big problems.

What's a wash sale? Never heard of that rule before and I definitely bought some of the same stocks multiple times when they dipped.

A wash sale happens when you sell a security at a loss and then buy the same or a "substantially identical" security within 30 days before or after the sale date. When this happens, you can't immediately claim the loss for tax purposes - instead, the loss gets added to the cost basis of the replacement shares. This is definitely something that could affect your situation if you were frequently trading the same stocks. Many new traders get caught by this rule because it can make your tax situation much more complicated than simply adding up gains and losses. Your trading platform should mark wash sales on your tax documents, but they sometimes miss them, especially if you were trading similar securities across different platforms.

Thanks for sharing your experience! Did you just mail everything in or did you have to talk to someone on the phone? I'm dreading having to call them.

I started by mailing everything with delivery confirmation so I had proof they received it. When I didn't hear anything back after 6 weeks, I did have to call. Took about a dozen attempts over 3 days before I finally got through to a human. The person I talked to was actually pretty helpful - they found my documents in their system and said they were still in the queue for review. They added notes to my file about my call. About two weeks after that, I got a letter saying the issue was resolved and I didn't owe anything. So while calling sucked, it probably helped speed things up in the end.

But why would they need the IP-PIN specifically? Isnt that just for people who've had identity theft problems before? Most people dont even have an IP-PIN right?

You're right that traditionally IP-PINs were only issued to identity theft victims, but the IRS has expanded the program. Now anyone can voluntarily request an IP-PIN for additional security. Scammers are specifically targeting people who already have IP-PINs because those individuals have likely experienced tax identity theft before. What makes this particularly sinister is that if someone already has an IP-PIN, the IRS won't accept a tax return filed with their SSN unless it includes the correct IP-PIN. So the scammers need both pieces of information to successfully file a fraudulent return. They're getting more sophisticated by recognizing this additional security layer and finding ways to get around it.

You're right about all those red flags. I was desperate for a remote job and the pay seemed amazing so I ignored my gut feeling. They never even told me exactly what I'd be doing day-to-day! Have you or anyone you know actually fallen for one of these scams? What happened?

Unfortunately yes, a former coworker fell for a similar scam last year. They provided their SSN, bank account info for "direct deposit setup," and other personal details. Within weeks, someone had opened credit cards in their name and filed a tax return claiming their refund. It took them over 9 months to clean up their credit and get the tax situation sorted with the IRS. The worst part is these scammers are getting more sophisticated. They used to ask directly for banking info, but now they're using tax documents like the IP-PIN as an indirect way to commit the same fraud while seeming more legitimate. The more technical and specific their requests, the more people think "this must be legitimate if they know to ask for this specific tax form.

Thanks for mentioning this! I had no idea about tax treaties. Do you know if I would need to file any special forms to claim these treaty benefits? And would I still need to file the Schedule C even if there's a treaty?

You would need to file Form 8833 to claim treaty benefits, and yes, you would still need to file Schedule C to report your self-employment income. The treaty doesn't exempt you from filing requirements, it just might reduce what you owe. Tax treaties vary widely by country, so check the specific one between the US and Portugal. Some treaties have special provisions for teachers, students, and researchers, so you might qualify for reduced taxation on your teaching income. But you definitely need to document everything properly.

I second this. TurboTax walks you through everything step by step and they have really good support if you get stuck. It's not free but it's worth it for the peace of mind.