Great discussion here! I wanted to add one more perspective since you're in such a good position with time before your loans start accruing interest. Given that you're looking at a 2-3 year timeline and want to keep things relatively safe, you might also want to consider the tax implications of your investment gains. Since you can't use the education expense exemption for loan repayment, any gains from CDs, T-bills, or regular bonds will be taxed as ordinary income. However, if you're in a relatively low tax bracket now (which many recent grads are), this might actually be a good time to realize those gains. Your tax rate on the investment income might be lower now than it will be in a few years when your career income ramps up. One hybrid approach: put the core amount you know you'll need for loans into the safe T-bill ladder strategy others mentioned, but consider putting a smaller portion into something like a tax-managed index fund or municipal bonds if you're in a state with income tax. This gives you some upside potential while keeping most of your money safe. The key is you have time to be strategic, which is a luxury many people don't have with student loans. Make sure whatever you choose, you're comfortable with the risk level and timeline!

This is such a well-thought-out approach to managing your student loan situation! I love seeing someone take advantage of that grace period before interest kicks in. One thing I'd add to the excellent advice already given - since you're in California, definitely look into California municipal bonds or bond funds for that experimental portion you're considering. The state tax exemption could be significant given CA's tax rates, and you might find some shorter-term municipal offerings that fit your timeline. Also, don't forget to factor in the psychological aspect of your strategy. Having a clear plan for your money during this transition period can reduce a lot of the stress that comes with student loans. You're essentially buying yourself peace of mind along with the financial returns. The combination of T-bill laddering for safety, I bonds for inflation protection, and maybe some munis for tax efficiency sounds like a really balanced approach. You're maximizing the opportunity you have while keeping appropriate risk levels - exactly what financial planning should be about. Keep us updated on what you decide! Your situation is probably similar to a lot of recent grads, so sharing how your strategy works out could help others in the community.

Great question about monetization strategies! I've been creating health and wellness content for about 3 years now, and I've found diversifying income streams is key to building a sustainable business that the IRS would clearly recognize as legitimate. Here's what's worked for me: **Primary Revenue Sources:** - Affiliate marketing (supplements, fitness equipment, health tracking devices) - this generates about 40% of my income - Sponsored content with health brands - around 30% - Digital products like meal plans and workout guides - 20% - YouTube ad revenue and platform monetization - 10% **Documentation Tips:** - I track every income source in a separate spreadsheet with dates, amounts, and sources - Keep all contracts and payment records in organized folders - Use separate business bank account for ALL business transactions - Track time spent on business activities vs personal use of any products/services The key is showing consistent effort to generate profit, not just document your personal journey. I started by creating valuable content first, then gradually introduced monetization. Having multiple revenue streams also helps demonstrate this isn't just a hobby - you're actively working to build a profitable business. For your Zepbound content specifically, you could potentially partner with telehealth companies, weight management apps, or even fitness brands as your audience grows. Just make sure any partnerships align with providing genuine value to your audience rather than just pushing products. Start tracking everything from day one - it makes tax season so much easier and gives you solid documentation if questions ever come up!

As someone who's been through the content creator tax learning curve, I want to emphasize something that's been touched on but deserves highlighting: the importance of treating this as a legitimate business from day one, regardless of the specific deduction questions. I started my wellness content journey similarly - documenting my fitness transformation while trying to figure out what expenses I could deduct. The biggest mistake I made early on was focusing too much on maximizing deductions instead of building proper business systems. Here's what I wish I'd known from the start: **The IRS cares more about business intent than individual deductions.** If you can show you're genuinely trying to build a profitable business (separate accounts, consistent content creation, multiple monetization attempts, proper record-keeping), they're generally more receptive to reasonable business expenses. **Start conservative with deductions, aggressive with documentation.** Track everything - your time, expenses, content plans, audience growth, revenue attempts. This foundation is way more valuable than any single questionable deduction. **For your Zepbound situation specifically:** Rather than trying to deduct the medication itself, consider how you can build legitimate business expenses around documenting your journey. Professional photography for before/after shots, nutrition tracking apps, consultation fees for expert interviews, etc. The goal should be building a sustainable content business that happens to document your health journey, not finding ways to write off personal health expenses. That mindset shift makes all the tax decisions much clearer and safer. Best of luck with your channel - the fact that you're asking these questions upfront shows you're going to do this right!

This has been an incredibly educational thread! I'm actually in the early stages of considering this exact scenario - currently own my primary residence but thinking about relocating for work and converting my current home to a rental property. One aspect I haven't seen discussed much is the impact of state income taxes on this strategy. I'm currently in Texas (no state income tax) but potentially moving to California for work. If I keep my Texas property as a rental and eventually sell it while residing in California, I'm wondering how that affects both the capital gains treatment and any state tax obligations. Also, for those who have gone through this process, how did you handle the transition period logistically? I'm thinking about things like switching insurance policies, setting up property management, updating tax withholdings, etc. It seems like there are a lot of moving pieces beyond just the tax implications. The point about getting a professional appraisal at conversion is excellent advice. I'm also wondering if it's worth consulting with both a tax professional AND a real estate attorney given how complex these rules can get, especially if you're dealing with multiple states. Thanks to everyone who's shared their experiences - this thread has given me a much better understanding of what I need to research and plan for!

This thread has been absolutely invaluable! I'm currently in year 3 of renting out my former primary residence and have been dreading the eventual sale because I wasn't sure how all the tax implications would work out. Reading through everyone's experiences, I realize I may have made some mistakes early on - I don't think I've been claiming all the depreciation I should have, and now I'm learning I'll still owe recapture tax on the "allowable" amount even if I didn't claim it. That's a hard lesson! The point about the non-qualified use period calculations really hit home. I lived in my house for 12 years before converting to rental, so I should still qualify for at least a partial Section 121 exclusion when I sell. But I had no idea about having to allocate gains between qualified and non-qualified periods. I'm definitely going to look into some of the tools mentioned here like taxr.ai to help me figure out my exact situation, and probably bite the bullet on consulting with a tax professional. The potential tax savings from proper planning clearly outweigh the consultation costs. One question for the group - for those who did get professional appraisals at conversion, did you use the same appraiser you might use when selling, or is any licensed appraiser sufficient for IRS documentation purposes?

Thanks for sharing all these experiences everyone! As someone who's been through this waiting game multiple times, I can confirm that Varo is definitely faster than traditional banks for tax refunds. Mine typically arrives between 10am-1pm EST when using H&R Block. One tip that helped reduce my anxiety - I set up account notifications so I get a text immediately when any deposit hits, then I just put my phone away and focus on work instead of constantly refreshing the app. The money always comes through, usually within that morning window everyone's mentioned. Good luck to anyone still waiting! 🤞

I've been following this thread because I'm in the same boat - filed with H&R Block and waiting for my Varo deposit! Based on everyone's experiences, it sounds like the 9am-2pm EST window is pretty consistent. I'm curious though - has anyone noticed if the day of the week makes a difference? Like do refunds tend to hit on certain days more often than others? I filed two weeks ago and my WMR status just changed to "approved" yesterday, so I'm hoping to see something soon. The anticipation is killing me! Thanks for all the helpful info everyone has shared - it's way better than the vague timelines you get from the official sources.

Don't forget about the childcare tax credit! Since you pay 65% of the daycare expenses, you should be eligible to claim that credit regardless of who claims the child as a dependent (though it's simpler if the same person does both). Keep all your receipts and documentation showing you paid these expenses. My tax preparer saved me over $2000 last year because I had documentation showing I paid for most of my daughter's daycare even though my ex claimed her as a dependent that year.

I'm dealing with a similar situation and wanted to share what I learned from my tax attorney. The key issue here isn't just who has higher AGI, but also making sure you have proper documentation of your custody arrangement and expense payments. Since you have true 50/50 custody AND you're paying 65% of daycare costs, you're in a strong position to claim the younger child. For the older child, the same AGI tiebreaker rule applies. However, I'd strongly recommend getting this clarified in writing through a court modification to your custody agreement. One thing to consider is that your ex saying they "need the tax break more" isn't relevant under IRS rules - financial need doesn't override the legal guidelines. The IRS goes by custody time and AGI, not who needs the money more. Also, keep detailed records of all your childcare payments, child support payments, and any other expenses you cover. If this ever gets disputed, you'll want clear documentation showing you're following the rules correctly.