Don't forget to check if your state has any special rules about this! Some states that run their own marketplaces have different policies than the federal marketplace. For example, I live in California which has Covered California instead of healthcare.gov, and they have some additional assistance programs that can help in situations like this. Worth checking if your state has anything similar!

I went through this exact same situation a couple years ago and I totally understand your frustration! The good news is that you likely won't have to pay back the full $1,750 if your annual income is below certain thresholds. Since you were unemployed for part of the year and then got a job, your total annual income might still qualify you for repayment limitations. If your household income is below 400% of the Federal Poverty Level (around $58,320 for a single person in 2024), there are caps on how much you have to repay. The key is properly filling out Form 8962. Make sure you accurately report your coverage months (sounds like January through May) and your actual annual income including both your unemployment period and your employment income. The form has provisions for partial-year coverage situations exactly like yours. You did everything right by reporting honestly and canceling coverage when you got employer insurance! The system is designed to reconcile based on your full-year income, but it also has protections to prevent people from owing back huge amounts. Don't panic - just make sure you're calculating everything correctly on your tax return.

You should talk to your boss about making you legitimate. Just mention that you need proper documentation for apartment applications and loans, not even mentioning taxes. Many small business owners will switch you to proper payroll when they realize it matters to you for housing. Worked for me! My landscaping boss switched me from cash to proper payroll once I told him I was trying to get approved for a car loan.

I was in almost the exact same situation last year with a roofing company. Here's what I learned after going through this process: First, don't stress too much about "getting your boss in trouble." The IRS processes millions of Schedule C filings every year and they're not actively cross-referencing every one to hunt down employers. They're way more interested in collecting taxes owed than playing detective. For your immediate apartment need, bank statements showing consistent deposits should work fine. But for taxes, you'll definitely want to file Schedule C and pay self-employment taxes on what you've earned. One thing nobody mentioned - if you've been doing this since April, you might want to make an estimated tax payment for Q4 (due January 15th) to avoid underpayment penalties. The IRS expects you to pay taxes throughout the year, not just at filing time. Also, keep track of ANY work-related expenses - gas, tools, work clothes, phone usage for work calls. As a self-employed person, these become deductions that can significantly reduce what you owe. The whole situation is more common than you think, and the IRS has seen it all before. Just be honest about your income and pay what you owe - that's really all they care about.

Hey Miguel, I feel for your situation - car breakdowns always happen at the worst possible time! Since you've already filed, you're unfortunately locked out of traditional refund advances. But there might be a few other options worth exploring: 1. Check if your auto repair shop offers financing or payment plans - many do, especially for larger repairs like yours. 2. Look into apps like Earnin or DailyPay if your employer partners with them - they let you access earned wages before payday. 3. Consider a credit card cash advance as a last resort (the fees are high but might be worth it to keep your job). 4. Call 211 (United Way's helpline) - they often know about local emergency assistance programs for transportation/work-related needs. The silver lining is that electronic returns really are processing much faster this year. I filed 3 weeks ago and got my refund in 12 days. Keep checking that "Where's My Refund" tool - you might be pleasantly surprised! Hang in there!

Miguel, I'm really sorry about your car situation - that's incredibly stressful when you need it to get to work! Since you've already filed through TurboTax, you're unfortunately out of luck for traditional refund advances, but there are still some options to explore. First, definitely keep checking the IRS "Where's My Refund?" tool daily. This year they've been much faster than the 21-day estimate - many people are getting refunds in 10-14 days. Since you filed 2 weeks ago, yours could arrive any day now. For immediate help, I'd suggest: - Call your bank/credit union about a small personal loan using your pending refund as collateral - Ask the repair shop about payment plans (many offer them, especially when you can show proof of pending refund) - Check if your employer offers emergency payroll advances - Look into community assistance programs through 211 or local churches Also, if you're really desperate and have decent credit, some credit cards offer 0% intro APR on purchases, which could buy you time until your refund arrives. The waiting is the worst part, but hang in there! Your refund should be coming soon, and there are definitely ways to bridge the gap. Keep us updated on how it goes!

Holly, I see you're getting great advice here about the California community property rules potentially derailing your MFS strategy. But I want to add another angle that might help - have you looked into whether you qualify for any of the other clean vehicle credits that might have different income limits? For instance, if you're considering a used EV instead of new, the used clean vehicle credit has lower income thresholds ($150k MFJ, $75k MFS) but also a lower credit amount ($4,000 max). There's also the commercial clean vehicle credit if you have any legitimate business use, though as others mentioned, you need to be very careful about the business use requirements. Also, some states and utilities offer additional EV rebates that aren't tied to federal income limits. California has the Clean Vehicle Rebate Project (though it might be paused right now) and many utilities offer cash rebates for EV purchases. These could help offset some of the lost federal credit if you can't make the income limits work. Worth exploring all your options since the federal credit situation seems challenging with your income levels and California's community property rules.

Holly, after reading through all the great advice here, it sounds like your original MFS strategy unfortunately won't work due to California's community property rules. Since you'd each have to report about half your combined income (~$192,500 each), you'd both be over the $150k MFS threshold. However, I notice you haven't mentioned what your 2023 combined income was. If it was under $300k and you can take delivery in 2024 (before Dec 31), you might still qualify for the full credit by filing jointly using your 2023 income. A few practical next steps: 1. Check your exact 2023 combined AGI 2. Confirm your chosen EV model still qualifies (the eligible vehicle list changes frequently) 3. See if you can accelerate delivery to 2024 if your 2023 income works 4. As others suggested, look into California state rebates and utility incentives as backup options The timing of delivery is really crucial here since it determines which tax year's income you need to use. If you're flexible on delivery timing and your 2023 numbers work, that might be your best path forward.

I messed up on this last year. If your mini split cost $13,500, the credit isn't automatically $2,000. The calculation is 30% of your cost, so 30% of $13,500 = $4,050. But since the max credit is capped at $2,000, you'll get the full $2,000. Make sure you're claiming this on Form 5695. In TurboTax, I found it in the deductions section under energy credits. Don't get confused by the old Nonbusiness Energy Property Credit - for 2023, it's now the Energy Efficient Home Improvement Credit which is much better!

I went through this exact same situation last year with my mini split installation. One thing that really helped me was making sure I had the manufacturer's certification statement that shows the SEER and HSPF ratings - TurboTax actually asks for these efficiency numbers when you're entering the heat pump information. Also, if you're still having trouble finding the right section in TurboTax, try searching for "Form 5695" directly in the software. It should take you right to the Residential Energy Credits section where you can enter your mini split as an "Energy efficient heat pump." Keep all your documentation including the invoice, installation receipts, and the manufacturer specs. The IRS has been pretty strict about verifying that systems actually meet the efficiency requirements, so having everything organized will save you headaches if they ever question the credit.