All Posts

Thank you so much @DaveF1006 for your feedback, very helpful! To minimize my tax, it’s best to become an US expat so I don’t need to pay state tax when I withdraw my 401K, correct? Any downside? Thanks again.

For the Desktop program you have to check the filing status inside the program.  Open your return and go up to the top black menu bar first item File > Electronic Filing > Check Electronic Filing Status

It depends. The income belongs to the dependents, so whether it will be entered on your tax return, on their own tax return or not at all depends on the amount. To determine if they are required to file here are requirements.   Tax requirements for dependent children are different from those of other taxpayers. A dependent child who has earned more than $15,750 of earned income (tax year 2025) typically needs to file a personal income tax form. Earned income includes wages, tips, salaries, and payment from self-employment. A dependent child who receives more than $1,350 in investment income in 2025 is required to file a tax return. If it is below this amount then there is no need to file for the dependent.  Investment income includes interest and dividend payments, as well as sale or redemption (sale) of stocks or bonds. If your child’s investment income consists only of interest and dividends, you can use IRS Form 8814 to include it on your own return and combine it with your own income. Doing this may push you into a higher tax bracket and result in higher income tax than if you prepare a separate return for your child. Review this link for further and more clarifying details. Tax Filing Requirements for Children If they are below the filing threshold, then you will keep the K1s and 1099-INTs in your tax files should you need them later on for any reason. Please update with additional details and we can provide more direct guidance for you.

Can you clarify?  Where exactly in TurboTax Online are you seeing this amount for medical expenses?  Is it possible you are seeing your Adjusted Gross Income, which is on line 2 of Schedule A and used to calculate the amount of medial expenses that are deductible.  

Federal and state refunds come from completely separate entities.  There is no rule as to which one will come in first or how long it will be between their arrival in your account.   TurboTax gives you an estimated date for receiving your refund based on a 21 day average from your date of acceptance, but it can take longer.  “21 days”  is not a promise from TurboTax or the IRS.      First, check your e-file status to see if your return was accepted:  https://turbotax.intuit.com/tax-tools/efile-status-lookup/   Once your federal return has been accepted by the IRS, only the IRS has any control.  TurboTax does not receive any updates from the IRS. Your ONLY source of information about your refund now is the IRS.     You need your filing status, your Social Security number and the exact amount  (line 35a of your 2025 Form 1040) of your federal refund to track your Federal refund:    https://www.irs.gov/refunds   To track your state refund:     https://ttlc.intuit.com/turbotax-support/en-us/help-article/tax-refund/track-state-refund/L3jgO8PGs_US_en_US?uid=lt447ebr   If you chose to have your TurboTax fees deducted from your federal refund, that will take some extra time, while the third party bank handles the refund processing     https://ttlc.intuit.com/turbotax-support/en-us/help-article/tax-refund/refunds-take-longer-others/L14YlqFrH_US_en_US?uid=lexdr7zh . https://ttlc.intuit.com/turbotax-support/en-us/help-article/tax-refund/irs-refund-taking-longer-21-days/L2vRAJbdU_US_en_US?uid=lexe7lst         If you are getting earned income credit on line 27 or additional child tax credit on line 28 You are subject to the delay required by the PATH act.  Do not expect your refund before early March   https://ttlc.intuit.com/turbotax-support/en-us/help-article/internal-revenue-service/federal-refunds-delayed-due-path-act/L5jnQJsBi_US_en_US   Note:  “Accepted” is not the same as “approved”.  TurboTax tells you the e-file was accepted if the IRS deems that there is enough information on the return for them to take it in for processing.   Only the IRS can approve of the refund, which is a later stage of processing.  If the IRS approves your refund they will provide a date for the refund to be issued.   FROM THE IRS WHERE’S MY REFUND SITE: https://www.irs.gov/wheres-my-refund How it works Where's My Refund shows your refund status: Return Received – We received your return and are processing it. Refund Approved – We approved your refund and are preparing to issue it by the date shown. Refund Sent – We sent the refund to your bank or to you in the mail. It may take 5 days for it to show in your bank account or several weeks for your check to arrive in the mail.      

Previously, your mom had a room and paid rent below fair market value so you could not claim the rental property. Now, you are charging full market value and able to claim the rental house. It is a new rental asset for you this year. Here are some key points: Select yes to new rental. Rented at Fair Market Value must be yes  rather than the family rate she had before.  Rental days - your mom's bedroom was occupied with her belongings whether she was in rehab or at home. The room was rented all year. Personal use days- zero. You were not using her bedroom or renting it out to others. Square footage - this is the amount of space rented to your mother exclusively for her use, common areas do not count. If she has a private bed and bath, that would be the rental space. Usually, just a bedroom. Take the square footage rented exclusively for your mother and her things divided by the total sq ft of the home. After you selected that you rent out part of your home and continue through the property profile section, a screen will ask "let us calculate your expense deductions for you" and you can choose to let the program do the math and you enter the rental use percentage or select no and you enter the correct rental portion for utilities, trash, mortgage, etc.

Yes, if state tax was withheld and reported in box 14, you have to enter a state distribution amount in box 16 that is at least as much as the amount in box 14.  If box 16 is blank, enter the amount in Box 1, unless there is an amount in Box 2a, in which case use that amount.

An exception code may not be part of the entry process, however you should be selecting the correct applicable checkbox on Form 8949 or a holding period with basis reported to IRS, if applicable. If basis is not reported to the IRS this will require mailing   If you select 'The cost basis is incorrect or missing on my 1099-DA' this will require mailing.   Review your entries to determine if you are required to mail your forms to the IRS.   @user17736349294