I’m a CPA: Here Are the Biggest Surprises I’m Seeing as I File My Clients’ 2025 Returns

Tax play ever comes with a fewer predictable headaches: Missing forms, last-minute questions and the yearly scramble to find each imaginable deduction. But each twelvemonth besides brings a fistful of curveballs.

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GOBankingRates spoke with Ashley Akin, certified nationalist accountant (CPA), taxation advisor specializing successful taxation compliance services, and elder contributor astatine CEP DC, to sermon a fewer trends and surprises that are catching radical disconnected defender — from unexpected tax refund changes to taxation rules that are playing retired otherwise than galore taxpayers expected.

If you’re getting acceptable to file, present are immoderate of the biggest things showing up connected returns this year.

“As we determination done engaged taxation play successful aboriginal 2026, I’m finishing galore 2025 taxation returns,” Akin explained. “This year, I’ve seen much surprises than usual.”

She said astir taxation problems don’t travel from large caller laws. They travel from tiny details that radical miss.

In the past fewer weeks, 3 caller items person begun to astonishment her clients. These 3 items see location bureau deductions, crypto reporting and limits to the Child Tax Credit. Each 1 is different acquisition successful taxation planning.

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“Many radical thought they could inactive deduct location bureau expenses,” Akin said.

In the past, she said immoderate workers could assertion $5 per quadrate ft for location bureau space. But today, astir W-2 employees cannot deduct location bureau expenses connected their national taxation returns. She added, “Only definite self-employed workers oregon gig workers whitethorn qualify.”

Crypto, Akin noted, has caused a batch of confusion. Many radical bargain and merchantability cryptocurrency without realizing that each merchantability tin make a taxation bill.

“The IRS says Bitcoin and different cryptocurrencies are treated similar stocks oregon bonds. So, if you marque wealth from selling Bitcoin you person to study the gain,” according to the CPA.

Akin besides specified that galore families were amazed by the limits connected the Child Tax Credit.

“The recognition tin beryllium worthy up to $2,000 per child. But it starts to spell distant if your income is implicit $200,000 for azygous filers oregon $400,000 for joined couples,” she explained.

She said immoderate families got raises and did not recognize their income had crossed the limit.