We regularly get calls from DIY taxpayers that have made mistakes and don’t know how to fix the error. A client mentioned in a call yesterday: “I elected 475 mark to market in April 2025 and then did not use the correct documents with my 2025 return”.

Unfortunately, the IRS doesn’t have a manual for fixing every error. We make suggestions, based on the situation, that we hope will have the highest likelihood of success.

We frequently don’t hear back from many of these contacts. Our guess is that they continue to DIY their problems into bigger problems or find a provider that promises them results that aren’t guaranteed.

Our suggestion is to use an honest specialist – the sooner the better. Trader tax prep is not a DIY business. Doing things right the first time, even if it takes longer or costs more, is better than a quick, cheap fix. AI or web searches are useful tools to learn about issues that you should consider, but AI is not the answer.