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Follow these steps to start protecting your tax-free stipends. The whole process takes about 10 minutes.
1

Create your account

Sign up at app.taxhomebase.com using your email address. TaxHomeBase uses AWS Cognito for secure authentication — you’ll verify your email and set a password.After signing in, you’ll see the Dashboard with an onboarding checklist to guide you through setup.
2

Set up your tax home

Your tax home is the foundation of your tax-free stipend eligibility. Go to Tax Home and enter:
  • Address — Your permanent residence (where you maintain ties)
  • Monthly rent — What you pay to maintain the home (even while on assignment)
  • Voter registration and driver’s license state — IRS documentation ties
  • Last visit date — The IRS expects regular visits (every 30 days recommended)
Tax Home page showing strength score, distance checks, and cost-benefit analysis
TaxHomeBase evaluates five factors — rent payment, visit frequency, documentation ties, property status, and cost records — and gives you a strength rating of Strong, Moderate, or At Risk.The distance checker automatically verifies that each assignment is 50+ miles from your tax home, a common IRS threshold.
Upload supporting documents (lease agreements, utility bills) right away. These are your first line of defense in an audit.
3

Add your first assignment

Go to Assignments and tap the + button. Enter your contract details:
  • Facility name, location, and state
  • Start and end dates
  • Base pay (weekly, pre-tax)
  • Housing and M&IE stipends (weekly)
  • Any bonuses (sign-on, completion, referral)
Once added, each assignment card shows GSA per diem compliance, housing adequacy vs. local rent, stipend defense status, and estimated net profit after taxes.
Have a contract PDF? Use Scan Contract to auto-extract all 12 fields using AI. Supports PDF, JPEG, and PNG files up to 10MB.
4

Log an expense

Go to Expenses and add your first deductible expense. Common categories include:
  • Travel — Flights, gas, tolls to/from assignments
  • Licensing — State license fees, compact license costs
  • CE Credits — Continuing education courses
  • Supplies — Stethoscopes, scrubs, medical equipment
Expenses page showing expense list with categories, amounts, and receipt attachments
You can also scan a receipt photo to auto-fill the amount, date, and vendor, or import expenses in bulk from a CSV file. Attach receipt images for IRS substantiation — expenses over $75 and all lodging require receipts.
5

Check your Dashboard

Return to the Dashboard to see your status:
  • Stipend Protection Banner — Shows your YTD tax-free stipends and audit readiness score (X/11 criteria met)
  • Action Items — Compliance alerts that need your attention (overdue visits, missing docs, GSA exceedances)
  • Visit Tracker — Days since your last tax home visit with On Track / Due Soon / Overdue status
  • YTD Financial Summary — Taxable income, tax-free stipends, expenses, and estimated take-home
Dashboard showing stipend protection banner, audit score, action items, and financial summary
Full Dashboard scroll showing action items, YTD summary, tax filing preview, and visit tracker
The onboarding checklist will track your progress through these steps and dismiss automatically once complete.

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What’s next?

With your tax home, first assignment, and an expense logged, TaxHomeBase is already tracking your audit readiness. Here’s where to go from here:

Tax Home Guide

Deep dive into maintaining your tax home and understanding the strength score

Understanding Stipends

Learn the 4 rules for keeping your stipends tax-free

Upgrade to Pro

Unlock tax estimates, state income tracking, contract comparison, and exports

Track Mileage

Log work-related mileage for IRS deductions at the standard rate