Has anyone tried just putting in random numbers for the TIN? I heard some creators do that just to get past the verification screen and then fix it later when they actually receive payments. Seems like it might be easier than all these complicated solutions.

I went through this exact same situation with my younger sister last year when she hit 10K on her art TikTok. The TIN requirement definitely caught us off guard too! We ended up going with the custodial account route that Lara mentioned, and it worked perfectly. We set it up through our local credit union - they were really helpful and familiar with this type of setup for young creators. The whole process took about 2 weeks from start to finish. The key benefit for us was that it kept my sister's earnings separate from my parents' income for tax purposes, which was important since she was making decent money from her art tutorials. We got an EIN for the custodial account, submitted that to TikTok, and she was approved within a few days. One tip - make sure to keep really good records of all expenses related to creating content (art supplies, phone upgrades, lighting equipment, etc.) because those can be deducted against the income. Our accountant said this is especially important when you're earning enough to owe taxes. The custodial account also made it easier when she turned 18 last month - we just transferred everything over to her regular checking account without any complicated tax implications.

Speaking as someone who went thru bankruptcy - its not worth it just for tax issues. The hit to your credit score takes YEARS to recover from. Look into other options first frfr

Before you consider bankruptcy, definitely explore all your other options first. You might qualify for an installment plan where you can pay off the debt over time while still getting your refunds. Also check if you qualify for "Currently Not Collectible" status if you're going through financial hardship - this can temporarily stop collections. The IRS also has a Fresh Start program that might help. Bankruptcy should really be a last resort since it affects so much more than just your tax situation.

This is such helpful information from everyone! I'm actually dealing with this exact situation right now - filed my taxes two weeks ago and have been dreading the conversation with my trustee. Reading through these experiences, it sounds like the key things are: 1) Don't spend the refund before getting approval, 2) Have documentation ready for any expenses you want to justify, and 3) Know that each district really does handle it differently. @Mei Chen - that's really encouraging that your district allowed you to keep 100% of the EIC! I'm hoping mine has a similar policy. Did you have to file any specific paperwork beyond just notifying them, or was it more automatic once they reviewed your return? For anyone still figuring this out, it might be worth calling your trustee's office early in tax season to ask about their specific procedures. Better to know upfront than be scrambling after you've already filed!

I'm new to Chapter 13 and this thread is incredibly helpful! I filed my petition about 4 months ago and my first tax season under bankruptcy is coming up. Reading everyone's experiences, it seems like the common thread is to be proactive and transparent with your trustee. A few questions for those who've been through this: • Is there a typical timeline for when you need to notify your trustee after filing taxes? • Do most of you use tax preparation software or go to a professional given the bankruptcy complications? • Has anyone had success arguing that certain credits should be treated as "tools of the trade" or necessary for maintaining employment? I'm particularly concerned because I have a large Earned Income Credit coming and my plan payments are already pretty tight. Any advice on how to frame the request to keep a portion would be amazing. Thanks for sharing your experiences - this community is a lifesaver!

One additional option that worked really well for me was checking with any temp agencies or staffing companies you might have worked through during those years. I completely forgot I had worked a few short-term assignments through Robert Half and Adecco in 2022, but when I called them, they still had all my W2s on file and were able to email them to me within a day. Temp agencies are usually pretty good about keeping records since they deal with so many workers, and they often have centralized systems that make it easy to pull up old tax documents. If you remember doing any contract work, seasonal jobs, or filling in at different companies, definitely check with the staffing agency rather than trying to track down each individual client company. Also, don't overlook checking your old W2s if you have any from 2024 - sometimes the same employer information appears on the current year's documents, which can help you remember places you worked in previous years. I found contact info for a 2021 employer this way when I realized they were still issuing my 2024 W2. The good news is that for 2021-2023, you're still well within the statute of limitations for claiming any refunds, so even if this process takes a few more weeks, you won't lose out on money the IRS owes you. Take your time and be thorough - it's worth getting it right!

I've been following this thread and wanted to add one more resource that really helped me with a similar situation - your local VITA (Volunteer Income Tax Assistance) program. Since you mentioned this is your first time filing, VITA volunteers are specifically trained to help with situations like yours where you need to file multiple years and track down missing documentation. What's great about VITA is that it's completely free, and many locations have volunteers who specialize in helping people get caught up on back taxes. They often have access to resources and know the best strategies for reconstructing your tax history when you're missing W2s. Plus, they can help you navigate any penalty relief options you might qualify for. You can find locations near you on the IRS website, and many programs run through April. Given that you're dealing with your first filing experience and multiple years, having someone walk you through the process step-by-step could save you a lot of stress and ensure you don't miss any important details. The combination of VITA help plus some of the great suggestions in this thread (especially the state unemployment office records) should get you fully caught up. Don't let the overwhelm stop you - you're already taking the right steps by researching your options and starting the process!

For what it's worth, I went through something very similar when I started consulting work a few years back. Form 2210 seemed like this scary, complicated thing at first, but once you understand what it's actually doing, it's not too bad. The key thing to remember is that the form is basically just the IRS's way of saying "hey, we noticed your tax payments didn't come in evenly throughout the year - let's figure out if that's actually a problem or not." In many cases, especially when your income timing was genuinely uneven like yours, the form actually works in your favor. Since you mentioned most of your freelance income came in Q4, you're probably going to benefit significantly from using the annualized income method. I had a similar situation where about 70% of my consulting income came in the last few months of the year, and Form 2210 reduced what would have been a $200+ penalty down to about $15. The other thing that really helped me was keeping better records for the following year. I started tracking my quarterly income and making estimated payments, which eliminated the whole Form 2210 headache going forward. It's actually kind of nice having that predictable system once you get used to it. Don't let the complexity intimidate you - TurboTax will walk you through it step by step, and you're likely going to be pleasantly surprised by how much it reduces any potential penalty!

I've been following this thread and wanted to add something that might help others in similar situations. If you're self-employed or have freelance income, it's worth knowing about the "de minimis" rule that someone mentioned earlier - if you owe less than $1,000 in tax after subtracting withholding and credits, you don't need to worry about estimated payments or Form 2210 at all. Also, for anyone dealing with this for the first time, don't forget that self-employment tax (Social Security and Medicare taxes) is calculated on top of your regular income tax. For that $6,300 in freelance income mentioned in the original post, you're looking at roughly $945 in self-employment tax alone (15.3% of 92.35% of your net earnings), plus whatever income tax applies based on your bracket. The good news is that you can deduct half of the self-employment tax when calculating your adjusted gross income, which helps reduce the overall tax burden. Just wanted to make sure people factor in both types of taxes when planning their estimated payments for next year!