Thank you all for the helpful responses! I think I'm going to go with the de minimis approach since all my purchases are under $2,500 and it seems simpler than tracking depreciation. I'll definitely create that accounting policy document today. One final question though - if I buy something that costs more than $2,500 later this year, can I still depreciate that specific item even if I used de minimis for my other purchases? Or do I have to be consistent with one approach for all assets?

Great thread! Just wanted to add one more tip that helped me when I was starting out as self-employed - consider the timing of your purchases if you're expecting your income to vary significantly year to year. If you're in a lower tax bracket this year but expect higher income next year, immediate deductions (like de minimis) give you the tax benefit now when it might be worth less. But if you expect to be in a higher bracket in future years, depreciation spreads the deduction over time when it might be more valuable. For most new self-employed folks with the amounts you mentioned, de minimis is still probably the way to go for simplicity, but it's worth considering your income trajectory. Also, don't forget that if you're using part of your home as an office, you might be able to claim the home office deduction for that space too!

Has anyone used the corporate credit card approach? My accountant suggested getting a separate credit card for my S-Corp, putting all client-reimbursable expenses on that card, and then recording the reimbursements as direct payments against those specific expenses in my accounting software rather than as income.

This thread has been incredibly helpful! I'm in a similar situation as the original poster - just converted to S-Corp this year and have been struggling with how to handle client meal reimbursements properly. One thing I wanted to add that might help others: make sure you're keeping contemporaneous records of the business purpose for each meal. The IRS requires documentation of who you met with, what business was discussed, and the specific business relationship. Even with client reimbursement, you still need this documentation to support that it was a legitimate business expense in the first place. I learned this the hard way when my previous accountant told me I just needed receipts, but during a review, I realized I was missing the business purpose documentation for about half my meals. Had to go back through old calendars and emails to reconstruct what each meal was for. Now I write the business purpose right on the receipt when I get it, or immediately add it to my expense tracking app. Also, for anyone using the separate credit card approach that @Zoe mentioned - make sure that card is officially in your S-Corp's name, not just a personal card you designate for business use. The legal separation is important for maintaining your corporate protections.

Has anyone tried using the IRS standard mileage deduction? I heard that's 66.5 cents per mile for 2025 tax year. Would that apply in this situation?

This is such a common confusion in the events industry! I've been working as a tax preparer for 8 years and see this situation constantly with event staff, wedding vendors, and similar workers. The key thing to understand is that even though your workplace changes daily, the IRS still considers your travel from home to your first work location as "commuting" - which isn't deductible for W-2 employees under current tax law. However, there are a few potential bright spots in your situation: 1. **Travel between work sites**: If you work multiple events in the same day at different locations, the mileage between those locations IS potentially deductible business travel. 2. **Employer reimbursement**: This is honestly your best bet. Many event companies do reimburse travel when it's a regular job requirement. Document your mileage and approach them professionally. 3. **Classification review**: Sometimes event workers should actually be classified as independent contractors rather than employees, which would change your deduction eligibility entirely. I'd recommend keeping detailed mileage logs regardless - if your employment classification ever gets reviewed or if tax laws change, you'll want that documentation. And definitely push for employer reimbursement since these are legitimate business expenses from their perspective.

I'm about 4.5 weeks into waiting for TAS after submitting Form 911 and this thread is honestly keeping me sane right now! The range of experiences everyone's sharing really helps put things in perspective - it's clear the system is just completely overwhelmed. @Rami I totally feel your anxiety about the wait, especially when you're already 8 months deep into refund delays. That's just brutal. Based on everyone's advice here, I called that TAS intake line (1-877-777-4778) yesterday and they confirmed my case is assigned with a number, which at least gives some peace of mind that I'm not just lost in the void. @Michael your timeline really stands out as encouraging - 5 weeks to get contacted then only 10 days for refund release once they got involved. That gives me hope that while the initial wait is painful, they can actually move things quickly once they engage with your case. For anyone else in the waiting game, I've been following the advice about keeping detailed logs and pulling transcripts. Also discovered that if you submitted your 911 electronically, you can check your IRS online account to see if there's any activity or notes added to your case - sometimes they update things there before calling. The financial stress while waiting is just awful, but seeing how many of us are going through the same thing and eventually getting help makes it slightly more bearable. Hang in there everyone! 🤞

I'm in week 3 of waiting for TAS contact after submitting Form 911 and this thread has been a lifesaver! @Rami I completely understand your desperation - 8 months waiting on a refund is absolutely insane and the financial pressure must be overwhelming. Reading everyone's experiences here, it seems like 4-8 weeks is the new reality for initial contact, which is way longer than it should be but at least we know what to expect. Definitely try calling that TAS intake line at 1-877-777-4778 that multiple people mentioned - seems like they can at least confirm your case is in the system and give you a reference number. @Michael your success story really gives hope - 5 weeks wait but then only 10 days for refund release once TAS got involved! That's encouraging that they can move fast once they actually engage with your case. For anyone else waiting, I've been keeping detailed records like others suggested and also checking my IRS online account regularly since @Chloe mentioned they sometimes update notes there before calling. The waiting is brutal when you need that money but this community support makes it slightly more bearable. We'll all get through this! 🤞

This thread has been absolutely essential for me as someone who just joined this community! I'm filing my taxes for the first time this year and had no clue there were different verification systems to navigate. Reading through everyone's experiences really shows how this ID.me confusion is like a universal trap that catches taxpayers off guard - clearly indicating this is a systematic communication failure by the IRS rather than individual mistakes. The airport security vs passport control analogy finally made it click for me that these are two entirely separate identity checkpoints serving different functions. What gives me confidence is seeing the consistent pattern where people got their issues resolved in 15-20 minutes once they called the RIGHT verification number, versus weeks of spinning their wheels on the wrong ID.me system. I'm definitely saving this entire thread as my emergency reference guide since it provides clearer guidance than any official IRS documentation I've encountered. It's honestly frustrating that taxpayers have to rely on community wisdom to understand basic government processes, but I'm incredibly grateful this resource exists. Now I know that if I ever receive a verification letter, I should completely skip ID.me and immediately call the specific phone number listed on that letter. Thanks to everyone who shared such detailed real-world experiences - you're probably preventing countless tax season meltdowns for newcomers like me!

This thread has been a lifesaver! As someone brand new to this community and dealing with my first potentially complex tax situation, I had no idea ID.me and IRS verification were completely separate systems. Reading everyone's experiences really drives home how this confusion seems almost designed to trap taxpayers - so many smart, experienced people fell into the same mistake, which clearly shows this is a communication failure by the IRS rather than user error. The airport security vs passport control analogy finally made it all click for me. What's most reassuring is seeing the consistent pattern where people resolved their issues in literally 15-20 minutes once they called the correct verification number, versus weeks of stress when stuck in the ID.me loop. I'm definitely saving this entire discussion as my emergency reference guide since it provides way clearer guidance than anything on the official IRS website. It's honestly mind-boggling that we have to rely on community wisdom to understand basic government processes that should be clearly explained upfront. Now I know that if I ever receive a verification letter, I should completely ignore ID.me and immediately call the specific number on that letter. Thanks to everyone for sharing such detailed real-world experiences - you're probably preventing countless tax season meltdowns for newcomers like me who would otherwise waste weeks on the wrong system!