One thing nobody mentioned yet - make sure you're setting aside money for quarterly estimated tax payments going forward! Self-employment income doesn't have taxes withheld, and you're supposed to make quarterly payments if you expect to owe more than $1,000 in taxes for the year. I learned this the hard way when I got hit with underpayment penalties my first year freelancing. The IRS form is 1040-ES for making these payments. It's not complicated but easy to overlook when you're new to self-employment.

Just want to point out - if you made $8,400 freelancing, don't forget about the Self-Employment tax (15.3%) on top of regular income tax! This catches a lot of first-timers by surprise. The good news is you can deduct half of this tax on your 1040.

Make sure you've updated your name with ALL these places too or you'll have a nightmare at tax time: - Social Security Administration (sounds like you did this) - Your employer's HR department for W-2 purposes - Any banks or investment accounts that issue 1099s - State tax authority - Any retirement accounts - Property records if you own real estate I learned this the hard way after changing my name. The W9 for Capital One is just one piece - if these other places have different versions of your name, it creates red flags in automated matching systems.

Just went through this exact situation last month! Since you've already updated your name with the Social Security Administration and have your new card, you're in good shape. Simply fill out the W9 with your current legal name (new first and middle name) exactly as it appears on your updated Social Security card. The key thing to remember is that the IRS tracks everything by your SSN, not your name. As long as your SSN and name match what's in the Social Security Administration's records, you won't have any issues. I'd recommend including a copy of your legal name change documentation with the W9 when you submit it to Capital One - not because it's required, but because it helps prevent any confusion on their end if they have older records under your previous name. This extra step can save you from potential follow-up questions or delays in processing your credit card application. The W9 form's instructions focus on last name changes because those are more common and can affect how businesses search for you in their systems, but the same principle applies to any legal name change - just use your current legal name and you're all set!

Quick question - if I'm a single-member LLC, do I even need an EIN? I read somewhere that single-member LLCs can just use the owner's SSN for tax purposes? So confused about all this.

You can absolutely apply for your EIN without having a trade name finalized! I went through this same situation when I started my LLC last year. The trade name field on Form SS-4 is optional - just leave it blank if you haven't decided yet. The IRS primarily cares about your LLC's legal name and structure for tax purposes. Your trade name is really just for marketing and customer-facing purposes. When you do settle on a trade name later, you'll register it as a DBA with your state/local government, but you won't need to update anything with the IRS. Don't let the trade name decision hold up getting your EIN - you'll need that EIN for opening a business bank account and other important business setup tasks. You can always add the trade name information to future tax filings once you've registered it officially. Go ahead and submit that application with just your LLC's legal name. You're not messing anything up by leaving the trade name field blank!

One important thing I didn't see mentioned - if you're applying online for an EIN, you can only do it during the IRS's business hours (7am-10pm Eastern time, Monday-Friday). I tried doing mine on a Saturday and got so confused when the system wouldn't let me submit!

I just went through this exact process last month and wanted to share what I learned. You absolutely can get your EIN first without having a DBA filed - just leave that field blank on the application. The key thing to understand is that your EIN is tied to your tax identification (your SSN if you're a sole proprietor), not your business name. So whether you operate under your legal name or a DBA later doesn't affect your EIN itself. I'd recommend getting your EIN first since you need it for so many things - opening business bank accounts, getting business licenses, etc. You can always file your DBA later when you're ready. Just make sure to use your DBA name consistently on all business documents once you have it registered. One tip: when you do file for your DBA, keep a copy of the certificate handy. Some banks and vendors will want to see it when you're doing business under that name, even though your EIN application didn't require it.

I have the 570 code first then got the 810 code later an a processing date of April 21 2025 but that date passed all ready an didn’t update on that day an it’s still saying that date for processing. So now the only thing that changes is my as of date which is may 12 2025 also I had to verify an I did it march 24 2024 am my where my refund page is saying tax return received an it’s being processed what do all this mean

I'm sorry you're going through this stressful situation! From what you've described, it sounds like you completed identity verification back in March 2024, which is good. The fact that your processing date of April 21, 2025 has passed without updating, combined with only your "as of date" changing to May 12, 2025, suggests your return is still in the review process. The "Where's My Refund" tool showing "received and being processed" is pretty standard language during these extended reviews. Since you already completed verification and it's been over a year, I'd strongly recommend calling the IRS again to get a status update. Sometimes these cases get stuck in the system and need a manual push from an agent. The combination of 570 and 810 codes typically resolves faster than what you're experiencing, so there might be an additional issue that needs to be addressed. Don't give up - keep following up!