Same boat. 9 weeks waiting on IL. Called yesterday and was told it's under "standard review" which apparently can take up to 120 DAYS. They refused to tell me what they're reviewing or if they need anything from me. The whole system is a joke.

I tried calling them every day for 2 weeks straight. Could never get through. Finally used Claimyr.com and got a callback within 30 minutes. The agent told me they had sent a letter that never arrived asking for proof of my property tax payments. Uploaded the docs on the spot and had my refund a week later. The IL phone system is impossible without help.

Does anyone know if stock trades count differently for Form 8615? I have a brokerage account and made maybe 10 trades last year with about $2,800 in gains. Plus I have around $300 in interest from my savings account. I'm 20 and my parents definitely claim me as a dependent.

I was in a similar situation last year as a college junior with investment income from my grandparents. One thing that really helped me understand Form 8615 was breaking it down into simple steps: 1. First, calculate your total unearned income (interest, dividends, capital gains) 2. If it's over $2,400 AND you can be claimed as a dependent AND you're under 24 as a full-time student, you'll likely need the form 3. The form essentially splits your unearned income - the first $2,400 gets taxed at your rate, anything above that gets taxed at your parents' rate In your case with $4,600 in unearned income, about $2,200 would be taxed at your parents' higher rate instead of your lower student rate. This could mean paying a few hundred dollars more in taxes compared to if you weren't subject to the kiddie tax. The good news is most tax software will walk you through this automatically once you input your 1099 forms and answer the dependency questions. Don't stress too much - it's more common than you think for college students with investment accounts!

This probably sounds silly but I accidentally sent W9 requests to our city business license department AND the county permit office last month and both actually returned completed W9s to me. Should I just ignore them since I don't need to issue 1099s to government agencies?

This is a great question that trips up a lot of small business owners! Just to add another perspective - if you're ever unsure about whether a payment requires W9 collection or 1099 reporting, a good rule of thumb is to ask yourself: "Am I paying for a service or product from a business/individual, or am I paying a government-required fee?" Government license fees, permits, taxes, and regulatory payments fall into that second category and are exempt from 1099 reporting requirements. But payments to private contractors, consultants, landlords (for business rent), or service providers typically do require W9s if they exceed $600 annually. Keep those license receipts organized though - they're 100% deductible business expenses that can add up over time, especially if you're expanding into multiple jurisdictions like you mentioned!

Just wondering has anyone actually called the IRS directly about this? When my brother got divorced, he contacted the IRS and requested what's called "innocent spouse relief" which can separate the tax liability in certain situations.

One thing that hasn't been mentioned yet is that you can actually request an IRS Form 8857 (Request for Innocent Spouse Relief) even during divorce proceedings if you believe your spouse's actions or errors caused the majority of the tax liability. Since your ex was working two jobs without proper withholding coordination, this could potentially qualify as "erroneous items" that you weren't aware would cause such a large tax bill. The IRS will review whether it would be unfair to hold you liable for tax resulting from your spouse's income reporting or withholding decisions. Even if innocent spouse relief doesn't fully apply, the analysis the IRS does for Form 8857 can provide documentation showing which spouse's income and withholding decisions contributed most to the joint liability. This official IRS determination could be very valuable in your divorce settlement negotiations, as it's an objective third-party assessment rather than just dueling calculations from attorneys. Worth discussing with a tax attorney who specializes in innocent spouse cases - many offer free consultations for divorce situations.

Something nobody has mentioned yet - if you're selling products you make yourself, make sure you understand your state's rules about operating a business from a residential apartment. Some landlords and local zoning laws might have restrictions, especially if you're working with chemicals or having customers come to your place. I learned this the hard way when my landlord found out about my small bakery operation!

Great advice from everyone! I just wanted to add one more thing that helped me when I started claiming my home office deduction - keep a simple log or calendar showing what business activities you do in that space. Since you mentioned you use the bedroom for making products, packaging orders, and handling business admin, documenting this regular use can be really helpful if you're ever questioned. I keep a basic monthly log showing "product creation," "order fulfillment," "bookkeeping," etc. for the days I work in my home office. Also, since you're using H&R Block software, they should have good guidance on Form 8829 if you decide to go with the actual expense method rather than the simplified method. The software usually walks you through the calculations pretty well. Just make sure you're consistent with whatever percentage you choose - if you say 25% for rent, use 25% for utilities, internet, etc.