Has anyone else noticed that state websites are COMPLETELY useless for determining your federal tax status? My state business lookup also just says "Domestic Corporation" which tells me absolutely nothing about whether I'm an S or C corp. I ended up having to dig through a box of old papers to find the IRS acceptance letter from when my accountant filed the S election. If you can't find any paperwork, definitely call the IRS - it's worth the wait time to avoid filing incorrectly!

This is such a common source of confusion! I went through the exact same panic last year. Since you mentioned you incorporated last year and don't remember filing Form 2553, you're almost certainly a C Corporation by default. This means you should be filing Form 1120 (not 1120-S) and your extension should be Form 7004. The rejection of your extension was likely because you used the wrong form - if you tried to file an S-corp extension but you're actually a C-corp, that would explain the rejection. I'd recommend calling the IRS Business Tax Line immediately at 800-829-4933 to confirm your status and get guidance on refiling the correct extension. Don't panic though - if you act quickly, you can usually resolve extension issues and avoid major penalties. The key is addressing it ASAP rather than waiting. Good luck!

I work in medical billing and deal with DME valuations regularly. For prosthetic limbs specifically, you'll want to contact either the original manufacturer or a certified prosthetist for the appraisal. Many prosthetists are qualified to provide fair market value assessments since they understand depreciation rates and condition factors for these devices. A few things to keep in mind: prosthetics typically retain 30-60% of their original value depending on age, condition, and whether they're current generation technology. Since yours are still in good condition but older models, you're probably looking at the lower end of that range. Also, make sure Shriners can actually accept used prosthetics - some hospitals have strict policies about accepting used medical devices due to hygiene and liability concerns. I'd recommend calling them first to confirm they can use the donation before going through the appraisal process. The tax benefits are definitely worth pursuing given the original cost, but getting everything documented properly upfront will save you headaches later if the IRS has questions.

This is such a generous thing to do! I went through something similar when my mom passed away and we had to figure out what to do with her oxygen concentrator and mobility scooter. One thing I'd add to all the great advice here - make sure you get a detailed receipt from Shriners that specifically describes what you're donating (model numbers, serial numbers if available, general condition). The IRS can be pretty picky about documentation for high-value donations, and having everything spelled out clearly will help if they ever question the deduction. Also, keep copies of your original purchase receipts, insurance claims, and any maintenance records you might have. This documentation helps establish the original cost basis and shows you took proper care of the equipment, which can support a higher valuation. The appraisal route definitely sounds like the way to go given the original cost. Even if the appraisal costs a few hundred dollars, you'll likely come out way ahead on the tax savings. Good luck with the donation - I'm sure it will really help someone!

According to the IRS website (https://www.irs.gov/refunds/tax-season-refund-frequently-asked-questions), refund transfers through third-party processors like SBTPG can have several fees deducted. I've documented everything in my spreadsheet for the past 3 tax seasons, and here's what I've found: 1. Tax preparation fees (if you didn't pay upfront) 2. State filing fees 3. Refund transfer fees 4. Audit protection if you added it You can also check the IRS 'Where's My Refund' tool and compare that amount to what SBTPG shows. If the IRS amount is higher, then SBTPG took fees. If the amounts match but you got less, your bank might have fees or holds. Just want to confirm I've got this right?

As someone who's been through this process multiple times, I can confirm that SBTPG will show the exact amount they received from the IRS, then clearly list any deductions. However, there's one important thing everyone should know - SBTPG receives your refund AFTER the IRS has already taken out any offsets for things like back taxes, child support, or federal debts. So if your expected refund was $4,783 but the IRS only sent $4,500 to SBTPG due to an offset, SBTPG's portal will show they received $4,500 (not $4,783). This is why checking your IRS transcript is crucial - it shows the original refund amount AND any reductions before it even gets to SBTPG. The good news is SBTPG's fee structure is usually pretty transparent. Most people see fees between $25-50 depending on their filing method and any add-ons they selected. If you're missing significantly more than that, definitely check for IRS offsets first.

Thanks everyone for all the great suggestions! I'm definitely going to try a few of these options. The automatic document scanning feature that @Ethan Clark mentioned with taxr.ai sounds really appealing since I hate manually entering all those 1099 boxes - I always worry I'm going to mess something up. I'm also intrigued by the VITA program @Emma Johnson suggested. I didn't know that was a thing! Having someone walk through everything with me in person might be worth it for peace of mind, especially since this is my first year dealing with multiple 1099s. Quick question for anyone who's used these services - do any of them handle estimated tax payments for next year? Since I'll probably have similar 1099 income next year, I want to make sure I don't get hit with underpayment penalties.

I've been in a similar situation and ended up using a combination approach that worked really well. For the actual filing, I went with FreeTaxUSA since it truly handles all 1099 forms for free (federal), but I also used one of those document scanning services mentioned here to extract all the data first, then manually entered it into FreeTaxUSA. This gave me the best of both worlds - the accuracy of automated data extraction without worrying about hidden fees. The scanning caught details I probably would have missed, and FreeTaxUSA's interface made it easy to double-check everything was entered correctly. One tip: if you do go the manual entry route with any software, take photos of all your forms with your phone first. That way if you get interrupted or the software times out, you don't have to dig through all your paperwork again. Also, most of these services will save your progress, so you can take breaks if it gets overwhelming. For estimated taxes next year, definitely set those up - the IRS has an online payment system (EFTPS) that makes quarterly payments pretty painless once you're registered.

I'm going through this exact same situation right now! Just received my 846 code this morning for an amended return I e-filed through H&R Block back in February (had to correct some missing unemployment income from a delayed 1099-G). The stress and uncertainty about whether it's coming as direct deposit or paper check is honestly overwhelming! Reading through all these experiences has been both helpful and eye-opening - it's clear that the IRS has absolutely no consistent process for amended refunds. People with nearly identical circumstances are getting completely different delivery methods, which makes it impossible to predict what will happen in your specific case. I'm going to follow the advice that keeps coming up about monitoring my bank account for about a week after the 846 date, then switching my attention to watching for mail if nothing appears electronically. I've already set up mobile banking alerts so I can stop obsessively refreshing my account every hour and try to maintain what's left of my sanity! It's oddly reassuring to see so many people dealing with this same nerve-wracking waiting period. At least having that 846 code means we're all finally in the home stretch - whether it ends up being a pleasant direct deposit surprise in the next few days or a paper check in a couple weeks, we know our refunds are approved and definitely on the way. This whole amended return process has been way more stressful than I ever anticipated when I first realized I needed to file one!

I'm going through this exact same situation right now! Just got my 846 code yesterday for an amended return I e-filed through TurboTax back in January (had to correct some missing 1099-MISC income from freelance work). The uncertainty about whether it'll be direct deposit or paper check is absolutely driving me crazy! After reading through everyone's experiences here, it's both reassuring and frustrating to see how completely unpredictable the IRS is with amended refunds. It really does seem like there's no consistent logic - people with nearly identical situations are getting totally different delivery methods, which makes it impossible to know what to expect. I'm going to follow the advice I keep seeing about monitoring my bank account for about a week after the 846 date, then switching focus to watching for mail if nothing shows up electronically. Already set up those mobile banking alerts so I can stop obsessively checking every hour and try to preserve my sanity! It's oddly comforting to know so many of us are in this same nerve-wracking waiting period together. At least having that 846 code means we're all finally in the home stretch - whether it's a pleasant direct deposit surprise in the next few days or a paper check in a couple weeks, we know our refunds are approved and definitely coming. This whole amended return process has been way more stressful than I ever expected when I first realized I needed to file one!