Can't reach IRS? Claimyr connects you to a live IRS agent in minutes.
Claimyr is a pay-as-you-go service. We do not charge a recurring subscription.
Using Claimyr will:
- Connect you to a human agent at the IRS
- Skip the long phone menu
- Call the correct department
- Redial until on hold
- Forward a call to your phone with reduced hold time
- Give you free callbacks if the IRS drops your call
If I could give 10 stars I would
If I could give 10 stars I would If I could give 10 stars I would Such an amazing service so needed during the times when EDD almost never picks up Claimyr gets me on the phone with EDD every time without fail faster. A much needed service without Claimyr I would have never received the payment I needed to support me during my postpartum recovery. Thank you so much Claimyr!
Really made a difference
Really made a difference, save me time and energy from going to a local office for making the call.
Worth not wasting your time calling for hours.
Was a bit nervous or untrusting at first, but my calls went thru. First time the wait was a bit long but their customer chat line on their page was helpful and put me at ease that I would receive my call. Today my call dropped because of EDD and Claimyr heard my concern on the same chat and another call was made within the hour.
An incredibly helpful service
An incredibly helpful service! Got me connected to a CA EDD agent without major hassle (outside of EDD's agents dropping calls – which Claimyr has free protection for). If you need to file a new claim and can't do it online, pay the $ to Claimyr to get the process started. Absolutely worth it!
Consistent,frustration free, quality Service.
Used this service a couple times now. Before I'd call 200 times in less than a weak frustrated as can be. But using claimyr with a couple hours of waiting i was on the line with an representative or on hold. Dropped a couple times but each reconnected not long after and was mission accomplished, thanks to Claimyr.
IT WORKS!! Not a scam!
I tried for weeks to get thru to EDD PFL program with no luck. I gave this a try thinking it may be a scam. OMG! It worked and They got thru within an hour and my claim is going to finally get paid!! I upgraded to the $60 call. Best $60 spent!
Ask the community...
- DO post questions about your issues.
- DO answer questions and support each other.
- DO post tips & tricks to help folks.
- DO NOT post call problems here - there is a support tab at the top for that :)
Join the conversation
Join the conversation
I went through something very similar when my grandfather passed and left behind a huge collection of vintage postcards and military memorabilia. One thing I learned that might help - keep detailed records of everything you research for values, even if you don't sell certain items right away. Take photos of the items with any identifying marks, serial numbers, or condition details. Save screenshots of comparable sales from eBay "sold listings" or auction sites with dates. This documentation becomes crucial if you sell items later or if the IRS ever questions your valuations. Also, consider selling higher-value items in different tax years if it makes sense for your mom's overall tax situation. Since each sale is a separate taxable event, spreading them out might help manage the tax impact, especially with that higher collectibles rate that Sean mentioned. The most important thing is getting that fair market value established at the time of your father's passing - everything else flows from there. Sorry for your loss, and I hope this helps make the process a bit easier for your family.
This is really solid advice, especially about documenting everything even if you're not selling right away. I hadn't thought about spreading sales across different tax years - that could definitely help manage the tax burden since collectibles get hit with that higher rate. The eBay "sold listings" tip is gold too. I've been trying to figure out how to document values for some of my dad's items, and actual completed sales seem like the most defensible way to show fair market value. Did you run into any issues with the IRS accepting your documentation methods, or were they pretty reasonable about it?
I'm sorry for your family's loss. Dealing with inherited collections can feel overwhelming on top of everything else you're going through. One additional consideration that might help - if any items in the collection have significantly appreciated since your father's passing, you might want to prioritize selling those first while documenting their current values. The step-up basis everyone mentioned is locked in at the date of death, but if items continue to appreciate after that date, you'll owe taxes on gains from that stepped-up value forward. Also, keep in mind that if your mom is over 65 or has lower income, she might qualify for the 0% capital gains rate on regular investments, but unfortunately that doesn't apply to collectibles - they're still subject to the higher collectibles rate regardless of income level. For the items you're keeping for sentimental value, consider having those appraised too if they're valuable. If something happens to them later (theft, damage, etc.), having that post-death valuation documented could be important for insurance purposes. The suggestion about spreading sales across tax years is smart, especially since you mentioned this could total $3,000-5,000. Breaking that into smaller chunks annually might help manage the overall tax impact for your mom.
Thank you for mentioning the insurance angle - that's something I hadn't considered at all. We've been so focused on the tax implications that I forgot about protecting the items we're keeping. The point about items appreciating after the date of death is really important too. Some of these baseball cards seem to be getting more valuable as time goes on, so we probably shouldn't wait too long to sell if that's our plan. Do you know if there's any time limit on when we need to establish that step-up basis value, or can we document it even a year or two later as long as we can prove what things were worth when he passed? The idea about spreading sales across tax years makes a lot of sense given that higher collectibles rate. We're definitely not in any rush to sell everything at once anyway.
There's no specific IRS deadline for establishing the step-up basis value, but the closer to the date of death you can document it, the better. The key is being able to reasonably demonstrate what the fair market value was on that specific date. You can absolutely document values a year or two later, but you'll want to work backwards using historical data. For collectibles, this might mean finding auction results or sales from around that time period, adjusting for condition differences, or getting a retrospective appraisal from someone who can credibly estimate what items were worth at the date of death. Just keep in mind that the burden of proof is on you if the IRS ever questions the valuation. The more contemporaneous documentation you have (like photos showing condition, research done closer to the death date, or appraisals), the stronger your position will be. But it's definitely not too late to establish these values properly. The insurance documentation point is something a lot of people overlook. If you're keeping valuable items, having that appraisal done now serves double duty - it helps establish values for any future sales AND gives you proper insurance coverage for the pieces you're keeping in the family.
Join the conversation
Just wanted to add another perspective from someone who made this exact switch two years ago. One thing that really caught me off guard was how the change affected our quarterly estimated tax payments. Since we moved from accrual (where income was recognized when billed) to cash method (income recognized when received), our cash flow timing changed significantly. Under accrual, we had steady quarterly income recognition even if payments came in irregularly. With cash method, our taxable income now fluctuates based on when customers actually pay, which made estimated tax planning much trickier. We had one quarter where we received several large payments and owed way more than expected, followed by a quarter with very little taxable income. My advice: once you make the switch, work with your accountant to develop a new estimated tax payment strategy that accounts for your actual collection patterns rather than your billing schedule. This is especially important for service businesses with longer payment cycles. Also, make sure your payroll processing company understands the change if you're taking distributions or salary adjustments based on "book" income versus "tax" income. The disconnect between the two can create confusion when planning compensation.
This is such an important point that I wish someone had mentioned when I was considering this change! We're a consulting firm with Net-30 payment terms, and I can already see how this could create major cash flow planning issues. Quick question - did you end up adjusting your estimated tax payment schedule to be more frequent (like monthly instead of quarterly) to smooth out the volatility? Or did you just build larger cash reserves to handle the uneven quarters? Also, regarding the payroll/distribution planning - do you now base your owner distributions on cash tax income rather than book income to avoid getting caught short when tax bills come due? I'm trying to think through all these operational changes before we make the switch.
@f791cdc18483 We ended up doing a combination approach. We kept quarterly payments but increased our cash reserves and set up a separate "tax smoothing" account where we deposit a percentage of each payment received (roughly 25-30% depending on our effective rate). This way we're not scrambling when a big payment quarter hits. For distributions, yes - we now base them primarily on cash tax income rather than book income. It was a difficult adjustment at first because book income looked great while cash was tight due to receivables, but it prevents the scenario where you distribute money and then get hit with a huge tax bill you can't cover. One thing that really helped was setting up automatic transfers. Every time we receive a client payment, 30% automatically goes to the tax reserve account. Takes the guesswork out of it and ensures we're always prepared for the quarterly obligations. Also learned to communicate the change to our clients' expectations. We now send gentle payment reminders explaining how their payment timing affects our tax obligations - not to guilt them, but some of our long-term clients actually started paying faster once they understood the impact.
This has been an incredibly thorough discussion! As someone who just started managing our family S-Corp's finances, I'm grateful for all the detailed experiences shared here. One question I haven't seen addressed: if we make this accounting method change, how does it affect our ability to potentially convert to C-Corp status in the future? We're growing rapidly and might consider that option in a few years. Would having different book vs. tax accounting methods complicate a potential S-to-C conversion? Also, for those using services like TaxR.ai or getting professional help - what's a reasonable fee range for this type of Form 3115 preparation? I want to budget appropriately but don't want to overpay for something that might be more routine than I'm imagining. The cash flow management insights from @Miguel Silva and @Brady Clean are particularly valuable - I hadn't considered how this change would ripple through our quarterly planning and distribution decisions. Definitely going to set up that separate tax reserve account regardless of which direction we go!
Great questions! Regarding S-to-C conversion, having different book vs tax accounting methods actually won't complicate the conversion process significantly. The conversion itself is treated as a separate transaction, and you can choose your accounting methods for the C-Corp independently. Many C-Corps maintain accrual books with cash method taxes anyway (if they qualify), so you'd likely continue the same approach. However, you'll want to plan the timing carefully. If you're considering conversion within the next 2-3 years, you might want to delay the accounting method change until after conversion, just to keep things simpler during the transition period. As for fees, I've seen Form 3115 preparation range from $1,500-$4,000 depending on complexity and your location. The higher end typically includes ongoing consultation about the book-tax differences and help setting up the reconciliation processes that others mentioned. Services like TaxR.ai are usually more affordable (I'd guess $500-$1,200 range) but you'll want to verify they provide the same level of ongoing support. Definitely smart to set up that tax reserve account early - even if you don't make the method change, it's a good practice for any S-Corp with irregular cash flow patterns!
Join the conversation
I went through this exact same confusion when I started my new job last year! The key thing to understand is that the new W4 is actually designed to be more accurate than the old allowances system, but it does require a bit more work upfront. Here's what I learned: The old "claim 0" was basically a hack to overwithhold taxes, but it wasn't very precise. The new system lets you be much more targeted. My advice is to start with the IRS Tax Withholding Estimator first - it's free and gives you a good baseline. Then, if you want to be extra safe (like you were with claiming 0), just add an additional $25-50 per paycheck in Step 4(c) on top of what the estimator suggests. This way you'll still get that nice refund you're used to, but you won't be giving the government an interest-free loan for more than necessary. I did this approach and ended up with a $3,400 refund last year, which was right in line with what I used to get with the old system. The peace of mind is totally worth it!
This is really helpful advice! I like the idea of using the IRS estimator as a baseline and then adding extra on top for safety. Quick question - when you say you got a $3,400 refund, did you have to make any adjustments throughout the year or did your initial W4 setup work perfectly? I'm worried about setting it once and then finding out in April that I miscalculated somewhere along the way.
Great question! I actually did check on it once mid-year when I got a small raise, but the original setup worked really well. The IRS estimator had me pretty close to the right amount, and the extra $40 per paycheck I added on top gave me that buffer I wanted. One tip: if you do get a raise, bonus, or any other income change during the year, it's worth running the estimator again just to double-check. I also keep track of my year-to-date withholding on my pay stubs - by around October you can get a pretty good sense of whether you're on track for the refund amount you want. The new system is actually more forgiving of small miscalculations than the old one was, so don't stress too much about getting it perfect on the first try!
The transition from the old W4 system definitely threw me for a loop too when I switched jobs! Here's what worked for me after a lot of trial and error: I started by using the IRS Tax Withholding Estimator, but honestly found it a bit confusing with all the different scenarios. What really helped was looking at my previous year's tax return to see exactly how much was withheld versus what I actually owed. For example, if you normally got a $3,500 refund, that means you had about $3,500 more withheld than you needed to pay in taxes. To replicate that with the new W4, I divided that overpayment by my number of paychecks per year. So $3,500 ÷ 26 paychecks = roughly $135 extra per paycheck to put in Step 4(c). I also learned that you can always submit a new W4 to your payroll department if you need to adjust - it's not set in stone! I actually tweaked mine twice in my first year as I got a better feel for how it was working out. Don't be afraid to start conservative and adjust as needed. The peace of mind of knowing you won't owe money at tax time is totally worth the extra effort of figuring out the new system!
This is such a practical approach! I love the idea of looking at last year's actual refund amount and working backwards from that. That makes way more sense than trying to guess what I need. Quick question though - when you say you tweaked your W4 twice, how long did you wait between changes? I'm worried about making adjustments too frequently and confusing my payroll department or messing up the calculations. Did you wait a full quarter to see how it was working out, or did you adjust sooner when you realized something was off? Also, did your HR department give you any pushback about submitting multiple W4 forms? I've never changed mine mid-year before so I'm not sure what to expect.
Join the conversation
Has anyone used TaxSlayer as a non-resident? My university offers it for free but I'm not sure if it has all the international student forms.
I tried TaxSlayer last year as an F-1 student and couldn't figure out how to file as a non-resident alien. I think it's designed primarily for residents. I ended up switching to Sprintax even though it cost more.
As a tax professional who works with many international students, I want to emphasize something important that hasn't been fully addressed here: the potential immigration consequences of incorrect tax filing for F-1 students. While some of you have had success with general tax software, the risk isn't just about getting audited by the IRS. USCIS can review your tax compliance when you apply for OPT, change status, or apply for other immigration benefits. If they find discrepancies - like using resident tax forms when you should have filed as a non-resident alien - it could complicate your immigration case. The substantial presence test is crucial here. Most F-1 students in their first 5 years are considered non-resident aliens for tax purposes, regardless of how long they've been in the US. This means you should be filing Form 1040-NR, not the standard 1040 that most consumer tax software defaults to. I'd strongly recommend sticking with software specifically designed for non-resident aliens, or at minimum, consulting with a tax professional who understands the intersection of tax and immigration law before filing. The small savings from using general software isn't worth the potential complications down the road.
This is really helpful information, thank you! I had no idea that tax filing could affect immigration status. When you mention USCIS reviewing tax compliance for OPT applications, do they specifically look for whether you filed the correct forms (1040-NR vs 1040), or are they more concerned with whether you paid the right amount of taxes? Also, is there a way to correct previous years' returns if someone realizes they filed incorrectly as a resident when they should have been non-resident?
Adrian Connor
I've been battling this exact same issue for over a month now with my 2023 return! Reading through all these strategies gives me so much hope - I had no idea about the 7am Wednesday timing or the international line trick. It's absolutely insane that we need to strategize like we're planning a military operation just to talk to our own tax agency. I'm definitely going to try calling at exactly 7:00am tomorrow (setting multiple alarms for 6:55am) and if that doesn't work, I'll try the international line approach. The congressional representative option is something I never knew existed either - crazy that our elected officials can actually help cut through this bureaucratic nightmare. Thanks to everyone sharing their war stories and tips! This thread has been more helpful than anything else I've found online. It's both comforting and depressing to know so many of us are stuck in this same phone system purgatory, but at least we're all fighting it together. Will definitely report back if I manage to break through the fortress tomorrow! 🤞
0 coins
Logan Scott
I've been following this thread and wow, I'm going through the EXACT same nightmare with my 2023 return! Three weeks of that soul-crushing "call volume too high" message and I was starting to lose my mind. Reading everyone's strategies here is giving me actual hope though - especially Oliver's success story proving the 7am Wednesday timing really works! I'm definitely setting my alarm for 6:55am tomorrow to try the precise 7:00am approach. Also going to bookmark that international line number someone mentioned as a backup plan. It's absolutely ridiculous that we need a whole battle strategy just to talk to our own government agency about our taxes, but I'm so grateful for this community sharing all these tips and war stories. The congressional rep option blew my mind too - never knew that was even a thing! If the phone strategies don't work, I'm definitely looking into that route. This thread has been more helpful than hours of googling "how to reach IRS." Thanks everyone for turning this into a support group for phone system survivors! Will report back if I break through tomorrow 🤞
0 coins