This is a great question that comes up frequently! As others have mentioned, you absolutely can use your EIN instead of your SSN for 1099 reporting as a single-member LLC, even when checks are made out to your personal name. The key point that's worth emphasizing: the IRS looks at the substance of the relationship, not just the name on the check. If you were performing services in your capacity as an LLC owner (which it sounds like you were, since you mention using your LLC for side gigs), then you're entitled to use your EIN. Here's what I'd recommend for dealing with the resistant manager: 1. Complete a fresh W-9 form with your LLC name, check the "Individual/sole proprietor or single-member LLC" box, and provide your EIN 2. Include a brief cover letter explaining that you operate through your LLC and that payments should be reported using the EIN 3. If they continue to push back, you might reference IRS Publication 1779 (specifically the section on single-member LLCs) which clearly states that these entities can use their EIN for information reporting Don't let them bully you into using your SSN if you're not comfortable with it. You have every right to protect your personal information while still complying with tax laws!

I went through this exact same situation about 6 months ago! The confusion really stems from businesses not understanding how single-member LLCs work for tax purposes. What helped me was explaining it this way: when the IRS looks at your single-member LLC, they don't see it as a separate entity - they see it as you doing business. So whether the check says "Carmen Diaz" or "Carmen Diaz LLC," it's all the same taxpayer in their eyes. I'd suggest being firm but polite with the new manager. Provide them with a completed W-9 showing your LLC information and EIN, and explain that this is the proper way to handle it according to IRS guidelines. If they're still resistant, you might ask to speak with their accountant directly - sometimes the message gets lost in translation when it goes through multiple people. The bottom line is that you absolutely have the right to use your EIN instead of your SSN in this situation. Don't let them pressure you into sharing your Social Security number if you're not comfortable doing so - there are legitimate privacy and identity protection reasons for preferring to use your EIN!

I'm really sorry to hear about your financial difficulties, @Ethan Wilson. As others have mentioned, the October 15th deadline is typically final for individual returns, and the IRS doesn't usually grant additional extensions for financial hardship alone. However, I want to emphasize what several others have pointed out - since you're expecting a refund, you're actually in a better position than you might think. There are NO penalties for filing late when you're owed money back. The IRS essentially owes YOU money, so the only consequence of filing late is delaying your refund. Given your current financial struggles with the 401k loan payments, getting that refund as quickly as possible should be your top priority. That money could provide some of the breathing room you're looking for while dealing with your legal situation. If gathering all your tax documents is the main obstacle, consider requesting your wage and income transcripts from the IRS using Form 4506-T. This will show you exactly what income information they already have on file, which might be enough to complete your return even if you're missing some original documents. Don't let the stress of the deadline prevent you from claiming money that's rightfully yours. You have up to 3 years to file for a refund, but why wait when you need those funds now?

I completely understand the stress you're going through, @Ethan Wilson. Financial hardship combined with legal issues creates such overwhelming pressure, and it's natural to want more time to sort everything out. However, I have to agree with what others have said - the IRS generally doesn't grant extensions beyond October 15th for individual taxpayers, even in cases of financial hardship. The October deadline is considered the final extension for most situations. But here's the silver lining that I think deserves emphasis: since you mentioned you're expecting a refund, you're actually in a much better position than someone who owes taxes. When you're owed money back, there's absolutely no penalty for filing late - you just delay getting your own money back. And given your current financial struggles with that 401k loan, getting that refund should be your immediate priority. I'd strongly recommend filing as soon as you can gather your documents, rather than trying to get another extension. That refund money could provide exactly the breathing room you need while waiting for your legal situation to resolve. You have up to 3 years to claim it, but why wait when you need the funds now? If missing documents are the main obstacle, definitely look into requesting your IRS transcripts using Form 4506-T as others have suggested. Sometimes what the IRS already has on file is sufficient to complete your return.

One thing nobody's mentioned yet - when both spouses work, you might hit the "marriage penalty" depending on your income levels. Basically, if both of you make similar incomes, you could end up in a higher tax bracket than if you were single. However, if one spouse makes significantly more than the other (which might be the case at first if your wife is just returning to work), you might actually get a "marriage bonus" where you pay less than two single people would. Make sure whatever withholding calculator you use accounts for this. We got surprised with a $2,900 tax bill the first year both my wife and I worked full-time because our withholdings didn't account for the combined income pushing us into a higher bracket.

The marriage penalty typically affects couples where both spouses have similar moderate to high incomes. For 2024, it's most noticeable in the 22% and 24% tax brackets. If you're both making around $65K, you're definitely in the range where this can hurt. The penalty happens because the tax brackets for married filing jointly aren't exactly double the single brackets at higher income levels. For example, the 22% bracket for singles goes up to about $47K, but for married filing jointly it only goes up to about $89K (not $94K which would be double). A few strategies that can help: maximize your 401(k) contributions to reduce taxable income, consider if itemizing deductions makes sense now that you have two incomes, and definitely use the IRS withholding calculator or a tool like taxr.ai to make sure you're withholding enough throughout the year. The last thing you want is a surprise tax bill in April!

Don't forget you still have to pay the self-employment tax of 15.3% on your net profit from doordash (after deducting mileage and expenses). The mileage deduction reduces your income tax but you still gotta pay SE tax on whatever profit is left.

This is actually a really common scenario that confuses new gig workers! Your calculation sounds about right. Here's what's happening: Your $7,300 DoorDash income minus the $2,600 mileage deduction leaves you with $4,700 in taxable profit. The self-employment tax on that would be around $664 (15.3%), plus regular income tax. But if you had taxes withheld from another job earlier in the year, those withholdings get applied against your total tax liability. So even though you owe taxes on your DoorDash income, the amount already withheld from your W-2 job might be more than your total liability, resulting in a refund. A few things to double-check: - Make sure your tax calculator is including self-employment tax (many don't) - Verify you're using the correct 2025 mileage rate (it's $0.70 per mile) - Consider other deductible expenses like phone usage, delivery bags, etc. It's totally normal to get a refund in this situation - it just means you prepaid more than you actually owe. Just make sure all your deductions are legitimate and well-documented!

Just want to add that if the C-corp is operating at a loss in the first year (which is common for startups), you need to be extra careful with how you classify shareholder compensation. The IRS might question why you're paying salaries when there's no profit. Make sure any compensation is "reasonable" for the services provided. Another option nobody mentioned is using a service like Tax Preparation Financial in your area - they often have reasonable flat fees for basic C-corp returns and can handle the employment issues properly.

For e-filing Form 1120, I'd recommend FreeTaxUSA Business - they support C-corp filing and are significantly cheaper than most alternatives (around $150-200 vs $600+ for Drake). The interface is pretty intuitive and they have good QuickBooks import functionality. Regarding your shareholder payment situation, you definitely need to get this sorted before filing. Since C-corp shareholders who work in the business are considered employees, those "distributions" should have been processed as payroll with proper withholding. You'll likely need to file corrected payroll returns (941-X) and pay the missed payroll taxes plus penalties. One suggestion - consider consulting with an EA (Enrolled Agent) for just this first year to make sure you get the employment tax issues resolved properly. They're less expensive than CPAs but can represent you before the IRS if needed. Once you get the compliance issues sorted, you can handle future years yourself with the software.