I've been following this thread as someone who went through the exact same situation a couple years ago, and I wanted to share one additional resource that saved me a ton of time and stress. If you're still struggling to track down those missing EINs after trying all the great suggestions here (email searches, state databases, invoicing software, etc.), you might want to consider reaching out to your state's Department of Revenue or equivalent tax agency. Many states maintain business registration databases that are more comprehensive than what's available through Secretary of State searches. In my case, I was able to find two missing EINs by calling my state's business tax division and explaining that I needed the information for federal tax compliance. They were surprisingly helpful and could look up businesses by name, address, or even approximate registration dates. Also, if you paid any of these contractors via business credit card, check your credit card statements - sometimes the merchant information includes tax ID numbers that might not be obvious at first glance. The bottom line that everyone here is emphasizing is spot on though: file your return on time with all income reported, even if you have to use "EIN UNAVAILABLE" for some payers. The IRS much prefers accurate income reporting with missing ancillary information over late filing or underreporting income. You've got this!

This thread has been incredibly helpful! I'm in a similar situation with two missing 1099s from clients who have gone completely radio silent. Reading through everyone's experiences has really put my mind at ease about filing with "EIN UNAVAILABLE" when I've exhausted all reasonable efforts to get the information. I wanted to add one more tip that worked for me: if you have any old W-9 forms that these contractors may have filled out in previous years, check those! I completely forgot that I had requested W-9s from some clients when I first started working with them, and I found them buried in an old tax documents folder. Even if the forms are from a year or two ago, the EIN should still be the same. Also, for anyone using payment processors like Stripe or Square for client payments, check your merchant account transaction details - sometimes additional business information shows up there that isn't immediately obvious in your regular payment notifications. The consensus here seems crystal clear: report all your income accurately and file on time, even if you have to note missing EINs. The IRS cares far more about honest income reporting than perfect paperwork, especially when the missing information is due to unresponsive contractors rather than taxpayer negligence. Thanks everyone for sharing your experiences - this community is such a great resource for navigating these tricky tax situations!

Small business owner and former bookkeeper here. A simple approach I've used with clients: create "product cost sheets" for each type of item you make. For example, if you make jewelry, figure out the average cost of materials for each earring/necklace/bracelet type. Then just track how many of each product you sell. Multiply sold quantities by your standard costs = COGS. You can put this on Schedule C Part III, and you don't need complex inventory systems. This method is allowed for businesses under the gross receipts thresholds. You should still do occasional checks to make sure your standards are accurate (like once a year), but this saves SO much time compared to tracking every single component.

As someone who's been dealing with this exact issue for my small pottery business, I can share what finally worked for me. The key insight is that you don't need formal inventory tracking, but you do need some reasonable method to estimate what materials went into sold products. Here's my simple approach: I created a basic spreadsheet with standard material costs for each product type (like $3.50 in clay and glazes per mug, $5.25 per bowl, etc.). Then I just track how many of each item I actually sold during the year. At tax time, I multiply quantities sold by standard costs to get my COGS. For your jewelry business with $8,700 in sales, this method would work perfectly. You could estimate something like "each necklace uses $4 in materials, each pair of earrings uses $1.50" based on your typical designs. Then just track your sales quantities - no need to count individual beads! The IRS accepts this simplified approach for small businesses like ours. I do a basic inventory count once a year just to verify my standards are still accurate, but it's way more manageable than tracking every component. This goes in Part III of Schedule C, and it's completely legitimate under the small business accounting methods.

This has been such an enlightening discussion! I've been lurking here trying to understand my own W2 confusion, and everyone's explanations have been incredibly helpful. What really clicked for me was when someone mentioned that these are just "informational breakdowns" rather than separate items I need to handle on my tax return. I was getting ready to manually enter U/C and SUI amounts into different fields, which clearly would have been a mistake! I'm in Ohio and have never paid attention to these line items before, but this year I noticed both U/C and SUI with different amounts. After reading through all these responses, I understand that Ohio requires employee contributions to unemployment insurance (the U/C portion), while the SUI amount represents my employer's contribution that they're required to pay on my behalf. The key takeaway for me is that both amounts are already factored into my total state withholding, so I don't need to do anything special with them when filing. My tax software will just use the overall state tax withholding number from my W2. Thanks to everyone who shared their knowledge and experiences - this community is such a valuable resource for navigating these confusing tax situations!

This thread has been incredibly educational! As someone who just started a new job and got my first W2 with these mysterious U/C and SUI codes, I was completely lost. Reading through everyone's explanations has been like taking a crash course in unemployment taxation. What really helped me understand is that these codes essentially represent two sides of the same unemployment insurance system - what I contribute as an employee (U/C) and what my employer contributes (SUI). The fact that they show up separately on the W2 is just for transparency, not because I need to handle them differently when filing my taxes. I checked my state's (Nevada) unemployment tax rules after reading the suggestions here, and confirmed that we do have employee unemployment contributions. So that U/C amount on my W2 is indeed money that came out of my paychecks throughout the year, while the SUI represents my employer's required contributions to the state unemployment fund. The biggest relief is learning that I don't need to enter these amounts anywhere special on my tax return - they're already included in my total state withholding. I was worried I was missing some important step in my tax preparation, but it turns out my tax software handles this automatically. Thanks to everyone who shared their expertise and experiences. This is exactly the kind of practical tax knowledge that's hard to find elsewhere!

Does anyone know if you can apply NOL carryforwards when using tax software like TurboTax or do you need an accountant? I'm trying to save money since I'm still in startup mode but don't want to miss out on using my losses from last year.

Just want to add my experience as someone who went through this recently. I had about $8k in losses from my graphic design business startup costs and was able to carry them forward successfully. The key thing I learned is that you need to distinguish between startup costs (which might need to be amortized over 15 years) and regular business operating expenses (which can create the NOL immediately). Things like your office supplies, software subscriptions, and marketing expenses that you mentioned should qualify for immediate NOL treatment. But if you had any costs related to actually starting the business (like legal fees to set up your LLC, initial market research, etc.), those might fall under the startup cost rules and need different treatment. I'd recommend keeping track of which category each expense falls into - it'll make carrying forward much smoother and help if you ever get questioned about it. The NOL carryforward has been a lifesaver for offsetting my profits this year!

Based on what you've described, you should still be eligible for the Earned Income Credit. The IRS recognizes that temporary absences due to circumstances beyond your control (like travel restrictions during emergencies) don't automatically disqualify you from EIC if you maintain your US residence and intend to return. The key factors working in your favor are: 1) Your absence was unplanned and involuntary, 2) You maintained your US ties and residence, and 3) You have clear intention to return. With only $3,800 in earned income, you're well within the income limits for EIC. Make sure to keep documentation of your situation - any records showing why you couldn't return (travel restrictions, family emergency details, etc.) and evidence that you maintained your US residence (lease payments, bank accounts, etc.). File your return as a US resident - don't use any foreign residency forms since your situation is temporary. You should be able to claim the EIC without issues, but having that documentation ready will help if the IRS ever has questions about your residency status during 2023.

I want to echo what others have said about keeping thorough documentation, but also add that you might want to consider consulting with a tax professional who specializes in international situations, even for domestic taxpayers with temporary foreign presence. Your situation with the family emergency and travel restrictions sounds very similar to what many people experienced during the pandemic travel disruptions. The IRS has generally been understanding about these involuntary absences when determining residency for credit purposes. One thing I'd specifically recommend is writing a brief statement explaining your situation that you can attach to your return if needed. Include dates, the nature of the family emergency, when travel restrictions prevented your return, and evidence of your ongoing US ties (like continuing to pay rent, maintaining US bank accounts, etc.). This proactive approach can help avoid any potential delays or questions during processing. With your income level, you should definitely qualify for EIC as long as you meet the residency test - which it sounds like you do given the temporary nature of your absence. Don't let the complexity scare you away from claiming credits you're entitled to!