IRS

Can't reach IRS? Claimyr calls for you, so you don't have to wait on hold.

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
Fox KTVUABC 7CBSSan Francisco Chronicle


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 :)

Yara Sabbagh

•

I just went through this exact situation a few months ago with five different quarters needing corrections. You can definitely mail them all together - the IRS actually prefers it when they're from the same business because it keeps everything consolidated for processing. Here's what worked for me: I put each 941-X form in chronological order (earliest quarter first), attached all supporting documentation to each respective form with paper clips, and wrote "AMENDED RETURN - MULTIPLE QUARTERS" at the top of my cover letter. I also included a simple list showing which quarters were being corrected and the EIN for easy reference. One tip that really helped - make sure you're using the same mailing address for all forms. Don't mix addresses based on whether you owe money or expect refunds from different quarters. Pick one address based on your primary situation and stick with it for the entire package. The whole package took about 3.5 months to process, and I received individual notices for each quarter as they worked through them. Much easier than dealing with separate mailings!

0 coins

Based on my experience as a small business owner who's filed multiple 941-X corrections, you're absolutely right to be careful about the submission process. You can definitely mail all four forms together in one envelope - there's no IRS requirement for separate mailings. Here's what I'd recommend: organize each 941-X with its supporting documentation using paper clips (not staples), arrange them in chronological order by quarter, and include a brief cover letter listing your business name, EIN, and which quarters are being corrected. Make sure you're consistent with the mailing address - use the address specified in the current 941-X instructions based on your state and whether you're including payments. And definitely send via certified mail with return receipt requested. The extra cost is worth the peace of mind knowing the IRS received your corrections. The processing time can vary, but expect 3-5 months before you hear back. You'll likely receive separate notices for each quarter as they work through them. Good luck with your corrections!

0 coins

Ava Thompson

•

The IRS generally prefers paper clips over staples because they can more easily separate documents for scanning and processing. Staples can jam their equipment and slow down processing, plus they sometimes need to remove pages for different departments. For certified mail with return receipt, you'll need to go to the post office in person. You can fill out the forms there - ask for Form 3800 (certified mail receipt) and Form 3811 (return receipt). The postal worker will help you complete them. It usually costs around $8-12 total depending on your package weight. You can also request email notification when it's delivered for a small additional fee, which is really convenient for tracking purposes. Some people try to use priority mail with tracking as a cheaper alternative, but certified mail provides better legal proof of delivery if you ever need to prove the IRS received your forms.

0 coins

Laila Fury

•

Great questions! The IRS generally prefers paper clips over staples because staples can damage their scanning equipment and make it harder to separate documents during processing. Paper clips allow them to easily detach supporting docs from the main form when needed. For certified mail with return receipt, you'll need to go to the post office in person. You can't do the full certified mail service online, though you can print some postage online. At the post office, ask for "Certified Mail with Return Receipt Requested" - it usually costs around $8-12 total depending on the weight. The return receipt gives you a green card back with the signature proving delivery. Pro tip: take photos of all your forms and supporting docs before mailing, and keep your certified mail receipt with tracking number. This way you have complete documentation if any issues arise later.

0 coins

Kevin Bell

•

I'm going through the exact same frustration right now! Just spent 2 hours trying to figure out where everything moved to in the new Free File Fillable Forms interface. It's like they completely redesigned it from scratch without any consideration for people who've been using the old system for years. The most annoying part is having to create a new account every single year - why can't they just let us keep our login info? And now with this totally different layout, it feels like starting over from zero. I'm really hoping they'll improve the user experience because this is way more complicated than it needs to be for what should be straightforward tax filing. Thanks for posting about this - at least I know I'm not the only one completely lost with these changes!

0 coins

Liam O'Connor

•

I'm experiencing the exact same frustration! Been using Free File Fillable Forms for the past 3 years and this new interface completely threw me for a loop. What used to take me maybe 2-3 hours to complete now feels like it's going to take all weekend just because I can't figure out where anything is. The thing that really bugs me is that they clearly spent a lot of time and money redesigning this system, but it feels like they forgot about the people who actually use it regularly. The old interface wasn't fancy, but it was predictable and efficient. Now I'm spending more time trying to navigate the interface than actually filling out my tax forms. I'm definitely going to try some of the suggestions mentioned here, especially that taxr.ai tool that helps with navigation. At this point I'm willing to try anything that can help me get through this without pulling my hair out. Thanks everyone for sharing your experiences - it's reassuring to know I'm not the only one struggling with this "upgrade"!

0 coins

Yuki Sato

•

I'm so glad I found this thread! I'm a newcomer to this community and to Free File Fillable Forms, and honestly, I was starting to think I was just not tech-savvy enough to figure this out. Reading everyone's experiences makes me realize it's not just me - this new interface really is as confusing as it seems. I switched to Free File this year to save money on tax prep fees, but after spending 3 hours last night just trying to figure out how to start my return, I was seriously considering going back to paid software. The tips everyone's sharing here are incredibly helpful though. I'm going to try that "Start New Tax Return" button location and definitely keep that manual save advice in mind. It's both frustrating and oddly comforting to see that even people who've been using this system for years are struggling with the changes. At least I know my confusion is justified! Thanks to everyone for sharing your workarounds and experiences - this community support is exactly what I needed to push through and figure this out.

0 coins

Felicity Bud

•

If you're doing surveys, you probably don't need to file a Schedule C unless you're treating it like an actual business. Most people can just report this income on Schedule 1, Line 8, "Other income" and avoid the self-employment tax. The IRS isn't going to care about a few hundred in survey money.

0 coins

Max Reyes

•

This is incorrect advice that could get someone in trouble. Survey income is considered self-employment income, not "other income." If you earn $400 or more in self-employment income (which the OP will if they reach $900), you MUST report it on Schedule C and pay self-employment taxes.

0 coins

Great question! I've been dealing with survey income for a couple years now. Here are the key points based on my experience: 1. **Report ALL income** - You need to report every dollar you earn from surveys, even if it's just $50. The $600 threshold only determines whether companies send you a 1099 form, not whether you owe taxes. 2. **Keep detailed records** - Since you're using multiple survey platforms, create a simple spreadsheet tracking each payment: date, platform name, amount earned. This will be crucial at tax time. 3. **Schedule C vs Other Income** - Survey work is generally considered self-employment income, so you'll likely need to file Schedule C. This means paying self-employment tax (about 15.3%) if your net earnings are $400 or more. 4. **Don't forget deductions** - You can deduct legitimate business expenses like a portion of your internet bill, phone costs if you do mobile surveys, maybe even a home office deduction if you have a dedicated space. 5. **PayPal reporting** - Even if you haven't cashed out yet, you still owe taxes on money earned this tax year. PayPal will also report payments to the IRS if you exceed certain thresholds. Start tracking everything now while it's still manageable. Trust me, trying to reconstruct your earnings from 8 different survey sites in March is a nightmare!

0 coins

One thing to watch out for with fiscal year estate returns - make sure you don't miss any 1099s or K-1s that might come in after you file. My brother-in-law's estate had a partnership interest and we had to amend the 1041 because a K-1 arrived two months after we filed the return. Also, depending on the complexity, you might want to reconsider doing it yourself. I thought I could handle my father's estate return because I do my own taxes, but the basis calculations for inherited assets that were later sold got extremely complicated. The $800 I spent on a good CPA saved me from making some major errors.

0 coins

Aidan Hudson

•

Thanks for bringing this up. I'm definitely keeping all the investment accounts organized in separate folders so I can track what's coming in. Did you find that most of the 1099s arrived by the normal February deadline even though the estate was on a fiscal year? Or did they trickle in at odd times? I'm still leaning toward doing it myself because the CPA we used for the final personal return made some basic mistakes that I caught, which doesn't give me confidence for the more complex estate return.

0 coins

Most of the regular 1099s (interest, dividends) came by the normal February deadline. The problem was with the K-1 from a family limited partnership that always came later in the year, even when my father-in-law was alive. That's what caused us to need to amend. I totally understand your hesitation after having a bad experience with a CPA. If you're going to do it yourself, maybe consider having a consultation with a different CPA who specializes in estates just for a review before filing. Some will do a review-only service for much less than preparing the whole return. I've found local estate attorneys often have recommendations for CPAs who are really good with estate returns specifically.

0 coins

When my mother passed, I did the estate return myself after a bad experience with an accountant. Here's my advice: 1) Definitely use the form from the tax year in which your fiscal year ends (2023 in your case) 2) Keep VERY detailed records of all expenses paid by the estate - executor fees, funeral costs not covered by insurance, legal fees, accounting fees, appraisals, etc. These are deductible admin expenses 3) Watch out for income items that should be on the beneficiary's personal return vs. the estate return 4) If there's real property, get a proper valuation as of date of death The IRS actually has a decent publication (#559) that walks through a lot of this. It's one of their more readable guides.

0 coins

Sarah Ali

•

Can you explain more about #3? I'm confused about what goes on the estate return versus my personal return as the sole beneficiary of my grandmother's estate. She had some dividend-paying stocks that are being transferred to me, but it's taking forever.

0 coins

@Sarah Ali - Great question! Generally, income earned by assets while they re'still in the estate goes on the estate return Form (1041 .)Once the assets are distributed to you as the beneficiary, future income goes on your personal return. For example, if those dividend-paying stocks earned $500 in dividends while still titled in the estate s'name, that $500 goes on the 1041. But once the stocks are transferred to your name and you receive dividends after that, those dividends go on your personal 1040. The tricky part is income "in respect of decedent IRD" (-) things like final paychecks, retirement account distributions, etc. that were earned by your grandmother but received after death. These usually flow through to beneficiaries but there are special rules about deductions. Publication 559 that Megan mentioned has good examples of what goes where. It can definitely be confusing when transfers take a long time!

0 coins

Kaiya Rivera

•

Does anybody know if the "undetermined term" status affects the actual tax rate you pay? Or is it just an issue of which form/section to report it on? My broker labeled a bunch of my crypto transactions this way and I'm trying to figure out if it actually matters for how much tax I owe or just for paperwork purposes.

0 coins

It absolutely affects your tax rate! Short-term gains (held less than 1 year) are taxed at your ordinary income rate, which could be up to 37% depending on your bracket. Long-term gains (held more than 1 year) are taxed at either 0%, 15%, or 20% depending on your income level. That's a massive difference! This is why determining the correct term is so important.

0 coins

Sofia Ramirez

•

I've dealt with this exact situation and want to emphasize something important: when you have undetermined term transactions, the IRS expects you to make a reasonable effort to determine the actual holding period rather than just defaulting to short-term treatment. Here's my recommended approach: First, gather any records you can find - old statements, trade confirmations, even bank records showing when funds were transferred for purchases. Second, if you're missing some information, create a spreadsheet documenting what you know and your methodology for estimates. Third, when in doubt, consider using Form 8949 with the appropriate adjustment codes to explain your situation. One thing I learned the hard way: if you report everything as short-term just because it's "undetermined," you might overpay taxes significantly. The IRS won't refund the difference if you later find records showing they were actually long-term holdings. It's worth spending the time upfront to get this right, especially given the substantial difference in tax rates between short-term and long-term capital gains. Also, keep detailed records of your research process in case of questions later. The IRS appreciates good faith efforts to comply accurately.

0 coins

Prev1...13021303130413051306...5645Next