Get a real accountant!!! Seriously, ask them these questions. Random internet advice could get you in trouble with the IRS. These detailed business expense questions depend on so many factors specific to YOUR situation.

As a tax professional, I can confirm that your Spotify subscription can likely be deducted as a business expense based on what you've described. The IRS allows deductions for expenses that are "ordinary and necessary" for your trade or business. Your case is particularly strong because: - You use Spotify directly in your creative process for client work - You can demonstrate a clear connection between the music and your income-generating activities - You maintain business playlists that support client relationships However, you'll need to be prepared to: 1. Document the business use percentage (if you also use it personally) 2. Keep records showing how specific music influenced paid projects 3. Track which playlists/music directly contributed to client work The key is proving business purpose rather than personal entertainment. Since you're using it as a creative tool that directly impacts your design process and client relationships, you have a solid foundation for the deduction. Just make sure to maintain detailed records in case of an audit, and consider the advice others mentioned about separating business and personal use if that applies to your situation.

Has anyone tried just filling out BOTH? I mean, complete their substitute W9 AND send a standard form? That's what I've been doing with clients who are stubborn about their systems. Seems like overkill but it keeps everyone happy.

I've been dealing with this exact issue for the past few months! What finally worked for me was a combination approach - I explained to the stubborn clients that I have security concerns due to previous data breaches, and I offered to do a phone verification instead of using their portal. I prepared a simple script explaining that while I understand their need for W9 information, I maintain a policy of not entering sensitive tax information into third-party systems I haven't vetted. Then I offered alternatives: "I can provide you with a completed standard W9 via secure email, or we can schedule a brief call where I can verbally confirm all the required information while you complete your internal form." About 80% of clients accepted the secure email option. For the remaining 20%, the phone verification worked perfectly - they got their information entered into their system, and I didn't have to trust another potentially insecure portal with my SSN and other sensitive data. It only took about 5-10 minutes per client and gave me much better peace of mind.

This whole thread has been eye-opening and frankly infuriating. I'm a newcomer here but have been dealing with SBTPG delays myself - they told me my check was mailed March 15th and it's now been over a month with nothing. Reading about Catrice's situation with her children really breaks my heart. It's unconscionable that SBTPG continues to lie about mail dates while families are facing homelessness. This isn't just poor customer service - it's actively harmful to people in crisis situations. I want to echo what others have said about filing complaints with state attorney generals and the CFPB. I just submitted complaints to both after reading Sophia's post. Even if individual complaints don't immediately solve our personal situations, creating a paper trail of SBTPG's deceptive practices might prevent other families from going through this nightmare next tax season. For anyone still waiting, I also set up USPS informed delivery yesterday based on recommendations here. It's free and at least gives you real information instead of SBTPG's lies. To Catrice and anyone else in emergency situations - this community clearly cares about you and wants to help however we can. Please keep us updated and don't hesitate to ask if you need more resources or support. You shouldn't have to face this alone. 🙏

As a newcomer to this community, I'm absolutely appalled by what I'm reading about SBTPG's practices this tax season. The systematic lying about mail dates while people like Catrice are facing homelessness with children is beyond unacceptable - it's genuinely harmful. I've been lurking and researching SBTPG issues after my own delayed refund, but seeing the pattern of deception documented in this thread has motivated me to speak up. They told me my check was mailed April 5th, and like everyone else here, nothing has appeared in my informed delivery. What strikes me most is how this community has come together to share resources and support each other when SBTPG has failed so spectacularly. The recommendations for informed delivery, filing complaints with state AGs and the CFPB, and services like taxr.ai and Claimyr have been invaluable for someone new to dealing with this. I'm committed to documenting every false date SBTPG gives me and filing formal complaints. If enough of us create that paper trail of their deceptive practices, maybe we can prevent future families from enduring what people are going through now. To those in emergency situations - please know that even newcomers like me are advocating for accountability and hoping for quick resolutions to your crises. No family should face homelessness because a company lies about basic service delivery. This community's compassion gives me hope that we can push for real change.

The self-employment tax point is crucial - thanks for bringing that up! For anyone calculating their quarterly payments, don't forget that SE tax is calculated on 92.35% of your net self-employment income (after business deductions). So if you made $5,650 in freelance income like the original poster, you'd pay SE tax on about $5,217. Also worth noting that you can deduct half of your self-employment tax as an adjustment to income, which reduces your regular income tax burden slightly. It's not a huge amount, but every bit helps when you're trying to figure out your quarterly payment amounts. The combination of regular income tax AND self-employment tax is why that $1,000 threshold gets hit pretty quickly with freelance work, even at relatively modest income levels.

Just wanted to add another perspective on this - I'm a freelance audio engineer who went through the exact same confusion about quarterly payments. What really helped me was understanding the safe harbor rule: if you pay at least 100% of last year's total tax liability through withholding and/or quarterly payments, you won't face penalties even if you end up owing more when you file. So for your situation, look at your total tax from last year's return. If your day job withholding plus any quarterly payments you make this year add up to at least that amount, you're protected from penalties. This gives you some breathing room while you figure out the exact amounts. Also, since you're in the music industry like me, don't forget you can deduct a lot of business expenses - equipment, software, home studio space, travel to gigs, etc. These deductions reduce your net self-employment income, which lowers both your regular income tax and self-employment tax. Keep good records of everything!

I'm so glad you finally got a refund date after that exhausting 4-month wait! Your situation hits close to home - we're also a military family and just went through almost the identical timeline. Filed in January, moved twice during the year, and didn't see movement until May. The uncertainty is absolutely the worst part because you start wondering if your return got lost in the system or if something went wrong. What I learned from going through this is that military returns with PCS moves basically get treated like complex business returns - they require manual review for moving expenses, cross-state verification, and coordination between different tax agencies. It's frustrating that the IRS doesn't communicate this timeline upfront, but once you understand the process, the wait makes more sense (even if it's still maddening). The good news is that DD dates are extremely reliable once posted - I've been following military tax forums for months and rarely see those dates change. You've survived the hardest part, and your refund should hit right on schedule!

I completely understand your frustration! As a newcomer to this community but someone who's dealt with IRS delays before, I can say that while 4 months feels absolutely endless, it's unfortunately not unusual for complex returns this year. Reading through all these responses from experienced military families has been so educational - I had no idea that PCS moves essentially turn your return into something that needs manual review and cross-state verification. That context really helps explain the timeline, even though it doesn't make the waiting any less stressful! The consensus here seems to be that once you have that DD date, you can actually trust it, which is honestly the most reassuring thing I've heard about dealing with the IRS in a long time. Hang in there - it sounds like you're finally at the finish line after what's been an incredibly frustrating journey!