This situation is definitely not normal, and your instincts are right to be concerned. As a W-2 employee, you should absolutely have access to your employer's EIN - it's required information for your tax filing. A few immediate steps I'd suggest: **First, determine your actual employment status.** If you're truly a W-2 employee, the EIN should be on your paystubs, and you should receive a W-2 by January 31st. The fact that it's missing from your paystubs and your employer is being evasive suggests you might actually be classified as a 1099 contractor, even if that wasn't made clear to you initially. **Document everything now.** Save all your paystubs, screenshot your direct deposits, and keep records of these conversations with your employer. If this turns into an IRS issue, you'll need proof of your employment and income. **Give them one final deadline.** Send a polite but firm email requesting your W-2 (if you're an employee) or 1099 (if you're a contractor) by the legal deadline of January 31st. This creates a paper trail. **Know your backup options.** If they don't provide proper documentation, the IRS can help you file Form 4852 (substitute W-2) or guide you through filing as a contractor. Don't let their non-compliance prevent you from filing your taxes properly. The bottom line is that legitimate employers don't behave this way. Whether there's intentional tax evasion or just poor record-keeping, you need to protect yourself and ensure you're filing correctly with the IRS.

This is a concerning situation that unfortunately indicates your employer may not be handling payroll taxes properly. The EIN (Employer Identification Number) should definitely be visible on your paystubs if you're a legitimate W-2 employee - there's no valid reason to hide this information. Here's what I'd recommend doing immediately: **Check your actual employment classification.** The fact that there's no EIN on your paystubs and your employer is being evasive suggests you might actually be classified as a 1099 independent contractor rather than a W-2 employee, even if this wasn't clearly communicated to you when you were hired. **Gather all documentation now.** Save every paystub, screenshot your direct deposits, and keep records of all conversations about this issue. If you need to involve the IRS later, having this documentation will be crucial. **Send one final written request.** Email your employer requesting your proper tax forms (W-2 if you're an employee, 1099-NEC if you're a contractor) by the January 31st deadline. Be professional but clear that you need this to file your taxes legally. **Know your options if they don't comply.** The IRS has procedures for situations like this. You can file Form 4852 (Substitute for Form W-2) if you're supposed to be getting a W-2, or they can help guide you through proper filing as a contractor. Don't let their unprofessional behavior prevent you from filing your taxes correctly. The IRS deals with uncooperative employers regularly and has systems in place to help employees in your situation.

I'm glad I found this thread because I've been wondering about this same thing! My situation is almost identical - I'm 35 and have been on SSDI for about 3 years now, and my spouse definitely provides most of our household support. Reading through everyone's responses has been really enlightening. I had no idea about some of these disability-specific tax benefits that people have mentioned, like the Credit for the Elderly or Disabled. It sounds like there might be some advantages I've been missing out on. One thing I'm still a bit confused about though - if my SSDI is my only income and it's below the taxable threshold, do we even need to file a tax return at all? Or should we still file jointly to make sure we're not missing out on any potential refunds or credits? My spouse has taxes withheld from his paycheck, so I'm wondering if filing jointly might actually get us money back even if my SSDI isn't taxable. Has anyone been in a situation where the disabled spouse had very minimal income? I'm trying to figure out if it's worth the hassle of filing when my contribution to our household income is so small.

I'm in a very similar situation and wanted to share what I learned after going through this process. Like others have confirmed, spouses can never be claimed as dependents regardless of income or disability status - that's just not how the tax code works for married couples. What really helped me was sitting down with a tax professional who specializes in disability-related tax issues. They showed me that while I couldn't be claimed as a dependent, we were actually eligible for several benefits I had no idea about. Beyond the Credit for the Elderly or Disabled that others mentioned, we also qualified for some medical expense deductions related to my condition. One important thing to keep in mind is that SSDI taxation isn't just about your benefits alone - it's calculated based on your combined household income. In our case, even though my husband earns significantly more than my SSDI amount, our total combined income still kept most of my benefits tax-free. The IRS website can definitely be overwhelming, but the core principle is straightforward: focus on married filing jointly vs. separately rather than trying to figure out dependent status. In almost every case I've seen, joint filing provides better overall tax benefits for couples where one spouse receives SSDI. You'll typically get access to higher income thresholds, more credits, and better deduction opportunities than you would filing separately.

I'm dealing with this exact same issue right now! It's absolutely maddening that ID.me makes it so difficult to access our own tax information. I've been locked out for over a week because they have my old work phone number from when I changed jobs. One thing I discovered that might help - if you have a trusted family member or friend who has successfully used ID.me recently, they might be able to help you navigate some of the verification steps or at least confirm which options are currently working. My sister helped me figure out that the video verification process has gotten even more finicky lately. Also, I called my local IRS office directly (not the main number) and they told me they're seeing a huge uptick in people coming in person specifically because of ID.me issues. The representative said they're aware it's a problem and are trying to work with ID.me to improve the system, but in the meantime they're prioritizing in-person transcript requests for people with verification issues. Hang in there - it's frustrating but you're definitely not alone in this. The combination of trying the "I don't have access to my phone" option while also preparing the Form 4506-T backup seems like the smartest approach based on what others have shared here.

I'm so sorry you're going through this ID.me nightmare! I had a similar issue earlier this year and it was absolutely maddening. Here's what I learned from my experience: The "I don't have access to my phone" option that several people mentioned is definitely your best first step - it's hidden in tiny text at the bottom of the login page, but it actually works. When I used it, I had to upload a clear photo of my driver's license and it took about 5 business days to get approved (a bit longer than some others experienced, but still way better than phone support). One tip that saved me: when uploading your ID photo, make sure you're in really bright, even lighting and the entire ID is perfectly flat and in focus. They rejected my first attempt because apparently one corner of my license was slightly shadowed. Also, use a plain background - I put my ID on a white piece of paper. While you're waiting for that to process, definitely submit Form 4506-T as your backup plan. It's free and you can mail it or fax it to the IRS directly. Takes longer (10-15 business days for me), but at least you know you'll get your transcript eventually. The whole ID.me system is such a mess - you'd think they'd have better processes for legitimate account holders who just changed phone numbers. It's a super common situation! Hopefully one of these options gets you sorted out quickly.

I just use an envelope system lol. One envelope for each month, throw all receipts in there. Then once a month I sit down and enter everything into a Google Sheet. Been doing it for 3 years and my accountant says its fine. Sometimes simple is better. All those apps cost money which is just another business expense!

I've been using FreshBooks for my sole proprietorship for about 2 years now and it hits that sweet spot between simple and feature-rich. It's less overwhelming than QuickBooks but more robust than just a spreadsheet. For your volume of 15-20 transactions per month, it would be perfect. You can snap photos of receipts directly in the app, it connects to your bank accounts for automatic transaction import, and it has pre-built expense categories that align with Schedule C. The monthly reports are clean and my accountant loves getting organized data from it. They have a 30-day free trial, so you could test it out without commitment. The basic plan runs about $15/month but honestly pays for itself in time saved during tax season. Way less stressful than the envelope method when April rolls around!

Just an FYI - meal expenses while delivering aren't business expenses just because you're working. I'm a tax preparer and see this mistake ALL THE TIME with delivery drivers. Meals are only deductible if you're traveling away from your "tax home" (basically overnight trips) or if it's a business meal with clients/customers. Just eating because you're hungry during your shift isn't deductible.

As someone who's been doing gig work for a few years, I'll echo what others have said - you definitely need to report the income. But here's something that might help: even though your meal expenses during deliveries aren't deductible (as Diego correctly pointed out), don't forget about some other potential deductions that are easy to miss. For example, if you bought any insulated bags, phone mounts, or other equipment specifically for deliveries, those are legitimate business expenses. Also, if you had to pay any fees to DoorDash or other platforms, those would be deductible too. One thing I learned the hard way - start tracking everything now for 2025, even small expenses. Get a mileage tracking app or keep a simple log. It makes tax time so much easier when you have good records from the beginning rather than trying to reconstruct everything at the end of the year. Good luck with your filing! The good news is that with your mileage deduction alone, you'll likely owe very little or nothing in taxes.