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
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 :)
Join the conversation
Join the conversation
Has anyone used a tax attorney specializing in real estate for this kind of situation? I'm weighing whether to hire one versus trying to figure it all out myself.
I used one for a similar inherited property issue and it was worth every penny. Mine cost about $3,000 but saved me over $20k in taxes by properly establishing the stepped-up basis. They coordinated everything including the retrospective appraisal, documentation, and even communicated directly with the IRS on my behalf.
I went through something very similar with farmland my grandmother left me in 2019. The county had it assessed as agricultural at about $2,000/acre, but it was clearly worth much more as residential development land. Here's what worked for me: I hired a certified appraiser who specialized in retrospective valuations. They were able to go back and analyze what the property would have been worth at the time of inheritance by looking at comparable sales, zoning potential, and development trends in the area. The key is finding an appraiser who understands that agricultural assessments are often completely disconnected from actual market value, especially when there's development potential. My appraiser found several comparable properties that sold within 2 years of my inheritance date at prices that were 8-10 times higher than the tax assessment. The IRS accepted the retrospective appraisal without question when I filed. Make sure whoever you hire provides detailed documentation showing their methodology and comparable sales data. It's worth the upfront cost to avoid overpaying on capital gains later. One tip: if there were any subdivision developments or major infrastructure improvements (new roads, utilities, etc.) in your area around the time of inheritance, make sure those are factored into the valuation as they would have increased the property's fair market value regardless of how it was assessed for tax purposes.
Join the conversation
As someone who started a small online service business last year, I can definitely relate to the confusion! One thing I wish I'd known earlier is that you should consider getting an Employer Identification Number (EIN) even if you're a sole proprietor. It's free to get directly from the IRS website and helps separate your business from your personal finances. Also, since you're in Florida, definitely look into getting a business license from your local county or city - requirements vary by location. Some areas require it for any business operating within their jurisdiction, even home-based ones. For payment tracking, I set up a separate business bank account and route all my business payments there. Makes it much easier to track income and expenses when everything is separated. Even if you use Venmo or PayPal, you can still transfer to a dedicated business account. One more tip - consider setting up a simple bookkeeping system from day one. I use a basic spreadsheet but there are also affordable options like Wave (which is free) or QuickBooks Self-Employed. Having organized records from the start will save you so much time and stress later!
Great question about starting your tarot business! I actually went through this exact situation when I launched my astrology consultation service on Instagram about 18 months ago. Here's what I learned: First, you absolutely need to report all income, even if it's just a side hustle. Since you're expecting to make $125-300 per week, you'll definitely hit the $400 threshold that requires self-employment tax filing. I'd recommend opening a separate business bank account right away - it makes tracking so much easier and looks more professional to clients. For Florida specifically, you'll need to register for sales tax since spiritual services are taxable there. The good news is the registration process is pretty straightforward through the Florida Department of Revenue website. You'll collect sales tax from Florida customers and remit it quarterly or monthly depending on your volume. One thing that really helped me was joining the Instagram Creator Program once I hit the requirements. It provides some additional tax documentation and can help legitimize your business in the eyes of both clients and the IRS. Also, start tracking your expenses from day one! Things like new tarot decks, crystals, candles for your reading space, ring lights for better video quality, Instagram ads to promote your services - all potentially deductible. Even a portion of your phone bill since you'll be using it for client communication. Good luck with your venture! The spiritual services market on social media is really thriving right now.
Great question about the Florida sales tax threshold! From what I learned when I registered, there's actually no minimum threshold - you're technically required to register before making your first taxable sale. I know it seems like overkill for just a few readings, but Florida is pretty strict about this. The registration itself is free and can be done online, so there's no real downside to getting it done early. Plus, it gives you that peace of mind knowing you're fully compliant from day one. I registered right after I decided to monetize my services, even before my first paid client. One tip: when you register, you can choose monthly or quarterly filing based on your expected volume. For someone just starting out, quarterly is probably the way to go since the paperwork is less frequent. You can always change it later if your business grows. Also, don't forget to factor the sales tax into your pricing! I initially forgot to do this and was basically eating the tax cost myself for the first month.
In Florida, you're technically required to register for sales tax collection before making your first taxable sale - there's no minimum threshold. However, in practice, many small service providers don't register until they're consistently earning income. That said, I'd strongly recommend registering early because it's free and shows you're operating legitimately. Plus, if you get audited later, you want to show you were compliant from the start. The registration process only takes about 15-20 minutes online and you can set up quarterly filing if your sales volume is low. Better to be safe than sorry with state tax agencies!
Join the conversation
anybody know if u need to update all ur payment providers (paypal, venmo etc) if u switch from SSN to EIN? dealing with this headache right now
Yes! You absolutely need to update them all. I didn't update my Stripe account after getting an EIN and ended up with a tax notice because the income was reported under my SSN but I filed with my EIN. Total nightmare to fix.
As someone who just went through this exact situation, I'd recommend sticking with your EIN. The identity protection benefit alone is worth it - you're not giving your SSN to every client you work with. The maiden name/married name issue is actually pretty straightforward. When you file your taxes, you'll use your married name on your 1040 form, but on Schedule C (where you report your business income), you'll list your business name as "Jane Smith DBA Jane Doe" (using your actual names obviously). The IRS sees this connection all the time. Since you already have the EIN set up and submitted one W-9 with it, I'd just continue using it consistently. It's actually more professional looking than an SSN on business forms. The only thing I'd suggest is making sure you update all your payment processors (PayPal, Stripe, etc.) to use the EIN instead of your SSN if you haven't already - learned that lesson the hard way! Don't overthink it - both are valid options, but the EIN gives you better privacy protection for your contracting work.
Join the conversation
Wait wait wait I'm confused. You're saying you filed your 2023 taxes in December 2024? You do realize that was way after the deadline right?
I had an extension until October 15th, but I was dealing with a family emergency so I filed a bit late. Since I'm owed a refund there's no penalty, I just had to wait longer to get my money.
Ah ok that makes sense. Sorry to hear about the family emergency. Hope you get this sorted soon.
I work as a tax professional and see this "RETURN NOT PRESENT" issue frequently. Here's what's likely happening: Your return passed TurboTax's initial validation checks (hence the "accepted" message), but it either got stuck in the IRS processing queue or was silently rejected for a secondary issue. The filing status showing "Head of Household" is just carry-over data from your previous year's return - it doesn't mean they received your 2023 return. My recommendations: 1. Call TurboTax and ask for your exact transmission confirmation number and timestamp 2. Request they verify the return actually left their system and wasn't caught in a transmission error 3. If TurboTax confirms transmission, you'll need to contact the IRS directly (I know it's difficult) 4. Consider filing a paper return as a backup, but mark it clearly as a duplicate to avoid processing delays Since you mentioned using their refund advance service, that adds another layer of complexity. The bank partner may have encountered an issue during their submission process. Definitely worth investigating that angle first. Don't panic - this is more common than you'd think, especially with late filings. It's frustrating but usually resolvable once you identify where the breakdown occurred.
Daniel Washington
One thing nobody's mentioned - don't forget about state filings for your S-corp! Depending on your state, you might need to file separate state returns for both your S-corp and personal taxes. TurboTax Business handles most state S-corp returns, but the process can be even more confusing than federal. Also, if you do business in multiple states or have nexus issues, self-filing gets complicated real quick. My S-corp operates in two states and I tried doing it myself last year... ended up giving up and hiring an accountant midway through.
0 coins
Aurora Lacasse
•This is such an important point. I'm in California and the state S-corp filing has requirements that don't exist at the federal level. There's also an $800 minimum franchise tax that surprised me my first year.
0 coins
GalaxyGuardian
I successfully filed both my 1120-S and 1040 myself using TurboTax for the past two years. As a single-member S-corp, it's definitely manageable, but here are some key things that helped me: The biggest challenge isn't the software - TurboTax does a good job with the guided questions. The real work is in preparation. Make sure you have your books reconciled properly before you start. I use QuickBooks and export my P&L and Balance Sheet directly, which saves tons of time. One mistake I made my first year was not keeping proper documentation for business expenses. The IRS wants to see business purpose for everything, especially for home office deductions and travel expenses. Now I keep a simple spreadsheet with receipts and business justification throughout the year. The reasonable compensation issue is real - I research industry salary surveys for my role and document my reasoning. Better to err on the side of paying yourself a bit more in salary than dealing with IRS scrutiny later. Overall, I save about $1,000 annually doing it myself, and I feel much more in control of my tax situation. Just budget extra time your first year and don't wait until the last minute!
0 coins