Has anyone tried using the IRS Taxpayer Assistance Centers for help with business returns? I know they primarily focus on individual taxes, but I'm wondering if they could help with a simple inactive 1120 filing.

I went through this exact same situation with my dormant LLC that got converted to a corporation right before COVID hit. One thing I learned that might help - if your corporation truly has had zero activity since formation, you may want to check if your state considers it "never commenced business" which could affect both your state and federal filing requirements. For the federal 1120, paper filing is definitely your cheapest option at zero cost beyond postage. Make sure to check Box G on page 1 if this is a final return, or leave it unchecked if you plan to potentially reactivate later. The IRS actually processes tons of these zero-activity corporate returns, so don't worry about it being unusual. Also worth noting - if you're planning to stay inactive for multiple years, the ongoing compliance costs (both federal and state) might exceed the cost of dissolution and reformation later. Delaware franchise taxes alone can add up quickly for dormant entities.

I'm dealing with almost the exact same situation right now! Filed my taxes in early February with direct deposit to my old bank account that's still under my maiden name (got married 8 months ago but never updated the account name). I've been losing sleep over this for the past week wondering if my refund is going to get lost somewhere in the system. Reading through everyone's experiences here has been such a relief. It sounds like this is way more common than I thought, and the success rate seems really high based on what people are sharing. I called my bank yesterday to confirm my SSN is properly linked to the account despite the name difference, and they assured me it shouldn't be an issue. The waiting is definitely the hardest part! I've been checking Where's My Refund multiple times a day. Currently showing as "approved" so hopefully that means I'm in the clear and should see the deposit soon. Thanks to everyone who shared their experiences - this community has been incredibly helpful for a newcomer like me trying to navigate tax season with a recent name change!

As someone who just went through this exact situation a few months ago, I wanted to share my experience to hopefully ease your worries! I filed my taxes in January with direct deposit going to my checking account that was still under my maiden name (got married last year but kept putting off updating the account name). I panicked when I realized what I'd done, but after calling both my bank and doing some research, I learned that this is incredibly common. The banking system primarily matches deposits using your routing number, account number, and SSN - not the name on the account. My refund came through perfectly on schedule about 18 days after filing. No delays, no issues, no paper check needed. The bank representative told me they handle these name mismatch situations all the time and rarely reject deposits as long as the account numbers are correct and the SSN matches. Since you already confirmed with Credit Karma that your SSN is linked to the account, you should be all set! The fact that so many people in this thread have had successful outcomes with the same situation should give you confidence. Try not to stress too much - the system is designed to handle these common life situations like name changes after marriage.

If you're in California, don't forget to file your state taxes too! They go to a completely different address: Franchise Tax Board PO Box 942840 Sacramento, CA 94240-0001 I made that mistake once thinking they were somehow connected.

The confusion about mailing addresses is totally understandable - the IRS has been consolidating processing centers and the information online isn't always updated consistently. For California residents filing prior year returns without payment, the current address should be: Department of the Treasury Internal Revenue Service Ogden, UT 84201-0002 However, this can vary depending on the specific tax year you're filing for. For returns older than 2019, you might need to use the Austin, TX center instead. My advice: Before you mail anything, try calling the IRS at 1-800-829-1040 to confirm the correct address for your specific situation and tax year. Yes, the wait times are brutal, but it's worth the peace of mind to know you're sending it to the right place. Make sure to send it certified mail with return receipt so you have proof of delivery. Also, definitely include a cover letter clearly stating which tax year you're filing for and write the tax year prominently on your Form 1040. This helps prevent processing delays.

Just want to add another important point - make sure you write "Prior Year Return - [Tax Year]" in big letters on the top of your 1040 form and on the outside of the envelope. This helps ensure it gets routed to the right department at the IRS processing center. And definitely use trackable shipping! I learned this lesson the hard way when the IRS claimed they never received my 2019 return, and I had no proof of delivery.

I'm also in California and had to file a prior year return last month. I sent mine to the Ogden, Utah address that others mentioned, and got my refund about 6 weeks later, so can confirm that's correct. One thing to note - prior year paper returns take FOREVER to process compared to current year e-filed returns. The IRS is still catching up on their backlog, so be prepared to wait 3-4 months minimum. If you're expecting a refund, don't count on seeing that money anytime soon!

Has anyone used the IRS's Direct Pay system for estimated payments? I'm about to submit my Q2 payment (late, I know) and wondering if there's anything I should know before using it. Does it automatically apply the payment to the right quarter? I'm now second guessing all my calculations after reading this thread about the publication issues.

I ran into this exact same issue last month! The Publication 505 worksheets are definitely confusing when you have irregular income starting mid-year. I found that the problem with line 10 on Worksheet 2-3 is that it assumes you've already calculated certain figures that might not apply to your situation. Here's what worked for me: I focused primarily on Worksheet 2-7 since that's specifically designed for annualized income calculations. When it sends you to other worksheets, I only used the relevant portions and ignored the parts that created circular references. For Q2 with income starting then, make sure you're using the 2.4 multiplier (12 months ÷ 5 months from February through June) rather than the standard 4. This was the key mistake I was making initially. Also, don't feel bad about considering tax software at this point - sometimes it's worth paying for the peace of mind that the calculations are correct, especially when the IRS's own instructions are this confusing!