Make sure to request a detailed breakdown from the insurance company showing exactly how they calculated the cash value and surrender charges. I found an error in mine where they were applying the wrong surrender schedule based on my employment termination date. Got back an extra $12k! Sometimes these corporate policies have specific provisions about reduced surrender charges for involuntary terminations or if you left for specific reasons.

I went through almost the exact same situation last year with a $180k policy transfer. The tax hit is brutal - you're right that you have to pay taxes on the full cash value even though you'll net less after surrender fees. One thing that helped me was working with a fee-only financial advisor who specialized in executive benefits. They helped me explore whether keeping the policy for a few more years might actually make financial sense, even with the high premiums. In my case, the death benefit was still valuable for my family's financial planning, and the tax-deferred growth potential offset some of the premium costs. Also, definitely get that detailed breakdown others mentioned. My insurance company initially miscalculated my surrender charges because they didn't account for some employer contributions that had different vesting schedules. Saved me about $8k when we caught their error. The whole situation sucks from a cash flow perspective since you're paying taxes on money you might not keep, but at least you'll have clarity after meeting with your accountant. Make sure they're familiar with IRC Section 83 and corporate life insurance transfers - not all CPAs deal with these regularly.

Maybe try reaching out to your local congressperson's office? They sometimes have liaisons who can help with IRS issues.

just dont pay taxes problem solved 🤡

Another option worth mentioning - if you filed through a tax preparer last year (like H&R Block, Jackson Hewitt, etc.), they're required to keep copies of your return for at least 3 years. Even if you went to a small local office, they should have your 2022 return on file. You can call or visit the same location where you filed and request a copy. They'll need to verify your identity (usually with your SSN and some basic info), but this might be easier than dealing with the IRS systems that aren't designed for minors. Also, just to clarify something from earlier comments - even if your parents claimed you as a dependent, you would still file your own separate 1040 if you had income over $400 (or $5 if it was unearned income like interest). So at $3800 from your job, you almost certainly did file your own return last year, it just wouldn't affect your parents' ability to claim you as a dependent.

Quick update for anyone following this thread - I wanted to share what ended up working for me! After reading all the suggestions here, I started with the easiest option: asking my dad to check his TurboTax account. Turns out he still had access to my 2022 return that we filed through his account last year. He was able to download and print a copy for me within 5 minutes. For anyone else in a similar situation as a minor trying to get previous tax documents: 1. Check if your parents have digital copies first (easiest!) 2. Contact the tax preparer you used (they keep records for years) 3. Call the IRS transcript line at 800-908-9946 for mail delivery 4. Use services like Claimyr if you need to actually speak with an IRS agent Thanks to everyone who helped out - this community is awesome! Now I can finally finish filing my current year return without any more roadblocks.

Has your new CPA filed the missing returns yet? This is super important! Even while you're fighting the penalties, you need to get those past returns filed ASAP to stop additional penalties from accruing. Each month adds more to what you owe. Also, check if you were actually due a refund for either of those years. If you were, you might be facing a smaller penalty than you think once everything is properly calculated. But there's a 3-year deadline for claiming refunds, so don't delay!

I went through almost the exact same situation two years ago with a negligent tax preparer who failed to file my 2019 and 2020 returns. The IRS hit me with over $7,000 in penalties and I was absolutely panicked. Here's what worked for me: I immediately had my new CPA file the missing returns (this stops additional penalties from accumulating). Then we prepared a detailed penalty abatement request using Form 843, including every email, text, and payment record showing I had repeatedly tried to get the original preparer to file on time. The key is documenting your "reasonable cause" - you need to show you made good faith efforts to comply but were prevented by circumstances beyond your control. Your email trail asking for the filings will be crucial evidence. I also filed a complaint with my state's board of accountancy and sent a demand letter to the CPA's professional liability insurance. While the board complaint is still pending, his insurance company actually settled and covered most of the penalties to avoid a lawsuit. Don't give up! The IRS does approve these requests when you have solid documentation. It took about 6 weeks, but they abated about 80% of my penalties. The whole experience was a nightmare, but there definitely are ways to fight this.

Just wanted to say that this is why I hate being a contractor sometimes. Was dealing with virtually identical issue with parking at SFO for client visits. I ended up just using Uber/Lyft instead and expensing those directly. Worked out to roughly the same cost as airport parking for 3-4 day trips but much cleaner from a tax perspective since they're clearly business expenses.

This is exactly the kind of confusing contractor situation that makes tax season a nightmare! I've been dealing with similar reimbursement issues for years. What really helped me was getting everything documented properly - not just keeping receipts, but also creating a paper trail showing that these were legitimate business expenses being reimbursed, not additional income. One thing I learned the hard way: make sure you're consistent about how you handle these expenses year over year. The IRS doesn't like it when contractors flip-flop between claiming expenses as deductions versus treating reimbursements as income. Pick a method and stick with it. In your case, since they're already issuing the 1099-NEC with the reimbursements included, you're pretty much locked into reporting it as income and then deducting the expenses. Also, consider having a conversation with your client about setting up a proper accountable plan for next year. If they require you to submit receipts and reimburse exact amounts, those shouldn't be appearing on your 1099 at all. It might save both of you some headaches down the road.