


Ask the community...
Pro tip: Go to your local tax office in person if you can. I did that last week and they helped me right away. Better than waiting on hold forever.
this is the way. got mine sorted in 20 mins doing this
I went through this exact same thing last month! Had the same verification message for 7 weeks before it finally cleared. The key is definitely calling - I got through on my third try by calling right at 8 AM when they open. The rep told me that the verification process has been taking 6-8 weeks this year due to new fraud prevention measures, but once you hit that 6 week mark you can request an expedited review. They were actually really helpful and my refund was released 3 days after I called. Don't give up!
That's so reassuring to hear! 7 weeks sounds rough but glad you finally got it sorted. Did you have to provide any additional documentation when you called for the expedited review, or did they just move it along based on the timeframe? I'm definitely calling first thing Monday morning now šŖ
I went through a similar situation with our community tennis facility a few years ago. The key issue we faced was proving that our primary purpose was charitable rather than recreational. What really helped us was documenting everything - we created detailed records showing how much time, resources, and revenue was dedicated to our charitable programs versus general operations. The IRS wants to see that charitable activities aren't just a side benefit but are central to your mission. For your golf course, I'd suggest quantifying your community impact: How many kids participate in your youth programs? What's your scholarship program like? Do you offer free or reduced-rate access for seniors, veterans, or low-income families? The more you can demonstrate measurable community benefit, the stronger your 501(c)(3) case becomes. Also, make sure your articles of incorporation and bylaws explicitly state your charitable purposes using IRS-approved language. We had to amend ours to be more specific about our educational and charitable objectives rather than just saying we "serve the community.
This is really solid advice about documenting everything! I'm curious - when you were quantifying your community impact, did you track things like volunteer hours from members or just the direct beneficiaries? We have a lot of members who volunteer to help with our youth programs, and I'm wondering if that adds to our charitable activity calculation or if the IRS only cares about the people being served. Also, did you have to restructure your fee system at all? Right now we charge everyone the same rates, but I'm wondering if offering sliding scale fees for low-income families would strengthen our case.
Great question about volunteer hours! We tracked both - the IRS appreciates seeing volunteer engagement as it demonstrates community support for your charitable mission. Document the volunteer hours with specific activities (coaching, maintenance for youth areas, fundraising for scholarships, etc.) and assign reasonable hourly values based on what you'd pay for similar services. For the fee structure, we didn't completely overhaul ours but we did implement a formal scholarship program and documented sliding scale options. The key is making it official policy rather than informal discounts. We created an application process for reduced fees based on income guidelines, similar to what schools use for free/reduced lunch programs. The IRS looks favorably on structured programs that serve those who couldn't otherwise afford access. Even if only 10-15% of your users qualify for reduced rates, having it as a formal program with clear eligibility criteria shows commitment to your charitable purpose. Just make sure to track usage and impact - how many scholarship recipients participated, what programs they accessed, and any measurable outcomes.
As someone who works in nonprofit compliance, I'd recommend getting professional help with your IRS application. Golf courses face unique challenges for 501(c)(3) status because the IRS scrutinizes recreational facilities heavily. The biggest hurdle you'll face is the "private benefit" test - if your course primarily serves golfers who can afford green fees rather than truly serving charitable purposes, the IRS will likely deny your application. You need to demonstrate that charitable activities are your primary purpose, not just a secondary benefit. Consider this approach: restructure your programs so that at least 60-70% of your course time and resources support clearly charitable activities. This might mean dedicating specific days/times exclusively to youth programs, adaptive golf for disabled individuals, or veteran therapy programs. Document everything with participant numbers, volunteer hours, and measurable community impact. Also review your bylaws carefully - they need to include specific "charitable purposes" language and dissolution clauses that meet IRS requirements. Many state nonprofits fail federal review because their governing documents don't align with federal standards. The separate foundation approach others mentioned is actually quite common and might be your best bet if restructuring the main operation isn't feasible. This lets you maintain normal golf operations while creating a clear charitable arm for grants and tax-deductible donations.
This is incredibly helpful - the 60-70% threshold gives us a concrete target to work toward! I'm wondering about the documentation requirements you mentioned. When you say "measurable community impact," what specific metrics does the IRS typically want to see? We're already tracking participant numbers for our youth programs, but should we also be documenting things like skill improvement, academic performance of student participants, or health outcomes for our senior programs? And how detailed do the volunteer hour records need to be - is a simple log sufficient or do we need sworn statements? The private benefit test concern really hits home for us. Right now our general membership probably makes up about 80% of course usage, so we definitely need to flip those numbers if we want to pursue 501(c)(3) status.
Does anyone know if TurboTax handles the calculation of depreciation automatically? I hate math and am terrified of getting this wrong!
Yes, TurboTax will calculate the depreciation for you! You just need to enter the original purchase price of the home, the value when you converted it to a rental, and what percentage is attributable to the building (land isn't depreciable). It's actually pretty straightforward in the rental property section.
Just want to add something that might help - when you're calculating what percentage of your home's value is attributable to the building vs land (for depreciation purposes), you can usually find this info on your county tax assessor's website. They typically break down the assessed value between land and improvements. Also, since this was your primary residence before becoming a rental, make sure you're using the lower of either your original cost basis or the fair market value when you converted it to rental use. This is called the "conversion rule" and can actually save you money if your home decreased in value between when you bought it and when you started renting it out. One last tip - keep really good records of any improvements or repairs you make while it's a rental property. Capital improvements get added to your basis and depreciated, while repairs and maintenance are immediately deductible. The distinction can make a big difference on your taxes!
I had this issue too! It's because companies often issue separate W-2s when their payroll systems change or when you switch departments. All totally normal. The thing that helped me was to add up the box 1 wages from all three W-2s and make sure it matched what I actually earned for the year. If the total seems right, you're probably good to go!
Pro tip: also check that the final pay stub of the year matches roughly with the total of all your W-2s (accounting for pre-tax deductions). That's how I caught that my employer missed one of my W-2s one year!
This is actually more common than you might think! I had a similar situation a few years ago when my company switched payroll systems mid-year. The key thing to remember is that each W-2 represents a different period of employment, even though it's the same employer. You're doing it right by entering each W-2 separately in your tax software. The IRS expects to see all three forms reported individually on your return, and your software will automatically combine the totals for your overall tax calculation. One thing I'd suggest is double-checking that the total income across all three W-2s ($12,800 + $19,500 + $25,700 = $57,000) matches what you think you earned for the year. If it seems off, you might want to compare it against your final pay stub or contact your HR department. Don't worry about audits - having multiple W-2s from the same employer due to position changes is completely legitimate and the IRS sees this frequently. Just make sure you enter each form exactly as it appears and you'll be fine!
This is really helpful! I'm in a similar boat but with only 2 W-2s from the same employer. Quick question - when you say to check against your final pay stub, should I be looking at just the gross pay total or also matching up the federal withholding amounts? My withholding seems to be split oddly between the two W-2s and I want to make sure I'm not missing anything important.
Xan Dae
The IRS is such a joke fr like how we supposed to know whats going on if they dont even show us our transcripts š¤”
0 coins
Fiona Gallagher
ā¢ong they living in 1985 while we out here in 2025 smh
0 coins
NebulaNova
Same thing happened to me last month! It's super frustrating but totally normal. The IRS systems are just slow to update transcripts even after acceptance. I'd give it another week or two before worrying. If you need to check your refund status in the meantime, try the "Where's My Refund" tool on the IRS website - that usually updates faster than transcripts do.
0 coins
Mei Wong
ā¢This is really helpful, thanks! I'm in a similar situation - filed 3 weeks ago and getting anxious about the transcript not showing up yet. Good to know the "Where's My Refund" tool updates faster, I'll definitely check that out while I wait for the transcript to populate š
0 coins