Just FYI - make sure you're sending these by certified mail with return receipt! I sent FIRPTA forms to the correct address last year but the IRS claimed they never received them. Had no proof and ended up having to resubmit everything and pay penalties. Now I document EVERYTHING with tracking and keep digital copies of all receipts.

Adding to the excellent advice already shared here - I just want to emphasize double-checking the specific requirements in Treas. Reg. 1.897-2(h) before mailing. The regulation requires that the certification include not just the transferor's information, but also a detailed statement about why the transferor believes they qualify for the exception from FIRPTA withholding. I've seen cases where people send the forms to the correct Ogden address but forget to include the required affidavit or supporting documentation, which can delay processing for months. The IRS won't process incomplete submissions and often doesn't send timely rejection notices. Also worth noting - if this is for a certification under section 1.897-2(h)(1) (non-recognition provision), make sure you're including documentation of the qualifying exchange. The requirements are slightly different depending on which subsection applies to your situation.

This post saved me! I was about to mail my FIRPTA cert to the old Philly address today. Quick question - does anyone know if there's a way to submit these electronically yet? Seems ridiculous that we still have to mail physical forms in 2025.

I can confirm the Ogden, UT 84201-0023 address is correct for FIRPTA certificates. I had to deal with this exact situation about 6 months ago when the Philadelphia address stopped working. What really helped me was calling the IRS Practitioner Priority Service line (if you have a PTIN) - they were able to confirm the address change and explain that many international tax form addresses were updated in late 2023/early 2024. One tip: when you send to the Ogden address, make sure your cover letter specifically mentions "Treasury Regulation 1.897-2(h) submission" in the subject line. The IRS processing center told me this helps ensure it gets routed to the right department faster. Also keep detailed records of your mailing - I used certified mail with signature confirmation and kept copies of everything including the tracking receipts. Don't stress too much about the timing issue. As long as you can document your good faith efforts to comply (like the returned mail from Philadelphia), the IRS is generally reasonable about address change situations.

Thanks everyone for the helpful discussion! As someone new to running a small business, this has been really educational. I had no idea that service discounts weren't considered gifts from a tax perspective - I was worried I'd been doing something wrong by offering those client discounts. One follow-up question: if I decide to switch from discounts to actual gifts (like those $25 gift cards mentioned), do I need to report the value of those gifts to the recipients on any tax forms? Or is that only required for larger gifts? I want to make sure I'm handling everything properly on both the giving and receiving ends. Also appreciate the tip about business meals being a better tax strategy than gifts in some cases. Definitely something to consider for my client appreciation efforts going forward!

As a tax professional who's dealt with this exact confusion many times, I wanted to add a few practical tips for small business owners navigating this area: 1. **Keep a simple spreadsheet** tracking any gifts you give throughout the year - recipient name, date, amount, and business purpose. This makes it easy to stay under the $25 limit per person and provides documentation if needed. 2. **Consider the "employee vs. client" distinction** - the $25 limit applies to business gifts to clients/customers, but gifts to employees have different rules (they're generally taxable compensation to the employee with some small exceptions). 3. **Don't overthink promotional items** - things like branded pens, calendars, or other promotional materials that cost less than $4 and have your company name on them aren't subject to the $25 limit at all. The meal strategy mentioned earlier really is smart from both a tax and business development perspective. A $50 dinner with a client gives you a $25 deduction (50% rule) versus a $25 gift card that only gives you a $25 deduction, plus you get valuable relationship-building time. Hope this helps clarify things for fellow small business owners dealing with these same questions!

This is a complex situation that highlights why proper documentation is crucial for professional gambling operations. From a tax compliance perspective, the W2Gs legally belong to whoever's SSN is on the forms - your cousin in this case. However, there are legitimate ways to handle this through proper income attribution. Your cousin will need to report the $83,000 in gambling winnings on his return since the IRS expects to see this income under his SSN. He can then document the transfer of these winnings to you through a formal agreement showing he was acting as your agent. A few critical points to consider: 1. Any federal withholding (typically 24% on jackpots over $5,000) was credited to your cousin's account, which needs to be factored into both returns 2. You'll want to create a written agreement backdated to before the gambling occurred that establishes your cousin was acting as your agent 3. As a professional gambler filing Schedule C, you can deduct your gambling losses and related business expenses against this income I'd strongly recommend consulting with a tax professional who has experience with gambling income attribution. The documentation needs to be bulletproof if either of you gets audited, and the specific reporting mechanics can be tricky to get right on both returns.

Be very careful with this situation - I've seen similar cases get messy during IRS audits. The key issue is that W2Gs create a paper trail directly linking income to your cousin's SSN, so any "transfer" arrangement needs to be rock-solid defensible. A few red flags to avoid: - Don't try to create documentation after the fact that looks suspicious - Make sure any agent agreement reflects the actual relationship that existed when the gambling occurred - Consider that if your cousin owes other taxes or has liens, those W2G withholdings might get applied elsewhere One thing many people miss: your cousin may need to file quarterly estimates going forward since the IRS now expects gambling income under his SSN. Even if he transfers the money to you, the withholding timing can create cash flow issues. Also worth noting - if you're truly operating as a professional gambler, you should already have systems in place to avoid these complications. Most pros I know never let others physically trigger jackpots with their money specifically because of these tax attribution nightmares.

This thread has been incredibly enlightening! As someone who's been wrestling with a similar decision for my small marketing agency, I really appreciate all the real-world experiences shared here. One thing I wanted to add that might be helpful - I recently attended a small business tax seminar where the speaker emphasized that the IRS has been increasingly scrutinizing Section 179 deductions on luxury vehicles, especially in industries where the business necessity isn't immediately obvious. They mentioned that auditors are specifically trained to look for patterns where business owners are trying to "lifestyle upgrade" through tax deductions. What really struck me from this discussion is how many hidden complexities there are beyond just the basic math. The insurance costs, cash flow timing, recapture risks, documentation requirements - it's way more involved than I initially thought. Based on everything I've read here, I think I'm going to follow @77200260064f's advice about starting smaller. Maybe I'll look at a used F-150 or similar vehicle in the $25-35k range to get comfortable with the documentation process and understand my real usage patterns before even considering something as significant as a Cybertruck purchase. The 6-month usage logging trial that several people mentioned also seems like an absolute must-do. I suspect I'd find that my actual business use is lower than I think it would be, especially once I factor in that novelty effect where everyone wants to check out the cool new truck! Thanks to everyone who shared their experiences - this is exactly the kind of practical advice you can't get from just reading IRS publications.

This has been an absolutely fantastic thread to read through! As a new business owner who was considering a similar vehicle purchase, I've learned so much from everyone's real-world experiences and professional insights. What really stands out to me is how this discussion evolved from a simple question about Section 179 math into a comprehensive analysis of business necessity, cash flow management, audit risks, and practical implementation challenges. The recurring theme seems to be that the tax benefits should be secondary to legitimate business need. A few key takeaways that really resonated with me: 1. The 6-month usage logging trial is brilliant and seems essential before any major vehicle purchase 2. Starting with a less expensive qualifying vehicle to learn the documentation requirements is smart risk management 3. The "audit-ready" approach from day one is crucial - not just meeting minimums but building bulletproof documentation 4. Total cost of ownership analysis (including insurance, maintenance, financing) is just as important as the Section 179 benefits I'm particularly grateful for the honest perspectives from people who've actually been through IRS audits on vehicle deductions. That real-world insight about documentation requirements and scrutiny levels is invaluable. For anyone else reading this thread in the future - this is a masterclass in thorough business decision-making. The consensus advice to focus on business necessity first, get professional tax guidance, and build experience with smaller purchases before going for something like a Cybertruck seems spot-on. Thanks to everyone who took the time to share their experiences and expertise!