Don't feel bad, I've been through this every year for 5 years now and still get anxious! Quick tip - set a calendar reminder for early January next year to request tax info from the daycare. Most are prepared for this question in Jan/Feb but get annoyed by April when they've answered it 100 times already. Also, if you're using TurboTax, it actually has a feature where you can look up provider EINs if you used the same daycare last year. Saved me when one of our providers changed ownership and I needed the new EIN.

Great question! I went through this exact same stress last year with my twin boys at two different daycares. Here's what worked for me: Most daycares are totally used to this request, especially during tax season. Just call and say "Hi, I'm preparing my taxes and need your EIN and the total amount I paid for childcare in 2024 for tax reporting purposes." That's it! A few things that helped me: - Call during business hours but not pickup/dropoff times when they're swamped - Have your child's name and your account info ready - Ask if they have a standard form they provide to parents for tax purposes If you paid by credit card or check, your bank statements can help verify the amounts. I actually created a simple spreadsheet tracking all payments which made everything so much easier. Don't overthink it - you're just asking for basic business information that every legitimate childcare provider should readily provide. You've got this!

Something else to consider - there are actually TWO potential tax events here: 1) When you receive the Bitcoin (taxed as gambling income at fair market value) 2) When you eventually sell/exchange the Bitcoin (which could trigger capital gains/losses) Be super careful about documenting the value when you received it so you don't end up paying taxes twice on the same money!

Hey everyone, I'm dealing with a similar situation and this thread has been super helpful! I wanted to add one more thing that might be useful - make sure you're also tracking any fees the casino charged for converting your winnings to Bitcoin. From what I understand, those conversion fees can potentially be deducted as gambling expenses if you itemize deductions (though only up to the amount of your gambling winnings). My social casino charged about $50 in fees for the Bitcoin conversion, which isn't huge but still worth tracking. Also, @NebulaNomad - since your casino is overseas, you might want to double-check if there are any additional reporting requirements for foreign financial accounts. I'm not sure if social casino accounts qualify, but it's worth looking into given the amount you won. Better safe than sorry when it comes to international reporting requirements! Good luck with your taxes - sounds like you've got some great guidance from everyone here!

This is such a helpful thread! I'm dealing with the exact same situation and was getting so confused by all the different advice online. Just to make sure I understand correctly - for a single-member LLC that hasn't elected corporate taxation, I can either: 1. Use my SSN on the W-9 and check the "Individual/sole proprietor or single-member LLC" box, OR 2. Use my EIN on the W-9, check the "Individual/sole proprietor or single-member LLC" box, put my personal name on the "Name" line, and put my LLC name on the "Business name/disregarded entity name" line Is that right? I'm leaning toward option 2 for privacy reasons, but I want to make sure I don't create the same mismatch issues that Connor mentioned. Also, when I send corrected W-9s to clients who already have the wrong version, should I include a brief explanation about the change or just send the new form without explanation?

This thread has been incredibly helpful! I'm a CPA and I see this confusion with single-member LLCs constantly. One thing I'd add is that if you're planning to have employees in the future, you'll definitely need that EIN anyway for payroll purposes, so getting comfortable with using it correctly on W-9s now is good practice. Also, for those worried about the IRS mismatch issues - the key is consistency. If you use your EIN on W-9s, make sure you're reporting that business income on Schedule C of your personal return and that your business name matches what's on file with the IRS for that EIN. The IRS systems are getting better at matching disregarded entity income, but clean record-keeping on your end makes everything smoother. One more tip: keep copies of all the corrected W-9s you send out and maybe a simple spreadsheet tracking which clients got updated forms and when. This documentation can be really helpful if any questions come up later during tax season or if the IRS has any inquiries.

I completely agree with @Zainab Abdulrahman here - this is terrible advice that could get you in serious trouble! @Natasha Romanova, deducting "everything" including rent for a fake home office when you're doing food delivery is exactly the kind of behavior that triggers audits. The IRS has sophisticated algorithms that flag returns with unusually high deduction percentages relative to income. For someone making $400-500/month from delivery work, claiming thousands in questionable deductions will stick out like a sore thumb. And when (not if) you get caught, you'll owe back taxes, interest, penalties, AND potentially face fraud charges. @Miguel Castro, stick with legitimate deductions: mileage using the standard rate, phone bill percentage for business use, insulated bags, and other actual business expenses. Keep detailed records and only claim what you can legitimately defend. It's better to pay a little more in taxes than to risk massive penalties later.

As someone who's been dealing with self-employment taxes for a while, I wanted to add a few practical tips that might help you maximize your legitimate deductions: 1. **Mileage tracking timing**: Start tracking from the moment you leave your house to begin your delivery shift until you return home. This includes driving to your first pickup location and back home from your last delivery. Many drivers miss out on these "deadhead" miles. 2. **Phone expenses**: You can deduct the business percentage of your phone bill since you use it for delivery apps. Keep track of how much time you spend using it for delivery work vs. personal use. 3. **Equipment deductions**: Beyond insulated bags, you can deduct phone mounts, car chargers specifically for work, and even a portion of phone accessories if they're primarily for delivery work. 4. **Quarterly estimated taxes**: Since you're making $400-500/month, you'll likely owe self-employment taxes. Consider making quarterly payments to avoid a big bill (and potential penalties) at year-end. The key is keeping meticulous records for everything you claim. I use a simple spreadsheet to track all business expenses alongside my mileage app. It's saved me during audits and helps me spot deductions I might have missed. Good luck with your side gig!

For anyone still looking for options, I used FreeTaxUSA for my partnership return last year and it was only $69 for the federal Form 1065. Way cheaper than TurboTax ($199) or H&R Block ($149) for the same thing. The interface isn't as slick as the expensive options, but it gets the job done and asks all the right questions. Just make sure you have all your income and expense categories organized before you start.

I went through this exact same situation last year with my small consulting partnership! After researching all the options mentioned here, I ended up using TaxAct Business for around $75, which was a good middle ground between the free manual option and the expensive software. One thing I'd add that really helped me - before you choose any software or method, make sure you understand the difference between guaranteed payments and distributive shares. This tripped me up initially and almost caused me to file incorrectly. The IRS has some good examples in Publication 541 that Malik mentioned. Also, don't forget that partnerships have different deadlines than individual returns - Form 1065 is due March 15th (not April 15th like personal taxes), though you can file for an extension. Since you're filing for 2023, you're already past the original deadline, so you might want to look into late filing penalties and whether you qualify for any exceptions. Good luck with your first partnership return! It's definitely more complex than personal taxes, but once you get through it the first time, future years become much easier.