I went through this exact same nightmare last year! The hyphenated last name is almost certainly your issue. Here's what finally worked for me: First, try entering your name in ID.me exactly as it appears on your most recent tax return if you have a copy. Even if your parents filed it, your name should appear consistently with how the IRS has it stored. If you don't have that, here are the variations to try with your hyphenated name: - With the hyphen: "Smith-Jones" - Without the hyphen but with a space: "Smith Jones" - Without the hyphen, no space: "SmithJones" - Sometimes they store it as two separate last names Also, make sure you're using your full legal first name, not a nickname. If your birth certificate says "Elizabeth" but you go by "Liz," use Elizabeth. The other thing that helped me was checking my credit report first - sometimes the way your name appears there matches how it's stored in government databases, since they often cross-reference the same sources. Don't panic about the deadline! You can always file for an extension if needed, and like someone else mentioned, you can enter "0" for prior year AGI if you absolutely can't retrieve it. The IRS would rather have your return with a small processing delay than not have it at all.

I went through this exact same issue a few months ago and it was incredibly frustrating! The ID.me error 6001 is definitely a name formatting mismatch between what you entered and what the IRS has on file. Since you mentioned you have a hyphenated last name, that's almost certainly the culprit. Government systems are notoriously inconsistent about how they handle special characters like hyphens. Some store them, others strip them out, and some replace them with spaces. Here's what I'd recommend trying first before calling anyone: 1. Try your name with the hyphen, without the hyphen (as one word), and with a space instead of the hyphen 2. Make sure you're using your full legal first name exactly as it appears on official documents, not any nicknames 3. Double-check that you're not accidentally adding extra spaces anywhere If those don't work, calling the IRS at 1-800-829-1040 is actually your best bet. Yes, the wait times are terrible, but they can verify your identity using other information and tell you exactly how your name appears in their system. I ended up having to do this and the agent was actually very helpful once I got through. Don't stress too much about the deadline - you can always file for an extension if needed, and entering "0" for prior year AGI won't prevent you from filing. The IRS deals with these verification issues constantly during tax season.

OMG I'm going through this RIGHT NOW too! 😫 I got my review letter on April 2nd and sent EVERYTHING they asked for the very next day. Still NOTHING! I'm so stressed because I need this money for summer childcare deposits due by June 1st! Has anyone tried calling the Taxpayer Advocate Service instead of regular IRS? I heard they can sometimes help if you have a financial hardship situation? I'm afraid if I wait the full 60 days they're saying it might take, I'll lose my childcare spot!

I'm in a similar situation - got my review letter about 3 weeks ago for mortgage interest verification and submitted everything through their online portal. The waiting is definitely nerve-wracking! From what I've read here and other forums, it seems like the 45-60 day timeframe is pretty standard, but it's encouraging to see some people getting theirs faster. I've been checking my transcript weekly (probably more than I should) but haven't seen any movement yet. @Jamal Brown - regarding the Taxpayer Advocate Service, I believe they can help if you can demonstrate financial hardship, especially with time-sensitive obligations like childcare deposits. It might be worth calling them since you have a specific deadline. For the rest of us, sounds like patience is the key, though I know that's easier said than done when you're waiting for your refund!

Has anyone here actually gotten audited for Schedule C stuff? I'm paranoid about reporting things wrong and getting in trouble with the IRS. I'm only making like $12k a year from my side gig.

Don't worry too much about getting audited, especially at your income level. The IRS typically focuses audit resources on much higher earners or businesses with obvious red flags. At $12k annually, you're pretty low on their priority list. That said, it's still smart to keep good records - just don't let audit paranoia prevent you from claiming legitimate deductions you're entitled to. I see too many small business owners leave money on the table because they're scared. A few tips to stay out of trouble: - Keep receipts for everything you deduct - Don't round numbers to nice even amounts - Make sure your business expenses are reasonable compared to your income - Be conservative on gray areas like mixed personal/business use items The key is being able to substantiate what you claim. If you can prove your deductions with documentation, you're in good shape even if they do ask questions.

As someone who just joined this community after purchasing my first EV, I have to say this thread has been incredibly educational! I was in the exact same boat as the original poster - heard about the $7,500 credit but had no clue how it actually worked. The distinction between reducing tax liability versus adding to your refund was the key insight I was missing. I kept thinking it would just be $7,500 added on top of whatever refund I was expecting, but now I understand it's more about how much you actually owe in taxes to begin with. What's really eye-opening is learning about all the qualification complexities that came with the recent rule changes. Between the assembly location requirements, battery component sourcing, income limits, and the split-credit structure, it's definitely more complicated than I initially thought. I'm definitely going to follow the advice about checking my previous year's "Total Tax" line and keeping detailed documentation. Thanks to everyone who shared their experiences and resources - this community seems like a great place for newcomers to get real-world guidance on these confusing tax situations!

As a newcomer to this community and EV ownership, I've been following this thread closely and it's been incredibly helpful! I just bought my first electric vehicle and was completely confused about how the tax credit would work. What really clicked for me was understanding that this is a "nonrefundable" credit that reduces your tax liability rather than just adding money to your refund. I was initially thinking I'd get $7,500 on top of whatever refund I was expecting, but now I see it's more about how much I actually owe in taxes. The complexity around vehicle qualification is honestly intimidating - between assembly location, battery components, income limits, and all the recent rule changes. But reading everyone's experiences and advice has given me a clear roadmap: check my vehicle's qualification status with the VIN, look at last year's "Total Tax" line to estimate my liability, and keep detailed documentation. I'm particularly grateful for the warnings about software bugs and the recommendation to cross-check calculations manually. As someone who usually does their own taxes, I was planning to just trust TurboTax, but it sounds like the EV credit is complex enough to warrant extra verification. Thanks to everyone who shared their real-world experiences and practical tips - this community is exactly what newcomers like me need when navigating these confusing tax situations!

I've dealt with this exact scenario multiple times, and the good news is that your covered call should definitely qualify for long-term capital gains treatment based on what you've described. The key factors for qualification with short-term options (less than 30 days) are: 1) The option was out-of-the-money when written, and 2) The strike price meets the benchmark requirements for your stock's price range. Since you mentioned it was OTM when written, you should be fine on both counts. What many people don't realize is that the qualification is "locked in" at the time you write the option. The fact that the stock has moved closer to the strike price afterward is completely irrelevant for tax purposes. The IRS looks at the conditions when the option was created, not what happens during its life. I wouldn't recommend buying back the call just for tax reasons - that would likely result in an unnecessary loss with no tax benefit. Your shares have been held for years, so they clearly meet the long-term holding period, and your qualified covered call preserves that treatment. One tip: definitely document the stock price, strike price, and exact date when you wrote the call. I keep a simple spreadsheet for all my options trades with these details, which has been invaluable when my broker's 1099 needed corrections. Most brokers handle basic covered call tax treatment correctly, but having your own records gives you confidence and backup documentation.

I've been in a very similar situation and can confirm what others have said - your covered call should qualify for long-term capital gains treatment. The most important thing to understand is that qualification is determined at the moment you write the option, not based on subsequent price movements. Since you wrote an out-of-the-money call with less than 30 days to expiration, and you've held the underlying shares for years, you should maintain long-term status even if the shares get called away. The fact that the stock has moved closer to your strike price is actually irrelevant for tax purposes. I'd strongly advise against buying back the call just to avoid potential tax issues - that would likely result in an unnecessary loss for no tax benefit. Your situation sounds like a textbook qualified covered call case. One practical tip: make sure to keep records of the exact stock price, strike price, and date when you wrote the call. While most brokers handle covered call tax reporting correctly these days, having your own documentation gives you confidence and serves as backup if any adjustments are needed on your tax return. You're in good shape tax-wise, so don't overthink it!