I'm so sorry for your loss, Liv. I went through this exact situation when my uncle passed away last year, and the whole certified copy vs transcript confusion is incredibly frustrating when you're already dealing with so much. One thing I wish someone had told me upfront: make sure to send your Form 4506 package via certified mail with return receipt requested, and keep the tracking number. The IRS processing centers can be slow to acknowledge receipt, and having that proof of delivery gave me peace of mind during the long wait period. Also, I'd recommend setting up a simple calendar reminder system for yourself. Mark the date you mail everything, then set reminders at 30 days, 60 days, and 70 days to check on status if needed. The waiting is agonizing when you're trying to settle an estate, but having those check-in points helped me feel more in control of the process. All the advice here about Form 4506 (not 4506-T), Form 56, and the $43 fee per year is spot-on. The hardest part really is just getting through the wait, but everyone who follows the proper steps does eventually get their certified copies. You're asking all the right questions and you'll get through this.

I'm so sorry for your loss, Liv. I went through this exact same process when my mother passed away two years ago, and I completely understand how overwhelming it can feel when you're trying to navigate IRS requirements while grieving. Everyone here has given excellent advice about Form 4506 and the certified copy process. I wanted to add one more tip that helped me avoid a costly mistake: before you submit everything, double-check that your father actually filed a return for 2023. If he passed away early in 2024, his final return might not have been filed yet, which would mean there's no 2023 return on file with the IRS to certify. If that's the case, you might need to file his final return first (Form 1041 for the estate and possibly an amended 1040 for him personally) before you can request certified copies. Your probate attorney should be able to clarify what specific tax years you need and whether all the returns have actually been filed. Also, I'd suggest asking your attorney if they need certified copies of both federal AND state returns - some estate processes require both, and it's much easier to handle everything at once rather than discovering later that you need additional documentation. The process is definitely tedious, but you're asking all the right questions. Having a clear checklist and timeline like others have mentioned will help you stay organized during what's already a difficult time.

I'm in a similar situation right now! My SBTPG just switched to funded status about an hour ago and I'm also banking with Chase. Based on what everyone's saying here, it sounds like I should expect to see the deposit sometime between midnight and 6am tomorrow morning. Really appreciate all the detailed timelines people have shared - it's so much more helpful than the vague "1-2 business days" you get from customer service. Going to try to resist the urge to check my app every 10 minutes tonight! 😅

I went through this exact same process with Chase and SBTPG about 6 weeks ago. Once SBTPG shows "funded" status, Chase typically processes the deposit overnight during their batch runs around 3-4am EST. In my case, SBTPG showed funded at 1:47pm on a Wednesday, and the money appeared in my Chase account at 3:22am Thursday morning. One thing to watch for - Chase sometimes shows these deposits in your pending transactions section before they become available, usually around 11pm-midnight the same day. You can find this under "Account Details" then "Pending Transactions" in the mobile app. This will at least confirm the deposit is coming even if you can't access the funds yet. Since you mentioned business purchases, I'd plan for the funds to be available tomorrow morning but have a backup plan just in case there are any processing delays. Chase is generally reliable with tax refund timing, but I always recommend not counting on same-day availability for important expenses.

Don't forget about state requirements! The federal tax treatment as a disregarded entity doesn't necessarily mean your state treats it the same way. Here in California, even single-member LLCs have to pay an $800 annual tax regardless of profit, plus an LLC fee based on gross receipts if over $250,000.

Your cousin is definitely on the right track worrying about deadlines, but she can breathe a little easier! As a single-member LLC, she's considered a "disregarded entity" by the IRS, which means no Form 1065 needed - just Schedule C with her personal return by the April deadline. Even without profit, filing Schedule C is still important because she can deduct business expenses and potentially carry forward any losses to offset future income. Make sure she keeps detailed records of all business expenses like office supplies, equipment, business meals, etc. One thing to watch out for - while federal filing is straightforward with Schedule C, each state has its own LLC requirements. Some states require annual reports or have minimum taxes regardless of profit level. She should check her state's Secretary of State website to make sure she's not missing any state-specific deadlines or filings.

This is really helpful information! I'm in a similar boat - I've been doing freelance graphic design work and selling prints on Etsy, made about $3,200 this year. I had no idea about the $400 threshold for self-employment tax vs the $600 for 1099 forms - that's a crucial distinction that I think a lot of people get confused about. One thing I'm still unclear on though - when you mention deducting business expenses, do you need to have receipts for everything? I bought a lot of art supplies throughout the year but didn't always keep receipts for smaller purchases. Also, if I use my personal laptop for both design work and personal stuff, can I deduct a portion of that as a business expense? Thanks for breaking this down so clearly - definitely makes the whole process seem less overwhelming!

Just to add another perspective - I've been doing freelance illustration and selling handmade pottery for about 3 years now. The transition from regular W-2 employment to dealing with self-employment taxes was definitely a learning curve, but it's totally manageable once you get the hang of it. A few practical tips that helped me: - Set aside 25-30% of your side income in a separate savings account for taxes. This way you won't be scrambling to pay when tax time comes. - Use a simple spreadsheet or app to track income and expenses monthly - don't wait until the end of the year! - Take photos of all your receipts immediately and store them in a dedicated folder on your phone/cloud storage. The good news is that creative businesses often have lots of legitimate deductions that can significantly reduce your tax burden. Art supplies, craft materials, booth fees for markets, even business meals with clients - it all adds up. Just make sure everything is actually used for your business and keep good records. Don't let the tax stuff discourage you from pursuing your creative side income - it's really not as complicated as it seems at first!

I'm currently going through something similar with a different type of notice, and what I've learned is that the IRS systems are frustratingly inconsistent. From my experience, CP2000 notices specifically seem to have the longest delay before appearing online - sometimes they never show up at all in your online account. The transcript method that Rita mentioned is definitely your best bet for getting ahead of this. I'd also recommend calling your local post office to confirm your address is correct in their system, since address mix-ups seem to be more common than we'd expect. Don't rely solely on the online account for something this important - the physical mail is still their primary method for these types of notices.

Based on everyone's experiences here, it sounds like the IRS mail/online integration is unfortunately hit-or-miss. For CP2000 notices specifically, I'd recommend a multi-pronged approach: 1) Check your transcript weekly using Rita's method to watch for transaction codes, 2) Verify your address is current with both the IRS and USPS, and 3) Don't panic if it takes longer than the 10 days they quoted - mail delivery times have been inconsistent lately. The transcript will likely show activity before you receive the physical notice, which should give you a heads up to prepare your medical expense documentation. Keep checking both systems, but definitely don't rely solely on the online account for something this important.