Can't reach IRS? Claimyr connects you to a live IRS agent in minutes.
Claimyr is a pay-as-you-go service. We do not charge a recurring subscription.
Using Claimyr will:
- Connect you to a human agent at the IRS
- Skip the long phone menu
- Call the correct department
- Redial until on hold
- Forward a call to your phone with reduced hold time
- Give you free callbacks if the IRS drops your call
If I could give 10 stars I would
If I could give 10 stars I would If I could give 10 stars I would Such an amazing service so needed during the times when EDD almost never picks up Claimyr gets me on the phone with EDD every time without fail faster. A much needed service without Claimyr I would have never received the payment I needed to support me during my postpartum recovery. Thank you so much Claimyr!
Really made a difference
Really made a difference, save me time and energy from going to a local office for making the call.
Worth not wasting your time calling for hours.
Was a bit nervous or untrusting at first, but my calls went thru. First time the wait was a bit long but their customer chat line on their page was helpful and put me at ease that I would receive my call. Today my call dropped because of EDD and Claimyr heard my concern on the same chat and another call was made within the hour.
An incredibly helpful service
An incredibly helpful service! Got me connected to a CA EDD agent without major hassle (outside of EDD's agents dropping calls ā which Claimyr has free protection for). If you need to file a new claim and can't do it online, pay the $ to Claimyr to get the process started. Absolutely worth it!
Consistent,frustration free, quality Service.
Used this service a couple times now. Before I'd call 200 times in less than a weak frustrated as can be. But using claimyr with a couple hours of waiting i was on the line with an representative or on hold. Dropped a couple times but each reconnected not long after and was mission accomplished, thanks to Claimyr.
IT WORKS!! Not a scam!
I tried for weeks to get thru to EDD PFL program with no luck. I gave this a try thinking it may be a scam. OMG! It worked and They got thru within an hour and my claim is going to finally get paid!! I upgraded to the $60 call. Best $60 spent!
Ask the community...
- DO post questions about your issues.
- DO answer questions and support each other.
- DO post tips & tricks to help folks.
- DO NOT post call problems here - there is a support tab at the top for that :)
Join the conversation
Join the conversation
Just to add a practical example: Last year my salary was $72,000. I contributed $15,000 to my traditional 401k. My W-2 showed about $57,000 in Box 1, but my "earned income" for tax credit purposes was still considered to be $72,000. So I was able to claim the full child care credit based on my $72k earned income while still enjoying the tax benefits of having a lower AGI ($57k plus other adjustments). It's really the best of both worlds for tax planning!
Thanks for the real-world example! Did you have to do anything special on your tax forms to make sure the IRS knew your earned income was $72k and not the Box 1 amount?
I went through this exact situation two years ago when I was trying to balance maximizing my 401k contributions with maintaining eligibility for various tax credits. Here's what I learned: The key distinction is between "earned income" and "adjusted gross income" (AGI). Traditional 401k contributions reduce your AGI but NOT your earned income for tax credit purposes like the Child and Dependent Care Credit. Your earned income is essentially your gross compensation before any pre-tax deductions. So if you make $60,000 and contribute $10,000 to a traditional 401k, your earned income is still $60,000 for tax credit calculations, even though your AGI drops to $50,000. This means you can absolutely maximize your 401k contributions to get that employer match without worrying about losing your child care credit eligibility. The IRS specifically defines earned income as compensation received for personal services, regardless of where that money goes afterward. I'd recommend reviewing Form 2441 instructions if you want to see the official language, but the consensus here is correct - 401k contributions don't affect earned income for tax credits.
This is such a helpful breakdown! I'm new to understanding how all these different income calculations work for tax purposes. Just to make sure I understand correctly - when you say "earned income" stays at $60k in your example, is that figure documented anywhere specific on tax forms, or is it something the IRS calculates internally when determining credit eligibility? I want to make sure I can verify this on my own returns.
Join the conversation
Carmen Lopez
Paolo, you're absolutely right to feel confused - I went through this exact same struggle when I started my single member LLC earlier this year! Yes, you should definitely select "Sole Proprietor" on line 9a of Form SS-4. I know it feels counterintuitive since you just formed an LLC, but here's what I learned: the IRS treats single-member LLCs as "disregarded entities" by default, which means for federal tax purposes, you're taxed like a sole proprietor even though you have all the legal protections of the LLC structure. It's actually a great setup because you get liability protection while keeping your taxes simple. Don't worry about the S-Corp election your friends mentioned - that's a completely separate process they did AFTER getting their EIN by filing Form 2553. You don't need to figure that out on your initial SS-4 form. Most accountants recommend only considering S-Corp status when your business is netting around $50K+ annually, since it comes with additional payroll requirements and accounting costs. My advice: select "Sole Proprietor," get your EIN, and focus on actually building your business first. You can always explore more complex tax elections later when your income justifies the extra administrative work. You're not locked into this choice forever, so don't overthink it!
Paolo, you've received fantastic advice throughout this thread! I went through this exact same confusion with my single member LLC just a few months ago, so I completely understand the frustration with Form SS-4. You're absolutely correct to select "Sole Proprietor" on line 9a. I know it feels weird after just forming an LLC, but that's exactly what the IRS expects. Single-member LLCs are treated as "disregarded entities" by default, which means you get the liability protection of the LLC structure while being taxed as a sole proprietor - it's actually the perfect combination for most new businesses. The S-Corp election your friends mentioned is a completely separate decision that happens AFTER you get your EIN using Form 2553. Don't stress about that now - most tax professionals recommend considering it only when your business is consistently netting $40K-$60K annually, since the additional payroll and administrative costs need to be justified by the self-employment tax savings. My recommendation: select "Sole Proprietor," submit your SS-4, get your EIN, and then focus on actually building your business. You'll report your income and expenses on Schedule C of your personal tax return, keeping things simple while you grow. You can always explore more complex tax structures later when your income justifies it - this initial choice doesn't lock you in permanently!
Join the conversation
Quick question - does anyone know if we'd be better off just filing without claiming our adopted child and then doing an amended return later when the SSN comes? Our tax guy suggested this but I've heard amended returns can trigger audits?
Ella Cofer
ā¢I would strongly recommend against that approach. While amended returns don't automatically trigger audits, you'd be missing out on receiving your full refund now, and the amended return process can take 16+ weeks for processing. With the extension, you'll wait longer to file initially, but you'll get your complete refund in one payment. Plus, amended returns can be more complex and potentially cost more if you're using a tax professional. The extension is specifically designed for situations like yours.
I went through this exact situation two years ago when we adopted our son! The waiting for the SSN while tax season loomed was so stressful. Just want to echo what others have said - definitely go with the extension rather than filing without claiming your daughter and amending later. One thing I wish someone had told me is to gather all your adoption-related documents now while you're waiting. Things like court documents, attorney fees, agency fees, home study costs, travel expenses if you had any - these can all potentially qualify for the Adoption Tax Credit. Having everything organized made filing so much smoother once we finally got that SSN. Also, don't be surprised if your refund ends up being significantly higher than you initially calculated. Between the Child Tax Credit, potentially the Adoption Tax Credit, and any other credits you might qualify for, we were pleasantly shocked at our final refund amount. The wait was definitely worth it to file one complete, accurate return!
Omar Hassan
ā¢This is such great advice about organizing the adoption documents early! I'm curious - for the Adoption Tax Credit, do you know if there's a specific form or worksheet that helps track which expenses qualify? We have receipts for everything but I'm not sure how to categorize them properly for tax purposes. Also, did you find that having an attorney handle the adoption versus going through an agency made any difference in terms of qualifying expenses?
Great question about organizing those adoption expenses! For the Adoption Tax Credit, you'll use Form 8839, and it's pretty straightforward about what qualifies. Attorney fees, court costs, agency fees, and travel expenses (including lodging and meals while away from home) all typically qualify. Home study costs definitely count too. Whether you used an attorney vs agency shouldn't matter for qualifying expenses - it's more about the nature of the expense itself. The key is that expenses must be directly related to the legal adoption of an eligible child. Keep receipts for everything and don't forget about things like notary fees, document translation costs, or even mileage to court hearings. One tip: if your adoption spans multiple tax years (which many do), you can claim expenses in the year the adoption becomes final, regardless of when you actually paid them. This can be really helpful for maximizing the credit in the right tax year.
Join the conversation
Just to add some additional context - the "P" code tells the software that this is a distribution from a Roth IRA, while the "J" indicates it's specifically a return of excess contributions that happened within the allowable timeframe (which is why you only have a small taxable amount on your earnings). Remember that only the earnings portion is taxable when you properly remove excess contributions, which matches your situation where box 2a is only showing about $270 taxable on a $7,800 distribution. The system should handle this correctly once you select the proper options.
So does this mean the original $5700 contribution isn't taxed again? I'm confused about why the earnings are taxed but not the original contribution amount.
Omar Farouk
ā¢Exactly right! When you contribute to a Roth IRA, you're using after-tax dollars that have already been taxed. So when you remove excess contributions within the allowed timeframe, you don't get taxed again on that original contribution amount - that would be double taxation. However, any earnings that grew from that excess contribution while it was in the account ARE subject to tax, plus potentially the 10% early withdrawal penalty (though the J code indicates an exception applies in this case). That's why your $7,800 distribution only shows $270 as taxable - the $270 represents the earnings portion, while the remaining ~$7,530 was your original after-tax contribution that gets returned to you tax-free.
This is really helpful information everyone! I'm dealing with a similar situation but my 1099R has code "G" - does anyone know how that should be handled? I had to take an early withdrawal from my traditional IRA due to financial hardship, and I'm not sure if freetaxusa.com will handle the hardship exception properly when I enter the distribution information. Also, for those who successfully resolved their PJ code issues - did you end up owing any additional taxes beyond what was already withheld, or did the software calculate everything correctly once you selected the right options?
Ava Johnson
I've been dealing with this exact same confusion for months! As someone who just formed an LLC last year and got hit with my first W-9 request, I totally understand the frustration. The IRS guidance really is counterintuitive when you've specifically gone through the trouble of getting an EIN. What really helped me was talking to other LLC owners in my local business group. Turns out this is one of the most common mistakes new LLC owners make. We all assume the EIN is what we should use because it feels more "business-like" and professional. I ended up using my SSN on recent W-9s after reading through all the IRS publications, but honestly, the peace of mind from getting direct confirmation from the IRS (like some folks mentioned using Claimyr) sounds really valuable. There's so much conflicting information online that it's hard to know what's actually correct. One thing I'm still wondering about - if I do eventually grow to the point where S-Corp election makes sense, is there any issue with having some 1099s tied to my SSN from the early years and then switching to EIN-based 1099s later? Does that create problems for the IRS matching system or is it pretty straightforward as long as everything is reported correctly?
0 coins
Reginald Blackwell
ā¢Great question about switching from SSN to EIN later! I actually went through this transition a couple years ago when I elected S-Corp status. The IRS system handles it pretty smoothly as long as you're consistent within each tax year and report everything properly. When I made the switch, I just made sure to notify all my existing clients about the change and sent them updated W-9s with my EIN for the new tax year. The key is timing it right - I did it at the beginning of a calendar year so all my 1099s for that year would be consistent. You might get an automated notice the first year after the switch asking about the change, but it's usually just a form letter. I responded with a copy of my S-Corp election (Form 2553) and explained the tax status change, and they accepted it without any issues. The matching system is actually pretty good at handling these transitions as long as you're not mixing SSN and EIN 1099s within the same tax year. Just make sure your tax preparer knows about the history so they can properly document everything if any questions come up later.
0 coins
Dallas Villalobos
I just went through this exact same situation with my marketing consultancy LLC! The confusion is totally understandable because it does seem backward to get an EIN and then not use it. Here's what I learned after spending way too much time researching this: Yes, for a single-member LLC that's taxed as a sole proprietorship (disregarded entity), you should use your SSN on W-9 forms, not the LLC's EIN. The IRS instructions are correct, even though it feels wrong. The way I think about it now is that the EIN and LLC serve different purposes than I originally thought. The LLC gives you legal protection and helps separate your business operations, while the EIN is useful for business banking, potential employees, and certain tax situations. But for income reporting purposes, since you're taxed as a sole proprietor, the IRS wants everything tied to your personal tax return via your SSN. I had already sent out a few W-9s with my EIN before I figured this out. My accountant said not to panic - just make sure I report all that income on my Schedule C and be prepared to explain the discrepancy if the IRS asks. For new clients, I now use my SSN on W-9s. If the privacy aspect really bothers you (and I get it - handing out your SSN feels risky), you could look into electing S-Corp tax status, which would let you legitimately use your EIN. But that comes with more complexity and costs, so it's worth running the numbers with a tax pro first.
0 coins
Paolo Longo
ā¢This is exactly what I needed to hear! I'm a newcomer to the LLC world and just got my first W-9 request last week. Like everyone else here, I was so confused about whether to use my shiny new EIN or my SSN. Your explanation about the EIN and LLC serving different purposes really clicked for me - I was thinking of the EIN as this "business identity number" that should go on everything, but now I understand it's more about banking and operations rather than income reporting for sole props. I'm curious though - when you mention being "prepared to explain the discrepancy if the IRS asks," what kind of documentation should I keep on hand? Just my LLC formation papers, or is there something specific I should have ready to show that my LLC is a disregarded entity? Also, thanks for mentioning the S-Corp option. I'm nowhere near ready for that complexity yet, but it's good to know there's a path forward if the privacy concerns become a bigger issue as I grow.
0 coins