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Has anyone here used the free IRS Volunteer Income Tax Assistance program for help with partnership returns? My local place said they don't do business returns but then another volunteer said they sometimes help with simple partnerships.
Daniel, you've gotten some good advice here already! Just wanted to add a couple of practical tips from when I helped my sister with her dissolved LLC filing last year. Make sure you're consistent with how you report the dissolution date throughout all your forms - use the same date on Form 1065 and all the K-1s. The IRS gets picky about date inconsistencies. Also, since you mentioned you had cloud servers and software subscriptions, double-check that you've accounted for any prepaid expenses that might need to be prorated. If you paid for annual subscriptions but only used them part of the year before dissolving, you might be able to deduct the full amount since the business ceased operations. One last thing - keep really good records of all this. Even though the LLC is dissolved, the IRS can still come back with questions for up to 3 years, and partnership audits can be particularly messy if your documentation isn't solid.
Great point about the date consistency - that's something I hadn't thought about! We dissolved in early November 2023, so I'll make sure that exact date appears everywhere. For the prepaid expenses, most of our software subscriptions were monthly, but we did have a couple of annual domain registrations. Since we shut down before getting full use out of them, can I deduct the entire annual cost in 2023 even though technically some of that would have covered 2024? The business ceased operations completely, so we got no benefit from the remaining months. And yes, definitely keeping all the records! Even though it was a small operation, I've got receipts and bank statements for everything. Better safe than sorry with partnership filings.
Dude, I've been writing off my entire internet bill for years as a 1099 worker and never had an issue. As long as your primary use is for work, you're good. Don't overthink this... the IRS isn't going to come after you for a few hundred bucks in internet bills lol.
As a 1099 contractor myself, I can confirm that both the hotspot device and monthly data plan are deductible business expenses. The key is proper documentation and accurate business use percentage calculation. For your situation, since you're using the hotspot exclusively for work (8+ hours daily), you should be able to deduct 100% of both costs. However, I'd recommend keeping detailed records showing: 1. Purchase receipt for the hotspot device 2. All monthly service bills 3. A simple log documenting work hours/usage for at least one sample month 4. Any emails or documentation from your employer about remote work requirements The expensive data plan you mentioned is actually a positive for your deduction - it shows the business necessity since regular plans wouldn't meet your work requirements. Just make sure to save everything and be prepared to justify the business use percentage if ever questioned. Don't let fear stop you from claiming legitimate business expenses - just document everything properly!
This is really helpful advice! I'm in a similar situation as a 1099 contractor and was nervous about claiming my internet expenses. Quick question - when you mention keeping a log for a "sample month," does that need to be a formal spreadsheet or would something simple like notes in a calendar work? Also, if my work requires me to be online pretty much all day during business hours, would that make the business use percentage calculation more straightforward?
Don't overlook bookkeeping software as part of your strategy! I run a tiny LLC ($60K revenue) and found an amazing solution: I use Wave (free) for 90% of my bookkeeping, then pay a CPA just $300 quarterly to review my books and answer questions. By keeping clean records year-round, my annual tax prep only costs about $600 because the CPA isn't spending time organizing my mess. Most CPAs charge more when they have to deal with disorganized records than they do for the actual tax knowledge part.
Is Wave actually good enough for business use? I tried their free version and it seemed too basic compared to QuickBooks.
Wave is definitely sufficient for most small LLCs! I've been using it for 3 years now and it handles everything I need - invoicing, expense tracking, bank connections, and basic reports. The interface is cleaner than QuickBooks in my opinion, though it lacks some of the advanced inventory and project tracking features. For a construction LLC like the OP's, Wave should work great since you're mainly tracking income, equipment purchases, and business expenses. The key is setting up your chart of accounts properly from the start. I'd recommend having your CPA help you set up the categories during that first quarterly review so everything flows smoothly into tax prep. The money you save on software ($0 vs $30+/month for QuickBooks) can go toward those quarterly CPA check-ins instead.
As a fellow small business owner, I'd strongly recommend starting with your state's CPA directory and filtering by "small business" specialization. Most state CPA societies have online search tools where you can find practitioners who specifically work with LLCs your size. For Minnesota, you might also want to check out SCORE mentors - they often have retired CPAs who volunteer their time and can either help directly or point you toward affordable local practitioners. The pricing you mentioned ($600-2500) is pretty typical, but for a $75k revenue LLC, you should be on the lower end of that range. One thing that helped me was asking potential CPAs about their fee structure upfront. Some charge flat rates for simple LLC returns, while others bill hourly. For construction businesses with equipment depreciation, you definitely want someone familiar with Section 179 deductions and bonus depreciation rules - that expertise alone could save you more than the CPA fees. Don't rush the decision. Interview 2-3 CPAs and ask them specific questions about your industry. The right one will understand your business model immediately and suggest strategies you hadn't considered.
DDD of 1/31 usually means you'll see it between 1/29-1/31 depending on your bank! Most banks process IRS deposits a day or two early. I've been tracking refund timing for years and Chase, Wells Fargo, and BofA typically drop them on 1/30 if your DDD is 1/31. Credit unions are hit or miss - some post exactly on DDD, others a day early. The key thing is the IRS already sent your refund to the bank, so you're just waiting on them to release it to your account. Should be soon! š¤
This is super helpful! I'm with Wells Fargo so fingers crossed for 1/30 š¤ Been checking my account like every hour lol. Thanks for breaking down the different banks - nice to know what to expect!
Ugh the waiting game is so brutal! š« I've been obsessively checking my account every few hours since getting my DDD. Based on what everyone's saying here, sounds like most banks drop it 1-2 days early which gives me hope! I'm with a smaller local credit union so not sure what to expect timing-wise. Might have to try that taxr.ai thing people are mentioning - anything to stop me from refreshing my banking app 50 times a day lol. Good luck everyone, hopefully we all see our money soon! šš°
Mateo Gonzalez
Don't forget about state-specific requirements! I'm in California and there are additional state payroll tax requirements for S Corps that weren't obvious when I first started. Each state has different rules about unemployment insurance, disability insurance, etc. Make sure whatever payroll system you choose handles your specific state's requirements.
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Nia Williams
ā¢This is so important! I'm in New York and had to separately register for state unemployment insurance. My payroll provider didn't automatically do this, and I ended up with penalties my first year. Check with your state's department of labor to make sure you've covered all bases.
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Ruby Knight
This is exactly the situation I went through 8 months ago when I converted to S Corp! The learning curve is steep but totally manageable once you get the basics down. A few key points that helped me: 1. **Payroll frequency matters**: Don't wait until year-end - I do monthly payroll which keeps things simple and looks legitimate to the IRS. Set a consistent schedule and stick to it. 2. **Reasonable salary research**: For software development, I used sites like Glassdoor, PayScale, and Bureau of Labor Statistics to document what similar roles pay in my area. I keep this documentation in my tax files as backup. 3. **Start simple**: You don't need an expensive payroll service right away. I started with a basic one that handles the 941 quarterly filings and W-2s automatically. The peace of mind is worth the monthly cost. 4. **State requirements vary**: Check your state's specific rules - some have additional requirements beyond federal. I almost missed registering for state unemployment insurance in my state. The tax savings definitely outweigh the complexity once you're set up. Just budget for the payroll service cost when calculating your overall S Corp savings. Feel free to ask if you have specific questions about any part of the process!
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Ahooker-Equator
ā¢This is incredibly helpful, thank you! I'm curious about the monthly payroll schedule you mentioned - do you literally pay yourself the same amount every month, or do you adjust based on how much the business earned that month? I'm worried about cash flow issues if I commit to a fixed monthly salary but have an unpredictable income month to month. Also, when you say "basic payroll service," what's the monthly cost range you're looking at? Trying to budget for this properly.
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