Hey Sean! I actually had a very similar situation with a short-term job where the employer never sent my W-2. Here's what I learned from the experience: First, definitely try contacting the coffee shop one more time - sometimes small businesses are just disorganized rather than deliberately ignoring you. If that doesn't work, you have a few good options: 1. Call the IRS at 800-829-1040 (as Zara mentioned) - they can contact the employer and help you get Form 4852 2. File Form 4852 yourself using your last paystub - this is totally legitimate and the IRS accepts it as a W-2 substitute Since you mentioned you're expecting a refund from other jobs, you'll definitely want to include this income to avoid any issues later. Even though the amount is small, the IRS systems do flag missing W-2s when they have records from employers. The key is having your last paystub - it shows your total earnings and any withholdings, which is exactly what would be on your W-2. Don't stress too much about it, this happens more often than you'd think and there are established processes to handle it!

Sean, I completely understand your anxiety about this situation! As someone who's dealt with similar W-2 issues, I want to reassure you that this is more common than you think and there are clear solutions. Since you only worked there for a week and it's been months without receiving your W-2, I'd recommend going straight to Form 4852 (substitute W-2) rather than spending more time trying to chase down the coffee shop. You have your paystub showing the $368.45 earnings, which contains all the information you need. Here's the key thing - even though you're under the filing threshold, if ANY federal taxes were withheld from that paycheck, you absolutely want to report it to get that money back as part of your refund. Don't let a small employer's disorganization cost you your own money! The IRS systems do cross-reference employer-reported wages with individual tax returns, so including this income protects you from potential notices later. Form 4852 is the official IRS process for exactly this situation, and thousands of people use it every year without issues. You've got this - it's just a bit of extra paperwork, not a major tax crisis!

Welcome to the independent contractor world, Amina! I made this same transition a few years ago and remember feeling completely overwhelmed by all the tax responsibilities. Everyone here has given you excellent advice about the W-9 form (which really is just basic info) and setting aside 25-30% for taxes. One thing I'd add that saved me a lot of stress: consider making your first quarterly payment a bit higher than calculated, just to be safe. When I started, I was so worried about underpaying that I rounded up my first few quarterly payments by $100-200. Any overpayment just becomes a refund or credit toward the next quarter. Also, don't be afraid to call the IRS Taxpayer Assistance line if you have specific questions about your situation. Yes, the wait times can be brutal (which is why some folks here mentioned Claimyr), but the agents are actually quite helpful for basic contractor tax questions. Since you're doing research work, you'll probably have more legitimate business deductions than you realize - conference fees, professional journals, software subscriptions, even the portion of your internet bill used for work. Start tracking everything now, even small expenses. They add up! The learning curve feels steep at first, but once you get your system down, it becomes second nature. You're being proactive by asking these questions upfront, which means you're already on the right track!

As someone who just went through this exact transition last year, I want to echo what everyone has said about the W-9 being the easy part - it's really just your basic info (name, address, SSN, check "Individual/sole proprietor"). The tax planning is where you'll want to focus your energy. One thing that hasn't been mentioned yet is setting up a business calendar with all your important tax dates marked out for the entire year. I put in the quarterly payment deadlines, but also things like "Q1 expense review" and "mid-year tax projection check." This helps me stay on top of everything instead of just scrambling at deadline time. For your specific situation as a museum researcher, definitely track: - Mileage to research sites, archives, museums, libraries - Research materials and reference books - Professional association memberships (like museum or historical associations) - Continuing education related to your field - Home office space if you have a dedicated work area - Any equipment purchases (laptop, camera for documentation, etc.) Since you got hit with a big bill from freelance writing last year, you might also want to consider paying estimated taxes monthly instead of quarterly if that helps with cash flow. You can make payments anytime through the IRS website - you're not limited to just the quarterly deadlines. The key is starting these good habits from payment #1. You've got this!

Did you check the specific date you selected for the withdrawal when filing? TurboTax lets you choose a withdrawal date up to the filing deadline. If you didn't specifically change it, it probably defaulted to withdrawing right away, but you might have accidentally set a future date.

Just wanted to follow up with my experience for anyone else in a similar situation. I ended up checking my TurboTax account more carefully like Chloe suggested, and sure enough, I had accidentally selected a withdrawal date about 10 days after filing instead of immediate withdrawal. Once I realized that, I was able to relax and stop obsessively checking my bank account every day! The money was withdrawn exactly on the date I had originally selected. Sometimes the simplest explanation is the right one - definitely worth double-checking your selected payment date before panicking about processing times. Thanks everyone for all the helpful suggestions and resources. This community is great for getting real-world experiences with tax issues!

Great question about bonus depreciation! Just to add another perspective - I went through this exact decision last year with a $15k roof replacement. I ended up taking the bonus depreciation because my income was unusually high that year due to a consulting contract. One thing that helped me decide was running the numbers both ways. I calculated the present value of the tax savings from taking the full deduction now vs spreading it over 27.5 years. With my tax rate and the time value of money, taking it all upfront saved me about $800 in real terms. Also worth noting - if you're doing any other major improvements this year (windows, flooring, etc.), you might want to coordinate the timing. Sometimes it makes sense to bunch deductions in high-income years and spread them out in lower-income years for optimal tax planning. Your accountant will definitely want to review this when they get back, but the software isn't wrong - you do have the option!

This is such a timely question! I just went through the same decision process with a $12,000 roof replacement on my duplex. What really helped me was thinking about it from a cash flow perspective rather than just the tax savings. Since you mentioned having substantial income this year that could be offset, bonus depreciation sounds like it could work well for you. I ended up taking the full deduction because I'm in the 24% bracket this year but expecting to drop to 22% when I semi-retire in a few years. One practical tip - make sure you document WHY the roof needed to be replaced (storm damage, age, etc.) and keep photos if you have them. The IRS likes to see that improvements were necessary rather than just cosmetic upgrades, especially for larger amounts like yours. Also, don't stress too much about the decision being permanent for future improvements. Each qualifying improvement is evaluated separately, so you can always choose regular depreciation for future projects if your tax situation changes.

I'm going through this exact same frustration right now! Just formed my single-member LLC for my freelance design business and have been trying to fax my SS4 to Cincinnati for about 8 days straight. The constant busy signals have been absolutely maddening - I was starting to think there was something wrong with my fax setup. This thread has been a lifesaver! I had no clue this was such a widespread issue or that the IRS fax lines could get this overwhelmed. Reading everyone's experiences makes me feel so much less alone in this struggle. The early morning timing strategy (5-6 AM Eastern) that so many of you have successfully used is definitely my game plan for tomorrow. Thanks for confirming the current Cincinnati fax number is 855-641-6935 - I was using 855-215-1627 from some outdated IRS publication I found online, which explains why I wasn't even getting proper busy signals. The phone option at 800-829-4933 also sounds like an excellent backup plan. I honestly had no idea you could get an EIN issued over the phone until reading all these success stories here! Setting my alarm for 4:45 AM tomorrow to try both approaches. This community has been infinitely more helpful than any official IRS documentation I've found. Really hoping to finally break through this bureaucratic wall and get my business moving forward!

I'm experiencing this exact same nightmare right now! Been trying to fax my SS4 form for my new marketing consultancy LLC to Cincinnati for 9 days straight with nothing but busy signals. It's incredibly frustrating when you're trying to get your business off the ground and this one step becomes such a major roadblock. This thread has been absolutely incredible - I had no idea this was such a widespread issue affecting so many new business owners. Reading everyone's real experiences has been way more helpful than any official IRS guidance I could find online. The early morning strategy (5-6 AM Eastern) that multiple people have successfully used is definitely my approach for tomorrow morning. Really appreciate the confirmation that 855-641-6935 is the current Cincinnati fax number. I was using an older number I found on some IRS publication from last year, which explains why I wasn't even getting busy signals - just complete connection failures. The phone backup option at 800-829-4933 also sounds promising. I honestly didn't know you could get an EIN issued directly over the phone until reading all these success stories. Having both methods ready gives me much more confidence that I can finally get past this hurdle. Setting my alarm for 4:30 AM tomorrow to try both the fax and phone approaches. Thanks to everyone who's shared their struggles and solutions here - this community support has been invaluable during what was becoming a very isolating and frustrating process!