You're in exactly the right place asking these questions! Yes, as a solo artist making income through Patreon, you're definitely a sole proprietor and should check that box on your W-9. The IRS doesn't care that you're single or don't have kids - what matters is that you're earning income from your own business activities. One thing I'd strongly recommend is getting familiar with the "hobby vs. business" rules since you're making consistent income now. The IRS looks at factors like whether you operate in a businesslike manner, keep good records, and have a profit motive. Since you're making $850/month regularly, you're clearly past hobby territory, which is great for deduction purposes. Don't forget to track EVERYTHING - your drawing tablet, software subscriptions, art supplies, reference materials, even courses or books that help improve your skills. If you attend any art conventions or workshops (even virtually), those can be business expenses too. And if you're using your phone for business communications with patrons or promotion, a portion of that bill is deductible. The self-employment tax might seem scary at first (15.3% on top of regular income tax), but remember you can deduct half of it, and all those business expenses help reduce your taxable profit. You've got this!

Isabella, congratulations on building such a successful Patreon! You're absolutely correct to check the "Individual/sole proprietor or single-member LLC" box on your W-9. Since you're operating as yourself without any formal business entity, you're a sole proprietor by default. A few additional things to consider as you navigate this transition: First, since you're consistently earning $850/month, you're looking at over $10K annually in self-employment income. This means you'll likely need to make quarterly estimated tax payments to avoid penalties. You can either increase withholding at a day job (if you have one) or make payments directly to the IRS using Form 1040-ES. Second, start documenting everything business-related NOW. Your drawing tablet depreciation, software subscriptions (Adobe, Clip Studio, etc.), art supplies, reference books, online courses, and even a portion of your internet/phone bills can be legitimate business deductions. If you have a dedicated workspace in your apartment, look into the home office deduction too. Finally, consider opening a separate bank account for your Patreon income and business expenses. This makes record-keeping much easier and helps establish that you're running a legitimate business rather than just a hobby. The IRS loves to see clear separation between personal and business finances. You're asking all the right questions - that's half the battle! Keep creating and don't let the tax stuff overwhelm you.

I'm in the exact same frustrating situation! Filed my NJ return on February 13th and I'm now at the 8+ week mark with nothing but that dreaded "processing" status. My federal refund arrived in early March, but NJ is clearly operating in a different dimension when it comes to processing times this year. What's really helped me cope with this mess is implementing all the strategies I've learned from this thread. I started tracking the timestamp updates on the "Where's My Refund" tool - mine updates every 2-3 days which at least confirms there's some backend activity happening. I also reached out to Assemblyman Daniel Benson's office last week, and they confirmed they're getting tons of similar complaints and are preparing a formal inquiry to the Division of Taxation. The most frustrating part is that I have an incredibly simple return - just W-2 income from one employer, standard deduction, no dependents, no special credits. Yet here I am waiting just as long as people with complex business returns. The "enhanced fraud detection" explanation makes sense from a security standpoint, but the complete lack of transparency about realistic timelines is unacceptable. Based on the batch processing theory that others mentioned, I'm hoping we early-to-mid February filers will see movement together soon. I've mentally prepared for the full 10-week timeline at this point, but fingers crossed we're in the final stretch now! Thanks everyone for making this waiting game slightly more bearable with all the practical advice and shared experiences. 🤞

I'm going through the exact same frustrating experience! Filed my NJ return on February 9th and I'm now at the 9+ week mark with nothing but that "processing" status that's become all too familiar. Reading through everyone's experiences here has been incredibly helpful - it's reassuring to know this is a widespread systemic issue rather than something specific to my return. Like many others, I have a straightforward W-2 return with standard deductions, yet I'm stuck in the same processing limbo as everyone else. I've implemented several strategies from this thread that have helped maintain my sanity: 1. **Timestamp tracking** - Mine updates every 2-3 days on the NJ "Where's My Refund" tool, which at least confirms backend activity 2. **Assemblyman contact** - I reached out to my local representative's office yesterday and they confirmed they're compiling complaints for a formal inquiry to the Division of Taxation 3. **Realistic timeline expectations** - I've mentally prepared for the full 10-12 week timeline instead of checking daily for miracles The lack of transparency from NJ Division of Taxation is really unacceptable. We deserve clear communication about realistic processing times instead of generic "keep waiting" responses. The enhanced fraud detection explanation makes sense from a security perspective, but they should be upfront about how it's affecting timelines. Thanks to everyone who's shared their experiences and practical solutions here. If the batch processing theory is accurate, hopefully those of us who filed in early February will see movement together soon. The collective action approach through our representatives seems like our best shot at getting real accountability! 🤞

Great thread with lots of solid advice! I went through this exact decision last year when selling my small IT consulting LLC. One thing I'd add - definitely consider the timing of when you need the cash vs when you want to pay taxes. With the membership interest sale, if the buyer is willing to structure it with some seller financing (like 70% at closing, 30% over 2 years), you might qualify for installment sale treatment under Section 453. This lets you spread the tax hit over multiple years instead of taking it all in one year. I ended up doing this and it kept me out of the higher tax brackets. My CPA estimated it saved me about $18k in federal taxes compared to recognizing all the gain in year one. The buyer was actually happy with this approach since it reduced their upfront cash needs. Also, @Jake - since you mentioned the deal is worth $320k, definitely look into Section 1202 qualified small business stock exclusion if your LLC was originally structured as a C-corp or if you can convert it. Could potentially exclude up to $10M or 10x basis from federal taxes if you meet the requirements.

One consideration that hasn't been fully explored here is the depreciation recapture piece, especially since you mentioned running the LLC for 7 years. If you've been depreciating computers, office equipment, or software over the years, an asset sale will force you to "recapture" that depreciation as ordinary income (taxed at your regular income tax rates, not the lower capital gains rates). This can be a significant hit depending on how much equipment you've written off. For example, if you've claimed $40k in depreciation over 7 years, that entire amount gets taxed as ordinary income in an asset sale - potentially at 32-37% rates depending on your bracket. With a membership interest sale, you avoid this recapture entirely since you're not selling the assets themselves - the LLC still owns them. This alone might explain why your buyer prefers the membership route and could save you substantial taxes. Before making your final decision, I'd recommend getting a detailed breakdown of your depreciation schedules from your bookkeeper or CPA. Sometimes the depreciation recapture difference alone is enough to override other considerations in the tax analysis.

As someone who's been in real estate development for 15 years, I'd strongly recommend consulting with a CPA who specializes in real estate. The dealer vs investor status isn't always clear-cut, and I've had projects where we were able to make strong arguments for investor treatment even though we were developing properties.

I've been through this exact situation with my development projects. One key factor that hasn't been mentioned yet is the frequency and scale of your development activities. The IRS looks at whether real estate development is your primary business or just occasional transactions. If you're doing multiple developments per year with the intent to sell, you're almost certainly going to be classified as a dealer. For dealer status, you'll need to report expenses as they occur on Schedule C - this includes your holding costs, permits, materials, labor, etc. The profit gets treated as ordinary income subject to self-employment tax, which can be quite significant. However, there's one strategy worth exploring: if you occasionally hold a property for rental purposes before selling (even just 1-2 years), you might be able to argue for dual-purpose treatment on some properties. This requires very careful documentation of your intent from the beginning of each project. I'd definitely echo the advice about getting a real estate-focused CPA. The nuances here can save or cost you thousands in taxes, and the rules have gotten more complex with recent tax law changes.

I went through this exact situation about 8 months ago and I totally understand your stress! The good news is that when SBTPG shows "Funded" status, your check has definitely been processed and is on its way to you. That blank "Amount(s) paid to you" field is completely normal for paper checks - I freaked out about the same thing! SBTPG's system is really built around direct deposits, so when they have to mail a physical check, that field often just stays empty. It doesn't mean anything is wrong. Since your check was mailed March 15th, you're right in the typical 7-12 business day window. Mine took exactly 10 business days to arrive, so you should see it very soon. The check comes in a plain envelope, nothing fancy that screams "tax refund." One thing that really helped my anxiety was calling SBTPG directly around day 12. Their phone support could see more detailed shipping info than what shows on their website, and they confirmed everything was on track. Since you're already past the 10-day mark, it might be worth giving them a call for peace of mind. Also double-check with anyone else who gets your mail - roommates, family, etc. My check almost got mixed up with my roommate's mail and I would have missed it completely! The waiting is absolutely the worst part, but your money is definitely coming. Hang in there!

I completely understand your anxiety about this situation! I went through something very similar when my bank account was unexpectedly closed right before my refund hit. The "Funded" status on SBTPG is actually great news - it definitively means your check has been processed and mailed out. That blank "Amount(s) paid to you" field is totally normal for paper checks and nothing to worry about. SBTPG's system is really designed around direct deposits, so when they switch to issuing a physical check, that field often doesn't update properly. Since your check was mailed March 15th, you should expect it within 7-12 business days typically. You're already at day 11, so it should arrive any day now! The check will come in a plain envelope - nothing that obviously screams "tax refund" for security reasons. If you have USPS Informed Delivery set up, definitely keep checking that daily so you can see what's coming. Also make sure to check with roommates or anyone else who might collect your mail. If it doesn't show up by early next week, I'd suggest calling SBTPG directly - they sometimes have more detailed tracking information than what shows on their online portal. Try to hang in there - I know exactly how stressful it is when you're counting on that money, but your check is definitely on its way!