Just wanted to add some perspective as someone who's been through an IRS audit related to charitable deductions. The auditor wasn't trying to catch me in some elaborate scheme - they just wanted to see that I had reasonable documentation for my claimed values. What saved me was having photos of the items I donated along with a simple spreadsheet listing each item, its condition, and the value I assigned based on the Salvation Army guide. The auditor spent maybe 10 minutes reviewing it and moved on. The key thing I learned is that the IRS isn't looking for perfection in your valuations - they're looking for evidence that you made a good faith effort to be reasonable. A $20 shirt valued at $25 isn't going to raise eyebrows, but a $20 shirt valued at $200 definitely will. For your dresser specifically, I'd suggest looking up similar pieces on Facebook Marketplace or Craigslist to get a sense of what used furniture in similar condition is actually selling for. That gives you a solid basis for your valuation if anyone ever asks.

As a tax professional, I want to emphasize that the system actually works pretty well despite seeming vulnerable to abuse. The IRS uses data analytics to flag returns with unusually high charitable deductions relative to income, and they have access to aggregate donation data from major organizations. What most people don't realize is that inflating donation values is considered tax fraud, which can result in penalties of 20-75% of the underpaid tax, plus interest and potential criminal charges. The risk-reward ratio just doesn't make sense for most people. For your situation, I'd recommend documenting everything now even though you already donated. Write down what you remember donating, research fair market values using the Salvation Army guide or similar resources, and keep that documentation with your tax records. For the dresser, check sold listings on eBay or Facebook Marketplace for similar items to establish a reasonable value. The key is being able to show you made a good faith effort to determine fair market value. Perfect accuracy isn't expected, but gross overvaluation will definitely get you in trouble if caught.

I can definitely relate to this stress! I had a similar situation last year where my quarterly payment got misapplied between tax years. The good news is that when "Where's My Refund" shows your expected refund amount (calculated refund minus your $2,400 payment), it means the IRS computer systems have already recognized and corrected the error automatically. You definitely don't need to file an amended return - that would actually create unnecessary complications since the IRS has already processed everything correctly on their end. The system is pretty smart about catching these timing issues, especially with payments made close to filing deadlines. Since you're planning to make 2025 estimated payments anyway, treating that $2,400 as your first quarterly payment for 2025 is the perfect solution. Just continue with your normal estimated payment schedule for the rest of the year. For peace of mind, you could pull your tax account transcript from the IRS website in a few weeks to see how everything was applied, but based on what you're describing with the refund amount, you should be all set. This happens more often than you'd think, and the IRS systems handle it routinely.

I just went through this exact same situation last month! My January estimated payment got applied to 2025 instead of 2024, and I was panicking thinking I'd have to amend my return. But just like everyone here is saying, the IRS automatically corrected it - my refund processed with the correct amount that included my estimated payment. The key indicator is definitely your "Where's My Refund" showing the right amount. When mine showed my calculated refund minus the estimated payment I made, I knew the IRS had already fixed the error on their end. No amended return needed! One thing I learned from this experience is to always save screenshots of your payment confirmations when you make estimated payments online. I had mine saved, which helped me verify that I had indeed scheduled it for the right year initially. The error was definitely on the IRS processing side, not something I did wrong. Also, if you want extra peace of mind, you can check your account transcript on the IRS website in a few weeks to see exactly how all your payments were applied. It really helps to see everything laid out clearly. But honestly, if your refund is processing with the expected amount, you're all set!

Just wanted to add one more thing that might be helpful - timing can matter for the gift tax filing! If your mom gives you the car near the end of the year, she'll have less time to prepare Form 709 for the April 15 deadline. Also, keep all documentation about the car's value (KBB printout, photos of condition, etc.) in case the IRS ever questions the reported value. They rarely do for typical car gifts, but it's good to have your paperwork in order. The good news is this is a pretty common situation and the IRS processes tons of these gift tax returns every year. As others mentioned, she won't actually owe any tax - it's just paperwork to track against her lifetime exemption. Don't let the tax implications stop her from being generous!

One thing to keep in mind is that the annual gift tax exclusion amount changes periodically with inflation adjustments. For 2024, it's $18,000 per person, but it was $17,000 in 2023 and $16,000 in 2022. So when you're researching online, make sure you're looking at current year information. Also, since your mom lives in a state with income tax, it's worth double-checking if that state has any gift tax provisions. Most states don't, but a few do have their own rules. Connecticut, for example, has a state gift tax that kicks in at much lower amounts than the federal level. The good news is that even if she needs to file Form 709, it's not as complicated as it might seem. The form essentially just reports "I gave my child a car worth $22,500, which exceeds the annual exclusion by $4,500." That $4,500 gets subtracted from her lifetime exemption (currently $13.61 million for 2024), so unless she's given away millions already, there's no actual tax due.

Don't forget to check your state tax records too! This happened to me and the scammer filed fraudulent returns at both federal AND state levels. Each state has their own process for handling tax identity theft. Contact your state tax agency immediately. Also check if your health insurance information was compromised, since they might have used your identity for medical benefits too.

I'm so sorry this happened to you! Tax identity theft is unfortunately becoming more common, but you're handling it well by taking action quickly. In addition to all the excellent advice already shared, I'd recommend keeping detailed records of every phone call, form submission, and piece of correspondence related to this case. Create a dedicated folder (physical or digital) with dates, reference numbers, and notes from each interaction. Also, consider requesting your IRS transcripts online through the IRS website - this will show you exactly what returns were filed under your SSN and when. It can help you build a timeline of the fraud and provide concrete evidence when speaking with IRS agents. One thing that helped me when I dealt with a similar situation was setting up an IRS online account if you haven't already. This gives you direct access to your tax records and can alert you more quickly if suspicious activity happens in the future. The IP PIN you mentioned is definitely crucial - make sure to request it as soon as your case is resolved. Stay persistent but patient. The process is frustrating, but the IRS does eventually resolve these cases. Document everything and don't hesitate to escalate to the Taxpayer Advocate Service if you hit roadblocks.

Has anyone used the IRS transcript service for this? You can request a complete tax transcript that includes all filed schedules by using the Get Transcript tool on irs.gov. My bank actually preferred this over copies I provided because they knew it was coming directly from the IRS and included everything.

Great question! I went through this exact same situation with my credit union last year. The key thing to understand is that when banks say "ALL schedules," they literally mean every single schedule that was filed with your return, even if it shows zero amounts or doesn't seem relevant to your business. For your single-member LLC situation, you've covered the main ones (C, SE, and 1), but they might also want to see: - Schedule 2 (Additional Taxes) - if you had any additional taxes beyond what's on the main form - Schedule 3 (Additional Credits and Payments) - shows any tax credits you claimed - Any other schedules that were part of your original filing The easiest approach is to send them a complete copy of everything you filed with the IRS, including all pages. Banks often use third-party verification services that expect to see the entire return package exactly as it was submitted. If you're not sure what you originally filed, you can get an official tax transcript from the IRS website (irs.gov/individuals/get-transcript) which will show exactly what schedules were included in your return. This is actually what many banks prefer since it comes directly from the IRS. Don't stress too much about it - this is a standard request and once you provide everything, the process usually moves pretty quickly!