I'm really sorry you're going through this nightmare situation. As someone who works in financial compliance, I can confirm that what your accountant did is absolutely unacceptable and likely violates multiple professional standards and IRS regulations. The unauthorized filing is particularly egregious - Form 8879 exists specifically to prevent this exact scenario. Your signature is legally required before any electronic submission, and there are no exceptions to this rule. The fact that your return was rejected when you tried to file elsewhere creates clear evidence that he violated this requirement. Regarding the quarterly payment confusion, your instincts were absolutely correct. For self-employed individuals with consistent income, estimated tax payments shouldn't fluctuate dramatically without major changes in business structure or deductions. His excuse about being "confused by multiple 1099s" is concerning since handling various income sources is fundamental tax preparation work. I'd strongly recommend contacting the IRS Taxpayer Advocate Service (877-777-4778) in addition to filing Form 14157. They specialize in helping taxpayers resolve issues like unauthorized filings and can often expedite the process. If your accountant is an Enrolled Agent, also report him to the IRS Office of Professional Responsibility. Don't let him make you feel like you were being difficult - asking for clarification before signing is exactly what responsible taxpayers should do. You handled this situation properly, and his unprofessional response (including that inappropriate Saturday night voicemail) only reinforces that you made the right call by not signing. Document everything and keep pushing forward with your complaints. This pattern of behavior needs to be reported to protect other taxpayers.

This is absolutely unacceptable and you're dealing with serious professional misconduct. I'm a CPA and can tell you that what this accountant did violates multiple IRS regulations and professional ethics standards. First, filing your return without a signed Form 8879 is illegal - period. That form exists specifically to authorize electronic filing, and no preparer can submit a return without it. The fact that your return was rejected when you tried to file elsewhere proves he violated this requirement. Second, his inability to provide clear explanations about your quarterly payments despite multiple requests shows either incompetence or negligence. Any experienced tax professional should be able to walk you through estimated tax calculations, especially for straightforward self-employment situations. Here's what you need to do immediately: 1. File Form 14157 with the IRS to report the unauthorized filing 2. Contact the IRS Taxpayer Advocate Service at 877-777-4778 - they handle exactly these situations 3. Report him to your state's board of accountancy if he's licensed 4. If he's an Enrolled Agent, report to the IRS Office of Professional Responsibility 5. Document all communications and any financial impact from his bad advice The Saturday night voicemail and poor communication pattern you described, combined with existing BBB complaints, suggests this is ongoing misconduct. Your complaints could protect other taxpayers from similar experiences. You did absolutely nothing wrong by asking for clarification before signing - that's exactly what responsible taxpayers should do. Don't let him make you feel otherwise.

Quick question about mailing Form 3520 - does it need to be attached to my regular tax return or sent separately? I already filed my taxes for the year but just found out about this form requirement.

I see there's been some great advice here already, but I wanted to add a few clarifications based on my experience with Form 3520 filings: Regarding the "initial return" vs "final return" checkboxes you asked about - for a completed property gift like yours, you would check "initial return" since this is your first time reporting this particular foreign gift. The "final return" option is typically used when you're filing a final report for a foreign trust that's being terminated. Also, just to reinforce what others have mentioned about the filing requirement - the key distinction is whether the gift is FROM a foreign person, not whether it's foreign property. Since you mentioned your aunt gave you the property, her tax status (US citizen, resident, or foreign person) determines whether you need to file Form 3520 at all. One thing I haven't seen mentioned yet is that if you do need to file, make sure you're using the most current version of Form 3520. The IRS updates these forms periodically, and using an outdated version can cause processing delays. Given that you're working with tight deadlines and the complexity of this form, it might be worth considering professional help from a tax attorney or CPA who specializes in international tax matters, especially given the steep penalties for incorrect or late filing (up to 35% of the gift value).

You could also try calling the IRS directly at 800-829-1040. They might be able to help if you've made reasonable efforts to get the form from the non-profit. I had to do this once when a client refused to send me a 1099.

For future reference, you might want to request the 1099 in writing (email counts) when you finish the work, rather than waiting until tax season. I learned this the hard way after a similar experience. Also, don't forget that you can deduct business expenses related to your consulting work on Schedule C - things like mileage to their office, office supplies, software you used for the project, etc. Even without the 1099, those deductions can help offset some of the self-employment tax burden on that $4K income. Keep detailed records of everything - your invoices, their payments, any expenses, and your communication attempts. The IRS cares more about accurate reporting than having the physical forms.

psst... call your local tax advocate. they can tell you exactly wuts happening

Been dealing with this exact same issue! My transcript shows 846 code but WMR is still stuck on "processing" - it's so frustrating when you need that money ASAP. From what I've learned lurking here, if your transcript doesn't show "DPC" next to the 846 code, you're probably getting a paper check. Also check if there's any freeze codes (like 971 or 570) that might indicate why they switched from DD to check. The IRS systems are definitely not synced up properly between transcript and WMR updates 🙄

has anyone read the book "treasure islands" by nicholas shaxson? it has some great detailed examples of cayman arrangements. there's a whole chapter on how citibank set up structured investment vehicles in the caymans before the 2008 financial crisis. the author also explains how investment banks create "orphan companies" in the caymans that technically aren't owned by anyone but still funnel profits back to the parent company. crazy stuff!

Great recommendations everyone! I'd also suggest checking out the Senate Permanent Subcommittee on Investigations reports - they've published several detailed studies on tax haven abuse that include specific Cayman Islands case studies. One report from 2008 called "Tax Haven Banks and U.S. Tax Compliance" goes into detail about how UBS and other banks helped U.S. clients set up Cayman structures. Another from 2013 examines Apple's use of Irish subsidiaries that were tax residents of nowhere (including Cayman connections). The Congressional Budget Office also publishes data on U.S. companies' foreign profits by jurisdiction. Their 2017 report shows that U.S. multinationals reported about $70 billion in profits from the Cayman Islands despite the tiny economy there - a clear indicator of profit shifting. For a more recent angle, look into how private equity firms use Cayman structures. The Wall Street Journal has done several investigative pieces showing how firms like Blackstone and KKR route investments through Cayman entities to minimize taxes for their wealthy investors.