I worked at Transamerica a few years back. The EIN should be on your 1099-R, but if you can't find it, their main customer service can definitely provide it. Just make sure you're clear about which specific Transamerica entity you need the EIN for (Retirement Solutions, specifically). Like others mentioned, they have several different EINs for different divisions.

Just to add another resource - if you have access to your company's HR portal or benefits website, sometimes the retirement plan documents stored there will include the EIN. Many employers keep the Summary Plan Description (SPD) and other plan documents in their employee self-service portals, and these often contain the EIN in the administrative details section. It's worth checking if you still have access to your former employer's benefits site, as this information is usually available to both current and former employees for exactly these kinds of tax preparation needs.

Has anyone here actually gone through the process of acquiring one of these GSA lighthouses? The application requirements seem intense, and I'm wondering how competitive the process is. Are there usually multiple nonprofits applying for each lighthouse?

One thing to keep in mind with the GSA lighthouse program is that you'll need to demonstrate significant financial capacity upfront. These properties often require substantial immediate repairs - we're talking potentially $100K+ just to make them safe and weather-tight before you can even think about B&B operations. The GSA will want to see your nonprofit has either cash reserves or committed funding sources for initial restoration work. If you're planning to rely on rental income from the for-profit business to fund maintenance, you'll need a very detailed financial projection showing how you'll handle the gap between acquisition and when rental income begins. Also worth noting - lighthouse properties are typically quite remote with limited utilities infrastructure. Factor in costs for upgrading electrical, plumbing, and septic systems to handle B&B operations. These expenses need to be part of your nonprofit's budget since the property will be owned by the 501(c)(3). The good news is that successfully operating lighthouses as B&Bs can be quite profitable given their unique appeal, but the upfront investment is substantial and the nonprofit needs to be financially prepared for that reality.

Been through this exact situation! The name spelling doesn't matter as much as you think - the IRS computer systems match based on SSN first. As long as that's correct, your refund should process normally. I had my son's name completely butchered one year (preparer put "Micheal" instead of "Michael") and got my refund on schedule. You can always file Form 1040X later to clean up the record if you want everything perfect, but it's not urgent for getting your money.

Had this happen with my tax prep too! Don't stress - as long as the SSN is right, you should be good. The IRS matching system is pretty forgiving with name variations. My preparer put "Jon" instead of "John" for my son and everything went through fine. If you're really worried, you can always call the IRS helpline to double check, but honestly I wouldn't lose sleep over it.

Anyone else think it's ridiculous that the IRS error messages are so cryptic?? Like what normal person is supposed to understand "Business Rule R0000-205" or know what "DPADSect199AGAllocAgricHortAmt" means without a tax degree?? And why are they looking for Form 8995-A fields when you only filled out Form 8995?? The whole system seems designed to confuse people.

I just went through this exact same nightmare with Business Rule R0000-205! After pulling my hair out for two days, I finally figured out the issue was with my QBI calculation on Form 8995. The key thing to check is that your QBI deduction isn't exceeding the taxable income limitation. Even though you have $43k in business income, your QBI deduction is limited to 20% of your taxable income BEFORE the QBI deduction itself. So if your total taxable income (from all sources) before QBI is say $50k, your max QBI deduction would be $10k, not the full 20% of your $43k business income. Also double-check that you're using the correct qualified business income amount on Form 8995 line 1 - it should be your net profit from Schedule C, not your gross receipts. The error message mentions Form 8995-A because the system runs the same validation rules across all QBI forms, even though you're only using the simpler version. Hope this helps - I know how frustrating these cryptic error messages can be when you're trying to file on time!

My brother tried something similar with "business suits" and got audited. The IRS agent literally asked him if he wears the suits outside of work, and when he said yes sometimes, they disallowed ALL the deductions and hit him with penalties. The gift card thing would just make it worse cuz it looks like you're trying to hide something.

Your uncle's advice is unfortunately terrible and could get you in serious legal trouble. What he's describing is essentially structuring transactions to hide their true nature, which the IRS considers fraudulent behavior regardless of the payment method used. The reality is that business clothing deductions are extremely limited. Even if you're meeting clients, regular business attire (suits, dresses, etc.) doesn't qualify because it can be worn outside of work. The IRS has a three-part test that's nearly impossible for normal clothes to pass. Instead of risking fraud charges, focus on legitimate business deductions you might be missing - home office expenses, professional development, networking events, business meals, etc. These have clear guidelines and won't put you at risk of criminal charges. Trust me, no designer handbag is worth potential jail time or massive penalties. Stick to legitimate deductions and sleep peacefully at night.