After struggling with this exact issue last filing season, I found that the IRS Interactive Tax Assistant (www.irs.gov/help/ita) has a specific tool called "Who Can I Claim as a Dependent?" It walks you through all the requirements step by step. In my case, I was able to claim my disabled brother (32) even though my parents provided some support. The key was documenting that I covered over 50% of his total support costs. I created a spreadsheet tracking every expense, including a portion of my mortgage, utilities, food, medical costs not covered by insurance, and transportation. Make sure to print and save this documentation in case of audit.

As someone who went through a similar situation with my disabled adult child last year, I can confirm what others have said about documentation being absolutely critical. One thing I didn't see mentioned is that you should also check if your sister qualifies for the disabled dependent credit in addition to the regular dependency exemption. Since you mentioned she's 30 and disabled, she might qualify for this additional benefit if she's permanently and totally disabled. Also, make sure to factor in the fair market rental value of the room she occupies in your house - this is often the largest single support item and can easily push you over the 50% threshold. I used Zillow's rental estimates for comparable rooms in my area to calculate this. The IRS accepts reasonable estimates as long as you can justify your methodology.

Great advice from everyone here! Just to add another perspective - if you're still having trouble with all the suggested methods, you might want to try calling the IRS Practitioner Priority Line if your accountant is willing to call on your behalf. The wait times are usually much shorter than the regular business line. Also, for future reference, it's worth setting up that IRS Business Account mentioned earlier even if you don't need it right now. Having it ready can save you a lot of headaches when you need documents quickly for loan applications or other business needs. The verification process can take a few days, so it's better to do it when you're not under pressure. Hope you get your 940 form sorted out for your PPP application!

I went through this exact same situation a few months ago when I needed my 940 for an SBA loan application. After trying everything mentioned here, what ultimately worked fastest for me was a combination approach: First, I searched my emails like CosmicCrusader suggested and found the e-filing confirmation from my accountant, but it only had a summary - not the complete form with signatures that my lender required. Then I tried the IRS Business Account route that Natasha mentioned. The transcript was helpful but again, my lender specifically wanted the actual filed form. What saved me was calling my accountant's office and asking to speak with whoever handles client document requests, even if my main contact was unavailable. They were able to pull the complete filed form from their system within 10 minutes and email it to me. For anyone in this situation: be persistent with your tax preparer's office - they almost certainly have the documents you need and can provide them much faster than any IRS process. If your main contact isn't available, ask for someone else who can access the files. Most offices have multiple people who can handle these requests. The key is explaining it's for a time-sensitive loan application - that usually gets you prioritized even when they're swamped.

I had cycle code 20240505 on my transcript last month. My account updated exactly on February 1st (Thursday night/Friday morning). Then again on February 8th. My direct deposit hit my account on February 14th. The Thursday cycle pattern held true throughout the entire process. I've been tracking this for years and the cycle day is remarkably consistent - it's one of the few reliable patterns in the otherwise unpredictable IRS process.

I can confirm the cycle code pattern from personal experience. Had 20240505 last year and tracked updates religiously - my transcript updated every Thursday night/Friday morning like clockwork for 8 weeks straight. The pattern was so consistent that I eventually stopped checking daily and just looked Friday mornings. One thing to add: while your main updates will follow the Thursday cycle, don't panic if you occasionally see small adjustments on other days. The big movements (like refund approval, direct deposit dates) almost always happen on your cycle day. Also, if you're in review or have any issues, those resolution updates typically still follow your cycle pattern too. The IRS may not officially document this for the public, but their internal batch processing absolutely runs on weekly cycles. Your 20240505 puts you in the Thursday group, so mark your calendar and save yourself the daily stress!

Quick question related to this - I'm planning to close my craft business next year and will probably scrap a lot of inventory too. Does anyone know if I need to specifically mark on my taxes that this is my final business filing? Is there a special form or something I need to submit to formally close the business with the IRS?

Isabella, I was in almost the exact same situation when I closed my vintage jewelry restoration business two years ago! The advice from Maya is spot-on about treating the scrap proceeds as gross receipts. One additional tip that really helped me - when you're calculating your COGS, make sure you're including ALL the inventory costs, not just the raw materials. If you had any finished pieces that you scrapped, include the labor costs you originally attributed to those items too. The IRS allows you to include reasonable labor costs in your inventory valuation for handmade goods. Also, keep detailed records of what you sent to the refiner versus what you received back. I kept photos of everything before shipping and copies of all the refiner's documentation. It made my life so much easier when my CPA was preparing the return, and it's good protection if you ever get audited. The $4,800 loss will definitely help offset your freelance income - that's exactly what happened in my case and it actually saved me quite a bit in taxes that year!

I'm going through something very similar right now and wanted to share what I've learned so far. Like you, I didn't keep receipts for major renovations we did between 2014-2016, and I'm now facing capital gains on a recent sale. One approach that's been helpful is creating a comprehensive timeline document. I went through old emails, text messages, and even social media posts to establish when work was done. You'd be surprised how many renovation photos people post on Facebook or Instagram with timestamps. For estimating costs, I've been reaching out to contractors in my area who were working during those years. Several have been willing to provide written estimates of what similar work would have cost back then, especially when I can show them photos of the completed work. Also, don't overlook seemingly small documentation - even receipts for paint, fixtures, or tools can help establish that renovation work was happening during specific time periods. While a $50 paint receipt won't make a huge difference in your basis, it helps corroborate the timeline of larger undocumented expenses. The key seems to be building multiple pieces of supporting evidence rather than trying to find one perfect document. From what I've learned, the IRS is more likely to accept reasonable estimates when they're supported by a clear pattern of evidence showing the work actually happened. Good luck with this - it's stressful but definitely not hopeless!

I'm in a very similar boat and wanted to add another potential source of documentation that helped me - old emails! When I went through my email archives, I found tons of useful stuff I'd completely forgotten about: correspondence with contractors setting up estimates and work schedules, emails to my insurance company about updating coverage after renovations, and even emails to friends and family complaining about the dust and noise during construction (which helped establish timelines). One particularly helpful find was an email thread with my mortgage company from 2013 when we had to get approval for some of the structural work we were doing. The emails included details about the scope of work and even some cost estimates. Also, if you used any project management apps or even basic note-taking apps on your phone during the renovations, those might have timestamps and details. I found some old notes in my phone from measuring rooms and planning layouts that were dated. Another thought - did you or your sister post any "renovation progress" content on social media? Instagram, Facebook, even LinkedIn posts about home projects could provide dated visual evidence of the work being done. The key really seems to be casting a wide net and looking everywhere for any documentation, no matter how small. Every little piece helps build the overall picture that the improvements actually happened when you say they did.