I've been dealing with this exact issue for years with our annual charity 5K run. One thing that's helped us tremendously is being completely transparent with sponsors upfront about how funds are allocated. We now provide a detailed breakdown showing: - Event expenses (permits, timing equipment, shirts, etc.) - Amount going to primary charity - Amount retained for next year's event - Any distributions to other causes This transparency has actually strengthened our sponsor relationships because they appreciate knowing exactly where their money goes. We also give sponsors the option to make their contribution directly to the charity if they prefer 100% tax deductibility, or they can sponsor through us with clear documentation about the partial deduction. The key is honest communication. Most businesses would rather know the real situation than be surprised later during an audit. We've found that many sponsors actually prefer the mixed approach because it helps ensure the event continues year after year, which gives them ongoing community visibility. Consider creating a simple one-page document that breaks down your financial model and share it with potential sponsors. It shows professionalism and protects everyone involved.

As someone who's been organizing charity events for over a decade, I can tell you that this is one of the most common pitfalls event organizers face. The fundamental issue is that you're essentially operating as an unregistered nonprofit when you collect funds and distribute them, which creates tax complications for your sponsors. Here's what I've learned works best: Set up what's called a "pass-through" arrangement with your primary charity. They become the official organizer of the event, you become their volunteer committee. All sponsor payments go directly to them, they pay all event expenses, and then they can legitimately decide how to allocate any surplus - whether to their programs, to other charities, or to fund next year's event. This solves several problems at once: sponsors get clean tax deductions, you avoid liability issues, and you maintain operational control through your committee role. The charity gets credit for a successful fundraising event, and you get the flexibility you need for future planning. Most established nonprofits are familiar with this arrangement and have standard agreements. The 5% administrative fee someone mentioned earlier is pretty typical and worth it for the legal and tax clarity it provides. I'd strongly recommend pursuing this route rather than continuing to operate in the gray area you're currently in.

The TurboTax e-file queue system operates on a batch processing schedule. Your return is likely in the transmission batch that will execute tonight. According to their internal processing documentation, weekend submissions typically enter the IRS submission protocol on the next business day's evening batch. The pending status indicates proper submission to their internal verification system rather than a rejection or error condition.

I'm going through the exact same thing right now! Filed my return through TurboTax on Sunday and it's been stuck on "pending" ever since. Based on what everyone's saying here, it sounds like this is totally normal - especially for weekend filings. The 48-72 hour timeframe that @Liam Sullivan mentioned makes sense, and knowing that TurboTax does their own internal review before sending to the IRS is actually reassuring. I was starting to worry something went wrong with my return, but it seems like we just need to be patient. Thanks everyone for the detailed explanations - this community is so helpful during tax season!

Pro tip: you can call the IRS automated system at 800-829-1040 and it will tell you if you have any outstanding balances. No need to wait for a human. Just have your SSN and filing status ready. It's how I check if I owe anything before I file each year.

Just wanted to add that you should also check if you have any estimated tax payment requirements for this year to avoid being in this same situation again. Since you had to pay additional taxes on your amended return, it might mean your withholding or estimated payments weren't quite right. The IRS generally expects you to pay as you go throughout the year, either through payroll withholding or quarterly estimated payments. If you end up owing more than $1,000 when you file, you might be subject to underpayment penalties next year even if you pay on time. You can use Form 1040ES to calculate if you need to make estimated payments for the current tax year. Better to stay ahead of it than deal with another surprise balance later!

If youre just looking for the employee copies in 4-up format (not Copy A), check out https://www.taxact.com/small-business or https://www.onepricetaxes.com - they both have free printable W2 templates in the 4-up format. Just make sure your getting the current tax year version. Remember you'll still need to get the proper Copy A forms (the red ones) separately for SSA filing, but the employee copies can be printed from these templates on your perforated paper.

Great to see you found what you were looking for! Just want to add a quick tip for anyone else in a similar situation - if you're printing the employee copies on perforated paper, make sure to test print one sheet first to check the alignment. Sometimes the margins can be slightly off depending on your printer settings, and you don't want to waste a whole pack of expensive perforated paper. Also, even though you're handling this yourself to save costs, consider keeping records of where you downloaded the templates and when, just in case you need to reference the source later for compliance purposes. The IRS likes documentation trails, especially for small businesses.

One thing nobody has mentioned yet - make sure you're aware of the filing deadlines for different types of information returns. 1099-NECs are due by January 31, but some other forms like 1099-MISC have different deadlines depending on the specific boxes you're filling out. Also, the TCC application asks for an estimate of how many forms you'll be filing. Be accurate here because it affects how they process your application.

As someone who just went through this exact process last month, I can confirm you still have time! Here's what worked for me: The ID.me setup is actually pretty straightforward - it just requires identity verification (driver's license photo, selfie, etc.). The whole process took me about 15 minutes. Once that's done, you can access the IR Application for TCC portal immediately. For the TCC application itself, have these ready: - Your company's EIN - Business address and contact info - Estimate of how many forms you'll file (be realistic - they may ask for justification if the number seems high) - Your role/authority to file on behalf of the business I submitted my application on December 8th and got approval on December 28th, so about 20 days. They seem to be processing faster than the stated 45 days, possibly because of the January deadline crunch. One tip: when you get your TCC, immediately test a small batch in the FIRE system's test environment before submitting your actual returns. The error messages in testing are much more helpful than production rejections! The whole process is definitely doable if you start this week. Good luck!