Jacob, I completely understand your situation - I was in almost the exact same spot when I first started filing taxes! The good news is that your situation is actually pretty straightforward once you understand the basics. Since you sold $1,300 worth of personal items that originally cost you $650-700, you're looking at roughly $600-650 in profit. However, there's an important concept called depreciation to consider - most personal items (clothes, electronics, collectibles) lose value over time through normal wear and use. So even though you made $1,300 in sales, if these items had depreciated since you originally bought them, your actual taxable profit could be much lower or even zero. The IRS really distinguishes between people who are running actual reselling businesses versus folks like you who are just cleaning out their closets. Since these weren't items you bought specifically to resell, and you're not doing this regularly as a business, you're in a much simpler tax situation. You'll likely receive a 1099-K from eBay since you exceeded $600 in sales, but remember - that form just shows your gross sales, not your taxable profit. You only pay taxes on the actual profit after accounting for what you originally paid and reasonable depreciation. For your first time filing, I'd suggest using one of the free or low-cost tax software options that can walk you through this step by step. Don't stress too much - the IRS isn't trying to penalize college students selling old stuff!

Hey Jacob! I totally get the anxiety around filing taxes for the first time - it can feel really overwhelming, especially when you add eBay sales into the mix. But honestly, your situation sounds pretty straightforward once you break it down. The key thing to remember is that you only owe taxes on actual profit, not your total sales. Since you made $1,300 in sales but originally paid $650-700 for those items, you're looking at maybe $600-650 in profit on paper. But here's the important part - those were personal items that have likely depreciated over time. Your old electronics and clothes are probably worth less now than when you bought them, so your actual taxable profit might be even smaller. Since you weren't buying these items specifically to resell (just clearing out stuff you already owned), this is considered occasional personal property sales rather than running a business. That makes the tax treatment much simpler. You'll probably get a 1099-K from eBay since you exceeded $600 in sales, but don't panic when you see that form - it just shows your gross sales, not what you actually owe taxes on. Keep simple records of what you estimate you originally paid for the items you sold (even rough estimates are fine), and any decent tax software can walk you through reporting this properly. For a first-timer in your situation, I'd definitely recommend using software like FreeTaxUSA rather than paying for a tax preparer. You've got this - don't stress too much about it!

Adding to what others have shared - I'm a CPA and deal with EIN applications regularly for my clients. The missing date really isn't going to be an issue for processing. The IRS SS4 form has evolved over the years, and while the date field exists, it's not one of the critical validation points they use. The most important elements they look for are: complete business information, proper entity type selection, valid responsible party details, and that signature. Your application will almost certainly process normally. That said, if you're concerned about timing (especially since you mentioned needing it for a bank account), I'd suggest calling the IRS in about 2-3 weeks to check status rather than immediately resubmitting. Duplicate applications can sometimes cause more delays than missing dates. One pro tip for the future - if you ever need to submit tax forms again, consider reviewing them the next day with fresh eyes before sending. I catch way more errors that way than trying to proof everything in one sitting. Good luck with your new business venture!

I totally understand the panic you're feeling! I went through something similar when I was setting up my consulting business last year. I actually made an even more embarrassing mistake - I accidentally wrote my personal SSN instead of leaving it blank for the business entity section and didn't catch it until after I'd already faxed it. From what I've learned through that experience and talking to other small business owners, the IRS is surprisingly forgiving with these kinds of administrative oversights on SS4 forms. The date field, while included on the form, isn't one of the critical elements that would cause an automatic rejection. The key things they really care about are having a complete signature, accurate business information, and proper entity classification. As long as you've got those covered (which it sounds like you do), you should be in good shape. My recommendation would be to wait about 2-3 weeks and then call to check on the status rather than immediately resubmitting. That way you can confirm they received it and are processing it normally. If for some reason there is an issue, they can guide you on the best way to handle it at that point. Don't beat yourself up too much about this - these forms can be tricky even when you're being super careful. The fact that you triple-checked everything else shows you were being thorough. Best of luck with your new side business!

I'm in a very similar situation with base + commissions and went through this exact analysis last year. The key insight everyone's touched on is correct - you can't just choose to receive part of your W-2 compensation as 1099. The IRS has strict rules about employee vs contractor classification. What I found most helpful was using Form W-4's line 4(c) to add extra withholding on my regular paychecks to offset the overwithholding on commission checks. My HR department explained that large commission payments often trigger the highest withholding rates because payroll systems assume that's your regular income level. I calculated my expected annual tax liability and divided it by my total expected paychecks (including commission frequency). Then I adjusted my regular paycheck withholding to make up the difference. This smoothed out my cash flow significantly without changing my total tax burden. Also worth noting - even if you could go 1099, you'd face the 15.3% self-employment tax on top of income tax, plus quarterly estimated payments. For most commission structures, the math doesn't work out favorably compared to optimized W-2 withholding.

I went through this exact same situation about two years ago when my commissions started hitting $8-10k quarterly. Like others have mentioned, you can't just choose to switch part of your compensation to 1099 - that's determined by your actual work relationship, not tax preferences. What really helped me was working with my payroll department to understand exactly how they calculate withholding on commission checks. Most systems use the "aggregate method" which basically assumes your commission check represents your new regular income level and withholds accordingly. That's why it feels like you're losing half of those big quarterly bonuses. The solution that worked for me was adjusting my W-4 withholding on regular paychecks to account for the overwithholding on commissions. I used last year's tax return to estimate my total annual liability, then calculated how much should be withheld per paycheck versus what was actually happening. The difference went into the "extra withholding" line on my W-4 for regular paychecks. It took a couple quarters to dial in the right numbers, but now my cash flow is much more predictable. I still get a small refund at tax time rather than owing, but I'm not giving the IRS a massive interest-free loan anymore. The key is being conservative with your commission estimates - better to slightly overwithhold than get hit with a surprise tax bill.

Just wanted to add one more consideration that hasn't been mentioned yet - make sure you're aware of the quarterly payment due dates if you decide to go that route instead of adjusting your W4. Since your wife made $22K last year and will likely make similar this year, and you're starting your job in July, you'll want to be strategic about timing. The Q3 estimated payment (due September 15) might be a good starting point for your wife if you decide on quarterly payments rather than W4 adjustments. Also, keep in mind that if your wife's business has any seasonal fluctuations, you might want to use the annualized income installment method rather than paying equal quarterly amounts. This can help if her income varies significantly throughout the year. One last tip: whatever approach you choose (W4 adjustment vs quarterly payments), make sure to revisit your calculations in the fall once you have a better sense of both your actual income and your wife's year-end business expenses. You can always make adjustments for Q4 or change your W4 withholding if needed. The key is just getting started with something reasonable rather than trying to get it perfect from day one!

I'm dealing with a very similar situation right now! My husband is a 1099 contractor making about $25K annually, and I just started a new W2 job making $78K. One thing that really helped me was breaking down the calculation into two parts: the self-employment tax (which is pretty straightforward at 15.3% of net income) and the additional income tax from the combined income pushing us into a higher bracket. For your wife's $22K income, you're looking at roughly $3,370 in self-employment tax. Then for the income tax portion, you'll need to figure out what tax bracket your combined income puts you in. With your $85K plus her $22K, you'll likely be in the 22% bracket, so that's another $4,840 in income tax on her income. The tricky part is that your wife can reduce her taxable income significantly with business deductions - home office, supplies, mileage, phone/internet if used for business, etc. This could easily reduce her taxable income by $3-5K, which would lower the overall tax burden. I ended up using a combination approach: I increased my W4 withholding by about $400/month to cover most of it, and my husband makes a small quarterly payment to cover any difference. This way we're not over-withholding too much from my paychecks, but we're still staying current with the taxes. The IRS withholding calculator is definitely your best bet for getting the exact numbers, but hopefully this gives you a ballpark to work with!

I totally get your frustration - I went through this exact same nightmare last year! The ID.me/IRS verification process is incredibly confusing and poorly explained. What's happening is that you have an ID.me account, but you haven't completed the IRS-specific verification link yet. Here's what finally worked for me: 1. Start at IRS.gov (this is crucial - don't go to ID.me first) 2. Click "Sign in to your Online Account" 3. It will redirect you to ID.me - log in with your existing credentials 4. Here's the key step most people miss: after logging in, there will be an authorization screen asking if you want to allow the IRS to access your verified ID.me information 5. Click "Allow" or "Authorize" - this creates the connection between your ID.me account and the IRS system The whole thing is like having a key but not knowing which door it opens. Once you complete that authorization step, you should be able to access your account and track your refund status. I know how stressful it is waiting for that money, especially when working remotely. The process took me about 15 minutes once I figured out the right sequence. Hope this helps you get through it quickly!

I completely understand your frustration - I just went through this exact same ordeal two weeks ago! The key issue is that having an ID.me account is different from being verified specifically for IRS purposes. Here's what finally worked for me: 1. Go to IRS.gov first (not ID.me directly) 2. Click "Sign in to your Online Account" 3. When it redirects to ID.me, log in with your existing credentials 4. Look for the authorization step - this is where you give the IRS permission to access your ID.me verification 5. Complete that authorization to link the systems I was in the same boat waiting for my refund while working from home, and the stress was real. The whole process took about 15 minutes once I figured out the right sequence. The IRS really needs to explain this better - it's like they designed it to be as confusing as possible! Once you get through it though, you'll finally be able to track your refund status online. Hope this helps you get your money faster!