As someone who's been freelancing for about 8 years now, I've dealt with this exact situation countless times. The short answer is no - you're not legally required to use a company's substitute W9 form, but practically speaking, you might have to if you want to work with them. I've found that most companies are actually pretty reasonable if you explain your concerns professionally. I usually send an email to their accounting department saying something like "I prefer to use the standard IRS W9 form for security and record-keeping purposes. I've attached a completed form - please let me know if you need any additional information for your system." About 70% of the time, they'll accept it without issue. For the stubborn ones, I weigh how much I want/need that client relationship. If it's a major client or ongoing work, I'll usually bite the bullet and use their system. But for one-off projects or clients who seem sketchy, I'll sometimes walk away rather than put my SSN into a questionable portal. One compromise I've had success with is offering to complete their substitute form but submitting it via encrypted email or secure file transfer instead of through their web portal. This gives them the format they want while addressing some security concerns.

I've been dealing with this exact issue as a freelance graphic designer working with multiple clients. What I've found is that while you're not legally required to use their substitute W9 forms, the practical reality is that most companies have established workflows and may be reluctant to deviate from them. That said, I've had good success by being proactive and professional about it. When a new client asks for W9 information, I immediately send them a completed standard IRS W9 form along with a brief note explaining that I use this format for consistency and security across all my clients. I mention that it contains all the same required information as any substitute form they might have. About 80% of the time, they accept it without question. For the ones who insist on their own system, I usually comply if it's a valuable client relationship, but I always take screenshots of every step of the submission process and save confirmation emails. The key is addressing it upfront rather than waiting for them to send you their substitute form first. It positions you as organized and security-conscious rather than difficult or uncooperative.

One more thing to consider - if your income is under $30k, check if you qualify for any tax credits related to charitable giving. Some states have credits (not deductions) for donations that apply regardless of whether you take standard deduction. The 1098-C might be needed to document eligibility for those. I took standard deduction last year but still got a small credit on my state return for my car donation.

I'd strongly recommend getting the 1098-C form, even though you're taking the standard deduction. Here's why: The IRS has specific rules for vehicle donations over $500 - they require the 1098-C for proper documentation, regardless of whether you itemize or not. Since your CR-V is worth $6,500, this puts you well into the range where the IRS expects official documentation. Also, consider that your financial situation could change. Maybe you'll have unexpected medical expenses later in the year, or other deductible expenses that could make itemizing worthwhile. Having the 1098-C gives you that option. From an audit protection standpoint, vehicle donations are one of the areas the IRS scrutinizes more closely. Having the official form filed with the IRS creates a paper trail that protects you, even if you don't claim the deduction this year. The only "cost" is sharing your SSN with a legitimate charity, which they're required to keep secure anyway. There's really no downside to getting proper documentation for such a significant donation.

Has anyone used TurboTax for reporting settlement income? I'm wondering if the regular version handles this or if I need to upgrade to their premium or self-employed version.

This is a really important question to get right! I went through something similar with a workplace discrimination settlement a couple years back. The key things I learned: 1) Yes, discrimination settlements are generally taxable as ordinary income, 2) You can deduct attorney fees "above the line" so you're only taxed on what you actually received, and 3) Set aside about 25-30% for taxes depending on your bracket. One thing I'd add that others haven't mentioned - make sure you get a proper 1099 form from whoever paid the settlement. Sometimes there are delays or errors with these, and you want to make sure the amount reported matches your records. Also, if any part of your settlement was specifically for medical expenses related to physical symptoms, that portion might be excludable from income, but you'd need clear documentation showing that allocation. I'd definitely recommend talking to a tax professional or even calling the IRS directly about your specific situation. Settlement taxation can be tricky and the stakes are high enough that it's worth getting professional guidance.

Filed my RI return on 2/4 and still waiting too! Really appreciate everyone sharing their timelines here - it's way more helpful than the vague info on the state website. Sounds like we're all in the same boat with early February filers. At least knowing they're working through late January gives me some hope I'll see mine in the next few weeks. The waiting game is brutal when you're counting on that refund! 😅

Filed mine on 2/2 and got my RI refund yesterday via direct deposit! Took exactly 6 weeks. For everyone still waiting on early February filings, it sounds like you're getting close based on what others are saying about them processing late January returns now. I know the wait is stressful but they do seem to be moving at a steady pace this year. Hang in there! 🙏

This is really helpful information! I'm in a similar situation with my S-Corp and was wondering about the phone deduction. One thing I'm curious about - how do you all track your business vs personal usage percentage? I feel like estimating 70% business use is reasonable for my situation, but I'm worried about justifying that number if the IRS ever asks. Do you keep detailed logs, or is it more of a reasonable estimate based on your work patterns? My phone is definitely essential for client calls, emails, and coordinating with vendors, but I also use it for personal stuff in the evenings and weekends. Also, does the same logic apply to tablets? I'm thinking about getting an iPad for presenting to clients and managing project documents on job sites.

I've been dealing with this exact situation for my marketing consultancy S-Corp. My accountant gave me similar advice - 100% deduction on the phone purchase since it's primarily business use, but only the business percentage on monthly service. One thing that helped me was actually documenting my business use for a full quarter to establish a defensible percentage. I tracked business calls, client emails, work-related apps, GPS usage for client meetings, etc. Ended up with about 75% business use, which felt much more solid than just estimating. For record keeping, I created a simple one-page memo explaining why the phone is necessary for my business operations (client calls, email access, scheduling, document reviews on the go, etc.) and kept all purchase receipts. The monthly bills I highlight the business percentage and keep a running total. The peace of mind from having proper documentation is worth the extra effort, especially with S-Corps where everything flows through to your personal return. Better to be over-prepared than scrambling if you ever get questioned on it.