Guys I'm telling you, the real move is to just become a corporation. Then you don't gotta pay taxes at all! 🧠🤑

I feel your frustration! I had a similar situation last year - filed in March and didn't hear back until August. What really helped me was calling the IRS first thing in the morning (like 7 AM when they open) and having all my documents ready. The wait times are brutal but worth it. Also, make sure to check if the IRS has your correct address on file - sometimes returns get held up because of address mismatches. Hang in there, you'll get through this! 💪

I'm dealing with a similar situation right now and wanted to share what I learned from calling the IRS directly about missing 1099s. The agent told me that you absolutely should file your return even without the 1099-NEC - in fact, waiting could result in late filing penalties if you miss the deadline. The key is to be as accurate as possible with your income reporting. Since you kept everything in a separate account, that's going to be your best documentation. Report the income on Schedule C and keep detailed records of everything - your bank statements, any correspondence with the contractor requesting the 1099, copies of invoices or work agreements. One thing the IRS agent emphasized is that contractors who fail to provide required tax documents can face penalties. You might want to report the non-compliance using Form 8919 or contact the IRS directly about the contractor's failure to issue the 1099-NEC. Sometimes a call from the IRS gets these situations resolved quickly. Don't let this difficult contractor delay your refund any longer, especially with three dependents. File based on your records and let the IRS sort out any issues with the contractor separately.

You've already received some great advice here, but I want to emphasize something important - don't let this contractor's behavior delay your tax filing any longer. Based on what you've described, you have solid documentation with your separate bank account records, and that's exactly what the IRS expects in situations like this. Since you mentioned estimating around $13,000 from January through June, I'd recommend gathering every piece of evidence you can: bank statements (even from your closed account - the bank should provide these), any invoices you sent, email confirmations of payments, or even text messages discussing payment amounts. The more documentation you have, the better. Here's what I'd do in your situation: 1) Send a final certified mail request for the 1099-NEC with a specific deadline, 2) Calculate your exact income from your bank records, 3) File your return using Schedule C to report the self-employment income, and 4) Keep all documentation of your attempts to obtain the proper forms. The IRS understands that not all employers follow the rules, and they have procedures in place for exactly these situations. Your substantial refund with three dependents shouldn't be held hostage by one difficult contractor who's clearly trying to make your life difficult. File accurately based on your records and let the IRS deal with his non-compliance separately.

Has anyone had success using homeowners insurance documentation? We had to update our policy after major renovations, and I'm wondering if those policy updates could count as evidence of improvements.

This is such valuable information, everyone! I'm dealing with a similar situation from 2012-2014 renovations and honestly thought I was completely out of luck without receipts. Reading through all these suggestions, I'm realizing I might have more documentation than I initially thought. I definitely have some dated photos on my old phone showing our before/after bathroom renovation, and I know we increased our homeowners insurance coverage after adding the deck and finishing the basement. One thing I want to add - don't forget about utility company records if you did any electrical or HVAC work. When we upgraded our electrical panel and added central air, the power company had to do inspections and upgrades to our service. Those records might show the timing and scope of electrical improvements. Also, if you used any home improvement store credit cards (like Home Depot or Lowe's cards), those statements can be really helpful since they show exactly what materials you bought and when. Even if you can't match every receipt, a pattern of purchases during renovation periods can help establish your timeline and costs. Thanks for sharing all these resources - definitely going to look into both taxr.ai and Claimyr for my situation!

I'm going through this exact same situation right now! Filed my return 16 days ago and have been stuck in ID.me verification limbo for 6 days after my video interview. The waiting is absolutely nerve-wracking, especially when you're trying to plan business expenses like you mentioned. But after reading all these responses, I'm feeling much more confident that our returns are processing normally regardless of the ID.me delays. It's such a relief to know these are separate systems! I've been checking Where's My Refund daily and it shows everything is moving along as expected. Definitely going to try that ID.me customer service number someone shared - 1-855-438-6343. Thanks everyone for sharing your experiences and helping ease the anxiety around this frustrating process!

I'm experiencing the exact same ID.me verification delay - been waiting 4 days since my video interview with no response! This thread has been incredibly helpful in easing my anxiety about whether it would impact my refund processing. It's such a relief to learn that ID.me verification and tax return processing are completely separate systems. I filed 19 days ago and have been using the Where's My Refund tool to track progress, which shows everything is moving normally. For anyone else dealing with this frustrating wait, it sounds like we can rest assured our returns are processing on schedule regardless of the ID.me delays. Thanks to everyone who shared their experiences - it really helps to know we're not alone in this!

9 I had exactly this issue! The solution is actually pretty simple. Since it's a Roth IRA and Box 2b is checked, you need to determine what portion of the distribution is earnings vs contributions. In TurboTax, there should be a question asking "Do you know your basis in this Roth IRA?" For a Roth that's only been open a few years with a small amount, it's likely very little is actually taxable. Just make sure to enter the total contributions your daughter made to the account (her basis).

This is a really common issue that trips up a lot of people! When Box 2a is blank and Box 2b is checked on a 1099-R for a Roth IRA, it means the financial institution is leaving it up to you to determine what's taxable. The key thing to remember is that with Roth IRAs, you get your contributions back first, tax-free. Since your daughter is 24 and only had the account for 3 years, and it was a small distribution of $650, there's a good chance most or all of it was just her original contributions coming back out. Here's what you need to do: Figure out how much she contributed to the Roth IRA over the years vs. how much it grew. If she put in $600 and it grew to $650, then only $50 would be taxable earnings. If she put in the full $650 or more, then nothing is taxable. Check with the financial institution for her contribution history, or look at old tax documents if she claimed the Saver's Credit for Roth contributions. Once you have that number, TurboTax should be able to handle the rest and generate Form 8606 automatically.