For military members specifically, you should also contact the Taxpayer Advocate Service (TAS) at 877-777-4778. They have special procedures for active duty personnel dealing with PCS moves and can often expedite address changes or intercept refunds before they're mailed to the wrong address. TAS is designed to help when normal IRS procedures aren't working fast enough for your situation. Also, make sure you're using the military mail forwarding system through your finance office - they sometimes have direct channels to update your tax information that civilian moves don't have access to.

I went through this exact situation during my last PCS move. Here's what I learned: if your refund shows "mailed" status on Where's My Refund, you have about 48-72 hours before it actually gets sent out. Call the IRS immediately at 800-829-1040 (best times are 7-8 AM local time for shorter wait) and explain it's a military PCS situation. They can put a "stop payment" on the check if it hasn't been mailed yet. Also file Form 8822 online through your IRS account - it's faster than mailing it. If the check does get returned, don't panic - it typically takes 6-8 weeks for them to reissue it to your new address, but you can track the whole process through your online account. Pro tip: always update your address with the IRS BEFORE filing your return during PCS season.

I'm in almost the exact same situation! Filed 4/13, accepted 4/14, got my 570/971 codes on 5/15, and just saw the second 971 code appear yesterday. Haven't received the CP05 notice yet but sounds like it's coming. Reading through everyone's experiences here is both reassuring and nerve-wracking. It's good to know that 6-10 weeks seems more realistic than the full 120 days, but still frustrating when you're depending on that money. I'm curious about something though - for those who sent documentation proactively, did you wait until you actually received the CP05 notice in the mail before faxing anything? Or did you send it as soon as you saw the codes on your transcript? I'm wondering if sending docs too early might actually confuse their system or slow things down. Also, Noah, totally feel you on the home renovation stress. I'm in the middle of a bathroom remodel and was counting on this refund for the final phase. Already had to push back my tile installation once, and really hoping I don't have to do it again! One thing I've started doing is checking my transcript every Friday morning since that seems to be when most updates happen based on what I've read here. Probably overkill, but it gives me something to do while I wait!

I'm currently going through this exact same situation and wanted to share what I've learned from calling multiple times and speaking with different representatives. First off, the 120-day timeframe is definitely their standard CYA response, but from tracking cases in various tax communities, the actual resolution time for CP05 reviews this year has been averaging 8-12 weeks. The key factors seem to be: 1. Complexity of your return (multiple income sources, significant deductions, etc.) 2. Current IRS processing backlog in your region 3. Whether you proactively provide documentation Regarding the documentation question that several people have asked - I spoke with a Taxpayer Advocate who recommended waiting for the actual CP05 notice before sending anything. The notice will specify exactly what triggered the review and what (if any) documentation would be helpful. Sending docs too early can sometimes create a separate correspondence file that actually slows things down. For your renovation timeline Noah, I'd definitely recommend having a contingency plan. I learned this lesson the hard way with a roof repair that couldn't wait. Consider a 0% intro APR credit card if you have good credit - many offer 12-15 months no interest, which should cover you even if this takes the full timeframe. One helpful tip: your transcript cycle date (the 8-digit number at the top) is more reliable for tracking progress than the individual code dates. When that changes, it usually means real movement on your case. Hang in there - this process is frustrating but it does resolve!

This thread has been incredibly helpful! I'm also in the Amazon Vine program and was completely confused about the tax implications when I got my first 1099-NEC. Reading everyone's experiences has clarified that I definitely need to file Schedule C. One thing I wanted to mention that I haven't seen discussed much - has anyone dealt with the situation where some Vine products end up being defective or unusable? I received a few items last year that were broken or didn't work as intended, but Amazon still counted their full value toward my 1099-NEC income. I'm wondering if there's any way to account for this on my tax return, since I'm paying taxes on the "value" of products that were essentially worthless to me. My tax software doesn't seem to have a clear way to handle this situation. Has anyone else run into this issue or found a solution? Also, thank you to everyone who shared their experiences with the various tax services - it's given me some good options to explore for getting professional help with this unique situation!

I'm dealing with a similar situation but with a twist - I participate in both Amazon Vine and another product testing program for a tech company. Both issued me 1099-NECs, so I'm looking at around $4,100 total in "income" from free products. What's been helpful for me is treating this like any other small business from a record-keeping perspective. I created separate folders (both physical and digital) for each program and track everything: photos of products received, screenshots of my reviews, receipts for any related purchases, and even time logs for how long I spend on review activities. One expense I haven't seen mentioned yet is software costs - I started using Grammarly premium and a photo editing app specifically to improve the quality of my reviews, and my tax preparer confirmed these are legitimate business deductions since they directly relate to the income-generating activity. For those worried about audits, I think the key is just being able to demonstrate that you're treating this as a legitimate business activity rather than a hobby. The IRS guidance is pretty clear that if you're receiving 1099-NECs for services (which product reviewing is), it should be reported as self-employment income on Schedule C, regardless of the amount.

I went through this exact situation with my LLC in Virginia last year. After consulting with a tax attorney, I learned that the confusion often comes from misunderstanding what constitutes a "business entity" under IRC Section 761(f). The key issue is that once you form an LLC, you've created a separate legal entity, which disqualifies you from the QJV election in non-community property states. However, there's an important distinction many people miss: you CAN operate the same business activities as a qualified joint venture if you dissolve the LLC first. We ended up dissolving our LLC and now operate as a QJV. The process involved: 1. Filing dissolution paperwork with the state 2. Filing a final 1065 return for the LLC 3. Making the QJV election on our joint return 4. Each filing Schedule C for our respective shares The liability protection loss was concerning, but we mitigated it with increased insurance coverage and careful contract structuring. For our consulting business, the tax simplification was worth it - we went from paying $1,500+ annually for partnership return preparation to handling it ourselves. One important note: make sure both spouses genuinely materially participate in the business operations. The IRS can challenge QJV elections if one spouse is just a passive investor.

I appreciate everyone sharing their experiences with this complex issue. As someone who went through a similar situation with my spouse's consulting business in Ohio, I wanted to add a few practical considerations that might help others. One thing that hasn't been mentioned is the timing aspect of dissolving an LLC. If you're considering this route, plan it carefully around your tax year. We dissolved our LLC at the end of 2023, which meant we had to file both the final 1065 for the LLC AND start the QJV election in the same tax year. It created some complexity in tracking income and expenses across both structures. Also, don't forget about state-level implications. In Ohio, we had to deal with the Commercial Activity Tax (CAT) differently once we dissolved the LLC. Some states have their own partnership filing requirements that might not align with the federal QJV election, so check your state's rules too. One unexpected benefit we discovered: banks and vendors actually preferred dealing with us as sole proprietors rather than through the LLC. Several of our payment processors reduced their fees because we weren't classified as a "business entity" anymore. Not huge savings, but every bit helps when you're trying to simplify your operations. The material participation requirement is real though - the IRS does audit QJV elections, and they'll look at whether both spouses are genuinely involved in day-to-day operations.

Great point about the QBI deduction! That's a game-changer that often gets overlooked. For 2024, you can potentially deduct up to 20% of your qualified business income from your 1099 work, which significantly reduces your taxable income. However, there are income limitations - the deduction phases out for single filers with taxable income over $191,950 and married filing jointly over $383,900. For most part-time workers, this won't be an issue. So in your 15 hours/week scenario, if you're making say $15,000 annually from this gig as 1099, you could potentially deduct $3,000 through QBI alone. That's a substantial tax savings that could easily offset the extra self-employment tax burden. Combined with other business deductions (mileage, home office, etc.), the 1099 option might be more attractive than the simple formulas suggest. Definitely worth factoring this into your calculations!

One thing that hasn't been mentioned yet is the impact on your Social Security earnings record. As a W-2 employee, your earnings are automatically reported and contribute to your future Social Security benefits calculation. With 1099, you're still paying into Social Security through self-employment tax, but you need to make sure you're reporting everything correctly. Also, consider the administrative burden. As 1099, you'll need to track expenses throughout the year, make quarterly estimated tax payments, and deal with more complex tax filing. For a 15-hour/week gig, ask yourself if the potential tax savings are worth the extra bookkeeping hassle. Given that your employer prefers W-2 and you don't have significant deductible expenses beyond mileage, I'd lean toward W-2 for simplicity unless the math clearly favors 1099 by a meaningful margin (at least $1,000+ annually in your pocket).