Has anyone managed to reach PriorTax customer service directly? What's the best contact method? Their website just sends me to FAQs that don't address my problem.

I had almost the exact same issue with PriorTax two weeks ago! The infinite loading on "save & go" is definitely a known bug they're dealing with. Here's what finally worked for me: 1. Try using an incognito/private browsing window - this bypasses any cached data that might be corrupted 2. If you're using Chrome, go to Settings > Advanced > Reset and clean up > Clean up computer and run that tool 3. Most importantly - try accessing your return through their mobile app instead of the website. For some reason the mobile version doesn't have the same JavaScript conflicts I was stuck for 4 days before discovering the mobile app workaround. All my data was still there and I could edit/save everything normally through the app. Once I completed everything on mobile, I was able to access it normally on desktop again. Don't give up on PriorTax yet - you're so close to finishing! The mobile app trick saved me from having to start over with different software.

One option nobody's mentioned yet - if your client uses TurboTax or similar software for their personal stuff, see if they can export their stock transactions from there into a format Ultratax can read. Sometimes the consumer software does a better job with the initial import from brokerages than the pro software does.

For complex stock reporting situations like this, I've found that breaking the problem down into phases really helps. First, I separate the employee stock options (ISOs, NQSOs, ESPP) from regular brokerage trades since they have different reporting requirements. The employee stock options often need Form 3921 or 3922 reporting in addition to the capital gains treatment, so make sure you're capturing the ordinary income component correctly. For the regular trades, focus on getting the covered securities imported first since those should have complete basis information from the broker. For the non-covered securities missing cost basis, I create a spreadsheet to track down the original purchase information. Sometimes clients have old statements or trade confirmations they forgot about. If not, you might need to research historical pricing for the acquisition dates. One thing that's saved me time - before doing any bulk imports, I always test with just 2-3 transactions first to make sure the mapping is working correctly. It's much easier to fix formatting issues on a small sample than to clean up 40 botched imports. The wash sale errors in Ultratax can be overly aggressive, so don't panic. Review each flagged transaction manually - the software sometimes flags things that aren't actually wash sales due to timing or different security classifications.

I work in payroll and can confirm that @Ana Rusula is absolutely right - never use the federal EIN in place of a state EIN! These are completely separate numbers assigned by different agencies for different purposes. Here's what I'd recommend based on your company spin-off situation: First, check if you have any old pay stubs from before the spin-off - they often contain the state employer ID number. Second, try searching your state's Secretary of State website AND your state's Department of Labor/Employment website, as they sometimes maintain separate databases. If you're in a state like Texas, Florida, or Nevada that don't have state income tax, you might not need a state EIN at all for income tax purposes (though you might still need it for unemployment insurance records). The "APPLIED FOR" suggestion from @Mary Bates is actually the safest route if you can't locate the number through other means. State tax agencies deal with this regularly during corporate restructuring and it won't raise any red flags.

For Pennsylvania specifically, you'll want to check the PA Department of Revenue's employer database as well. The PA Department of Labor & Industry maintains employment records, but for state income tax withholding ID numbers, the Department of Revenue is your best bet. You can also try calling PA's taxpayer service line at 717-787-8201. During tax season they're usually pretty good about helping with these employer ID lookups, especially when you explain it's due to a corporate spin-off situation. One more tip - if your company was publicly traded, you might find the state tax ID information in their SEC filings or annual reports from around the time of the spin-off. These documents sometimes contain subsidiary tax information that includes state employer ID numbers. The good news is PA is generally pretty efficient with processing returns that have "APPLIED FOR" in the state EIN field, so you have a solid backup plan if the search doesn't pan out.

Pro tip: Consider using your phone's location history as a backup for reconstructing mileage logs if you forget to track in real-time. Google Maps Timeline has saved me multiple times when I've forgotten to log trips. It's not a replacement for proper contemporaneous records, but it can help fill gaps if needed.

Great question! Yes, you absolutely need to maintain a mileage log even when your vehicle is primarily used for business. The IRS requires documentation to support any business vehicle deductions, regardless of the percentage of business use. However, your approach of tracking the rare personal trips could work! This is called the "adequate records" method where you document total annual mileage and subtract personal use. Just make sure you: 1) Record your odometer reading at the beginning and end of each year 2) Keep detailed records of every personal trip (date, destination, mileage, purpose) 3) Have supporting documentation for your business travel (client appointments, receipts, etc.) Since you're already meticulous with receipts and expenses, you're on the right track. Consider using a mileage tracking app like MileIQ or Everlance to make logging easier - they can automatically detect trips and you just categorize them as business or personal. One important note: once you choose between the standard mileage rate or actual expense method for a vehicle, you generally need to stick with that method for the life of the vehicle. Given that you're tracking all actual expenses already, make sure to calculate which method gives you the better deduction before deciding!

For what it's worth, I went through this exact situation in 2024. You definitely can't claim your spouse as a dependent - that's not how the tax code works. But I learned that filing jointly often gives you better tax benefits anyway. If her SSN doesn't arrive in time, file Form 4868 for an automatic 6-month extension. That should give plenty of time for the SSN to arrive, and there's no penalty as long as you pay any estimated taxes owed by the original deadline. We ended up saving almost $3k by waiting and filing jointly versus my original plan.

One thing nobody mentioned - you might actually qualify for "married filing jointly" status even if your wife doesn't have an SSN yet by using the "NRA spouse exemption." If your wife is a nonresident alien (which sounds possible based on recent arrival), you can elect to treat her as a resident for tax purposes, which lets you file jointly.