You're absolutely right that this is a legitimate business arrangement! I've been operating under a similar booth rental setup for my grooming business for over 3 years now, and it's completely legal when done properly. The key factors you mentioned - setting your own schedule, handling your own client payments, providing your own supplies, and carrying your own insurance - are exactly what the IRS looks for to establish true independent contractor status. The fact that you file Schedule C is also correct. One thing I'd add is to make sure your rental agreement explicitly states that you're renting space only, not providing services to the salon. This helps maintain the clear distinction between a landlord-tenant relationship versus an employer-employee relationship. Don't let the naysayers get to you - booth/table rental is an established and legitimate business model that's been used successfully across the grooming and beauty industries for decades. As long as you maintain proper documentation and operate with genuine independence (which it sounds like you do), you're on solid ground. Good luck with your move to the new location!

The arrangement you're describing is definitely legal and quite common in the grooming industry. What you have is a classic booth/table rental setup, which the IRS recognizes as legitimate when structured properly. You've hit all the key markers for true independent contractor status: controlling your own schedule, handling direct client payments, setting your own rates, providing your own tools and supplies, carrying your own insurance, and filing Schedule C. These factors clearly distinguish you from an employee relationship. The people commenting on the ad are likely confusing this with situations where salon owners misclassify employees as independent contractors while still controlling their work. That's what gets salons in trouble - not legitimate booth rental arrangements like yours. Since you mentioned the previous owner was audited and passed, that's actually great evidence that this setup is compliant. The IRS has clear guidelines on worker classification, and booth rental arrangements that maintain true independence (like yours) consistently pass scrutiny. Just make sure you have a written rental agreement that specifies you're renting space only, not providing services to the salon owner. Keep good records of your independent operation - separate business cards, your own appointment scheduling, direct client payments, etc. This documentation will support your classification if any questions ever arise. You're definitely on the right track legally and tax-wise!

I'm dealing with this exact same issue right now with my chess club! We're a small group but we collect membership fees and occasionally get donations for equipment. I've been losing sleep over whether I'm going to get hit with unexpected taxes on money that isn't even mine. Reading through these responses, it sounds like the university route might be the best first step. I'm definitely going to check with our student activities office this week to see if they have a program like what Giovanni mentioned. The custodial agreement idea from StormChaser also sounds really smart - having that paper trail proving the money belongs to the club and not to me personally. Has anyone here actually had to deal with the IRS directly about this kind of situation? I'm curious if they're generally understanding about student organizations or if they tend to be suspicious about these arrangements.

I'm going through something very similar with our college gaming club! We've got about $3,000 flowing through my personal accounts from tournament entry fees and equipment purchases. One thing I discovered that might help is to immediately start separating your personal transactions from club transactions in your records, even if they're all in the same account. I created a simple Google Sheet with columns for date, amount, description, and whether it was personal or club-related. This way if the IRS ever asks questions, you can show exactly which transactions belonged to the organization. Also, I talked to someone at H&R Block about this situation and they mentioned that as long as you can prove the money was held in trust for the organization (not for your personal benefit), it typically shouldn't be considered taxable income to you. The key is having documentation that shows you were acting as a fiduciary for the club. Given that you're only 20 and this is causing you stress, I'd definitely recommend checking with your school first like others have suggested. Many universities have policies specifically designed to help student orgs avoid these exact tax complications. If that doesn't work out, at minimum start documenting everything now so you have a clear paper trail showing this money belongs to the club, not you personally.

The 1040 instructions for line 4a state "generally, you should enter the total amount of distributions from all your IRAs" so I think FreeTaxUSA might actually be right to add both? The exception cases in the instructions are super confusing tho.

I went through this exact scenario last year and can confirm TurboTax is handling it correctly. Only the conversion amount ($4,074) should go on line 4a, not the recharacterization amount. Here's what helped me understand it: think of a recharacterization as "undoing" the original contribution type. When you recharacterized from Roth to Traditional, it's as if you had originally contributed to the Traditional IRA. Then when you converted back to Roth, that's the only transaction that gets reported on line 4a. The statement TurboTax creates is crucial - it explains to the IRS why you have multiple 1099-R forms but only one amount on line 4a. Without it, your return would look like you're underreporting distributions. I was also worried about e-filing with the statement, but TurboTax handled it seamlessly. The IRS processed my return normally and I got my refund on schedule. Don't stress about it - you're doing it right!

I had this exact problem earlier this tax season. My check finally showed up 9 days after the DDD on my transcript. Are you signed up for Informed Delivery through USPS? That way you'll at least know when it's coming that day. Did your tax preparer acknowledge their mistake? Did they offer any compensation for the delay since it was their error?

I feel your frustration! I went through this same situation two years ago when my preparer made the same mistake. With a March 22nd DDD, you're realistically looking at receiving your check between March 27th-April 2nd if everything goes smoothly. The IRS usually mails checks the Friday of your DDD week (so March 21st or 28th in your case), and then it's up to USPS delivery times. Given that you need the funds for medical expenses, I'd recommend calling the IRS after April 7th if you haven't received it by then - that's when they'll typically start a trace. Also, definitely sign up for USPS Informed Delivery if you haven't already so you can see when it's coming that day. Hope this helps ease some of your worry!

This is a really challenging situation that highlights why having proper legal counsel is so critical when dealing with large judgments and incoming funds. From what I've seen in similar cases, the creditor's ability to intercept ERC funds before they even reach your client's accounts is very real - especially with a judgment this large where the landlord's attorneys are likely being very proactive. One thing I haven't seen mentioned yet is the potential impact on your client's other business operations. If they're still actively running the business, having $8 million suddenly seized or tied up in legal proceedings could create additional operational problems beyond just the judgment itself. I'd also suggest documenting everything about the settlement negotiation attempts. If your client is genuinely trying to work with the landlord to resolve this and the landlord refuses reasonable offers, that could be relevant if there are any future disputes about good faith efforts to satisfy the judgment. The timing pressure here is intense - between potential IRS audits on the ERC claim and the creditor's ability to garnish incoming funds, your client really needs to make some decisive moves quickly rather than hoping they can somehow protect these assets through creative structuring.

Settlement negotiations in cases like this typically involve attorneys on both sides, but your client will need to be directly involved for major decisions - especially when we're talking about using $8 million to settle a $24 million judgment. The attorneys handle the legal framework and procedural aspects, but business owners have to approve the actual settlement terms. Regarding business operations during settlement talks - this is actually a critical consideration that can work in your client's favor. If the business is still generating revenue and has ongoing operations, that demonstrates to the creditor that there's potential for continued payments even beyond the ERC funds. It also gives your client more negotiating leverage since they can point to operational cash flow as additional consideration. However, the uncertainty can definitely impact operations. Banks may freeze credit lines if they become aware of the judgment, suppliers might demand cash payments, and key employees could become nervous about job security. I've seen cases where the settlement process actually becomes urgent because the business can't function normally with this kind of financial uncertainty. One strategy that sometimes works is proposing a structured settlement - maybe the full $8 million ERC payment upfront plus a percentage of future revenues for a defined period. This can sometimes get creditors to accept less than the full judgment amount while giving your client a clear path forward to resume normal operations.