For what it's worth, I've been emailing 1099s to my contractors for 3 years now. I just send a simple email in December asking if they prefer email or mail, save their responses, and then send PDFs to those who chose email. Never had an issue with the IRS or any contractors. Just be careful with security - I password-protect the PDFs and send the password in a separate email or text message. Better safe than sorry with sensitive tax info!

Just a heads up - if you're filing more than 10 1099s, you're required to e-file them with the IRS now! The old rule used to be 250 forms, but they've been lowering the threshold. So even if you mail or email copies to your contractors, you'll still need to submit them electronically to the IRS.

My brother went through this exact situation last year. He was working part-time making about $28k AND took $35k from his IRA. He got super worried when his January SS payment was lower and thought it was because of the IRA withdrawal. After calling SSA (which took forever btw), they explained it was ONLY the part-time job income that triggered the reduction. His accountant also helped him fill out Form SSA-131 (Employer Report of Special Wage Payments) to exclude a one-time payment that shouldn't have counted as regular earnings. Just something to keep in mind if you have any special payment situations - there are ways to exclude certain types of compensation!

This is such valuable information! I'm in a similar boat at 64 and was completely stressing about my planned IRA withdrawals affecting my Social Security benefits. Reading through all these responses has been incredibly helpful. I've been working reduced hours specifically to stay under the earnings limit, but now I realize I could have been taking more from my IRA this whole time without any impact on my SS benefits. It's frustrating how confusing the SSA materials can be - they really should make this distinction clearer between "earned" and "unearned" income. For anyone else in this situation, I'd definitely recommend getting confirmation directly from SSA about your specific circumstances. Every situation is a bit different, and it's worth the peace of mind to know exactly where you stand before making major financial decisions.

Wait, I'm seeing some conflicting information here! @CosmicVoyager just pointed out that Publication 3112 says permanent residents CAN apply for an EFIN. @LunarEclipse - are you sure you checked the most current requirements? Maybe there was some confusion about the citizenship requirement? If permanent residents are actually eligible, that would completely solve your problem without needing to involve your sister or work under someone else's business structure. I'd definitely double-check the official IRS documentation before exploring these more complicated arrangements. Has anyone else successfully gotten an EFIN as a permanent resident recently? Would love to hear real experiences since the official publication seems to contradict what the OP was told.

This is exactly why I love this community - you all just saved @LunarEclipse a ton of unnecessary complications! @DeShawn Washington and @CosmicVoyager are absolutely right about permanent residents being eligible for EFINs. I went through this same process two years ago as a green card holder. The application can be tricky because the system sometimes flags non-citizen applications for additional review, but that doesn't mean you're ineligible. Make sure you have: 1. A clear copy of both sides of your green card 2. Your alien registration number (A-number) ready 3. Select "Legal Resident Alien" not "Non-resident Alien" in the dropdown The IRS customer service reps sometimes give incorrect information about this requirement - I was told twice by phone that I needed citizenship, but the written regulations clearly state otherwise. Go straight to the source with Publication 3112 and save yourself from having to navigate family business arrangements or contractor relationships. Good luck with your tax prep business!

Is there a simple calculator online where I can just plug in my numbers and see what my QBI deduction would be with different scenarios? My business is projected to make about $450k this year with just me and one employee, and I'm trying to figure out if I should buy that new $120k piece of equipment before year-end or not.

This is such a common confusion point! Let me try to explain it with your actual numbers to make it clearer. With $1,350,000 in net profit and only $100,000 in W2 wages, you're likely hitting the W2 wage limitation hard. Here's the math: At your income level, your QBI deduction is limited to the greater of: - 50% of W2 wages = $50,000 (50% of $100k) - 25% of W2 wages + 2.5% of qualified property So even though your business profit could theoretically give you a $270,000 QBI deduction (20% of $1,350,000), you're actually limited to maybe $50,000 or so. But if you increase your W2 to $270,000: - 50% of W2 wages = $135,000 - Your remaining QBI would be about $1,080,000 ($1,350k - $270k wages) - 20% of $1,080,000 = $216,000 potential deduction Now your wage limitation ($135,000) is much higher, so you might be able to take a larger portion of that $216,000 deduction. The exact amount depends on other factors, but you can see how paying more W2 wages can actually unlock more QBI deduction benefits. The key insight: sometimes the tax savings from a larger QBI deduction outweigh the additional payroll taxes on higher W2 wages.

I'm going through the exact same thing right now - my refund was mailed 3/16 and still nothing in the mailbox. It's so nerve-wracking when you're depending on that money! I signed up for USPS Informed Delivery after reading these comments and that's been helpful to at least see what's coming each day. What I've learned from calling around is that IRS checks can take anywhere from 2-6 weeks depending on postal processing delays. I know it's frustrating (especially when caring for family like you are), but from everything I've read here and elsewhere, most people do eventually get their checks - they just take longer than we'd hope. If nothing shows up by next Friday (which would be about 3 weeks), I'd definitely start the process of calling the IRS. Hang in there!

I feel for you - the uncertainty is the worst part when you're caring for family and need that money. I went through something similar last year where my check took almost a month to arrive. A few things that helped me stay sane: First, I called my local post office and they confirmed that Treasury checks sometimes get extra security screening which can add 5-7 days. Second, I started checking my mailbox at different times since sometimes the mail carrier delivers later in the day. Third, I made sure to check with all my immediate neighbors in case of misdelivery. The good news is that based on everyone's experiences here, checks mailed mid-March are still well within the normal delivery window. I know waiting is brutal when you're worried about your mom, but try to give it until early next week before calling the IRS. Most people in your situation do get their checks - they just arrive later than expected.