If I was in your shoes, I'd consider starting up the business again for real this time, maybe using some of the same equipment or concept. Wouldn't that give you a legit reason to claim some of those costs as part of the "new" startup phase?

Unfortunately, you're likely out of luck for claiming those 2017 startup costs against your current tax liability. The IRS has strict rules about when business expenses can be deducted, and there's generally a 3-year statute of limitations for amending returns to claim missed deductions. Since your wife's business never filed any Schedule C returns and has been inactive since 2018, the IRS would view this as an abandoned business venture rather than an ongoing concern. You can't carry forward unclaimed business expenses from a defunct business to offset current year W-2 income - business losses can only offset business income or be carried forward within the same continuing business entity. Your best bet at this point would be to look for legitimate current-year deductions you might have missed, or consider whether either of you could start a side business this year that would allow for legitimate business deductions going forward. But those old 2017 costs are unfortunately beyond the reach of current tax planning.

Just to add another data point - mine took exactly 4 business days last month. Indiana's system usually processes overnight so you'll likely see it first thing in the morning when it hits. Try to check before 6am if you're really anxious about it!

Based on everyone's experiences here, it seems like 3-4 business days is pretty standard for Indiana state refunds after approval. I'm in a similar boat - got approved yesterday and trying not to obsess over checking my account! It's reassuring to see that Indiana has really improved their processing times this year compared to previous years. Fingers crossed we all see our refunds hit soon! 🤞

Pro tip: if you can pay off the full amount within 120 days, you can set up a short-term payment plan online without having to talk to anyone. Might be worth looking into if your balance isn't too high.

Just went through this process last month! Here's what helped me prepare: 1. Have your last 3 months of bank statements ready - they'll want to see your actual financial situation 2. Calculate a realistic monthly payment BEFORE you call (I used 20% of my take-home pay as a starting point) 3. Write down your monthly expenses beforehand so you don't forget anything important during the call 4. If you qualify, ask about Currently Not Collectible status - saved my friend when she was between jobs The agents are actually pretty reasonable if you're upfront about your situation. Don't oversell what you can afford just to get them off the phone faster. You got this! 💪

Has anyone actually gotten audited for making a mistake on Form 4797? I'm in a similar situation and honestly considering just claiming the full loss because its confusing and the odds of getting audited seem so low.

I've been through a similar situation with a totaled delivery vehicle. One important detail that hasn't been mentioned yet - if you received any insurance payout for the vehicle, that needs to be factored into your Form 4797 calculation too. The loss isn't just (original cost - salvage value). It's actually (adjusted basis - total amount received), where "total amount received" includes both the salvage yard payment AND any insurance money you got. So if you got insurance money on top of that $375 from the salvage yard, your actual loss would be smaller. Make sure you're including all proceeds when calculating the loss on Form 4797, not just what the salvage yard paid you. Also agreeing with the tax preparer above - if you've been using standard mileage deduction, you can't claim this loss at all on Form 4797. The depreciation component is already baked into that 65.5 cents per mile rate you've been claiming.

I went through this same situation with Form 9143 about 8 months ago and totally understand the confusion! The letter really doesn't explain much, which made it way more stressful than it needed to be. Here's what I learned: Form 9143 basically means they couldn't verify your signature matched what they have on file, so they need additional proof that you are who you say you are. This happens more often than you'd think, especially if your signature has changed over time or if there was an issue with how your electronic signature was captured. The most important thing is to respond within 30 days of the notice date. Don't wait around trying to figure it out on your own - call the phone number on the letter first thing. Yes, the hold times are brutal, but the agent can tell you exactly which form triggered the notice and what specific documents they need from you. When I called, they told me I needed to send copies of my driver's license and Social Security card, plus a signed statement with multiple examples of my current signature. I sent everything via certified mail with return receipt and included a cover letter referencing the notice number. The whole thing got resolved in about 6 weeks. It's definitely nerve-wracking when you first get the letter, but it's actually a pretty routine verification process for them. Just don't ignore it or miss the deadline!

I actually went through this exact same Form 9143 situation about 4 months ago, and I can definitely relate to the confusion and stress it causes! The letter really is vague and doesn't give you much to go on. Here's what I discovered after dealing with it: Form 9143 is basically the IRS saying "we need to double-check that you're really you" because something about your signature didn't match their records. This can happen for all sorts of reasons - maybe your signature has evolved over time, there was a technical issue with electronic filing, or their system just flagged it for manual review. The absolute most important thing is to respond within that 30-day window. Don't let the confusion paralyze you into missing the deadline! I'd strongly recommend calling the phone number on your notice as your first step. Yes, the wait times are awful (I was on hold for over 2 hours), but the agent can tell you exactly which form had the issue and what specific documents they need. In my case, they needed copies of my driver's license and Social Security card, plus a signed statement with several examples of my signature. I sent everything certified mail with tracking and included a detailed cover letter referencing the notice number and listing each enclosed document. It took about 5 weeks to get resolved, but once I sent the right stuff, it was pretty straightforward. The key is just getting clarity on exactly what they want rather than guessing!