Has anyone used both a real W2 and a Form 4852 substitute W2 on the same tax return before? My tax software (TurboTax) is getting confused when I try to enter both. It keeps saying I have duplicate income sources.

Another thing to consider - if your employer is being completely unresponsive, you might want to file a complaint with your state's Department of Labor as well. Many states have their own requirements for timely W-2 delivery and can impose penalties on employers who don't comply. I had a similar situation with a small business that just ignored my requests. After I filed complaints with both the IRS and my state labor department, suddenly they found time to mail my W-2. Sometimes a little official pressure is exactly what these employers need to get their act together. In the meantime, definitely use Form 4852 with your final pay stub like others have suggested. Your final stub should have all the year-to-date totals you need - just double-check that it includes federal income tax withheld, Social Security tax, Medicare tax, and any state withholdings. Keep copies of everything in case there are questions later when your employer finally submits their records to the IRS.

This is incredibly helpful information! I filed on February 20th and have been religiously checking WMR every morning with no updates beyond "return received." After reading this post, I immediately checked my bank account and sure enough - my refund was deposited yesterday! I would have completely missed it if not for this heads up. It's frustrating that the IRS can't keep their own tracking systems synchronized, but I'm grateful for community members like you who share these insights. For anyone else reading this - definitely check your bank accounts regularly during refund season, regardless of what WMR is showing. The money might already be there waiting for you!

I can confirm this is happening to many people this year! I filed on February 12th and WMR has been stuck on "return received" for over three weeks now. But just like you described, I checked my bank account this morning and found my refund deposited overnight with absolutely no warning from the IRS systems. What's particularly frustrating is that I called the IRS helpline twice last week worried something was wrong with my return, only to discover the money was already processed and sitting in my account. This disconnect between their processing and tracking systems is creating unnecessary stress for taxpayers. I've started telling all my friends and family to ignore WMR this year and just monitor their bank accounts directly. Thank you for posting this - it's exactly the kind of real-world information we need when the official systems aren't reliable!

Just to add from my experience as a college student recently - if your daughter received any 1098-T forms from her school, those can help track qualified education expenses. Also, make sure you're considering the full cost of attendance, not just tuition. Room and board, books, required fees, etc. all count toward the support calculation. And don't forget things like medical expenses, car insurance, clothing, and personal items that you might pay for throughout the year. Those smaller expenses can add up and might push you over the 50% threshold!

Great thread everyone! I went through this exact situation two years ago with my son. One thing that really helped me was creating a detailed spreadsheet to track every expense category - it made the 50% support test much clearer. A few additional points that might help: 1. Don't overlook indirect support you provide - like when your daughter stays with you during breaks, the IRS has guidelines for calculating the value of lodging you provide. 2. If you're paying for her car insurance, registration, maintenance, or gas money, those all count toward your support calculation too. 3. Medical and dental expenses you pay (even copays or prescriptions) count as support from you. Based on your numbers ($8,500 child support + phone bills + health insurance premiums + any other direct payments), you might be closer to that 50% threshold than you think. The key is documenting everything thoroughly and being comprehensive about what constitutes "support." Good luck with your calculations! The peace of mind from getting this right is definitely worth the effort.

Has anyone compared TurboTax Self-Employed vs. Keeper Tax for actually filing? I've been using TurboTax for years but wondering if I should switch.

For a single-member LLC with $67k in revenue and straightforward expenses like yours, I'd actually recommend starting simple and scaling up as needed. Here's my take: Start with a basic expense tracking system (even Excel works) for your first year to get familiar with what business expenses you actually have. The key deductions for your type of business are pretty standard - home office, equipment depreciation, software subscriptions, internet/phone (business portion), and professional development. Once you understand your expense patterns, then consider whether an automated solution like Keeper Tax is worth it. For many consultants, the time saved on categorization and the deductions they find do justify the cost, especially as your business grows. One thing I'd definitely suggest regardless of what tracking method you choose - set up a separate business bank account and credit card if you haven't already. It makes everything so much cleaner for tax purposes and gives you a clear paper trail. The IRS loves clean records, and it'll save you headaches if you ever get audited. Also, don't forget about quarterly estimated taxes! With $67k in profit, you'll likely owe more than $1,000 at tax time, which means you should be making quarterly payments to avoid penalties.

what about streaming royalties? thats where most of my artist income comes from these days not physical sales. do those get treated different for tax purposes when your also a label owner??

This is a really complex area that trips up a lot of music industry folks! One thing I'd add to the great advice already given is to make sure you're documenting everything properly from the start. Since you're both the artist AND a label owner, the IRS will want to see clear evidence that these are truly separate transactions. Keep detailed records showing market-rate royalty payments to yourself as the artist, just like you would pay any other artist on your label. Also consider having written agreements in place (even though you're paying yourself) that outline the royalty rates and terms. This helps establish that the payments are legitimate business expenses for the label and proper income for you as the songwriter/artist. The partnership vs individual income distinction is crucial - your royalties as a creator are active income subject to self-employment tax, while your 25% partnership share comes through on your K-1. Getting this right from the beginning will save you headaches if the IRS ever has questions about your income classification.