Just FYI - the IRS has free fillable forms for 1099-NEC that you can print and mail. You don't have to use a paid service unless you're filing more than 10 forms. https://www.irs.gov/forms-pubs/about-form-1099-nec

As someone who went through this exact situation when I started my landscaping business at 19, I totally understand your concerns about data security. Tax1099.com is indeed IRS-authorized and uses bank-level encryption, but here's what I wish someone had told me: Before you even worry about which service to use, make sure you understand the $600 threshold rule. You only need to file 1099-NECs for contractors you paid $600 or more during the tax year. If any of your three contractors received less than $600, you don't need to file for them (though it's still good practice to collect W-9s). For security, I'd recommend calling Tax1099.com directly to ask about their specific data protection measures. Any legitimate service should be transparent about their security protocols. You can also check if your business bank offers 1099 services - many do, and since you already trust them with your banking info, it might feel more secure. One last tip: when you contact your contractors for their W-9s, explain that this is standard business practice and required by law. Most understand once you explain it properly. Good luck with your window cleaning business!

I just went through this exact situation! Tax Topic 201 appeared on my WMR after filing an amended return. It turned out I had a very small state tax debt from 2019 that I didn't even know about. The IRS took that portion and sent me the rest. The whole process took about 5 weeks from when I first saw the code until I received the remaining refund. Much faster than I expected!

I understand your frustration with Tax Topic 201 - it's definitely stressful when you're already waiting on a refund! From what others have shared here, this code typically indicates a potential Treasury Offset Program situation where they might apply part of your refund to outstanding federal or state debts. Since you filed an amended return, there's a good chance this is just a precautionary flag while they process both your original and amended returns. I'd recommend calling the Treasury Offset Program hotline at 800-304-3107 to check if you have any debts that could affect your refund. Even if there is an offset, you should still receive any remaining balance. Keep in mind amended returns can take 16+ weeks to process even without complications, so try to have a backup plan just in case. Hope this helps ease some of the worry!

Just a heads up - last year Robinhood had a lot of issues with their tax documents. I'd recommend checking your spam folder and also logging into the actual website (not just the app). Sometimes the documents appear in different places. If nothing else works and you're approaching the filing deadline, consider filing for an extension using Form 4868. This gives you until October to file, though you still need to pay any estimated taxes by the regular April deadline.

I had this exact same issue with Robinhood last year! What ended up happening was that my stock 1099-B was delayed because one of my holdings had a stock split that occurred late in December, and they needed extra time to process the adjusted cost basis for all related transactions. Here's what I learned from dealing with this: 1. Robinhood is legally required to provide 1099-B forms for ALL stock sales, regardless of amount, by February 15th (or January 31st if no cost basis reporting is required). 2. Your dividends over $10 should appear on a separate 1099-DIV form, not necessarily combined with your trading activity. 3. Corporate actions like splits, mergers, or spin-offs can significantly delay your forms while they recalculate cost basis. My advice: Log into the desktop version of Robinhood (not just the app) and check the Tax Center section daily. The forms sometimes appear there without email notifications. Also, download your "Tax Documents Summary" PDF if available - it might have preliminary information you can use. If you absolutely need to file before getting the official forms, you can use your detailed transaction history from the app, but make sure to amend your return once you receive the official 1099 if there are any discrepancies. Don't panic about the deadline - this is more common than you'd think with Robinhood!

Quick question for anyone who's dealt with this: does the 5-year rule affect Form 8606 for Roth contribution withdrawals? I've had my Roth for only 3 years but I'm withdrawing some contributions this year.

I went through this exact scenario last year and can confirm - you absolutely need Form 8606 for early Roth contribution withdrawals. The confusion comes from the fact that many brokerages give incomplete advice about this. Here's what I learned: Your 1099-R will show the distribution happened, but it doesn't tell the whole story about WHETHER those dollars were contributions vs earnings. Form 8606 is essentially your proof to the IRS that you're withdrawing money you already paid taxes on (your contributions) rather than tax-free growth (earnings). The $4,300 difference you saw in TurboTax is exactly what happened to me too - without the 8606, the software assumes the worst case scenario and treats more of your withdrawal as taxable/penalized. Don't skip this form. I know it seems redundant, but it's your protection against the IRS assuming you withdrew earnings instead of contributions. Better to be over-documented than under-documented with retirement account withdrawals.

Something nobody's mentioned - in Michigan specifically, you still need to file annual statements with the state for LLCs even if they had no activity. It's only $25 per LLC, but if you miss it, Michigan can technically dissolve your LLC and there are penalties for late filing. So while your federal tax situation might be fine as others have said, make sure you're current with Michigan's Department of Licensing and Regulatory Affairs (LARA) requirements too!

Your accountant is likely being overly cautious or may not be familiar with LLC tax requirements. Based on what the IRS told you directly, you're probably in the clear. Here's why: For single-member LLCs that are "disregarded entities" (the default), they're reported on your personal tax return via Schedule C. If there was no activity, you'd report zero income and zero expenses. The penalties your accountant mentioned ($295/month per LLC) sound like they're referencing partnership return penalties (Form 1065), but those only apply if you elected to be taxed as a partnership. Since you never received penalty notices and the IRS confirmed you don't owe anything for the LLC without an EIN, I'd trust their word over your personal tax preparer who admittedly only does individual returns. My recommendation: If you're not planning to use these LLCs, properly dissolve them with Michigan and file final "zero activity" returns to close them out with the IRS. This prevents any future confusion. Don't pay $7,080 in penalties without getting a second opinion from someone who specializes in business taxes - that amount seems completely disproportionate for dormant entities that never operated.