Has anyone tried calling the IRS Identity Protection Specialized Unit at 800-908-4490? I had to do this last year when I lost my PIN and they were able to help me verify my identity to efile.

I went through this exact same frustration last year! Here's what worked for me without having to wait on hold with the IRS: First, try the AGI method that others mentioned - it's definitely the easiest if you can find your 2023 tax return. But if you're like me and had moved/lost everything, here's a backup plan: You can create an account on IRS.gov and use their "Get Transcript Online" tool. They'll ask you some identity verification questions (like previous addresses, loan amounts, etc.) and if you pass, you can immediately see your prior year AGI. I was able to do this at 11 PM when I was panicking about my deadline. If the online verification doesn't work, you still have options before resorting to paper filing. Some tax software will let you print and mail just the signature pages while still preparing everything electronically, which can speed up processing compared to a fully paper return. The key thing is don't stress too much - you have multiple paths to get this resolved and it shouldn't significantly delay your refund as long as you can verify your identity one way or another. Good luck getting it sorted this weekend!

Quick question - I know LLCs are supposed to have separate business bank accounts, but we've occasionally used our personal accounts for business expenses (and tracked them). Is this going to cause problems with our LLC tax filing? We've kept good records but I'm worried about mixing funds.

As someone who went through this exact situation with my multi-member LLC last year, I can tell you it's definitely more complex than single-member LLCs but totally manageable once you understand the basics. Here's what I wish I knew from the start: Your LLC will file Form 1065 (partnership return) by March 15th, which is earlier than personal tax deadlines. This form doesn't result in taxes owed by the LLC itself - it's purely informational. The LLC then issues K-1s to you and your brother showing each person's share of income, deductions, and credits. A few key points for your situation: - Those "draws" you took aren't salary and aren't deductible business expenses - You'll both likely owe self-employment tax (15.3%) on your share of profits - Make sure your operating agreement clearly documents the 60/40 split - Start making quarterly estimated payments if you haven't already For deductions, construction businesses can typically write off vehicle expenses, tools, equipment depreciation, materials, insurance, and sometimes home office if you use part of your home for business admin. The good news is your $35k profit ($87k revenue minus $52k expenses) split 60/40 means manageable tax obligations. Just make sure you're both setting aside money for taxes since nothing was withheld during the year!

Has anyone used the IRS's online EIN application system recently? Is it still working on weekends? We need to get our partnership W9 out by Monday morning and I'm wondering if we can apply for the EIN on Sunday or if we need to wait until Monday.

Just went through this exact same situation with my consulting partnership about 6 months ago! A few additional tips that might help: When you apply for the EIN online, make sure you have all your partnership details ready - they'll ask for the names and SSNs of all partners, your business address, and the date you started the partnership. The process is really straightforward but having everything organized beforehand makes it even faster. One thing I wish someone had told me: after you get your EIN, it can take a few weeks for it to fully propagate through all the IRS systems. This usually doesn't affect basic W9 submissions, but if you need to set up business bank accounts or apply for business credit cards right away, some institutions might have trouble verifying your new EIN immediately. Not a huge deal, but just something to be aware of. Also, once you complete that first W9, save it as a template! You'll probably need to submit W9s to multiple clients over time, and having a completed version makes future submissions much quicker. Good luck with your new partnership!

One aspect nobody's mentioned yet is the legal test for whether you can even be classified as a contractor vs employee. The IRS has a 20-factor test, but here are the big ones: - Do you set your own hours? - Can you work for multiple clients/companies? - Do you use your own equipment? - Do you control how the work gets done? - Are you integrated into the company's operations? If you're just doing the same job at the same desk during the same hours but with a different tax form, that's misclassification and actually illegal. Many employers try this to save money. Look up "IRS Form SS-8" - you can file this to get a determination on your proper classification. Your boss might change his tune if he realizes you're aware of these rules!

I went through this exact situation about 18 months ago. My boss made the same pitch about "more deductions" and "keeping more money" but what he didn't mention was all the hidden costs and risks I'd be taking on. Here's what I wish someone had told me: Even if the math works out on paper with deductions, you're trading job security for uncertainty. As a contractor, they can terminate your agreement with much less notice than firing an employee. You'll also spend way more time on administrative tasks - quarterly estimated tax payments, business license renewals, separate business banking, tracking every expense for deductions. The psychological aspect is real too. You go from having predictable paychecks with taxes automatically handled to constantly worrying about setting aside the right amount for taxes and whether you're tracking expenses correctly. My advice: If your boss really values your work enough to restructure how you're paid, use that as leverage to negotiate a straight salary increase as a W-2 employee instead. You might be surprised how quickly they agree when faced with the alternative of potentially dealing with IRS scrutiny over worker classification. The fact that he admitted it benefits him financially should tell you everything you need to know about whose interests this arrangement really serves.

Is anyone else frustrated by how complicated our tax system makes everything? Like, going through a divorce isn't painful enough, now we gotta figure out all these capital gains rules and partial exemptions. Seems like the tax code is deliberately made confusing so regular people mess up and get penalized.

@Amina Bah - I went through almost the exact same situation two years ago. Owned our house for 20 months when we had to sell during divorce proceedings. The good news is that divorce absolutely qualifies you for the partial exemption under IRS rules. Here's what you need to know: You'll get a prorated portion of the $250K exclusion based on how long you owned and lived in the home. So if you sell in November 2024, you'll have owned it for about 15 months out of the required 24 months. That means you'd get 15/24 = 62.5% of the $250K exclusion, which is $156,250 per person. With only $13,500 in total profit, you'll likely owe zero capital gains tax even without the full exemption. But it's still worth understanding the rules and documenting everything properly. One important tip: Make sure your divorce agreement clearly states how the house sale proceeds and any tax liabilities will be handled. This saved me from headaches later when filing my return. You'll report this on Schedule D and Form 8949 when you file taxes. Keep all your closing documents and any records of home improvements you made - those increase your cost basis and reduce your taxable gain even further.