I'm so glad I found this thread! I just started my small custom sticker business and was having the exact same concerns about my EIN classification. When I applied last month, I went with "printing services" since I'm designing and printing custom stickers, but then I started wondering if I should have selected "retail sales" since I'm selling directly to customers online and at local events. This whole discussion has been incredibly reassuring! It's such a relief to hear from so many other small business owners who went through the same classification confusion and that it doesn't actually limit what I can deduct. I've been tracking all my material costs - vinyl sheets, transfer tape, printer ink, cutting blades - but wasn't sure how they'd be categorized for tax purposes. Based on everyone's advice here, it sounds like my materials should go under Cost of Goods Sold since I'm converting raw materials into finished stickers for sale. The emphasis on detailed record keeping is really helpful too - I'm going to start being more systematic about tracking which materials go into each order. Thanks to everyone who shared their experiences! This kind of real-world knowledge from actual business owners is exactly what newcomers need to hear. Now I can stop worrying about the paperwork and focus on growing my sticker business!

I'm dealing with this exact same issue with my small woodburning/pyrography business! When I got my EIN a few months back, I was completely torn between "manufacturing" since I'm creating custom designs on wood blanks, and "retail" since I sell my finished pieces at farmers markets and online. I ended up going with "arts and crafts manufacturing" but have been second-guessing myself ever since because most of my sales are direct-to-consumer rather than wholesale. Reading through all these experiences has been such a weight off my shoulders! It's incredible how many of us new business owners stress about this classification when it apparently doesn't even matter for our actual tax deductions. I've been meticulously tracking my wood blanks, burning tips, sandpaper, and finishing oils but wasn't sure if they'd count as legitimate business expenses given my EIN classification. Based on everyone's advice here, it sounds like all my materials should definitely go under Cost of Goods Sold since I'm transforming raw wood into finished art pieces. The record-keeping tips are gold too - I'm going to start documenting which materials go into each piece more systematically. Thanks to everyone for sharing their real experiences! This community knowledge is so much more valuable than trying to decode IRS publications on your own. Now I can get back to focusing on perfecting my burning techniques instead of worrying about paperwork classifications!

The IRS publication about this (Pub 970) actually explains it but in the most confusing way possible lol. For AOTC, you can claim it for only 4 tax years, AND you have to be in one of the first 4 years of your post-secondary education program. So if you took 5 years to complete a 4-year bachelor's program, you can only get AOTC for the first 4 years. For year 5, you'd need to switch to the Lifetime Learning Credit.

Quick tip for future reference: Keep good records of which years you claim each education credit! I've been audited before specifically about education credits and had to go back through 5 years of returns to prove my eligibility. I use a really simple spreadsheet now that tracks: 1. Which years I claimed AOTC 2. Which years I claimed Lifetime Learning 3. My qualified expenses for each year 4. Which 1098-T forms correspond to which tax year

I've been lurking on this sub for a while but had to jump in because I literally just resolved this exact same issue last week! Got a CP81 notice back in February showing a $2,890 credit with the same "we don't have your return" message. Like everyone else here, I was totally confused because I distinctly remember e-filing through FreeTaxUSA and getting confirmation emails. After reading similar threads and trying the suggestions people mentioned, here's what actually worked: First, I checked my filing software account and found a rejection notice buried in an obscure "messages" section that I had completely missed. My return was rejected because I fat-fingered my prior year AGI by one digit. The software showed "submitted" but never actually made it through to the IRS. Second, I created the IRS online account everyone keeps mentioning and pulled my wage transcript. Sure enough, it showed my exact W-2 withholding amounts that matched the credit in the notice - so I knew the money was real. The whole process from refiling to getting my refund took about 4 weeks once I corrected the AGI error. The relief when that direct deposit finally hit was incredible! For anyone dealing with this - don't panic, check your tax software for hidden rejection messages, and definitely create that IRS account to verify what they have on file. That credit is YOUR money waiting to come home!

I'm going through this exact same situation right now and this thread has been incredibly eye-opening! I received a CP81 notice last week showing a $5,234 credit but claiming my 2021 return was never received. Like many of you, I used TurboTax and was certain I had filed everything correctly. After reading all these responses, I immediately went to check my TurboTax account and found a rejection notice from April 2022 that I had completely missed! It was rejected for an incorrect prior year AGI, just like several others mentioned here. The scary part is TurboTax still showed my return as "submitted" in the main dashboard, but the rejection was buried in a separate notifications area. I just created my IRS online account this morning and pulled my wage transcript - it shows the exact W-2 withholding amounts that add up to the credit mentioned in my notice. This confirms that the money is real and represents actual tax withholdings my employer reported to the IRS. It's honestly shocking how common this issue seems to be based on everyone's experiences here. Makes me wonder if there was a systematic problem with e-filing systems in 2021/2022 that affected way more people than anyone realized. I'm planning to refile this weekend with the correct prior year AGI. Thank you all for sharing your stories - knowing I'm not alone in this and that it's totally fixable has been such a huge relief!

Just a quick heads up - if you decide to mail in your Form 1065, make sure you're using the CURRENT YEAR form from the IRS website. I made the mistake of using an old form I had saved, and it caused all kinds of problems. Also, send it certified mail so you have proof of when you sent it. The IRS lost my mailed form one year and tried to hit me with late filing penalties!!

I've been in the exact same boat with those ridiculous software fees! Another option you might consider is hiring a local CPA or tax professional who specializes in small business returns. I found one who charges around $300-400 for Form 1065 preparation and e-filing, which is still way less than what the premium software was charging me. The advantage is that they handle all the complexities, ensure everything is filed correctly, and can advise you on the business name change process too. Plus, if there are any issues or questions from the IRS later, you have someone to call who already knows your situation. Just make sure to get quotes from a few different professionals in your area - prices can vary quite a bit. Some even offer package deals if you have them handle both your personal and business returns.

You might also want to consider filing a complaint with your state's Department of Labor if your former employer is still dodging their responsibilities. Many states require employers to provide W-2s even after closing, and some have penalties for failing to do so. In the meantime, definitely go with Form 4852 as others have suggested. One tip that helped me in a similar situation: if you remember your hourly rate or salary, multiply that by the hours/months you worked to get your gross wages. Then use online tax calculators to estimate what would have been withheld based on your income level and filing status. Also keep any emails or documentation showing you tried to get the W-2 from your employer - this proves you made good faith efforts to get accurate information, which the IRS appreciates if they ever have questions. Don't let this stress you out too much. The IRS deals with these situations regularly, especially with all the business closures in recent years.

I went through almost exactly this situation two years ago when my company suddenly folded. The fact that your wages aren't showing up on your IRS wage transcript is a dead giveaway - they definitely never submitted your W-2 information despite their claims. Here's my step-by-step advice based on what worked for me: 1. **File Form 4852 immediately** - Don't wait any longer since your extension deadline is approaching. This substitute form is specifically designed for missing W-2 situations. 2. **Gather whatever evidence you have** - Even if it's just bank deposit records showing your net pay, work emails mentioning your salary, or anything that helps establish what you earned. 3. **Be methodical with your estimates** - I used my final pay stub (luckily I had one) to calculate my year-to-date totals. If you don't have that, work backwards from your known salary/hourly rate and time worked. 4. **Document everything** - Keep records of all your attempts to contact the employer, any responses you got, and how you calculated your estimates. The IRS wants to see you made good faith efforts. 5. **Don't panic about perfect accuracy** - The IRS understands these situations happen. As long as your estimates are reasonable and well-documented, you should be fine. The key thing is just getting your return filed before the October deadline. You can always amend later if more accurate information becomes available. Good luck!