I'm dealing with the exact same issue right now! 😩 Just got suspended yesterday after my third attempt. What's really frustrating is that the error messages are so vague - they don't tell you what went wrong or how long you have to wait. I've read through all the advice here and it's super helpful, especially the tips about using a wired connection and trying different browsers. Has anyone had luck with the IRS's alternative verification methods? I heard you can sometimes bypass ID.me entirely by mailing in forms, but I'm not sure if that's still an option for online account access. This whole system feels like it was designed to keep people OUT of their accounts rather than help them get in! 🤦‍♀️

I've been battling ID.me for weeks now and finally found a combination that worked! After reading through all the great advice here, I tried using Firefox in incognito mode with a wired connection at around 6 AM on a weekday. The key was being super patient - I literally set a timer for 25 minutes between each step and didn't touch anything until it was done. I also turned off ALL browser extensions, even the ones I thought were harmless. The whole process took about 2 hours, but I finally got verified! One more tip: if you have a smartphone, try using that for the selfie verification instead of your computer's webcam - the mobile camera seemed to work better for the facial recognition part. Don't give up, everyone! This system is absolutely broken but persistence pays off eventually. 🎉

Has anyone worked with an elder law attorney on structuring these payments? My parents' attorney suggested we create a formal personal care agreement that clearly outlines the caregiving arrangement. Apparently this helps document that payments aren't gifts but rather compensation for specific services under a contract.

I went through something very similar with my elderly father last year. One additional consideration that helped me was getting detailed invoices from the caregiving company that clearly separated medical vs. non-medical services from the start. This made tax preparation much easier. For your specific scenarios, I'd recommend going with option 1 (paying the caregiving company directly) if possible. It's cleaner from a tax perspective and creates a clear paper trail showing you're paying for services rather than making gifts. Also, keep meticulous records of everything - invoices, receipts, and a log of what specific services were provided each month. If the IRS ever questions these payments, having detailed documentation will be crucial. One thing that caught me off guard was that some insurance plans (including Medicare Advantage) may cover portions of certain caregiving services if they're deemed medically necessary. It's worth checking with your dad's insurance to see if any of these costs could be reimbursed, which would reduce your out-of-pocket expenses. The monthly costs definitely add up quickly, but you're doing the right thing by getting clarity on the tax implications upfront. Better to handle it correctly from the beginning than deal with complications later.

Has anyone mentioned penalties yet? IRS failure-to-file penalties can be substantial, even if no tax was owed. But there's good news - the IRS has a First Time Abatement policy that can waive penalties for one tax year if there was a clean compliance history before that.

I went through something very similar when my mother passed two years ago. She had 6 years of unfiled returns, and I was completely overwhelmed as the executor. Here's what I learned that might help: First, definitely get those IRS transcripts - they're your lifeline. But also check with your state's revenue department if your dad lived in a state with income tax. Some states maintain their own records that can fill in gaps. One thing that saved me time and stress was creating a simple spreadsheet for each tax year with columns for different income sources (W-2, 1099-MISC, 1099-NEC, etc.). As you go through the transcripts, you can categorize everything clearly. This made the actual filing much more manageable. Also, don't forget about potential deductions he might have been eligible for - standard deduction, any medical expenses if he was older, etc. Sometimes even with unfiled years, the person might actually be due refunds rather than owing money. The whole process took me about 3 months start to finish, but most of that was waiting for transcripts and correspondence with the IRS. The actual filing once I had everything organized was much faster than I expected.

Has anyone else noticed that the QBI thing is kinda confusing on purpose? like the gov doesn't want small business owners to get the full deduction? i did my taxes with three different software programs last year and got three different QBI numbers. ended up paying an accountant who found even more deductions the software missed.

This is exactly why I keep detailed records of everything throughout the year now! After getting burned by incorrect QBI calculations my first year with 1099 income, I learned to track not just my business expenses but also to save screenshots of how different tax software calculates things. For what it's worth, I've found that the IRS Publication 535 (Business Expenses) and Publication 334 (Tax Guide for Small Business) are really helpful for understanding the QBI deduction rules straight from the source. Sometimes the tax software explanations are oversimplified and miss important details like the self-employment tax adjustment. Also, if you're planning to have 1099 income again next year, consider making quarterly estimated tax payments. It's another complicated thing to figure out, but it beats getting hit with a huge tax bill and underpayment penalties at the end of the year!

The IRS community wisdom on this is pretty consistent - when a refund pays off a payment plan, you'll get what's left over but it takes time. Last year my brother had this exact scenario. He had about $3,200 in his refund, owed $1,800 on a payment plan, and was expecting $1,400 back. It took almost exactly 3 weeks after the offset for the remaining refund to process. The IRS systems handle these in batches, so patience is unfortunately the name of the game here.

Just went through this exact situation in January! My 2024 refund wiped out my remaining 2022 balance, and I was left wondering where my extra money went. The key thing I learned is that the IRS processes offsets and remaining refunds as completely separate transactions. Your payment plan is automatically terminated once the offset happens - no more monthly payments needed. I checked my transcript obsessively for about 10 days before the 846 code finally appeared. The remaining refund showed up about 5 business days after that code posted. Pro tip: don't panic if you don't see movement for 2-3 weeks - their system really does work through these methodically, just not on our timeline!