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If I could give 10 stars I would
If I could give 10 stars I would If I could give 10 stars I would Such an amazing service so needed during the times when EDD almost never picks up Claimyr gets me on the phone with EDD every time without fail faster. A much needed service without Claimyr I would have never received the payment I needed to support me during my postpartum recovery. Thank you so much Claimyr!
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Really made a difference, save me time and energy from going to a local office for making the call.
Worth not wasting your time calling for hours.
Was a bit nervous or untrusting at first, but my calls went thru. First time the wait was a bit long but their customer chat line on their page was helpful and put me at ease that I would receive my call. Today my call dropped because of EDD and Claimyr heard my concern on the same chat and another call was made within the hour.
An incredibly helpful service
An incredibly helpful service! Got me connected to a CA EDD agent without major hassle (outside of EDD's agents dropping calls ā which Claimyr has free protection for). If you need to file a new claim and can't do it online, pay the $ to Claimyr to get the process started. Absolutely worth it!
Consistent,frustration free, quality Service.
Used this service a couple times now. Before I'd call 200 times in less than a weak frustrated as can be. But using claimyr with a couple hours of waiting i was on the line with an representative or on hold. Dropped a couple times but each reconnected not long after and was mission accomplished, thanks to Claimyr.
IT WORKS!! Not a scam!
I tried for weeks to get thru to EDD PFL program with no luck. I gave this a try thinking it may be a scam. OMG! It worked and They got thru within an hour and my claim is going to finally get paid!! I upgraded to the $60 call. Best $60 spent!
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Lucas Turner
I've been tracking adoption credit processing patterns for a few years now. The key factors affecting processing time are: 1) When you file (earlier = longer wait, counterintuitively), 2) Whether you paper file or e-file (paper is significantly slower), 3) Whether you're claiming other credits simultaneously, and 4) The completeness of your documentation. Are you e-filing or paper filing? And are you claiming any other credits besides the adoption credit?
I went through this exact situation in 2023 with our special needs adoption. Filed February 15th, got the dreaded 570 code by early March, and didn't see our refund until May 8th - almost 3 months! The IRS requested additional verification of our state's special needs determination even though I included it with the original filing. What really helped was calling the Taxpayer Advocate Service around week 10 when it became clear this was affecting our ability to pay for our child's therapy appointments. They expedited the final review and we had our refund within 2 weeks of that call. Don't hesitate to reach out to TAS if you're experiencing financial hardship due to the delay - that's exactly what they're there for.
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Zadie Patel
Something nobody's mentioned yet - if you don't report all income and get audited later, you'll owe penalties and interest on top of the taxes you should have paid. Those can add up fast! Also, if you're claiming any tax credits like the Earned Income Credit, underreporting income could mess that up and potentially trigger an audit. The $600 threshold is just about whether the PAYER has to send a 1099, not whether YOU have to report the income. All income is supposed to be reported regardless of amount.
That's true, but what are the actual chances of getting audited when we're talking about a few hundred dollars? I feel like the IRS has bigger fish to fry.
Zadie Patel
ā¢While the odds of an audit are relatively low for most people (less than 1% overall), small business and self-employed taxpayers do face higher audit rates than W-2 employees. The IRS doesn't just select people randomly - they look for patterns and inconsistencies. Even small amounts can trigger an audit if there are other red flags in your return. For example, if you're claiming business losses year after year, or if your reported income seems too low to support your lifestyle. Also, if one of those small clients gets audited and their records show they paid you, that could come back to you. It's really about risk management - the potential savings from not reporting a few hundred dollars versus the headache of an audit and penalties.
Just want to share from experience - my accountant says the simplest approach is to create a separate Schedule C for "Miscellaneous 1099 Work" where you can group all those small payments. Way easier than doing separate forms for tiny amounts. And yes, DEFINITELY track all expenses related to earning that income! Mileage to client sites, portion of internet/phone, software subscriptions, any equipment, etc. Those deductions can really add up.
Does your accountant charge more for filing a Schedule C? Mine wants to add $75 to my filing fee for each one, which seems steep for reporting like $300 in extra income.
You can generally combine similar types of freelance/consulting work on one Schedule C, but if they're completely different business activities, the IRS prefers separate Schedule Cs. For graphic design and handyman work, those would likely be considered different trades and should probably be on separate forms. However, if you're just doing occasional small jobs in related fields (like different types of design work), you can often group them under one general description like "Freelance Design Services." As for the $75 fee per Schedule C - that does seem high for small amounts of income! You might want to shop around or consider using tax software that handles Schedule C without extra fees. The actual tax form itself doesn't cost anything to file.
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Luca Greco
The IRS Publication 974 actually has a pretty good example of this situation on page 26-27 (Example 2) that walks through shared policy allocations. Don't overthink it!
Nia Thompson
ā¢Pub 974 is helpful but actually doesn't fully address this specific situation where adult non-dependent children are on the same policy. The examples mostly focus on divorce situations or dependent allocation. This case is trickier because of the SLCSP adjustment requirement.
This is such a common issue that trips up many tax preparers! I want to emphasize something that hasn't been fully clarified yet - when you allocate 100% to the parents and 0% to the adult children, you're not just doing this for the premium amounts, but also for the advance premium tax credit (APTC) amounts shown in Column C of the 1095-A. The key steps are: 1) Use the state's SLCSP lookup tool to find the benchmark plan cost for JUST the parents (not the full family amount shown on the 1095-A) 2) Calculate the parents' PTC using their income and the adjusted SLCSP amount 3) Complete the allocation worksheet showing parents claim 100% of their portions 4) The adult children simply report they had coverage but don't file Form 8962 One thing to watch out for - make sure you're using the correct ages for the SLCSP lookup. Use the ages as of the first day of each coverage month, not current ages. This can make a difference in the benchmark calculation. Your instinct about the $5,600 PTC being more reasonable than $14,400 is absolutely correct. The higher amount would only make sense if you were calculating credits for all four family members, which isn't appropriate here since the adult children aren't in the parents' tax family.
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Just to add to what others have said - make sure you're aware of the contribution limits for 403(b) plans. For 2025, the total limit for combined traditional and Roth 403(b) contributions is $23,000 if you're under 50. That $13k you mentioned is well under the limit so you're good! Also, don't forget to check if your employer offers a 457(b) plan too. Many non-profits do, and you can contribute to BOTH a 403(b) and a 457(b) up to the full limit for each, effectively doubling your tax-advantaged space!
Aisha Khan
ā¢Thanks for this info! My HR mentioned something about a 457(b) during orientation but I was already confused by the 403(b)/Roth options so I didn't pay much attention. Are there any downsides to 457(b) plans compared to 403(b)? And would employer matching count toward that $23,000 limit you mentioned?
The main difference with 457(b) plans is that they're technically deferred compensation plans rather than qualified retirement plans. The great thing is you can withdraw from them without penalty if you leave your employer at any age (though you'll still pay income tax). They're a fantastic option if you can manage contributing to both. Regarding the limits, employer matching contributions don't count toward your $23,000 personal contribution limit! There's a separate, higher overall limit that includes employer contributions - around $69,000 for 2025. So you can contribute your $23,000 and still get employer matching on top of that. It's one of the best perks of working for a non-profit with good benefits.
GalacticGuru
Remember that your W-2 should have code E in box 12 showing your pre-tax 403b contributions. And if you've made any Roth 403b contributions, they should appear with code EE. This is how you can double-check that your employer reported everything correctly!
Is code E always used for 403(b)? I have code D on mine and was told that's for 401(k) contributions. Are they basically the same thing for tax purposes?
Isaac Wright
ā¢Yes, code E is specifically for 403(b) contributions while code D is for 401(k) contributions. They work essentially the same way for tax purposes - both are pre-tax retirement contributions that reduce your taxable income. The difference is mainly in the type of employer (non-profits and educational institutions typically offer 403(b) plans, while for-profit companies usually offer 401(k) plans). So if you have code D, that's correct for a 401(k) plan!
Melody Miles
Has anyone used Rocket Dollar for their checkbook IRA? They advertise a flat fee structure that looks pretty competitive, but I've heard mixed reviews about their customer support.
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Nathaniel Mikhaylov
ā¢I used them initially but ended up switching. Their platform is user-friendly and setup was straightforward, but I had issues whenever I needed to speak with an actual human. Support tickets would go unanswered for days, and when I had an urgent question about a potential prohibited transaction, I couldn't get a clear answer. I ended up transferring to a more traditional custodian with slightly higher fees but much better support. For something as important as retirement funds and as complex as self-directed investing, I found that having access to knowledgeable support staff was worth the extra cost.
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Melody Miles
ā¢Thanks for sharing your experience. That's exactly what I was worried about. Did the transfer process go smoothly or were there any complications? And which custodian did you switch to that had better support?
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Emma Wilson
I've been managing my checkbook IRA for about 3 years now and wanted to add a few practical tips that I learned the hard way: 1. **Document everything religiously** - Keep detailed records of every transaction, investment decision, and communication. The IRS can audit self-directed IRAs, and you'll need clear documentation showing business purpose for all activities. 2. **Set up separate accounting software** - Don't just rely on bank statements. I use QuickBooks to track the LLC's finances separately from my personal accounts. This makes annual reporting much cleaner and helps avoid any appearance of commingling funds. 3. **Annual valuation requirements** - Your custodian will need fair market value of all assets by December 31st each year. For illiquid investments like real estate or private businesses, you may need professional appraisals. Budget for this ongoing cost. 4. **State compliance matters** - Don't forget your LLC has state-level compliance requirements too. Annual reports, registered agent fees, etc. These vary by state but can add up over time. The freedom is amazing once everything is properly set up, but the administrative burden is real. Make sure you're prepared for the ongoing responsibilities, not just the initial setup costs.
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