Be careful with TAS expectations. I filed an amendment last year and immediately requested TAS help due to pending eviction. They took my case but then... nothing happened for weeks. My advocate was handling 150+ cases and barely returned calls. By the time they actually did anything, I'd already been evicted and had to move in with family. TAS is severely understaffed right now. Even with a legitimate hardship, they might not be able to help in time. I'd recommend pursuing ALL available options simultaneously - TAS, local assistance programs, payment arrangements with your landlord, and emergency housing assistance. Don't put all your hopes on TAS speeding up your amendment.

I've been through the TAS process twice for different tax issues, and timing really does matter with amendments. From my experience, you absolutely can request TAS assistance immediately if you have legitimate hardship - the "waiting period" some people mention isn't actually a hard rule when you're facing eviction. Here's what worked for me: I called TAS directly at 877-777-4778 and had my eviction notice, past-due utility bills, and bank statements ready when I called. The key is being very specific about your timeline - tell them exactly when you're facing eviction and that you need the refund to prevent it. One thing that surprised me was that TAS can actually place a priority flag on your amendment even before it shows up in the normal tracking system. My advocate told me this bypasses some of the regular processing queues. That said, I agree with others here that you should pursue multiple options simultaneously. Contact local rental assistance programs, see if your utility companies have hardship programs, and maybe even reach out to your landlord about a payment plan. TAS helped me, but it still took 6 weeks total, and you might need bridge solutions while waiting. Good luck - the stress of waiting for tax money when you're facing eviction is awful, but don't give up on getting help.

Can't you just file Form 8832 again to revoke the first election before filing 2553? I think there's a box you can check to revoke a previous election.

I went through this exact same situation with my LLC last year - filed Form 8832 by mistake when I meant to elect S corp status. The panic is real, but you can definitely fix this! Here's what worked for me: I immediately sent Form 2553 with a cover letter explaining the error, and I also included a copy of the mistakenly filed Form 8832. In the cover letter, I clearly stated my intention was always to elect S corporation status and that the Form 8832 was filed in error. The key is being very explicit about your intentions. Write something like "I mistakenly filed Form 8832 believing it was the correct form to elect S corporation status. My intention has always been to elect S corporation tax treatment under IRC Section 1362(a)." I also recommend sending it via certified mail or using the IRS fax number (855-214-7522 for Form 2553) to ensure faster processing. The IRS processed mine correctly and I received confirmation of my S corp election about 8 weeks later. Don't wait - the sooner you get the correction in, the better your chances of having it processed properly before any complications arise.

I've been running a mountain biking blog for 2 years now. Here's what I learned: track EVERYTHING! I use a spreadsheet where I log every expense with: date, amount, category, business %, and purpose. I take photos of all receipts. For travel, I document each day with what content I created. The IRS cares most about your INTENT - if you can show you genuinely intend to make profit (even if you don't right away), you're in better shape.

As someone who's been through several IRS audits for my freelance consulting business, I can tell you that documentation is absolutely everything. For your travel blog situation, the key is proving business intent from day one. Here's what I'd recommend: Before you leave, create a detailed business plan showing projected revenue streams (affiliate marketing, sponsored posts, product sales, etc.). Document your content creation schedule and upload timeline. Keep a daily log during travel noting what business activities you performed each day (filming, writing, networking with other creators, etc.). For expenses, you can typically deduct the business percentage. So if 30% of your trip days involve significant content creation, you might deduct 30% of accommodation costs for those specific days. The laptop and camera are easier - if used 80% for business, deduct 80%. One critical point: don't wait to start monetizing. Set up affiliate accounts, Google AdSense, and sponsor outreach before you leave. Having these revenue streams active (even if earning pennies) shows the IRS you're serious about profit, not just enjoying a subsidized vacation. The "profit in 3 of 5 years" rule gives you breathing room, but having some revenue from year one makes your case much stronger.

Something nobody has mentioned yet - you can also request a "Wage and Income Transcript" directly from the IRS which shows all the information reported on your W-2s including the full EINs. This is different from the account transcript you might have already downloaded. Go to irs.gov/transcripts and request a "Wage and Income Transcript" for the year you need. You can view it online if you create an account, or have it mailed to your address of record. This document will have ALL the information from your W-2s including the full EIN numbers.

I just went through this exact same situation last month! The Wage and Income Transcript that Connor mentioned is absolutely the way to go - it's free and has all the complete EIN information you need. However, I want to add one important detail: when you request it online, you'll need to verify your identity through ID.me, which requires a photo ID and sometimes a video call. If you can't get through the online verification process, you can call the IRS at 800-908-9946 specifically for transcript requests, or mail Form 4506-T to request it by mail (though that takes 5-10 business days). The Wage and Income Transcript will show every W-2 and 1099 issued to your SSN for that tax year with complete employer information. Once you have that, filing your back taxes becomes much more straightforward. I used this method and was able to complete my 2022 filing without any issues, and my FAFSA went through smoothly afterward. Don't stress too much - the IRS actually makes this process easier than it seems once you know which transcript to request!

waited 3 months last year... IL is always slow af with returns fr fr

Also try checking early morning or late evening - the MyTax Illinois website tends to be less busy during those times. If you're still having trouble, you can also contact your local Illinois Department of Revenue office directly. They sometimes have shorter wait times than the main hotline. Good luck!