One more thing to consider - if your main employer offers any kind of reimbursement for mileage (even partially), make sure you're taking advantage of that too. Its not double dipping to get reimbursed from your employer AND deduct your self-employment miles separately. Just don't claim the same miles twice. Also, don't forget about potential home office deduction if you have a dedicated space for your consulting business. That can also increase the deductible miles since you'd count trips from your home office to clients as business miles rather than commuting.

Great question about vehicle expenses! As others have mentioned, you're absolutely fine to deduct mileage for your consulting business as long as you keep proper records. This is completely legitimate and not double dipping at all. One thing I'd add that hasn't been mentioned yet - make sure you're aware of the updated 2024 standard mileage rate, which is 67 cents per mile for business use (up from 65.5 cents in 2023). With 8,700 miles for your consulting work, that's a potential deduction of $5,829, which is definitely worth claiming properly. Also, since you're driving 50k miles annually, make sure you're factoring in the increased depreciation on your vehicle. Even though you can't deduct your W-2 job mileage, that heavy usage does affect your vehicle's value, so maximizing legitimate business deductions becomes even more important. Keep detailed logs with date, destination, business purpose, and odometer readings for each consulting trip. A simple spreadsheet or mileage tracking app works great for this. The IRS just wants to see that you can substantiate the business purpose of each mile claimed.

Does anyone know if the payment processors send you a receipt or confirmation? I paid through one last year but never got anything by email, just the confirmation number on the screen which I wrote down. Is that normal?

For anyone still concerned about the 1040-V voucher - I had the same worry last year! The key thing to remember is that when you pay online with a credit card, the payment processor automatically links your payment to your tax return using your SSN and other identifying info you enter during checkout. The 1040-V is essentially just a paper trail for mailed payments. Think of it like a deposit slip at the bank - if you're doing online banking, you don't need the paper slip because the electronic transaction handles all the routing. One tip: after you make your online payment, you can check that it went through by logging into your IRS account online after a few business days. It should show up under your payment history, which gives you extra peace of mind that everything was processed correctly.

I was in almost the exact same boat last month (though I guess my situation was slightly less complicated). Called the TAS number (877-777-4778) every day for a week at exactly 7:00 AM Eastern when they open. Finally got through on Thursday, explained my situation, and the advocate was actually pretty helpful! She created a case file and contacted the specific department handling my amended return. Got a resolution within 10 days after that. The secret seems to be calling right when they open - who would have thought government offices actually answer phones at opening time? 😂

I'm dealing with a very similar situation - my 1040X has been stuck "in process" for 76 days now and I'm getting nowhere with the regular IRS phone lines. Based on what everyone's shared here, I'm planning to try calling the TAS national line (877-777-4778) first thing tomorrow morning at 7 AM sharp, since Gabriel had success with that timing. If that doesn't work, I'll look up my local TAS office using the zip code tool on their website. One question for those who've successfully worked with TAS - how specific did you need to be about financial hardship? I'm not facing eviction or utility shutoffs, but the delay is preventing me from finalizing some financial planning decisions that are time-sensitive. Would that qualify, or do they really need to see immediate financial distress? Thanks everyone for sharing your experiences - this thread has been incredibly helpful!

Don't forget state taxes! Depending on your state, the rules and deadlines might be different than federal. Some states are more aggressive about pursuing unfiled returns than the IRS. I learned this the hard way when NY state came after me for unfiled returns even though I was owed refunds on the federal side. They added penalties even though I didn't owe them any tax either! Had to file the returns and then request penalty abatement.

For state penalty abatement, you typically need to request "reasonable cause" relief by writing a letter explaining why you filed late. Common acceptable reasons include serious illness, death in family, natural disasters, or reliance on bad advice from a tax professional. In your letter, include: 1) A clear statement requesting penalty abatement, 2) The specific tax years and penalty types, 3) Your explanation of the circumstances that prevented timely filing, 4) Any supporting documentation, and 5) A statement that you've now filed all required returns. Most states have forms for this - search "[your state] penalty abatement request" or "reasonable cause relief." Be honest and specific about your circumstances. Even if it was just procrastination, some states will waive penalties for first-time filers or if the amount is small. Worth trying since the worst they can say is no!

One thing nobody has mentioned yet - check if your mother's trust becomes irrevocable upon death (most living trusts do). This affects how you handle the taxation going forward. If the trust became irrevocable upon death, you'll need to: 1. Apply for a new EIN for the now-irrevocable trust 2. File Form 1041 for any income generated by trust assets after death 3. Issue K-1s to beneficiaries for distributed income The Form 56 process is still needed as others described, but don't overlook these additional requirements. The IRS publication 559 "Survivors, Executors, and Administrators" has detailed guidance that was super helpful in my case.

This is such a helpful thread! I'm dealing with a similar situation with my father's estate and living trust. One additional point I'd like to add based on my experience: when filing the two separate Form 56s that you mentioned, make sure to clearly differentiate the purposes in your cover letters or any correspondence. For the personal fiduciary Form 56 (to file your mom's 2022 taxes), I wrote "Filing Form 56 to establish fiduciary authority for decedent's final individual income tax return (Form 1040)" at the top. For the trust fiduciary Form 56, I wrote "Filing Form 56 to establish ongoing fiduciary authority for irrevocable trust taxation." This helped avoid confusion when the IRS processed them, especially since they were submitted close together. Also, keep copies of everything and consider sending them certified mail - the IRS processing times for Form 56 can be unpredictable, and having proof of submission dates was crucial when I had to follow up. The advice about Publication 559 is spot-on. It's dense reading, but it covers scenarios that most online resources miss. Good luck with everything!