When I filed my late 941s, I included a letter explaining the situation and requesting an installment plan at the same time. Got approved in about 6 weeks. Saved me from having to follow up separately after they processed everything. Just make sure you're super specific about how much you can pay monthly and WHY that's all you can afford right now. I included a simple cash flow statement showing my business income and expenses to justify my proposed payment amount.

Eva, I went through almost the exact same situation with my landscaping business last year. Here's what I learned that might help you: First, yes you can absolutely be proactive - don't wait for them to send you a bill. I submitted my installment agreement request (Form 9465) about 2 weeks after filing my late 941s, and it was approved before I even received any penalty notices. A few key things that helped me: - Calculate realistic monthly payments based on your actual cash flow, not just what would pay it off fastest - Include a brief explanation of why you fell behind (cash flow issues, learning curve as new business, etc.) - Make sure you have enough set aside for your current quarterly deposits - they WILL cancel your plan if you miss ongoing payments The IRS was actually more understanding than I expected. My plan got approved for 36 months at $850/month, which was manageable for my business. The key is being honest about your financials and showing you're committed to staying current going forward. One last tip: if you qualify, consider applying online through the IRS website - it's much faster than mailing forms. Good luck, and don't stress too much. This is more common than you think!

its only been a few weeks, chill. IRS be moving slower than a turtle in molasses fr fr

I'm in a similar situation - filed 1/27 and still waiting too! The 21-day timeframe is more of a guideline than a hard rule, especially during busy filing season. I'd recommend checking your transcript like Carmen suggested, and if you don't see any error codes or notices, it's probably just normal processing delays. Try not to stress too much - most returns do come through eventually!

This is such a helpful thread! As someone just starting out with a BC-based online business, I'm saving all these resources. One question I haven't seen addressed yet - what happens if you accidentally charge the wrong tax rates to customers? I'm worried I might mess up the provincial rates since they seem to change and I have clients scattered across Canada. Is there a way to correct this after the fact, or do you just have to eat the difference? Also, if you overcharged a customer on taxes, do you refund them directly or does it go through some official process with CRA/BC? The taxr.ai tool mentioned earlier sounds promising for preventing these mistakes, but I'm curious about the cleanup process if you've already been doing it wrong for a few months.

This thread has been incredibly informative! I'm a freelance graphic designer in BC and was completely lost on the tax requirements. Based on what everyone's shared, it sounds like I need to: 1. Register for GST/HST if my total revenue (including US clients) exceeds $30k 2. Register for BC PST regardless of revenue since design services are taxable in BC 3. Not charge any taxes to my US clients (zero-rated exports) 4. Charge appropriate GST/HST rates for Canadian clients based on their province 5. Only charge BC PST to BC clients The mention of taxr.ai and Claimyr is really helpful - I've been dreading calling CRA but knowing there are tools to help navigate this makes it feel less overwhelming. I think I'll start with the tax calculation tool to make sure I understand what I should be charging, then use the CRA callback service to confirm my specific situation. One follow-up question: for creative services like graphic design, are there any special considerations for determining where the "place of supply" is? Some of my clients are corporations with offices in multiple provinces, and I'm not sure which address to use for tax purposes.

I'm going through the exact same thing right now - filed 22 days ago and just got the delayed message yesterday. Called the IRS this morning and they told me it's been in the error department for 18 days but "no action needed on my part." It's so frustrating not knowing what's actually wrong or how much longer this will take. Reading everyone's experiences here is actually really reassuring though. It sounds like this is more common than I thought and most people eventually get their refunds without having to do anything. I'm trying to stay patient but it's hard when you're counting on that money. Thanks for sharing your situation - it helps to know I'm not alone in this!

I'm dealing with this exact scenario right now too! Filed exactly 21 days ago and got the delayed message this morning. Just got off the phone with the IRS and they confirmed my return has been sitting in the error department for 14 days with "no action required from me." What's really frustrating is how the WMR tool makes it sound like something is seriously wrong when apparently this is just normal processing delays. The agent I spoke with said they're seeing much higher volumes this year and the error department is significantly backlogged. @b8d349150bb9 Since you're caring for your mom and really need this money, you might want to check your account transcript online at irs.gov - sometimes it updates with processing codes before WMR shows any changes. I've been checking mine daily and it hasn't updated yet, but at least it gives me something to monitor besides that generic delayed message. Hoping we all get some movement on our returns soon. This waiting game is really stressful when you're depending on that refund!

Is capital gains on vehicles the same rate as stocks? My understanding is it depends on your income bracket but I just want to make sure I'm planning for the right tax percentage. Selling my Range Rover for about $12k more than I paid for it.

Just wanted to add a heads up for anyone dealing with this situation - make sure you understand the $3,000 personal property exemption! If your vehicle was used primarily for personal purposes (not business), you might not owe any capital gains tax on the first $3,000 of profit. However, this exemption typically applies to things like household goods and furniture that depreciate. Vehicles are a bit of a gray area, and with the current market where cars are actually appreciating, the IRS might treat it more like an investment. Definitely worth confirming with a tax professional or the IRS directly if your gain is close to that threshold. Also keep in mind that if you're planning to buy another vehicle right away, you can't do a like-kind exchange (1031 exchange) with personal vehicles like you can with investment properties. Each sale is treated as a separate taxable event.