You might want to check with the research platform directly about their policy. Some platforms actually consider research participants as independent contractors and will send 1099-NECs, while others might classify payments as "prizes/awards" and issue 1099-MISC forms instead. The $600 threshold applies in both cases, but it's good to know which form to expect. I do psychological studies through three different universities, and each handles it differently!

Don't forget you should be reporting this income regardless of whether you receive a 1099! I learned this the hard way. The research company I worked with didn't send me a form because they claimed I was $25 under the threshold (I thought I'd crossed it). I didn't report the income and got a letter from the IRS a year later - turns out the company DID report it to the IRS even though they didn't send me a form. Had to pay the tax plus a small penalty. Not worth the headache!

I went through this EXACT situation last year with a different broker. Yes, you absolutely must report the capital gains on your taxes - no way around that unfortunately. But here's what worked for me to finally get my money: I sent a certified letter to their corporate headquarters (not just emailing support) stating that I would be filing complaints with FINRA, the SEC, the Consumer Financial Protection Bureau, and my state's attorney general if the issue wasn't resolved within 15 business days. I cited specific regulations about client fund access and mentioned potential small claims court action. Got a call from their executive resolution team 3 days later and had my funds within a week. Sometimes you gotta make noise at the right level!

I'm dealing with a similar situation right now with a different broker, and this thread has been incredibly helpful! Just wanted to add that if you do end up filing regulatory complaints, make sure to keep copies of everything and document all your communications with timestamps. One thing I learned from my situation is that when you're paying taxes on gains you can't access, it's worth consulting with a tax professional about whether you can claim any deductions related to the costs of trying to recover your funds - things like certified mail, legal consultation fees, etc. These might be deductible as miscellaneous expenses depending on your situation. Also, some states have additional investor protection programs beyond the federal regulators. Check if your state has a securities division that handles investor complaints - sometimes having complaints filed at both state and federal levels creates more pressure for resolution. Hope you get this sorted out soon! The tax situation is frustrating enough without having to deal with unresponsive customer service on top of it.

A bit confused after reading all of these comments. So if I sold some furniture on Facebook Marketplace for like $800 total last year (stuff I just wanted out of my house, sold for less than I paid), I don't need to report anything because 1) it's under the $20k threshold for getting a 1099-K and 2) I didn't make a profit anyway?

Just to clarify something that might help others reading this - the key distinction everyone's touching on is between *reporting requirements* and *tax obligations*. The 1099-K threshold only determines whether platforms like StubHub have to send you (and the IRS) a form. It doesn't change your underlying obligation to report taxable income. For your specific situation with the concert tickets, if you sold them for less than you paid (which sounds like the case), you actually had a loss, not income. Personal losses like this aren't deductible, but they're also not taxable income you need to report. The bottom line: No 1099-K required under current thresholds, and no taxable income since you sold at a loss. You should be good to file your return. Just keep your records showing what you originally paid vs. what you sold them for in case you ever need to demonstrate there was no profit.

Don't forget about state taxes too! You mentioned 4 different taxes - sounds like you're seeing Federal, State, FICA-EE (Social Security), and Med-EE (Medicare). The first two (Federal and State) you can potentially adjust through withholding forms. The FICA (6.2%) and Medicare (1.45%) are fixed percentages that everyone pays on earned income.

I went through this exact same confusion when I started my first "real" job! The tax codes on paystubs are like a foreign language at first. One thing that really helped me was tracking my YTD numbers over a few pay periods - it shows you exactly how much you're paying in taxes annually. At $18/hour, if you're seeing $50 in federal withholding on a bi-weekly check, that projects to about $1,300/year in federal taxes, which does seem high for your income level. Here's what I'd recommend: First, definitely use that IRS Tax Withholding Estimator that was mentioned - it's free and official. Second, when you talk to HR about a new W-4, ask them to show you exactly how they calculate your withholding based on what you filled out. Sometimes there are simple mistakes like accidentally claiming married filing separately instead of single. Also, once you hit your 90-day mark and become eligible for benefits, definitely look into contributing to a 401k if they offer one. Even putting in just $50-100 per paycheck reduces your taxable income and can lower both your federal and state withholding. Plus you're building retirement savings! The FICA and Medicare taxes unfortunately are what they are - everyone pays the same 7.65% combined rate regardless of income level. But getting your federal and state withholding dialed in correctly can make a big difference in your take-home pay.

Adding to what others have shared - I'm a CPA and deal with EIN applications regularly for my clients. The missing date really isn't going to be an issue for processing. The IRS SS4 form has evolved over the years, and while the date field exists, it's not one of the critical validation points they use. The most important elements they look for are: complete business information, proper entity type selection, valid responsible party details, and that signature. Your application will almost certainly process normally. That said, if you're concerned about timing (especially since you mentioned needing it for a bank account), I'd suggest calling the IRS in about 2-3 weeks to check status rather than immediately resubmitting. Duplicate applications can sometimes cause more delays than missing dates. One pro tip for the future - if you ever need to submit tax forms again, consider reviewing them the next day with fresh eyes before sending. I catch way more errors that way than trying to proof everything in one sitting. Good luck with your new business venture!

I totally understand the panic you're feeling! I went through something similar when I was setting up my consulting business last year. I actually made an even more embarrassing mistake - I accidentally wrote my personal SSN instead of leaving it blank for the business entity section and didn't catch it until after I'd already faxed it. From what I've learned through that experience and talking to other small business owners, the IRS is surprisingly forgiving with these kinds of administrative oversights on SS4 forms. The date field, while included on the form, isn't one of the critical elements that would cause an automatic rejection. The key things they really care about are having a complete signature, accurate business information, and proper entity classification. As long as you've got those covered (which it sounds like you do), you should be in good shape. My recommendation would be to wait about 2-3 weeks and then call to check on the status rather than immediately resubmitting. That way you can confirm they received it and are processing it normally. If for some reason there is an issue, they can guide you on the best way to handle it at that point. Don't beat yourself up too much about this - these forms can be tricky even when you're being super careful. The fact that you triple-checked everything else shows you were being thorough. Best of luck with your new side business!