My brother is a contractor and I can tell you exactly what's happening here. They're probably reporting much less income than they actually make, and 1099s make that harder to do. That's why they're pushing back so hard. Send a final written notice (certified mail) stating that you'll be filing the 1099s for the full amount as legally required, whether or not they provide W-9s. Include IRS Form W-9 and a prepaid return envelope. State clearly that failure to provide the information may result in them being subject to backup withholding on future payments. Keep copies of everything. If they still don't provide the W-9s, file the 1099s with whatever information you have (name, address, etc.) and indicate they refused to provide their taxpayer ID. The IRS will handle it from there.

Wait, I'm confused about something - I have a rental property and pay people for repairs all the time. Am I supposed to be collecting W-9s from everyone? Like even the guy who mows the lawn for $50 a week? This is the first I'm hearing about this requirement...

I think everyone's missing something important - if you normally owe $6500 in taxes, and you're retired, why aren't you having taxes withheld from your pension/retirement distributions? That would solve this whole quarterly payment issue. You could increase your withholding for a few months to cover your estimated tax liability for the year, then reduce it back to normal. Withholding is treated as happening evenly throughout the year even if it doesn't, which gives you more flexibility than quarterly payments.

The withholding strategy mentioned by Mei Zhang is absolutely brilliant and often overlooked! I'm a retired tax preparer and this was one of my favorite solutions for clients in similar situations. Since you're already having some taxes withheld from your pension, you can simply contact your pension administrator and request a temporary increase in withholding to cover your expected 2024 tax liability (around $6,500 based on your normal income). You could even have them withhold the entire amount over just a few months if that works better for your cash flow. The beauty of this approach is that it completely eliminates the need for quarterly estimated payments AND provides automatic Safe Harbor protection. The IRS will treat that withholding as if it occurred evenly throughout the year, so you won't need to worry about Form 2210 or any penalty calculations. This is much simpler than trying to convince your accountant about annualized income methods or dealing with the complexity of estimated payments after a one-time inheritance. Just increase withholding temporarily, then reduce it back to normal once you've covered your expected tax liability for the year.

Anyone else notice the verification process is way more strict this year? Had to upload like 10 different documents smh

Been stuck with code 810 for 8 weeks now after completing verification through id.me. Called the hotline last week and they said everything looks good on their end, just waiting for the system to process. The waiting game is brutal but at least we're not alone in this! Keep checking your transcripts every Friday morning - that's when most updates seem to happen.

Military spouse here too! I completely understand the stress of needing that refund before deployment. I went through the exact same thing two years ago when my husband was getting ready to leave. The 4883C letter actually means you're on the right track - it's their way of saying "we just need to make sure it's really you before we send your money." Here's what worked for me: I did the online verification through ID.me (much faster than calling), and it took about 20 minutes. Make sure you have your Social Security card, driver's license, and a copy of your tax return handy before you start. After I verified, my refund came in exactly 18 days. The TC 810 will stay on your transcript until they complete the verification process, then it should update pretty quickly. Since you're dealing with a deployment timeline, I'd definitely recommend doing the online verification ASAP rather than trying to call. The phone lines are brutal right now. You WILL get your refund - this is just a speed bump, not a roadblock. Hang in there! 💪

Military families definitely get hit with these identity verification requests more often - I think it's because of the frequent moves and address changes that trigger their fraud detection systems. The good news is that the 4883C letter with a control number means they have a specific process set up for you, which is much better than some of the other freeze codes that have no clear resolution path. Since your husband deploys soon, I'd prioritize getting this done this week if possible. The online ID.me verification is definitely your fastest option - have your Social Security card, driver's license, and a copy of your 2023 tax return ready before you start. Some people also need a utility bill or bank statement, so grab those too just in case. After you verify, your transcript should update within a few days to show progress, and then refunds typically issue within 2-3 weeks. The timing should work out for you if you act quickly. Once you're verified in their system, future years should be smoother. Good luck, and thank you both for your service! 🇺🇸

You need to find out who requested this verification. Most common requestors: - Mortgage lenders - Student loan servicers - Financial aid offices - State benefit programs (SNAP, Medicaid, etc) - Court-ordered proceedings (child support, bankruptcy) Call the IRS at 800-829-1040 and specifically ask who requested the verification. They should be able to tell you.

That future date is definitely a red flag, but I've seen this before with IRS system glitches. The fact that you mentioned applying for mortgage pre-approval 2 months ago is likely your answer - lenders routinely request verification of non-filing directly from the IRS as part of their underwriting process, often without explicitly telling borrowers they're doing this. The "sa.www4.irs.gov" subdomain you mentioned is actually legitimate - it's one of their secure application servers. However, I'd still recommend calling the IRS directly at 800-829-1040 (look up the number yourself, don't use what's on the letter) to confirm they sent this and to ask specifically who requested the verification. Also, try creating an account on irs.gov to access your tax transcript online. If you can't access it or see any suspicious activity, that would be a bigger concern than this letter with the weird date.