Can't reach IRS? Claimyr calls for you, so you don't have to wait on hold.
Claimyr is a pay-as-you-go service. We do not charge a recurring subscription.
Using Claimyr will:
- Connect you to a human agent at the IRS
- Skip the long phone menu
- Call the correct department
- Redial until on hold
- Forward a call to your phone with reduced hold time
- Give you free callbacks if the IRS drops your call
Ask the community...
- DO post questions about your issues.
- DO answer questions and support each other.
- DO post tips & tricks to help folks.
- DO NOT post call problems here - there is a support tab at the top for that :)
Join the conversation
Join the conversation
Former tax preparer here. One thing to watch out for with real estate agent deductions is that you need to be tracking everything meticulously. Even if dry cleaning isn't deductible, keep receipts for EVERYTHING else - mileage to showings, home office square footage, portion of internet/phone used for business, etc. For anyone who thinks the clothing thing is unfair, I agree, but it's been litigated many times. Look up Pevsner v. Commissioner from the 80s - even a YSL boutique manager couldn't deduct her required designer clothing because it could "theoretically" be worn outside work.
Liam McGuire
ā¢Do you recommend any specific apps for tracking real estate agent expenses? I'm terrible at keeping receipts.
I usually recommend either MileIQ for tracking mileage specifically (a huge deduction for real estate agents) or Quickbooks Self-Employed for overall expense tracking. The latter can connect to your credit cards and bank accounts to automatically categorize expenses and even has a receipt scanner in the app. Another good one is Everlance which handles both mileage and receipt tracking pretty well. The key is to pick one and use it consistently. Many agents miss thousands in deductions simply because they don't have good records, not because they weren't eligible for the deductions.
Amara Eze
I'm in my 3rd year as an agent and I don't even bother with the clothing deductions anymore. Focus on the big stuff instead: - Mileage (huge deduction, track EVERY showing) - Home office (if you have dedicated space) - Marketing (social media ads, flyers, photography) - Continuing education - E&O insurance - Desk fees - Technology (portion of phone, laptop, internet) These add up to WAY more than dry cleaning ever would, and they're all clearly allowed. Why risk an audit over dry cleaning when there are so many legitimate deductions available?
Does the home office deduction still trigger audits? My dad (accountant) always told me to avoid claiming it because it was a "red flag.
The home office deduction used to be more of an audit trigger years ago, but it's much safer now, especially for real estate agents who legitimately work from home. The IRS simplified the rules with the "simplified method" - you can deduct $5 per square foot up to 300 sq ft ($1,500 max) without having to calculate actual expenses or depreciation. Just make sure you're using the space exclusively for business. If your "home office" is also the guest bedroom or dining room table, that won't qualify. But if you have a dedicated space where you do administrative work, client calls, marketing, etc., it's a legitimate deduction that most agents should be taking advantage of. The key is documentation - take photos of your office setup and keep records of how you use the space. As long as it's legitimate, don't let old fears keep you from claiming valid deductions.
Join the conversation
Max Reyes
This whole 941 vs 944 thing gets even more complicated if you have household employees like a nanny or housekeeper. I went through this last year and learned you can actually use Schedule H with your personal tax return instead of filing separate 941/944 forms in some cases. Might be worth looking into if your employee was helping with household work rather than a business.
Wait, so if I pay someone to watch my kids occasionally, I don't need to worry about 941 or 944 forms? How much do they need to be paid before Schedule H is required? This tax stuff is so confusing!
Max Reyes
ā¢If you're paying someone to watch your kids in your home, they might be considered a household employee rather than a business employee. You don't need to file Form 941 or 944 for household employees - instead, you'd use Schedule H with your personal tax return. For Schedule H, the threshold is $2,600 (for 2025) paid to any one household employee. If you paid less than that for occasional babysitting, you might not have any filing requirements at all. But if you paid $2,600+ to one person during the year, you'd need to file Schedule H and handle payroll taxes.
I think everyone is overlooking a key point - was this a contractor or an employee? If they were just doing a one-time gig for $270, they might actually be a 1099 contractor, not a W-2 employee. In that case, you wouldn't file 941 or 944 at all.
Oh wow I didn't even consider that! It was basically just my neighbor's kid who helped me organize some inventory for my online shop for a couple days. I don't control when or how they do the work, just paid them when it was done. Does that sound more like a contractor situation?
Nia Davis
ā¢That definitely sounds more like a contractor situation! If you didn't control how or when they did the work, just paid them for the completed task, that's a classic independent contractor arrangement. For contractors, you'd issue a 1099-NEC (if you paid them $600 or more) instead of dealing with payroll taxes and Forms 941/944. Since you only paid $270, you likely don't have any filing requirements at all - no 1099, no 941, no 944, no 940. Just keep records of the payment for your business expenses. The IRS has a worker classification test (Form SS-8) if you want to be 100% sure, but your situation sounds pretty clear-cut contractor to me.
Join the conversation
this whole thread has me confused even more lol. so if i make $5,000 i dont pay taxes but if i make $20,000 i only pay taxes on the amount over the standard deduction???? the government makes this way too complicated on purpose i swear
Yara Nassar
ā¢Yes, that's exactly right! If you make $5,000, you'd take the standard deduction (about $14,600 for 2025) and your taxable income would be $0. If you make $20,000, you'd take the same standard deduction and only pay taxes on $5,400 ($20,000 - $14,600). It definitely can seem complicated, but the standard deduction actually simplifies things by ensuring people with lower incomes don't have to pay income tax. Think of it as the government saying "everyone gets their first $14,600 tax-free.
omg thank you for explaining it that way!! "everyone gets their first $14,600 tax-free" makes way more sense to me than all the technical jargon. i think i finally get it now.
CosmicCowboy
Just wanted to add something that might help other newcomers understand this better - the reason tax brackets start at $0 isn't because everyone pays taxes on their first dollar earned, but because the brackets describe how ANY taxable income gets taxed once you actually HAVE taxable income. Think of it like this: the standard deduction ($14,600) acts like a shield that protects your first chunk of income from taxes. Only income above that shield becomes "taxable income" that gets run through the tax brackets. So Connor, with your $5,000 income, your shield (standard deduction) completely covers it, so you have $0 taxable income. Someone making $25,000 would have $10,400 in taxable income ($25,000 - $14,600), and that $10,400 would be taxed at the 10% bracket rate. The system is actually designed to be progressive - it protects lower earners while ensuring higher earners contribute more. Hope this helps clarify the confusion!
Join the conversation
Sergio Neal
Does anyone know if we're supposed to include copies of our I-20 or passport with Form 8843? My DSO gave me conflicting info on this.
You don't need to include copies of your I-20 or passport with Form 8843. Just the completed form is sufficient. The form itself asks for information from those documents (like visa type and date of entry), but you don't need to send the actual documents.
Rudy Cenizo
As someone who went through this exact same confusion a few years ago, I completely understand your stress! Let me add a few practical tips that might help: First, don't panic about the previous years - the IRS is generally understanding about Form 8843 filing delays when there's no tax owed. I filed mine for 3 previous years all at once and never heard anything back from them. For your current situation, since you mentioned you don't have any US income, you'll only need Form 8843 (not Form 1040NR). Make sure to check the "student" box in Part II and fill out the dates you were present in the US during the tax year. One thing that caught me off guard - if you traveled outside the US during the year (even briefly), you need to list those departure and return dates. Keep your passport handy when filling out the form. Also, since you mentioned visa status concerns - filing Form 8843 actually helps protect your status by formally documenting that you're claiming the student exemption from the substantial presence test. It's better to file late than never! The Austin, TX address mentioned earlier is correct for mailing. I'd definitely recommend certified mail with tracking so you have proof it was sent and received.
Isla Fischer
One thing nobody has mentioned yet - if your wife is placing bets under her account but you're making all the decisions, that could potentially be seen as an attempt to hide income or split income to reduce tax liability. The IRS generally follows the "substance over form" principle. You might want to consult a tax attorney about this specific aspect. Some gambling winnings require tax withholding at the source depending on odds and amount, and having different names on accounts could complicate matters.
0 coins
Miles Hammonds
ā¢This is actually a really important point. My cousin got absolutely wrecked by the IRS over something similar - he was placing bets for friends using his accounts and they considered it unreported income even though he was just passing the money along. Took years to sort out.
0 coins
Alice Coleman
This is a complex situation that requires careful handling. From what you've described, you likely have a strong case for professional gambler status given your volume, time investment (500+ hours), use of specialized software, and systematic approach. However, I'm particularly concerned about the arrangement with your wife's accounts. While transfers between spouses generally aren't taxable events, having her place bets under her name while you make all decisions could raise red flags. The IRS might view this as income splitting or an attempt to obscure the true source of gambling activity. Since you're the one with the expertise and making the decisions, there's an argument that all the income should be attributed to you. I'd strongly recommend consulting with a tax professional who specializes in gambling taxes before filing. They can help you navigate both the professional gambler qualification and the spousal account situation properly. The potential tax savings from professional status are significant, but you want to make sure you're structuring everything correctly to avoid future issues. For immediate steps: start keeping meticulous records now, consider consolidating all betting activity under accounts in your name going forward, and get professional advice on how to properly report the wife's account winnings for this tax year.
0 coins