Word of caution abt those "guaranteed agent" services floating around. Some are legit but I've seen ppl get scammed big time. Last yr my coworker paid $75 for a "priority IRS connection" that was just a recording telling him to call the regular IRS #. If ur gonna use any service, def check reviews first. The official IRS channels are frustrating AF but at least they're free and won't steal ur info. Stay safe out there!

I've had success with a slightly different approach - calling the Practitioner Priority Service line at 866-860-4259. You need to have a PTIN (Preparer Tax Identification Number) to use it, but if you're a CPA, EA, or attorney, this line typically has much shorter wait times. I got through in 15 minutes last week when the main line had a 2+ hour wait. The agents on this line can handle most individual tax issues too, not just practitioner-specific questions. Just something to consider if you have the professional credentials to access it.

Has anyone tried classifying the friday pizzas as "de minimis fringe benefits" instead of meals and entertainment? My understanding is that occasional office snacks and refreshments can be 100% deductible if they're provided on the business premises and meet certain criteria. Might be worth looking into.

I've been dealing with this exact issue for the past year and wanted to share what we learned after consulting with our CPA and doing some research. The key factor is whether the meal benefit is "available" to all employees, not whether they can physically access it. We ended up implementing a policy where every Friday we provide pizza for in-office staff AND a $20 meal credit for remote workers through a company meal delivery account. This way, the benefit is truly available to 100% of our workforce. We document it as a "Weekly Team Meal" program in our employee handbook. The important thing is consistency - you can't just do it occasionally. We've been doing this for 8 months now and our accountant confirmed we can take the 100% deduction. The total cost isn't much more than just doing office pizza, but the tax savings make it worthwhile. One tip: make sure your remote workers actually use the credits regularly. If participation drops significantly, it could affect the deduction eligibility during an audit.

Another option - you could just increase your withholding at work for the remainder of the year instead of making an estimated payment. Just update your W-4 with your employer to withhold an extra amount from each paycheck. The IRS doesn't care HOW you pay as long as you get enough in by the end of the year. This approach spreads it out instead of making one big payment. Plus withholding is considered "even" throughout the year even if you increase it later, which can help avoid underpayment penalties.

Quick tip - when I was in a similar situation, I just took my capital gains amount, multiplied by 25% and paid that as estimated tax. Better to slightly overpay and get a refund than underpay and get penalties!!

For what it's worth, I've started using a simple template for clients who didn't keep proper mileage logs. I have them fill in: 1. Total miles driven for the year (from service records or odometer) 2. Typical weekly personal miles (commuting + errands) 3. List of regular business destinations with distances 4. Number of times they visited each location monthly Then I help them build a reasonable reconstruction based on their actual business activity. This isn't as good as a real-time log, but it's far better than guessing or making up numbers for Form 4562. I also make them sign an acknowledgment that mileage logs are required going forward, which motivates better compliance.

I've been dealing with this exact issue for years and here's what I've learned works best: Set clear expectations upfront about documentation requirements during your initial client meeting. I now include a mileage tracking requirement in my engagement letter and provide clients with a simple one-page guide on what records they need to keep. For existing clients with poor records, I use a three-step process: 1. Gather whatever documentation they DO have (calendars, receipts, bank statements) 2. Help them reconstruct a reasonable log based on their actual business patterns 3. Implement a tracking system for the current year The key is being transparent about audit risk. I explain that reconstructed logs are acceptable but not ideal, and that the IRS will scrutinize these more heavily. Most clients become much more cooperative when they understand the potential consequences. For Form 4562, I always include a note in my workpapers documenting the reconstruction method used and the supporting evidence available. This protects both me and the client if questions arise later. Remember, your job isn't to maximize deductions at any cost - it's to help clients comply with tax law while claiming legitimate business expenses. Sometimes that means saying no to unreasonable claims.

Did you claim EIC or child tax credit? Those usually take longer to process

Hey Miguel! I see you have a 150 code and 570 code - that's actually pretty common. The 150 means your return was received and processed, but the 570 is a hold code that freezes your refund. Since you filed in February and claimed EIC and child tax credit, those typically add extra processing time anyway. The "No tax return filed" message is probably just a delay in their system updating - it doesn't mean they lost your return. You should get a notice in the mail explaining the hold. In the meantime, you can check your account transcript weekly to see if the hold gets released (look for an 571 code). Hang in there!