Had the EXACT same issue last tax season! 😂 My wife's middle name was listed on her SSN card but I only used her middle initial on our return. Rejected THREE times before I figured it out. The stupid part? We'd been filing the same way for 4 years with no problems! Apparently the IRS updated their matching systems in 2023 to be more strict. Fixed it by using her full middle name and boom - accepted within 24 hours. Hope this helps with your moving plans!

I went through this nightmare last year and it was absolutely maddening! The key thing that saved me was requesting my wife's Social Security Statement online at ssa.gov - it shows EXACTLY how her name appears in their system. In my case, her name had a hyphen that we'd been leaving off for years, but the IRS suddenly started enforcing exact matches in 2023. Given your April 30th deadline, I'd also suggest paper filing as a backup plan. Yes, it takes longer to process, but at least you'll have officially filed by the deadline if the electronic version keeps getting rejected. You can always amend later once the name issue is resolved. Also, double-check that your wife hasn't had any recent credit monitoring alerts or identity verification requests from the IRS - sometimes those can trigger additional security flags that cause these matching errors. The whole situation is incredibly stressful when you're trying to coordinate a move, but you'll get through this!

Have you considered requesting her personal tax return (Form 1040) along with the Schedule C? The Schedule C only shows the business profit/loss, but doesn't include any other income she might have. Maybe she has multiple income sources?

You're dealing with a classic discrepancy that happens all the time with small business owners. The Schedule C ($43,325 net profit) is what she actually reported to the IRS, while the HR Block P&L ($111,500 net profit) might be her internal bookkeeping before tax planning adjustments. Here's what I'd recommend: Focus on the Schedule C since that's her official tax filing, but also request her complete Form 1040 to see her total income from all sources. The $43,325 from Schedule C gets added to any other income she has (W-2 wages, investment income, etc.) to give you her total adjusted gross income. However, don't stop there. Many LLC owners legitimately maximize deductions to reduce taxes, which can make their "paper income" look much lower than their actual cash flow. Ask for 3-6 months of personal bank statements to see what she's actually taking out of the business for living expenses through owner draws or transfers. Also check if there's significant depreciation on the Schedule C - this is a non-cash expense that reduces taxable income but doesn't affect her ability to pay rent. Some landlords add back depreciation when evaluating cash flow capacity.

Just a heads up - when you get your new LLC EIN, don't forget to update it with ALL your payment processors (PayPal, Stripe, Square, etc) and any platforms where you sell your services. I forgot to update mine with one platform and it caused a huge mismatch when they issued my 1099-K. Took months to sort out with the IRS!

Just went through this exact same situation last month! One thing I learned that wasn't immediately obvious - when you apply for your new LLC EIN, make sure you have your LLC's Articles of Organization handy. The IRS online application will ask for specific details like your LLC's formation date and the state where it was formed. Also, don't stress too much about the timing. You can continue operating under your sole prop EIN while you're waiting for the new LLC EIN to come through, as long as you make the switch before filing your next tax return. Just keep good records of which income/expenses belong to which entity during any overlap period. The whole process is actually pretty straightforward once you get started - much less scary than it seems when you're reading about it online!

Since you're filing jointly, I've found it easiest to just enter everything once and let the software handle it. No need to split anything manually between you and your spouse. The tricky part is tracking everything correctly for future years. Keep separate folders for receipts that are 100% rental (like repairs only in the tenant's area) vs. shared expenses that need to be prorated. It'll save you hours next tax season!

Just wanted to add something that helped me when I was in a similar situation - make sure you're aware of the "home office" vs "rental property" distinction. Since you're renting out 40% of your home, that portion is treated as rental property (Schedule E), not a home office deduction (Form 8829). This means you can deduct things like advertising costs to find tenants, rental management fees, and even mileage for trips related to the rental property. Also, if you have any startup costs for getting the rental ready (like painting or minor repairs before the first tenant moved in), those might be deductible too. One more tip - if you're planning to do this long-term, consider opening a separate bank account just for rental income and expenses. It makes tracking so much easier and looks more professional if you ever face an audit.

why do you even need a W2 from that long ago? just curious

Pro tip: If you filed your taxes electronically that year, your tax preparer might still have a copy of your W2. Worth a shot!