Non-resident tax filer here! One important thing that hasn't been mentioned yet - make sure you have an ITIN (Individual Taxpayer Identification Number) before you file your 1040-NR. As a non-U.S. person, you won't have a Social Security Number, and you'll need the ITIN to file. You can apply for an ITIN using Form W-7 when you submit your tax return. It's a bit of a catch-22 though - you need to file your return to get the ITIN, but you need an ITIN to file the return. The solution is to submit both together.

One quick warning based on personal experience - make sure your LLC partnership is correctly reporting your status as a foreign partner on the K-1! There's a specific box they need to check, and they should be completing the foreign partner information in Box 20. Many U.S. accountants don't deal with foreign partners often and mess this up. If your K-1 doesn't properly identify you as a foreign partner, you might face issues with the IRS later when they try to reconcile your 1040-NR with partnership reporting.

Has anyone used TurboSelf-Employed for tracking these kinds of expenses? My accountant charges me a fortune and I'm wondering if I could DIY with the right software.

Great question! I've been self-employed for about 5 years now and have dealt with this exact situation multiple times. The key thing to remember is that you can't deduct the value of your time, but you absolutely can deduct legitimate business expenses incurred during client acquisition. Since you mentioned spending 80 hours over two weeks, I'd suggest going back through that period and documenting every actual expense you had. This might include gas/mileage if you drove to meetings, any materials you purchased for the proposal, software subscriptions you used, coffee/meals during client meetings (50% deductible), and even a portion of your home office expenses if you qualify. One thing that helped me was creating a simple spreadsheet to track all expenses by potential client, even when deals don't close. That way I have documentation ready at tax time. The IRS allows these client acquisition costs as ordinary and necessary business expenses on Schedule C, but good record-keeping is essential. Also, since this client did sign the contract, all those expenses are clearly legitimate business costs that led to actual revenue. Make sure to keep copies of your SOW, meeting notes, and any receipts from that period.

Did you check your loan agreement? Should tell you exactly where that other 1500 went

This is exactly why I always tell people to be super careful with these advance loan places. They make it sound like easy money but the fees and interest can eat up a huge chunk of what you're expecting. For future reference, you can actually check the status of your real IRS refund for free on the IRS website using "Where's My Refund" - no need to pay these companies hundreds in fees just to get your own money a few weeks early.

This is such a frustrating situation, and I feel for you! I went through something similar two years ago. A few additional tips that helped me: 1. Keep detailed records of EVERYTHING - dates, times, confirmation numbers, who you spoke with. This becomes crucial if there are any delays or complications. 2. Consider requesting a tax transcript once your case is resolved to see exactly what the fraudulent return looked like. It might give you clues about where your info was compromised. 3. Don't forget to check if the fraudster also filed a state return - many people focus only on federal but miss that their state refund might also be tied up. 4. If you have direct deposit set up, make sure those bank account details are still secure. Sometimes fraudsters will try to change banking info for future refunds. The silver lining is that once you get through this mess, having an IP PIN actually makes tax filing more secure going forward. I now get my new PIN in December and file as early as possible in January. Haven't had issues since then. Hang in there - it will get resolved!

I'm so sorry you're dealing with this nightmare! Tax identity theft is one of the most frustrating crimes because it hits you right when you're expecting your refund. I went through this exact situation three years ago and can share what I learned. First, you've done everything right so far with the IP PIN and Form 14039. The waiting is brutal, but here are a few things that helped me get through it: 1. Set up account transcripts online at IRS.gov if you haven't already - sometimes you can see updates there before they show up in "Where's My Refund" 2. Document everything with photos/screenshots. I took pictures of every form I mailed and kept copies of all rejection notices 3. Consider filing a complaint with your state's Attorney General office - some states have task forces that can help escalate federal identity theft cases 4. Don't let this derail your other financial plans. I was so focused on the refund that I forgot to make my quarterly estimated payments and ended up with penalties The good news is that once you get your IP PIN, you're much more protected going forward. I've filed early every January since then (usually by January 20th) and haven't had any issues. Your IdentityGuard service might be useless for tax fraud, but definitely keep monitoring your credit - these fraudsters often branch out to other types of identity theft. Hang in there - you WILL get your legitimate refund, and next year will be much smoother!

One thing nobody's mentioned yet is that meal deduction rules can differ by business type! My wife has an LLC taxed as an S-Corp and we have completely different rules than when I had a single-member LLC. Also, the actual verbiage in your LLC operating agreement matters. If your wife's LLC operating agreement specifically mentions regular planning meetings as part of operations, you're in a much stronger position to defend those meal deductions. Might be worth having a tax attorney review your operating agreement to see if an amendment would help clarify and support these deductions going forward. The other question is how the LLC is taxed - is it a pass-through entity or does she file separate business returns? That can impact how these deductions are treated too.

Based on my experience with similar LLC situations, your spouse business meal deductions are in a gray area that requires very careful documentation. The IRS doesn't have specific rules prohibiting spouse-to-spouse business meals, but they scrutinize them heavily because they could easily be viewed as personal expenses disguised as business deductions. The key factors that make these deductions defensible are: 1) The meals have a clear business purpose that wouldn't exist without the LLC, 2) You maintain detailed records beyond just receipts (specific topics discussed, decisions made, action items), 3) The frequency is reasonable (occasional planning sessions, not regular dinners), and 4) The expenses are proportional to your business income. Given that your wife's LLC income is only 3-4% of household earnings, these deductions might fly under the radar, but that doesn't make them automatically legitimate. I'd recommend starting to document these meals more thoroughly going forward - keep a business diary with dates, specific article topics discussed, planning decisions made, and concrete outcomes from each meeting. The fact that two different accountants haven't flagged this suggests it's not obviously wrong, but it's still worth getting proper documentation in place to protect yourself if questions ever arise.