I filed my Form 1045 in June 2024 for a significant NOL from my consulting business that shut down. After reading this thread, I'm now at about 6 months which seems to align with what everyone else is experiencing. One thing I want to add that hasn't been mentioned - make sure you keep detailed records of everything you submit. I sent mine certified mail and kept copies of every single page. My accountant also recommended attaching a cover letter explaining the situation clearly, which might help the processor understand the case faster. The waiting is brutal, especially when you're counting on that refund, but it sounds like most people are eventually getting their money. I'm going to try calling using one of those services mentioned here if I don't hear anything by month 8.

I'm currently preparing my Form 1045 for a substantial business loss from 2024 and this entire thread has been incredibly eye-opening. Based on everyone's experiences, it sounds like I should be mentally preparing for at least a 6-month wait, possibly longer. A few questions for those who've been through this process: 1. Is there any advantage to filing earlier in the tax year vs later? Like if I get my 1045 submitted in February vs April, does that make any difference in processing time? 2. For those who used services like taxr.ai for preparation - did you feel confident that the calculations were accurate enough that you didn't need additional CPA review? I'm trying to balance cost vs accuracy here. 3. Has anyone tried including a detailed cover letter explaining their situation and the urgency? I'm wondering if that helps flag the application for faster processing or if it just gets ignored. The lack of any tracking or status updates from the IRS seems like the most frustrating part. At least with regular tax returns you get some acknowledgment that they received your filing. The complete radio silence for months on end with a potentially large refund hanging in the balance is really stressful. Thanks to everyone who's shared their experiences - it's helping me set proper expectations and prepare all my documentation thoroughly before submitting.

the whole system is broken af. why we gotta jump through 50 hoops just to get our own money back 🤡

This happened to me last year too! SBTPG's system is always slow to update compared to the IRS. If WMR shows your DD date for Wednesday, you should be good. The money usually hits your account on the date the IRS says, even if SBTPG doesn't show it yet. Just keep an eye on your bank account Wednesday morning!

I went through this exact situation with Amazon Flex last year! Here's what fixed it for me: 1. Clear your browser cache completely 2. Try using a different browser altogether (Firefox worked when Chrome failed) 3. Disable any ad blockers or privacy extensions 4. Make sure you're using the exact same email address as your Flex account 5. If all else fails, contact Amazon Flex support through the app Such a relief when I finally got in! If you're really stuck, you can also request your wage and income transcript directly from the IRS which will show what Amazon reported for you.

Hey Zoe! I totally feel your stress about this - tax deadline anxiety is real! I've been doing gig work for a few years and ran into similar issues. A few things that might help: First, definitely try Ryan's suggestion about the Stripe portal - that's actually how I accessed mine last year when the main Amazon portal was being glitchy. Also, Benjamin's tip about using the mobile app instead of the website is spot on - I've noticed the app tends to be more reliable. If you still can't access it, don't panic! You can absolutely file your taxes without the official 1099 form. Just gather all your payment records from the Amazon Flex app (go to Earnings > Payment History) and add up your total for 2023. The IRS cares more about you reporting the income accurately than having the physical form. One more thing since you mentioned caring for your mom - make sure to look into the Credit for Caring if she qualifies as your dependent. And if you're using your car for deliveries, don't forget to track those business miles for deductions! You've got this! 💪

Could also be tax credits that changed from last year. Did you get the Earned Income Tax Credit last year maybe? Or any education credits? Sometimes you qualify one year but not the next even if your income doesn't change much.

Oh wow, that 401k withdrawal is definitely your culprit! I had a similar thing happen when I cashed out a small retirement account. Even though it was "only" $2000, it hit me with both regular income tax AND the 10% early withdrawal penalty. What probably happened is they withheld the standard 20% federal tax when you withdrew it (so $400), but that didn't cover your full tax liability. If you're in the 12% tax bracket, you'd owe about $240 in regular income tax on that $2000, PLUS the $200 penalty (10% of $2000) for early withdrawal. So you'd actually owe around $440 total, but only had $400 withheld - leaving you short. Combined with the withholding differences others mentioned from switching from two jobs to one, that easily explains why you went from getting a refund to owing money. The 401k withdrawal was probably the biggest factor though!

As someone new to this community, I really appreciate all the detailed advice shared here! I'm in a very similar situation with my consulting business and two kids in college, so this discussion has been incredibly helpful. The consensus is clear that directly deducting tuition as a business expense won't work - that's definitely not a path I want to pursue given the audit risks everyone has mentioned. But the legitimate family employment strategies sound much more promising and defensible. What I'm taking away is that success depends on treating this like any real employment relationship: genuine business needs, market-rate compensation, detailed documentation, and measurable results. My kids already help with content creation and basic admin work, so formalizing this arrangement could benefit everyone involved. I'm particularly interested in the professional services mentioned here (taxr.ai and Claimyr) for getting proper guidance before implementing anything. Given the complexity and potential IRS scrutiny, having expert validation seems essential rather than just winging it. One follow-up question for the group - when you transitioned from informal family help to formal employment, did you need to make any changes to your business structure or accounting systems? I'm wondering if there are setup costs or administrative changes I should budget for beyond just the wage payments themselves. Thanks again for sharing such practical, real-world experience. This community is proving to be an invaluable resource!

As a newcomer to this community, I've been following this discussion with great interest since I'm facing the exact same challenge with my consulting LLC and college tuition costs for my two kids. The clear consensus here against directly deducting tuition as a business expense is well-taken - I definitely don't want to create audit issues by trying to disguise personal expenses as business deductions. But I'm encouraged by all the practical examples of legitimate family employment arrangements that people have successfully implemented. What resonates most with me is the emphasis on treating this as a genuine business relationship from day one. My kids are already helping informally with social media management and basic administrative tasks, so formalizing this with proper documentation, market-rate pay, and clear expectations seems like a natural evolution. I'm planning to research the services mentioned here (taxr.ai and Claimyr) before making any moves. Getting professional guidance upfront seems much smarter than trying to figure this out on my own and potentially making costly mistakes. One question I have is about timing - is there a particular time of year that's better for setting up formal family employment arrangements? I'm wondering if starting at the beginning of a tax year would be cleaner from a documentation standpoint, or if it's fine to begin whenever you're ready to implement the proper systems. Thanks to everyone who has shared their real-world experiences. This level of detailed, practical advice is exactly what I was hoping to find when I joined this community!