I'm new to this community but unfortunately dealing with this exact same frustrating outage! Been locked out since last Thursday and like everyone else, I can't access my account balance or payment history while that "MAKE A PAYMENT" button works perfectly - classic government priorities right there! I actually tried the early morning access trick around 2:30 AM last night (yes, I was that desperate!) but still got the same error message. Also spent 90 minutes on hold with their main line before giving up in frustration. Based on all the helpful advice shared here, I'm definitely going to request my account transcript tomorrow and check out taxr.ai to decode those cryptic IRS codes. The Claimyr service also sounds promising if I need to actually speak with a human who can access my account. It's both reassuring and maddening to see so many people dealing with this same broken system. We really shouldn't need workarounds and third-party tools just to access our own tax information in 2025, but here we are dealing with technology that seems stuck in the 1960s! Thanks everyone for sharing solutions - at least we're all suffering through this bureaucratic nightmare together.

I'm new to this community but unfortunately very familiar with this exact same frustrating issue! Been dealing with the "partial outage" since last Tuesday and it's driving me absolutely crazy. Like everyone else here, I can't access my account balance or payment history to verify if my recent estimated tax payment processed correctly, but of course that bright green "MAKE A PAYMENT" button is working perfectly - really shows where their priorities are! I've tried all the usual troubleshooting tricks (different browsers, clearing cache, incognito mode, even tried from my work computer) with zero success. What's particularly stressful is that I need to confirm my quarterly payment went through to avoid any penalties, but I'm completely locked out of that information. Thanks to everyone for sharing these workarounds and solutions! I'm definitely going to try requesting my account transcript first thing tomorrow morning and check out taxr.ai to help decode those confusing IRS codes that might as well be written in hieroglyphics. The Claimyr service also sounds worth considering if I get desperate enough to pay for actual human contact. It's both reassuring and infuriating to see so many of us dealing with this same broken system. We really shouldn't need creative workarounds and third-party tools just to access our own basic tax information in 2025, but here we are dealing with government technology that seems stuck in the stone age! Hopefully their "system maintenance" wraps up soon, though based on everyone's experiences here, I'm not holding my breath for a quick resolution.

I know everyone's focused on the TaxAct fee thing, but can we talk about how TERRIBLE their messaging is? Like seriously, why would they word it that way?? "You have elected to pay the IRS through VPS at a later time" makes it sound like you're putting off paying your actual taxes! They should just say "Your TaxAct preparation fee will be charged to your credit card within 7-10 business days" or something clear like that. This kind of misleading wording causes so much unnecessary stress during tax season.

I had this exact same panic attack last year! That VPS message is so misleading - I called TaxAct customer service in a frenzy thinking I had somehow failed to pay my taxes. The rep explained that it's just their confusing way of saying your TaxAct service fee will be charged later, not that you're delaying your actual tax payment to the IRS. What helped me feel better was logging into my TaxAct account and checking the "Order History" section. You should be able to see the status of your preparation fee payment there. It will usually say something like "Payment Pending" until your card gets charged. Also, if you filed electronically and got that IRS acceptance email, you're all set on the tax payment side. The IRS has your return and any payment authorization you provided during the filing process. The TaxAct fee is completely separate and just covers their software service. I'd give it another few days - TaxAct tends to batch process their charges, so it often takes the full 7-10 business days they mention in their fine print.

Btw what tax software are yall using? I've been using the free version of turbotax but I think it might be missing some features.

Hey Aliyah! Welcome to the world of doing your own taxes - you're definitely not alone in feeling confused by all the different screens and options! Just to reinforce what others have said, the Federal carryover worksheet is 100% something you can skip as a first-time filer. It's basically TurboTax's way of asking "do you have any unfinished tax business from previous years?" Since you've never filed before, the answer is automatically no. One tip for navigating TurboTax as a first-timer: don't stress about every single screen or option they show you. The software is designed to cover every possible tax situation, so it'll present you with sections that might not apply to your simple W-2 situation. When in doubt, if you don't have the specific documents or situations they're asking about, you can usually skip those sections safely. You're doing great by being careful and asking questions! The fact that you're taking your time to understand each step will serve you well. Good luck with the rest of your return!

Just a heads up on those cutting machines - I made the mistake of putting similar equipment ($250 range) under Section 179 last year, and my tax preparer said it created unnecessary complication. She had to go back and reclassify them as simple expenses under the de minimis rule, which apparently is much cleaner for audit purposes. For the utilities question, I use a Kill-A-Watt meter to track exactly how much electricity my craft equipment uses. I can literally show the difference in usage between when my machines are running vs not. My accountant said this is perfect documentation to justify claiming more than just the square footage percentage for electricity.

Great questions about Schedule C categorization! As someone who's been through this confusion before, here's my take based on experience and professional guidance: Your vinyl sheets are definitely COGS Materials and Supplies since they directly become part of your finished product. This is the clearest categorization you have. For those $230 cutting machines, you're overthinking it! Since they're under the $2,500 de minimis threshold and have short useful lives, just expense them immediately under Operations Expenses - Supplies. No need for Section 179 or depreciation headaches for relatively inexpensive equipment. Packaging materials should go under COGS Materials and Supplies too - they're essential for delivering your finished product to customers, so they're part of your cost of goods sold. For utilities, if you track actual usage (like with a power meter), you can definitely claim more than just the standard home office percentage. Document your machine usage patterns and put the business portion under Operations Expenses - Utilities. Phone/internet business usage goes under Operations Expenses - Utilities at whatever reasonable percentage you can document. Those Costco storage bins are definitely just Operations Expenses - Supplies. At $12, they're way below any capitalization threshold. The key is reasonable documentation and consistency in your categorization approach!

One thing nobody has mentioned - the 10-year rule doesn't apply to all beneficiaries! If you qualify as an "eligible designated beneficiary" you might still be able to use the old stretch IRA rules. This includes: 1) Surviving spouses 2) Minor children of the account owner (but only until they reach majority age) 3) Disabled individuals 4) Chronically ill individuals 5) Beneficiaries not more than 10 years younger than the account owner Doesn't sound like you qualify based on your post, but thought it was worth mentioning for anyone else reading this who might be in a similar situation.

The complexity of your situation really highlights why the SECURE Act has created so much confusion for beneficiaries. You're dealing with both a "regular" inherited IRA and a double-inherited IRA, each with potentially different rules. One critical point that might affect you: if your dad had already started taking RMDs from either account before he passed (he would have been required to start at age 72), then you likely DO need to take annual RMDs during the 10-year period, not just empty the accounts by the deadline. This is a common misconception about the SECURE Act rules. Given the potential penalties involved (25% of missed distributions), I'd strongly recommend getting professional help ASAP. Look for a fee-only financial advisor who specializes in retirement account distributions - they'll typically charge a flat fee for this type of analysis rather than trying to sell you products. Also, don't panic about past penalties. The IRS has been relatively lenient with inherited IRA penalty waivers due to the widespread confusion around these rule changes. The key is addressing it now rather than continuing to wait.