Make sure you understand the difference between employees and independent contractors too. If these people are legitimate independent contractors (responsible for their own work methods, use their own equipment, work for multiple clients, etc.), then the tax reporting requirements are different. The company would still need to issue 1099s for payments over $600, but wouldn't be responsible for payroll taxes. That said, from what you described - regular weekly payments that sound like wages - this sounds like employee misclassification, which is definitely something the IRS cares about.

Just want to add something about documentation that might help - even without access to official payroll records, there are ways to strengthen your case. Keep a detailed log of what you observe: dates, approximate amounts you see being handed out, which employees receive cash payments, any overheard conversations about the arrangement, etc. Also, if you have any text messages, emails, or written communications that reference the cash payment system, those could be valuable. Even seemingly innocent messages like "pick up your pay from John's office" or references to "cash bonuses" can help establish a pattern. The IRS investigators are experienced with these situations and know how to build cases from circumstantial evidence. Your firsthand observations as an employee carry significant weight, especially if you can provide specific details about the scope and duration of the scheme. One more thing - document everything you can about the working conditions of these cash-paid workers. If they're clearly employees (set schedules, using company equipment, following company procedures) rather than independent contractors, that strengthens the misclassification aspect of the case.

I went through this exact same situation! It's so frustrating when you're expecting one amount and only get part of it. Based on what you're describing, you almost certainly received one refund (either federal or state) and the second one is what's showing the new deposit date. The easiest way to figure out which is which is to pull up your actual tax returns - your Form 1040 will show your federal refund amount on line 35a, and your state return will have the state refund amount clearly marked. Compare those individual amounts to the $2300 you already received. Most likely what happened is you were looking at the combined total of both refunds ($4800) when you did your initial calculation, but they process and deposit separately. The banks just label both as "TAX REFUND" which makes it super confusing. Check both the IRS Where's My Refund tool AND your state's refund tracker to see the status of each one separately.

Had this exact same confusion earlier this year! You're definitely not alone in this. The way you're describing it - expecting around $4800 but only getting $2300, then seeing a new deposit date - sounds like classic federal/state separation. Here's what probably happened: when you calculated $4800, you were looking at your total refund (federal + state combined), but they arrive as separate deposits. The $2300 you got was likely your federal refund, and the upcoming deposit is probably your state refund (or vice versa). Quick way to verify: log into whatever tax software you used (TurboTax, H&R Block, etc.) and look at your return summary. It should break down exactly how much you were supposed to get from federal vs state. Then you can match that to what you've already received. Also worth checking if you had any fees deducted from your refund (like tax prep fees) - that could account for some of the "missing" money too. The whole system could definitely be clearer about labeling these deposits!

Another thing to consider is that different countries have different inheritance tax treaties with the US. This can affect what assets are subject to US estate tax and how the transfer certificate process works. For example, if your father was a resident of a country that has an estate tax treaty with the US (like UK, Germany, France, etc.), you might be entitled to more favorable treatment or simplified procedures. Worth checking if your country has such a treaty!

One thing nobody mentioned yet - be careful about the timing! There's a 9-month deadline from the date of death to file Form 706-NA. If you miss this deadline, you might face penalties or complications. Also watch out for currency conversion - all values have to be in USD based on the exchange rate on the date of death, not the current rate. The IRS is very specific about this.

One thing nobody mentioned yet - make sure your purchase contract addresses FIRPTA! Our contract had no mention of it, and when we discovered the seller was foreign, there was disagreement about who would bear the costs associated with the withholding process. The seller tried to increase the purchase price to offset the withholding amount, which of course we refused. It created a lot of unnecessary tension. Your purchase agreement should clearly state that the seller will provide all necessary FIRPTA documentation and that any required withholding comes from their proceeds, not as an additional cost to you.

Make sure your title company or closing attorney is experienced with FIRPTA! Our first title company made a mess of our FIRPTA withholding and nearly caused us to miss our closing date. We switched to a different title company that had specific experience with international sellers, and the difference was night and day. They knew exactly which forms were needed, helped the seller complete them correctly, and handled the withholding and submission to the IRS.

I'm a tax preparer, and this home office mileage question comes up a lot with my clients. The key distinction is whether your home office qualifies as your "principal place of business" under IRS rules. If it does (which sounds like your case), then travel from your home office to other business locations is generally deductible. However, the IRS will look at the "regular or principal place of business" for each of your income streams separately. So if one of your side hustles has a different principal location, the rules might apply differently to travel for that specific business activity. Make sure you keep a detailed mileage log with dates, starting/ending locations, business purpose, and miles driven. Also document how the library qualifies as a legitimate business location (what work you do there, why it's necessary for your business, etc.).

Just want to point out something that helped me with a similar situation - the "temporary work location" rule might apply here. According to IRS Publication 463, if you have a regular place of business (your home office) and you travel to a temporary work location (the library), those miles can be deductible. But there's a catch - if you go to the library regularly and it becomes a "regular place of business" rather than a temporary location, the rules change. The IRS doesn't have a precise definition of how frequent is too frequent, but it's something to be aware of.