No self-employment at all - just a regular W-2 job. The amendment was only to claim some education expenses I forgot on the original filing (Form 8863 for education credits). Nothing business related whatsoever. I'm wondering if maybe the "8" in 8863 and the "95" from somewhere else got combined into "8895" in their system? Still doesn't really explain why they'd be asking for a form that doesn't exist though.

The combination of 8863 and some other form number accidentally creating 8895 is actually a really plausible explanation. The IRS's computer systems are ancient and glitches like this happen more often than they admit. Since your amendment involved education credits, another possibility is they might be looking for Form 8915 (which relates to retirement plan distributions, but sometimes these codes get mixed up). Or maybe even Form 8885 (Health Coverage Tax Credit). I'd definitely recommend calling back and specifically explaining you amended for education credits using Form 8863, and asking if that might be causing confusion in their system. Sometimes just mentioning the correct form can help the rep figure out what's happening.

Good point! Real IRS notices have specific security features. The paper should have a watermark visible when held up to light. Also check if the letter has your last 4 SSN digits (scammers often don't have this). And NEVER call a phone number listed in a suspicious notice - always call the official IRS number instead.

Thanks for these suggestions! We didn't have the LLC for long (formed it about 4 months before converting to C-Corp), so the startup expense angle might be relevant. And yes, we did personally guarantee a business line of credit during the LLC period. How would the at-risk rules potentially help in this situation?

Since your LLC was relatively new, you might be able to classify more expenses as Section 195 startup costs. This allows you to deduct up to $5,000 in the first year (subject to phase-out rules) and amortize the rest over 15 years. While not a complete solution to your problem, it could reduce the immediate tax hit. Regarding the personally guaranteed business debt - the at-risk rules essentially allow you to claim losses up to the amount you have "at risk" in the business. With a personal guarantee on business debt, you may have increased your at-risk amount, potentially allowing you to claim more losses against other income. This is complex territory though, so definitely have your tax advisor look specifically at your at-risk basis during the LLC period.

Doesn't the 199A deduction have income limitations though? If they made $675k in just two months as an LLC, I'm guessing they're well above the phase-out thresholds.

Thank you! This actually worked for me. I disabled uBlock Origin, cleared my cache, and logged back in. My certificate was there waiting in the "Completed Certifications" section. I feel kinda dumb now but also relieved. Guess I'll have to remember this for next year too!

Glad it worked for you! I spent days trying to figure it out last year before a VITA coordinator told me about this trick. They really should mention this somewhere in their instructions. Also, don't feel dumb - their system should be designed to work regardless of common browser extensions.

Check if you can edit your profile info in the VITA portal. I had a similar issue and discovered my own profile had my name misspelled somehow. After fixing it, I had to request a new certificate, but they sent a corrected one within 48 hours.

Thanks for the suggestion. Just checked my profile and you're right - somehow my last name was entered incorrectly (no idea how that happened). Fixed it and submitted a help ticket requesting a corrected certificate. Hopefully it won't take too long!

What about income from selling stuff on eBay or Facebook Marketplace? Does that count as "other income" on Schedule 1?

It depends on whether you're selling items as a business or just occasionally selling personal items. If you're regularly buying things to resell for profit, that's considered business income and should go on Schedule C, not as "other income" on Schedule 1. If you're just occasionally selling personal belongings (like cleaning out your closet), and selling them for less than you paid originally, you generally don't need to report it at all since there's no gain.

DoorDash/UberEats delivery people are considered independent contractors, not employees. Your tips are part of your self-employment income and should be reported on Schedule C along with your other earnings from these platforms. You don't use Form 4137 for these types of tips.

Has anyone here actually set up a self-directed Roth IRA? What's involved in the process and what are the ongoing costs? I've heard there are specialized custodians required and wondering if it's worthwhile for smaller accounts.

I set up a self-directed Roth IRA about 3 years ago. The process involves finding a custodian that specializes in alternative assets - companies like Equity Trust, Directed IRA, or IRA Financial Group. You complete their paperwork, transfer funds from an existing Roth or make a new contribution, and then direct investments through their platform. The costs vary significantly between custodians. Most charge an annual fee (typically $200-600 depending on account size) plus transaction fees for each investment. Some charge based on number of assets held, others on account value. For smaller accounts under $50,000, these fees can significantly impact returns, so I'd recommend having at least $75,000-100,000 before considering this route to make the administrative costs worthwhile relative to potential returns.

I've heard conflicting advice about this though. Some advisors say to put bonds in the Roth because they generate regular income that would be taxed, and growth stocks in taxable accounts where you can harvest losses and get long-term capital gains rates. What made you choose your approach?