Something nobody's mentioned yet - check if your 401k plan allows for partial withdrawals. Mine allowed me to specify exactly how much I needed rather than withdrawing a large lump sum. I initially panicked and was going to withdraw $20,000, but after carefully budgeting, realized I only needed $8,500 to cover my immediate financial emergency. This saved me thousands in taxes and penalties, plus left more money growing for retirement. Also, talk to your plan administrator about the specific documentation you'll need. My company required proof of the hardship (medical bills, foreclosure notice, etc.) before they would approve the withdrawal.

I went through a hardship withdrawal two years ago when my husband was out of work for seven months. Here's what I wish someone had told me beforehand: First, make absolutely sure you've exhausted other options. I should have looked into my company's employee assistance program - they offered emergency loans with much better terms than I realized. Also check if your state has any hardship programs or if you qualify for unemployment benefits if you haven't already. Second, the process took longer than expected. From application to getting the money was about 3 weeks for me, so don't count on this being a quick fix if you're facing immediate deadlines like foreclosure. The tax hit was brutal - I withdrew $12,000 and only netted about $8,400 after taxes and penalties. But honestly, it kept us in our house and gave us breathing room to get back on our feet. Sometimes you have to make the best of a bad situation. One thing that helped was immediately increasing my 401k contribution percentage once we recovered financially. I bumped it up by 2% to try to make up for some of the lost time. It's not perfect, but it's better than nothing. Don't let people shame you for considering this - these accounts exist for emergencies, and it sounds like you're in a legitimate one. Just make sure you're making an informed decision with all the facts.

Just to add another option - I used FreeTaxUSA for my late 2020 return last year and it was only $15 for the federal filing. They never asked for any PIN and the process was pretty straightforward. Might be worth checking out if you're still shopping around.

I've been using the IRS website's "Get an IP PIN" tool mentioned earlier in this thread, and wanted to clarify something that might help others. When you log into your IRS online account, it will clearly show if you have an IP PIN or not. If you've never received one of those CP01A notices in the mail, you almost certainly don't have an IP PIN. The reason PriorTax is asking about a 2023 PIN for your 2020 return is likely because their system defaults to checking the most recent year's PIN status. It's confusing, but you should be able to select "I don't have an IP PIN" or similar option to proceed. That said, given some of the fee concerns mentioned about PriorTax, you might want to compare pricing with some of the other services people have recommended here before committing. Hidden fees are always frustrating, especially when dealing with something as stressful as overdue tax returns.

11 Has anyone noticed that the IRS systems seem worse this year than ever before? I've had multiple issues with payments not being properly credited, and I know several people who've had similar problems. I made a payment in February and it took until May for it to show up in my account!

I've been through this exact situation! The most likely scenario is that your payment was received but hasn't been fully processed yet. The IRS systems can be incredibly slow, especially during busy periods. Here's what I'd recommend: First, make sure you have all your documentation ready - your Direct Pay confirmation number, bank statement showing the payment cleared, and the notice you received. When you call the IRS (and yes, you'll probably need to call), they can use your confirmation number to trace exactly where your payment went. The interest charges from 4/15/2024 to 7/15/2024 suggest this might be related to a prior tax year balance, not your recent payment. Double-check your Direct Pay confirmation to make sure you applied the payment to the correct tax year and tax type. Also, try accessing your IRS online account at different times of day - their systems are often overloaded during peak hours but work better early morning or late evening. If you can get in, you should be able to see a payment history that shows where your $5,200 went. Don't panic - this is fixable, just requires some patience and persistence with the IRS phone system!

Called IRS, they said system maintenance will be done by 6pm EST

Same issue here! Been getting that "Oops-an issue occurred" message since this afternoon. Really need to check my transcript for something time-sensitive. At least now I know it's not just me - thanks for posting this! Hopefully it'll be back up soon.

One thing nobody's mentioned - make sure your expenses are actually reasonable and necessary for your business. Buying a $5,000 camera when you're just starting a cooking channel might be questioned, while the same purchase for a photography channel makes perfect sense. I learned this the hard way when the IRS questioned some of my "business travel" that looked suspiciously like vacations where I happened to film a few videos. They don't just look at the profit/loss ratio but also whether your expenses align with industry norms.

One strategy that helped me establish business legitimacy for my channel was creating multiple revenue streams early on, even if they were small. I started selling branded merchandise through print-on-demand services and offering paid consultations in my niche area. These showed diversified business activities beyond just ad revenue. Also, don't underestimate the importance of professional development expenses. I deduct courses, conferences, and software subscriptions that directly improve my content quality or business skills. The IRS views ongoing education as a strong indicator of business intent. Keep detailed time logs too - document how many hours you spend on content creation, editing, marketing, and business administration each week. This helps demonstrate that you're putting in substantial effort consistent with running a business, not just pursuing a casual hobby.