in the same boat rn... verified 3 weeks ago still waiting. this whole process is a joke fr fr 🤡

Good luck tomorrow! I just went through this last week. Definitely bring passport or driver's license, Social Security card, and all your tax docs (W-2s, 1099s, etc). Also bring a recent utility bill or bank statement for address verification - they asked me for that too. The whole appointment took about 30 minutes and they were actually pretty nice about it. Just be patient with the timeline after - mine took about 7 weeks but worth the wait!

My accountant charges me $275/hr and I've spent over $800 just trying to understand this exact issue lol. One tip that helped me: create a spreadsheet comparing your gross receipts (line 1a) all the way down to ordinary business income (line 21) for the last few years. I did this and finally could see exactly which expenses were causing the biggest differences between total income and ordinary business income. Gave me a much clearer picture of my business finances and helped me explain it to my partners.

As someone who went through this same confusion when I first started my S Corp, let me add another perspective. The key thing to remember is that the 1120-S is really just an informational return - the actual taxation happens on your personal return through the K-1. Here's what helped me understand it: Think of "total income" as everything your business brought in the door, while "ordinary business income" is what's left after you pay for the cost of running the business. The ordinary business income is what actually matters for your taxes because that's what flows through to your Schedule K-1. For the "how much does your business make" question, I've learned to be specific: "We did $X in revenue last year with $Y in profit." This way you're not misleading anyone, and it shows you understand your financials. Banks especially appreciate when you can speak to both numbers clearly. One more tip: Keep a simple one-page summary that shows both figures with a brief explanation of the major expense categories that bridge the gap. It's been super helpful when I need to explain my business performance quickly to lenders, partners, or even family members who ask how the business is doing.

Watch ur bank account like a hawk. Mine hit exactly 5 days after processing date

The IRS transcript can definitely be confusing at first glance! Just to add some context to what others have said - that $2,259 credit (Code 766) might be the Child Tax Credit or Additional Child Tax Credit since you filed HOH with 3 exemptions. The combination of your EIC ($6,164) plus that additional credit ($2,259) minus your self-employment tax ($2,543) gives you that sweet $5,880 refund. Since your processing date was March 27th and credits posted April 15th, your refund should have been issued shortly after. Have you received it yet or are you still waiting?

Consider using a tax professional with military expertise rather than trying to navigate this yourself. VITA (Volunteer Income Tax Assistance) programs on military bases specifically handle these situations and they're free. Most bases have them from January through April. Alternative option: Military OneSource offers free tax filing with H&R Block that includes state returns and access to tax consultants who understand military-specific situations. Their service is available until October 15th for extensions. These specialized services understand PCS moves, multiple state filings, and combat zone tax exclusions better than general tax preparers.

As someone who's dealt with military tax situations across multiple states, I want to emphasize checking your Leave and Earnings Statement (LES) for state tax withholdings - this can give you a clue about how your unit's finance office is handling your state tax situation. Also, make sure you understand California's "safe harbor" provisions under Revenue and Taxation Code 17014. If you maintained California voter registration, driver's license, and bank accounts, you're likely still a CA resident for tax purposes. One thing that trips up many military families is assuming that being stationed somewhere automatically makes you a resident there - military orders specifically prevent this under SCRA. Document everything about your California ties (voter registration, vehicle registration, etc.) in case you need to prove residency status later. The key is consistency - don't claim non-resident status in California while maintaining all the legal indicators of being a California resident.

Does anyone know if there's a minimum salary requirement for S Corps? My CPA told me I need to pay myself at least $40k, but a buddy with an S Corp says he only pays himself $30k on $90k of revenue. I'm confused by all the different advice.

This is such a common struggle for new S Corp owners! I went through the exact same thing when I converted my consulting business two years ago. Based on my research and discussions with my CPA, here's what I learned: The IRS doesn't have a magic formula, but they do look at several factors - what you'd pay someone else to do your work, your geographic location, your experience level, and the time you spend on the business. For a web developer in the Midwest making $120k net profit, I'd lean toward the higher end of reasonable compensation - probably around $70-80k salary. Since you're doing ALL the work (coding, design, client meetings), you can't really argue that a significant portion of the profit comes from business assets or other employees. One thing that helped me was looking at actual job postings for senior web developers in my area and calculating what a full-time equivalent would make, then adjusting slightly for the entrepreneurial risk/reward factor. I kept screenshots of those job postings as documentation. Also, don't forget that paying yourself a higher salary isn't necessarily "bad" from a tax perspective - yes, you'll pay more in employment taxes, but you'll also build up more Social Security credits and potentially qualify for higher unemployment benefits if needed. The key is finding the sweet spot that's defensible to the IRS while still providing S Corp tax benefits.