Thanks for mentioning the first-time penalty abatement - I had no idea that was even a thing! Is that something I'd need to specifically request or would they automatically check if I'm eligible?

You definitely need to specifically request first-time penalty abatement - they won't offer it automatically. When you call to set up your payment plan or after you receive your first notice with penalties, you can request it then. The magic words are "I'd like to request first-time penalty abatement under the IRS First-Time Abatement administrative waiver." You'll need to have a clean compliance history for the past 3 years (filed all required returns and had no significant penalties) to qualify. It can save you a good chunk of money since it typically waives the failure-to-pay penalty, which adds up over time. It doesn't waive interest though, just the penalties.

The IRS doesn't typically send confirmation emails when they process returns. If you filed through tax software, the software company usually sends a confirmation when the IRS accepts the return, but that's different from it being fully processed. You'll need to check "Where's My Refund" on the IRS website or your account in the online portal to see the status once their systems update.

Thanks for the info! I did get the acceptance email from my tax software but wasn't sure if that meant it was fully processed or just received. I'll keep checking the online portal.

I hadn't thought of that option. Do you know if there's a way to check online to confirm the overpayment is showing as a credit on my account? I'm a bit worried about skipping a future payment without knowing for sure the IRS has properly recorded the extra payment.

Yes, you can check your account on the IRS website. Just go to irs.gov and use the "View Your Account" tool - you'll need to create an account if you don't already have one. It will show your current balance and any credits on your account. I'd recommend waiting about 2-3 weeks after both payments have processed before checking, as it takes some time for everything to show up correctly in their system. If you're planning to use the credit for a quarterly estimated payment, just make sure to check well before that payment is due to confirm everything looks right.

Did you get any interest on the refund for the time they held your money? Seems like they should pay interest if they're holding onto a clear overpayment for 3 months!

Do you have a separate business bank account for your styling purchases? My accountant keeps telling me I need to stop mixing personal and business expenses but setting up a business account seems complicated.

Yes, having a separate business account is absolutely essential! It doesn't have to be complicated - I started with a simple second checking account at my regular bank specifically for business transactions. Using separate accounts creates a clear audit trail that shows the IRS you're treating your styling work as a legitimate business, not a hobby. Most banks offer basic business checking with minimal fees, and the organization it provides is worth every penny. It made my tax preparation so much simpler since I wasn't trying to sort through mixed personal and business transactions at tax time. This separation is probably the single most important step you can take to legitimize your deductions.

This is super helpful context, thank you! Would you mind sharing what kind of documentation ended up satisfying the auditor for the editorial pieces? Did you have to show the actual clothing items or just photos of them being used professionally?

Can you explain more about cash vs accrual accounting? I think this might be what's confusing me with my own small business. When should I be using each one?

Cash accounting is when you record income when you receive payment and expenses when you actually pay them. It's simpler and many small businesses start with this method. Accrual accounting records income when you earn it (even if not paid yet) and expenses when you incur them (even if you haven't paid yet). For inventory-heavy businesses like reselling, accrual often gives a more accurate picture because it matches the expense of goods with the revenue they generate. This prevents situations where you buy a ton of inventory one year but sell it the next, which would distort your profit picture on cash basis.

The IRS actually has some decent guides! Check out Publication 538 (Accounting Periods and Methods) and Publication 334 (Tax Guide for Small Business). Also, many community colleges offer free or cheap workshops for small business owners on basic accounting and taxes.

Does this also apply if the distribution was from a Roth IRA? I took money out in 2020 but thought Roth distributions aren't taxable anyway?

For Roth IRAs, it's a bit different. If you've had the Roth for at least 5 years and are over 59½, then qualified distributions are tax-free. However, if you took an early distribution from a Roth in 2020 that would normally be partially taxable (like earnings withdrawn before 5 years), you could still use Form 8915-E to spread any taxable portion over 3 years. If your Roth distribution was entirely from contributions (not earnings), then it wouldn't be taxable regardless, and the 3-year spread wouldn't apply since there's no tax to spread.

Form 8915-F is the new form for reporting qualified disaster distributions in 2021, but it's for NEW disaster distributions. If you're reporting the SECOND year of a 2020 coronavirus distribution that you already started reporting on 8915-E, you continue with 8915-E for all three years.