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Something important nobody's mentioned yet - if you're getting income through these apps that will now be reported on 1099-Ks, you probably need to be making quarterly estimated tax payments throughout the year, not just paying at tax time. I got hit with an underpayment penalty last year because I wasn't doing this with my side gig income. The IRS expects you to pay taxes as you earn income, not all at the end of the year. If you're going to owe more than $1,000 at tax time, you should be making quarterly payments. This whole $600 reporting change means a lot more people will need to be thinking about this!
This is such a helpful thread! I'm in a similar boat with my freelance graphic design work - been using Venmo and PayPal for client payments and had no idea about this $600 threshold change. One thing I wanted to add that might help others: if you're scrambling to get your records organized like I was, your bank statements can be a lifesaver for tracking business expenses. I went through mine and found tons of deductible purchases I'd forgotten about - Adobe subscription, stock photo purchases, even mileage to client meetings. Also, for anyone doing this kind of side work, consider opening a separate business checking account if you haven't already. Makes tracking so much easier and looks more professional to clients. Some banks even offer free business accounts for small operations. It's one of those things I wish I'd done from the start instead of mixing everything with my personal account. Thanks everyone for sharing your experiences - this whole thread has been incredibly informative!
Great point about the separate business account! I wish I had known about this earlier too. I've been mixing my pottery sales with personal expenses and it's been a nightmare trying to sort everything out now. Quick question - when you say some banks offer free business accounts, do you know if they require you to be officially registered as a business? I've just been operating as a sole proprietor and wasn't sure if I needed to do anything formal first. Also, did switching to a business account affect how you handle the payment app transfers, or do you still receive payments the same way? This whole thread has been a wake-up call about getting more organized. Between the new 1099-K reporting and quarterly payments, it sounds like there's a lot more to keep track of than I realized!
Something nobody's mentioned - in Michigan specifically, you still need to file annual statements with the state for LLCs even if they had no activity. It's only $25 per LLC, but if you miss it, Michigan can technically dissolve your LLC and there are penalties for late filing. So while your federal tax situation might be fine as others have said, make sure you're current with Michigan's Department of Licensing and Regulatory Affairs (LARA) requirements too!
Yep, this happened to me. I ignored the Michigan annual statements for 2 years and ended up with a dissolved LLC plus $100 in penalties to reinstate it. The state stuff is separate from the federal tax situation but still important!
Your accountant is likely being overly cautious or may not be familiar with LLC tax requirements. Based on what the IRS told you directly, you're probably in the clear. Here's why: For single-member LLCs that are "disregarded entities" (the default), they're reported on your personal tax return via Schedule C. If there was no activity, you'd report zero income and zero expenses. The penalties your accountant mentioned ($295/month per LLC) sound like they're referencing partnership return penalties (Form 1065), but those only apply if you elected to be taxed as a partnership. Since you never received penalty notices and the IRS confirmed you don't owe anything for the LLC without an EIN, I'd trust their word over your personal tax preparer who admittedly only does individual returns. My recommendation: If you're not planning to use these LLCs, properly dissolve them with Michigan and file final "zero activity" returns to close them out with the IRS. This prevents any future confusion. Don't pay $7,080 in penalties without getting a second opinion from someone who specializes in business taxes - that amount seems completely disproportionate for dormant entities that never operated.
Pro tip: Watch for code 846 on your transcript every morning around 3am-6am EST. That's when they usually update. Also check your WMR tool - sometimes it updates before transcripts do.
the 3am transcript checking club π we've all been there
Sleep? In tax season? Don't know her π
Looking at your transcript, you're actually in a pretty good spot! The fact that you have codes 150, 806, and 768 already showing means your return has been accepted and is moving through the system. The $5 amount next to code 150 is totally normal - that's just how the IRS displays the tax liability line when you have a refund coming. Your cycle code 20250505 puts you in the 5th week processing cycle for 2025, which typically means updates happen on Fridays. Since your processing date shows 02-17-2025, you should keep checking your transcript for updates - especially watch for any 570/971 codes (which would indicate additional review) or hopefully the golden 846 code with your refund date! The April 15th dates on your 806 and 768 codes are just system placeholders, not actual processing dates. With your withholding ($1,795) and EIC ($6,930) totaling $8,725, you should see that full amount when the 846 code posts. Keep checking Friday mornings around 6am EST for transcript updates! π€
I use a "purchase record form" for exactly this situation. I created a simple template that has spaces for date, item description, amount paid, business purpose, seller info, and how I paid. I also attach a photo of the item in use for my business. Been doing this for 3 years with no issues.
That form idea sounds perfect! Would you be willing to share your template or point me to where I could find something similar? I think that would really help me get organized with these kinds of purchases going forward.
I'd be happy to share! I keep it really simple - just a basic Word document with fields for: β’ Date of purchase β’ Item description (desk, chair, filing cabinet, etc.) β’ Amount paid ($650 in your case) β’ Payment method (cash, check, etc.) β’ Seller information (name/contact if available) β’ Business purpose (home office setup for consulting business) β’ Supporting evidence (screenshots of messages, photos, bank withdrawal records) I print it out, fill it by hand, and scan it back in to keep with my digital records. The key is doing it as close to the purchase date as possible so it's "contemporaneous." For your Facebook Marketplace purchase, this would work perfectly since you have those messages and photos already. You can find similar templates by searching "business expense documentation form" or "receipt substitute form" online. The IRS doesn't require any specific format - they just want to see that you made a good faith effort to document legitimate business expenses.
Diego Rojas
Just want to add that when you call the IRS, also ask them to put a "correspondence hold" on your account while they're processing the address change and reissuing the check. This prevents them from sending any other notices or correspondence to the old address during this period. Also, if you have access to your online IRS account, you can check the "Get My Payment" tool to see the status of your refund - it should show if the check was issued and potentially if it's been cashed. This can give you some peace of mind while you're waiting for the phone call to go through. One more tip: if the 800-829-0922 line is too busy, you can also try calling your local Taxpayer Assistance Center. They can help with the same issues and sometimes have shorter wait times than the main line.
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Khalil Urso
β’This is super helpful info! I didn't know about the correspondence hold option - that's definitely something I'll ask for when I call. The "Get My Payment" tool is a great idea too, I'll check that tonight to see if I can get any status updates. Thanks for the tip about the local Taxpayer Assistance Center as a backup option if the main line is swamped!
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Evelyn Martinez
Quick heads up - if you've moved recently, the IRS might still be processing your address change even if you filed Form 8822. I had this exact issue where my CP21B went to my old apartment. When you call Monday, also ask them to verify what address they have on file for you currently. Sometimes there's a lag between when you submit the address change and when it actually updates in their system, especially if you filed it close to when they processed your return. If they still show your old address, you can update it over the phone during the same call where you request the stop payment. Just have both your old and new addresses ready to confirm. This saved me from having to file another form and waiting weeks for it to process. Also, once you get this sorted out, consider setting up direct deposit for future refunds if you haven't already. Even if you move, your bank account usually stays the same and it's much faster than waiting for checks to be reissued.
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GamerGirl99
β’This is such good advice about the address verification! I actually did move about 2 months ago and filed the 8822 form online, but you're right that there might be a processing lag. I'll definitely ask them to confirm what address they have on file when I call Monday. The direct deposit tip is spot on too - I've been meaning to set that up but kept putting it off. After this whole ordeal, I'm definitely switching to direct deposit so I never have to deal with lost checks again! Thanks for the practical tips π
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