Has anyone used TurboTax to get their acceptance records from 2020? I'm in a similar situation but can't find my original confirmation email. Do they keep records that far back or am I out of luck?

I went through this exact situation with a CP518 notice for my 2019 return. The key thing to understand is that the IRS systems sometimes don't properly match electronically filed returns, especially during peak processing periods. Here's what worked for me: I gathered all my documentation (TurboTax acceptance confirmation, bank records showing the refund deposit, and a copy of my filed return) and sent a comprehensive response package via certified mail. In my cover letter, I clearly stated "This is a response to CP518 notice - return was electronically filed and processed" and included the notice number. The most important thing I learned is to request your tax transcript from irs.gov before responding. Even though they sent you a CP518, your transcript might actually show that your return was processed. This happened to me - the transcript showed transaction codes proving they had my return, which made my response much stronger. Also, don't worry too much about penalties. If you can prove you filed on time (which your TurboTax confirmation should do), you won't face failure-to-file penalties. The IRS typically reverses these notices once they locate the original return in their system. One last tip: keep detailed records of everything you send them, including certified mail receipts. This will be helpful if you need to follow up or escalate to Taxpayer Advocate Service later.

stuck on this message since february... starting to lose hope ngl

I've been in your exact situation! Had that same "still being processed" message for about 3 weeks before my refund finally came through. The frustrating part is there's really no way to know if it'll be 2 weeks or 2 months - it seems completely random. What helped me was calling the IRS directly (though expect long wait times) to see if there were any specific issues with my return. In my case, it was just normal processing delays. Hang in there - most people do eventually get their refunds, it's just a matter of when!

Does anyone know if selling on Facebook Marketplace triggers the same 1099-K requirements? I've been selling furniture I refinish and I'm getting close to that threshold but haven't received any tax forms from them.

The whole 1099-K situation is incredibly frustrating for casual sellers. I've been dealing with something similar after selling some of my old photography equipment on eBay. What helped me was creating a simple spreadsheet tracking original purchase dates, amounts paid, and sale prices for everything. One thing your H&R Block advisor might not have mentioned - if you can prove you're selling personal items at a loss (which it sounds like you are), you should be reporting this on Schedule D as capital gains/losses, not as business income on Schedule C. Personal items held for more than a year get capital gains treatment, and while you can't deduct the losses, you also don't pay self-employment tax on the transactions. The key is documentation. Even without original receipts, you can use credit card statements, bank records, or research comparable prices from when you likely purchased the items. The IRS accepts reasonable estimates if you make a good faith effort to determine your actual cost basis. Don't give up on selling entirely - just get organized and understand the rules. The 1099-K is just a reporting mechanism, not a tax bill.

Anyone else notice that the SDI rates changed in some states for 2025? I'm in California and my SDI jumped from 1.1% to 1.3% this year. Maybe that's why some of your deductions increased? Worth checking what state you're in and if any rates changed recently.

Hey Ethan! I totally get the confusion - those acronyms are like a foreign language when you're starting out. Everyone covered the basics well, but I wanted to add something that might explain your $95 jump specifically. Since you mentioned this is your first "real" job after college and you've only been there 3 months, there's a good chance your employer might have initially set you up with minimal withholdings during your probationary period or while you were getting your paperwork sorted. Now that you're fully onboarded, they probably switched you to the standard withholding rates based on your actual W-4 elections. Also, if you got any kind of raise or shift differential that kicked in after your probationary period, that would bump up both your gross pay AND your withholdings proportionally. Even a small hourly increase can cause a noticeable jump in total deductions. I'd suggest checking with payroll to see if anything changed in your employment status or pay rate recently. They should be able to show you exactly what changed between the two paychecks. Don't stress too much though - this kind of adjustment is super common for new employees!

Quick tip on the expense tracking part - don't overthink it when you're starting out. I wasted so much time trying different complex systems. Just get a dedicated business credit card that automatically categorizes expenses and syncs with accounting software. I use Chase Ink Business which integrates with QuickBooks. Makes expense tracking almost automatic. For an S Corp with your revenue level, you'll want a simple chart of accounts that tracks: - Office expenses - Travel & meals - Software subscriptions - Professional services - Equipment purchases - Home office (if applicable) Keep digital copies of all receipts (I use the QuickBooks app to snap photos). The IRS accepts digital receipts now.

The meal deduction rules have changed several times recently, but for 2025, business meals are generally 50% deductible if they're ordinary and necessary for your business. The key is proper documentation - you need to record the business purpose, who attended, and the business relationship. For S Corps specifically, if you're entertaining clients or having business meetings over meals, those qualify. Solo meals while traveling for business also count. Just make sure you're not trying to deduct personal meals or anything that could be seen as lavish. The temporary 100% deduction for restaurant meals that was in place during COVID has expired, so we're back to the standard 50% rule. Keep detailed records because the IRS scrutinizes meal deductions more than most other business expenses.