23 Pro tip: Ask for Schedule B of the 1040 specifically. That's where interest and dividends are reported AND there's a section that asks about foreign accounts. If your ex checked "yes" but you never knew about foreign accounts, that's a red flag to investigate further. I discovered my ex had an offshore account this way.

25 This thread has been incredibly helpful! I'm dealing with a similar situation where my ex provided minimal financial documentation. One thing I learned from my attorney is that you can also request Schedule K-1 forms if your ex was involved in any partnerships, S-corporations, or LLCs. These show income from business partnerships that wouldn't appear on a W2. Also, don't forget about Schedule D for capital gains/losses from stock sales or property transactions. My ex "forgot" to mention he sold some rental property during our separation year, and this is where it showed up. The 1040 really is the complete picture - the W2 is just one piece of the puzzle. For anyone going through this, document everything and be persistent about requesting complete tax returns through your attorney. The difference between what's on a W2 versus the full 1040 can be substantial.

Has anyone tried just showing up in person at their offices? I looked them up and Rebate Gateway has physical offices. I wonder if demanding answers face-to-face would work better than calls and emails that they can ignore.

This is absolutely infuriating and unfortunately more common than it should be. I went through something very similar last year with a different rebate company that somehow got hold of my details. The key thing to remember is that even if they have some form of authorization, you still have rights. Under consumer protection laws, any agreement made without your knowledge or through misleading practices can be challenged. Here's what worked for me: 1. Immediately contact Rebate Gateway in writing (email AND post) demanding they provide evidence of your explicit consent 2. Request a full breakdown of their fees and when the authorization was supposedly given 3. If they can't provide clear evidence, file a complaint with your local Trading Standards office - they handle unfair commercial practices 4. Also contact the Information Commissioner's Office if you believe your personal data was obtained improperly Don't let them keep YOUR money. These companies rely on people giving up, but you have more power than they want you to know. Keep pushing and document everything. The fact that you have zero recollection of ever dealing with them is actually in your favor.

This is why the whole system is broken fr. They make it impossible for working parents AND care providers to do the right thing without fear of losing benefits smh

I went through this exact same situation last year with NYS. The good news is that you can absolutely satisfy their verification requirements without the provider's SSN. Here's what worked for me: 1. Compile ALL your payment records - bank statements, canceled checks, receipts, anything showing money going to your provider 2. Create a simple spreadsheet listing dates, amounts, and payment methods 3. Write a brief letter explaining that your provider is unable to provide SSN due to disability benefit concerns, but attach all payment documentation I submitted everything online through the NYS tax portal (much faster than mailing) and they accepted it within 2 weeks. The key is showing a clear paper trail of legitimate childcare payments. They're really just trying to verify you actually spent the money you claimed. Don't stress too much - as long as you have solid payment records and submit before March 10th, you should be fine. The SSN requirement seems to be more of a "preferred" documentation rather than absolutely mandatory when you can prove the expenses through other means.

Has anyone actually called the business where you work to see if there's an issue with their tax payments? It seems weird the IRS would come after an employee for the employer's share unless you're somehow classified as self-employed or a contractor.

Romeo, based on what you've found in your 2020 tax return with the Schedule SE deferral, this makes perfect sense now. The confusing "employer's share" language in the 3064C letter is referring to the employer portion of self-employment tax, not your W-2 employer's obligations. When you're self-employed, you pay both the employee AND employer portions of Social Security and Medicare taxes (that's why self-employment tax is 15.3% instead of the 7.65% taken from your paycheck). The CARES Act allowed you to defer paying half of that self-employment tax - specifically the "employer" half. Since you used TaxSlayer and it automatically selected the deferral option, you legitimately owe this money. The $2,700 seems high though - double-check that amount against what you actually deferred. You should be able to find the exact deferred amount on your 2020 Schedule SE. Don't stress too much about this being a "mistake" on your part. The tax software recommended it because it was financially beneficial at the time. Now you just need to pay what you deferred. If you can't pay it all at once, definitely set up a payment plan with the IRS - they're usually very reasonable about installment agreements for deferred pandemic taxes.

Called the Iowa DOR yesterday and got through after 45 mins on hold 🙄 They said theyre overwhelmed with calls about delays. basically told me to just keep waiting lol

Filed mine on Feb 3rd and still waiting too! This is so frustrating - I'm counting on that refund to pay some bills. Has anyone tried calling multiple times to see if you get different answers? Maybe some reps have more info than others? Really hoping this gets sorted out soon for all of us 🤞