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Just wondering, does anyone have experience with using services like Gusto for S corp payroll? I'm considering the switch but worried about the complexity of running payroll for just myself.
I use Gusto for my single-member S corp and it's super easy. Costs about $45/month for just me, which eats into the tax savings a bit, but saves me tons of headaches. They handle all the payroll taxes, filings, and year-end stuff automatically. I just set up my reasonable salary as a recurring payroll and barely think about it now.
I made the S corp switch at around $85K and it's been worth it, but I want to emphasize something that hasn't been mentioned much here: timing your election properly is crucial. If you're thinking about this for next year, remember that Form 2553 (S corp election) generally needs to be filed within 75 days of incorporation OR by March 15th for the tax year you want it to take effect. Miss that deadline and you're stuck waiting until the following year, which could cost you thousands in additional self-employment taxes. Also, don't forget about estimated quarterly taxes once you switch. As an S corp owner, you'll need to make estimated payments on your distributions since there's no withholding on those. I use the safe harbor rule (pay 110% of last year's tax liability) to avoid underpayment penalties, but it requires more cash flow planning than when I was just a sole proprietor. The administrative burden is real, but if you're organized and use good tools (like the Gusto suggestion above), it's manageable. Just make sure you're truly ready for the additional complexity before making the jump.
Does anyone know if the "lookback rule" applies here? I think there's some rule where you can make IRA contributions for the previous year up until the tax filing deadline, but I'm not sure if it affects how you report it on an amended return.
Yes, the "lookback rule" is exactly what allows you to make IRA contributions for 2023 up until the tax filing deadline in 2024 (April 15, 2024 for most people). Since the OP made their contribution before this deadline, they can definitely count it for 2023. For amended return purposes, you report it exactly the same way you would have on the original return - as a 2023 contribution. Just make sure your IRA provider correctly coded it as a 2023 contribution when you made it.
I went through this exact same situation two years ago and totally understand the panic! The good news is that filing an amended return for a missed IRA contribution is really straightforward and won't cause any issues with the IRS. Since you made the contribution before the April deadline for 2023, you're absolutely entitled to claim it. The IRS actually prefers when people voluntarily correct their returns - it shows good faith compliance. A few things that might help ease your anxiety: - This is considered a "taxpayer favorable" amendment since you're likely reducing your taxable income - The IRS processes thousands of these amendments every year for the same reason - You have up to 3 years to file an amended return, so there's no rush or penalty For TurboTax, just log into your account and look for "Amend a Return" - the software will walk you through it step by step. The whole process took me maybe 30 minutes once I had my IRA contribution documentation ready. You'll likely get an additional refund if the contribution was deductible, which is a nice bonus for doing the right thing!
This is such a relief to read! I've been losing sleep over this for days thinking I messed up big time. Your point about it being "taxpayer favorable" really helps put things in perspective. Did you end up getting a bigger refund when your amendment was processed? I'm trying to figure out if I should expect to owe money or get more back since this was a traditional IRA contribution that should be deductible.
The community wisdom on verification timelines is that 14-28 days is the typical range for direct deposit after successful verification! I'm SO EXCITED to report that the IRS seems to be processing faster this year compared to the disaster that was 2023. Most people in this sub are reporting closer to the 14-21 day range recently. Make sure you're checking both WMR and your transcripts - sometimes one updates before the other!
Just to clarify - the 14-28 day timeline is business days, not calendar days. So effectively 3-5.5 weeks depending on holidays and weekends. The IRS processing centers operate on different schedules depending on the service center handling your return.
I completed my ID verification call on March 28th and I'm also waiting for direct deposit. The agent was really thorough - asked about previous addresses, prior year AGI, and some personal details from credit reports. She mentioned the same 4-week timeframe you got. From what I've gathered reading through forums, the key things that seem to affect timeline are: 1) which processing center handles your return, 2) whether you claimed certain credits like EITC or CTC, and 3) if there are any other flags on your account. I've been checking my transcript weekly and haven't seen any movement yet, but based on what others are sharing here, it sounds like most updates happen suddenly rather than gradually. Really hoping we both see movement soon - medical expenses definitely can't wait for bureaucratic delays!
Another approach: if you've already paid enough in Q1 to cover 25% of last year's tax liability, you might already be meeting the safe harbor for Q2 even without an additional payment. The safe harbor rule states you won't face a penalty if you pay at least 100% of last year's tax (or 110% if your AGI was over $150k) in equal quarterly installments.
Wait, so if I've already paid 50% of my previous year's tax liability between withholding and Q1 payment, could I theoretically skip Q2 AND Q3 payments and just make a final payment in Q4?
No, that's not how the safe harbor works. To avoid penalties, you need to make payments in equal quarterly installments. If you need to pay $10,000 to meet safe harbor for the year, that would be $2,500 per quarter. Paying $5,000 in Q1 and skipping Q2 and Q3 would still potentially subject you to penalties for those missed quarters. The exception is if your income is highly seasonal or irregular, in which case you might qualify to use the annualized income installment method (Form 2210, Schedule AI). This allows for unequal quarterly payments based on when you actually earned the income.
Fyi for anyone confused about when freelancers actually "receive" income - it's when the money is available to you, not when you invoice or do the work. I learned this the hard way! If client pays you July 2, that's Q3 income even if the work was done in April/May.
Does this apply to checks too? Like if client mails me a check dated June 30 but I don't deposit it until July 3, which quarter counts?
For checks, it depends on your accounting method. If you're on cash basis (which most freelancers are), income is recognized when you receive the check, not when you deposit it. So if you receive a check dated June 30 on June 30, that's Q2 income even if you deposit it July 3. However, if the check arrives in your mailbox July 1, then it's Q3 income. The key is when you actually have possession of the payment, not when you cash/deposit it.
GalacticGladiator
Bruh its wild how many ppl are waiting. My cousin filed last week and already got his but im still waiting since January lmaooo make it make sense
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Isabella Oliveira
Been in the exact same situation since filing in January! The amended return dates you're seeing are definitely a glitch - I've seen this happen to others too. The IRS system sometimes shows wrong info when there are processing delays. I'd recommend getting your account transcript from IRS.gov (Get Transcript Online) - it'll show the actual status codes and give you a clearer picture of what's really happening with your return. The Where's My Refund tool is basically useless for complex cases like ours. Hang in there, you're not alone in this mess! πͺ
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Freya Thomsen
β’Thanks for the advice! I'll definitely try getting my transcript - sounds way better than staring at that useless "still processing" message for the millionth time π€ It's honestly crazy how broken their system is. Did your transcript actually show what was causing the delay?
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