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If I could give 10 stars I would
If I could give 10 stars I would If I could give 10 stars I would Such an amazing service so needed during the times when EDD almost never picks up Claimyr gets me on the phone with EDD every time without fail faster. A much needed service without Claimyr I would have never received the payment I needed to support me during my postpartum recovery. Thank you so much Claimyr!
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Really made a difference, save me time and energy from going to a local office for making the call.
Worth not wasting your time calling for hours.
Was a bit nervous or untrusting at first, but my calls went thru. First time the wait was a bit long but their customer chat line on their page was helpful and put me at ease that I would receive my call. Today my call dropped because of EDD and Claimyr heard my concern on the same chat and another call was made within the hour.
An incredibly helpful service
An incredibly helpful service! Got me connected to a CA EDD agent without major hassle (outside of EDD's agents dropping calls ā which Claimyr has free protection for). If you need to file a new claim and can't do it online, pay the $ to Claimyr to get the process started. Absolutely worth it!
Consistent,frustration free, quality Service.
Used this service a couple times now. Before I'd call 200 times in less than a weak frustrated as can be. But using claimyr with a couple hours of waiting i was on the line with an representative or on hold. Dropped a couple times but each reconnected not long after and was mission accomplished, thanks to Claimyr.
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I tried for weeks to get thru to EDD PFL program with no luck. I gave this a try thinking it may be a scam. OMG! It worked and They got thru within an hour and my claim is going to finally get paid!! I upgraded to the $60 call. Best $60 spent!
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Ella Cofer
Has anyone successfully done this using regular tax software like TurboTax or H&R Block? I have my original 2018 return I did through TurboTax but not sure if I can use it to create the 1040X or if I need to start from scratch.
Kevin Bell
ā¢I did my 1040X through TurboTax last year, but it was for 2020 taxes. For 2018, I think you'd need to buy their 2018 software specifically since the online version only keeps recent years available. Might be cheaper to just fill out the paper form honestly.
Ryan Young
I went through this exact situation last year with a missing W-2 from 2018! Here's what I learned that might help: First, don't panic - it's really not as complicated as it looks. The key is being methodical about it. Make sure you have your original 2018 return handy and the missing W-2. One thing I wish I'd known earlier: if the missing W-2 results in you owing additional tax, you'll want to pay that amount when you file the 1040X to minimize interest charges. The interest runs from the original due date (April 15, 2019) regardless of when you actually file the amendment. Also, keep copies of EVERYTHING. Your university will probably want proof that you filed the amendment, and with current IRS processing times being 20+ weeks, having documentation that you submitted it will be crucial for your financial aid office. The explanation section (Part III) doesn't need to be elaborate - just clearly state "Amendment due to missing W-2 from [employer name] not included in original filing" and attach the W-2 copy. Don't let the form intimidate you - most people overthink it. You've got this!
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Kaylee Cook
Have you considered using a payroll service that handles all your 940/941 filings automatically? I switched to Gusto last year and they take care of all the filings and deposits for my S-corp. Yes, there's a monthly fee, but the time saved and peace of mind is totally worth it when you factor in how much your time is worth per hour.
I've been looking at services like that. What's the approximate monthly cost for a one-person S-corp? And do they handle all the state filings too, or just federal?
Kaylee Cook
ā¢For a single-employee S-corp, most payroll services run between $45-60 per month. This typically includes all federal filings (940, 941, W-2, etc.) plus state unemployment and withholding filings. Many services also offer direct deposit, tax payment scheduling, and year-end tax form preparation. Some even have additional features like time tracking or benefits administration if you ever expand. For me, eliminating the quarterly stress of handling these forms myself has been completely worth the cost.
Lara Woods
Just wanted to point out that if you're mailing the forms but paying electronically through EFTPS, the IRS should be able to match your payment to your account even if there's some delay with the paper forms. I've been doing this for years with my small business and never had an issue. The key is making sure your EFTPS payment has all the correct information (form number, tax period, EIN).
That's reassuring! So even if there's some delay with the paper forms, as long as the money gets there through EFTPS, they generally don't send nasty letters about missing payments?
Exactly! The IRS payment systems are pretty sophisticated at matching payments to accounts. As long as your EFTPS payment includes the correct EIN, tax period, and form type, they can usually reconcile it even if the paper form arrives a few days later or gets delayed in processing. I've had situations where my 941 got held up in mail processing for over a week, but since the payment was already in their system through EFTPS, there were no penalties or late notices. The electronic payment system is really their primary concern - they want the money on time more than they need the paper immediately. Just make sure you're entering all the details correctly in EFTPS, especially the tax period dates and form number. That's what allows their system to automatically match everything up.
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Edwards Hugo
One thing that hasn't been mentioned yet - make sure your parent has a valid SSN or ITIN to claim the ODC. I got caught by this last year when trying to claim my mother-in-law who recently moved to the US. She had her green card but we hadn't gotten her Social Security card yet, and my tax return got rejected. Also, when calculating whether you provide more than half their support, remember to include fair rental value of lodging if they live with you! That can make a big difference in meeting the support test, especially if their Social Security is close to that 50% threshold.
Thank you for mentioning this! My grandmother does have a valid SSN, so that's not an issue. But I'm curious about the fair rental value part - how do you determine that? Do you just estimate what it would cost to rent a room in the same house or apartment?
Edwards Hugo
ā¢You've got it right! To determine fair rental value, you estimate what it would cost to rent a similar room or living space in your area. If she has her own bedroom in your house, you'd look at what it costs to rent a bedroom in a shared house in your neighborhood. If she has her own bathroom or private space too, you can include that in the calculation. You can check local listings for room rentals or shared housing to get an idea. Don't forget to include a fair share of utilities, food, and other household expenses too. Keep documentation of how you calculated this amount in case of questions from the IRS. This fair rental value often makes a significant difference in meeting the "more than half support" test.
Gianna Scott
I just finished my taxes using TurboTax and ran into exactly this ODC issue with my elderly mother. When I entered her Social Security income ($16,400), the software automatically determined she didn't qualify for the ODC because of the income limit. However, I was still able to claim her as a dependent for purposes of my filing status (Head of Household) because I provided more than half her support and she lived with me all year. So even though I couldn't get the $500 ODC credit, I still benefited from a better filing status than Single. The support test calculation was tricky - had to add up all medical expenses, food, utilities, etc., plus the rental value portion that someone mentioned above.
Alfredo Lugo
ā¢Wait, that doesn't sound right. I thought if someone doesn't qualify as your dependent due to the gross income test, you can't claim Head of Household based on them? Can someone clarify this?
You're absolutely right to question this! There's actually a distinction between qualifying for the ODC and qualifying as a dependent for Head of Household filing status. For the ODC, your dependent must meet the gross income test (under $4,700 for 2023). But for Head of Household qualification, you can have a qualifying person who is your parent even if they exceed the gross income limit, as long as you provide more than half their support and they are your qualifying relative. So @Gianna Scott is correct - her mother can qualify her for Head of Household filing status even though the mother's $16,400 Social Security income disqualifies her from the ODC. The key is that she provided more than half her mother's support and her mother lived with her all year. It's one of those confusing tax situations where different rules apply to different benefits, even when dealing with the same person as your dependent!
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Lily Young
Has anyone wondered if the "regularly and exclusively" rule has ANY exceptions? Like what if I have a small apartment and literally have no choice but to use my work computer on the kitchen table sometimes? The IRS rules seem designed for people with huge houses where dedicating an entire room is possible.
There actually is something called the "separately identifiable space" exception that might help. It doesn't have to be an entire room - it can be a portion of a room as long as there's a clear delineation. Think: a specific corner with a desk that's clearly set up as an office area, even if it's in your living room. However, if you're literally just using your kitchen table sometimes for work and sometimes for eating, that wouldn't qualify. The space still needs to be used exclusively for business, even if it's not a separate room.
I'm dealing with a similar situation but from a slightly different angle - I'm a freelance graphic designer working from our studio apartment, and I've been really careful about the "exclusive use" requirement since I got burned on this before. What I ended up doing was creating a very specific work zone using a room divider screen (got it cheap on Facebook Marketplace) to physically separate my desk area from the rest of our living space. This way there's a clear visual boundary that shows the IRS this space is exclusively for business use. I also keep a simple work log noting when I'm using the space vs when I'm at client offices or cafes. My CPA said this documentation helps prove the "regular" part of "regular and exclusive use" - showing that I consistently use this space for work, not just occasionally. One thing that might help your situation: since your girlfriend only uses the desk "occasionally" when you're not there, you could try setting up a schedule or system where that space is clearly yours during defined work hours. The key is being able to demonstrate that during your business hours, that space is exclusively yours for work purposes.
Isabella Brown
Reason #47293 why I'm now making sure I owe a tiny amount each year instead of getting a refund. I'd rather pay them $50 than let them hold my $2000 hostage for a year with no recourse.
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Anastasia Fedorov
I'm so sorry you're going through this nightmare with the IRS. Your situation sounds incredibly frustrating and unfortunately all too common. Based on what others have shared here, it sounds like you have several good options to try: 1. **File Form 911 for Taxpayer Advocate Service** - This seems to be the most recommended route for cases like yours where normal channels have failed 2. **Contact your Congressional representative** - Multiple people here have had success with this approach, with some getting results in just 3 weeks 3. **Try to get the specific fax number** for the department handling your EIC case - one person mentioned this worked after 14 months of waiting The fact that you've been dealing with this since 2021 and haven't received a refund since then is absolutely unacceptable. The IRS's antiquated systems and understaffing issues don't excuse holding taxpayers' money hostage for years. I'd definitely start with the Taxpayer Advocate route and congressional contact simultaneously. Document everything - dates of calls, names of representatives, case numbers, etc. You shouldn't have to fight this hard for your own money. Hang in there and don't give up. Your refund belongs to you, not them.
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