Can't reach IRS? Claimyr connects you to a live IRS agent in minutes.
Claimyr is a pay-as-you-go service. We do not charge a recurring subscription.
Using Claimyr will:
- Connect you to a human agent at the IRS
- Skip the long phone menu
- Call the correct department
- Redial until on hold
- Forward a call to your phone with reduced hold time
- Give you free callbacks if the IRS drops your call
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!
Really made a difference
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 – 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.
IT WORKS!! Not a scam!
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!
Ask the community...
- DO post questions about your issues.
- DO answer questions and support each other.
- DO post tips & tricks to help folks.
- DO NOT post call problems here - there is a support tab at the top for that :)
Join the conversation
Join the conversation
7 Something important to note that I don't think anyone mentioned yet - you'll want to make sure you have Form 8606 filled out correctly for both tax years. This form is crucial for documenting non-deductible IRA contributions and conversions. For your 2022 recharacterization, you might need to file an amended return for 2022 if you've already filed, depending on how you initially reported the contribution. For the 2023 conversion, you'll report it on your 2023 Form 8606. TurboTax should walk you through this, but sometimes it misses the nuances of recharacterizations across tax years. Double-check that both years' Form 8606 shows the correct basis and converted amounts.
15 Wait, so I might need to amend my 2022 return? I already filed it last year and reported the contribution to my Traditional IRA, but the conversion didn't happen until 2023. Do I really need to go back and change something from last year's filing?
7 No, you likely don't need to amend your 2022 return. If you correctly reported the 2022 Traditional IRA contribution on your 2022 return (on Form 8606 showing it as non-deductible), then you're fine for that year. The conversion that occurred in 2023 (even of 2022 contributions) gets reported on your 2023 return. The key is making sure your 2022 Form 8606 established your basis correctly, and then your 2023 Form 8606 shows the conversion. TurboTax should handle this if you input everything correctly in the IRA/retirement sections.
11 Has anyone had success using the "backdoor Roth IRA" tool in TurboTax? I found this specific feature last year that walks you through exactly this scenario - contributions and conversions that span tax years. It's not super obvious to find but it made my similar situation much easier to report correctly.
22 I tried using that feature but got confused when it asked about recharacterizations vs conversions. It seemed to treat them as completely different things, but in my mind they're related. Did you find it actually worked correctly for your situation?
Join the conversation
Fashion stylist here! I've been freelancing for 7 years and have successfully deducted wardrobe purchases for portfolio development. My accountant classifies them as "professional supplies" rather than "clothing." The distinction matters to the IRS. Keep EVERYTHING separate - have dedicated storage for these items, never wear them personally, and document each item's business purpose. I take photos of the storage area and keep a digital inventory with links to the photoshoots where each piece was used. Also deductible: garment bags, storage containers, steamers, styling tools, fashion reference materials, and transportation costs for picking up/returning items. The business percentage of your phone and internet are deductible too since you're likely using them to coordinate shoots and share your portfolio.
Do you have a separate business bank account for your styling purchases? My accountant keeps telling me I need to stop mixing personal and business expenses but setting up a business account seems complicated.
Yes, having a separate business account is absolutely essential! It doesn't have to be complicated - I started with a simple second checking account at my regular bank specifically for business transactions. Using separate accounts creates a clear audit trail that shows the IRS you're treating your styling work as a legitimate business, not a hobby. Most banks offer basic business checking with minimal fees, and the organization it provides is worth every penny. It made my tax preparation so much simpler since I wasn't trying to sort through mixed personal and business transactions at tax time. This separation is probably the single most important step you can take to legitimize your deductions.
Just FYI - I'm a freelance stylist who got audited last year. The clothing deductions were the exact thing that triggered it! After going through the whole painful process, here's what I learned: The IRS specifically looks at whether items could "reasonably substitute" for regular clothing. Editorial pieces that are clearly not everyday wear (avant-garde, oversized, costume pieces) were accepted as deductible. Basic items that could potentially be worn personally (simple dresses, standard blazers, etc.) were rejected even though I only used them for shoots. My advice: separate your purchases into two categories - clear "styling inventory" that's obviously not personal wear, and "dual-purpose" items that might be questionable. Deduct the first category confidently with documentation, and be very cautious with the second.
This is super helpful context, thank you! Would you mind sharing what kind of documentation ended up satisfying the auditor for the editorial pieces? Did you have to show the actual clothing items or just photos of them being used professionally?
Join the conversation
Just to add something helpful to the original question about inventory and profit - remember that cash flow and taxable income are two different things! You might be cash flow negative (spending more than you bring in) while still having taxable profit. For your reselling business, you should definitely be tracking inventory properly. When you buy $4-9k of inventory, that's not an immediate expense - it's an asset. Only when you sell an item does it become an expense via COGS. This is why many businesses use the accrual method of accounting rather than cash basis.
Can you explain more about cash vs accrual accounting? I think this might be what's confusing me with my own small business. When should I be using each one?
Cash accounting is when you record income when you receive payment and expenses when you actually pay them. It's simpler and many small businesses start with this method. Accrual accounting records income when you earn it (even if not paid yet) and expenses when you incur them (even if you haven't paid yet). For inventory-heavy businesses like reselling, accrual often gives a more accurate picture because it matches the expense of goods with the revenue they generate. This prevents situations where you buy a ton of inventory one year but sell it the next, which would distort your profit picture on cash basis.
Are there any good free resources to learn more about business accounting? I'm in a similar situation as the original poster and feel completely lost.
The IRS actually has some decent guides! Check out Publication 538 (Accounting Periods and Methods) and Publication 334 (Tax Guide for Small Business). Also, many community colleges offer free or cheap workshops for small business owners on basic accounting and taxes.
Join the conversation
One thing nobody's mentioned is that some employers misclassify workers as 1099 contractors when they should legally be W-2 employees. The IRS has specific criteria for determining worker status. If your employer controls when, where, and how you work, provides your equipment, and you're doing core business functions, you might actually be an employee by law. In that case, they're avoiding payroll taxes by classifying you as a contractor.
How risky is it to bring this up with an employer though? I've heard horror stories of people getting fired for questioning their 1099 status.
It can definitely be a delicate conversation. I recommend approaching it from an educational perspective rather than an accusatory one. Share what you've learned about the differences and express your concerns about proper classification. If you're worried about potential backlash, gather information about your specific situation first. The IRS has Form SS-8 that you can file to request a determination of worker status, and they'll evaluate whether you should be classified as an employee or contractor. This gives you official backing if you need to address it with your employer.
Have you calculated how much you'd save in taxes by switching to W-2? For me, the difference was about 7.65% of my income (the employer portion of FICA) minus whatever business deductions I was taking. If your business deductions are minimal, you're almost certainly better off as W-2.
Don't forget that as a W-2 employee, you also get unemployment insurance protection and workers' comp coverage. Those benefits have real value even if they don't show up directly in your paycheck.
Ava Martinez
Don't forget to look into stepped-up basis rules! If your name wasn't the only one on the deed and your father had partial ownership, his portion would receive a stepped-up basis to the fair market value at his date of death. This could significantly reduce your capital gains tax liability. Also, keep in mind that if you used the home to care for your father, you might qualify for some medical expense deductions if you paid for modifications to the home for medical care (wheelchair ramps, grab bars, etc.). These are deductible as medical expenses if they exceed the 7.5% AGI threshold.
0 coins
Amara Oluwaseyi
•That's interesting about the stepped-up basis, but unfortunately the house was solely in my name from the beginning. We never did a joint ownership. However, I did install a wheelchair ramp and some bathroom modifications for him last year. I hadn't even thought about claiming those as medical expenses! Is there a specific form I need to use for that?
0 coins
Ava Martinez
•Since the property was solely in your name, you're right that the stepped-up basis wouldn't apply. However, those modifications for your father's care are definitely potential medical expense deductions. You would claim these on Schedule A as itemized deductions under medical expenses. You'll need to keep receipts for the wheelchair ramp and bathroom modifications as supporting documentation. Remember that total medical expenses are only deductible to the extent they exceed 7.5% of your adjusted gross income. If the modifications were substantial, they could help you reach that threshold, especially combined with other medical expenses you may have incurred.
0 coins
Miguel Castro
Has anyone used FreeTaxUSA for a situation like this? TurboTax kept confusing me when I tried to enter the sale of my mother-in-law's home that was in our name.
0 coins
Zainab Abdulrahman
•I used FreeTaxUSA last year for a similar scenario with my aunt's house. It was actually much clearer than TurboTax for entering the capital gains info. They have a specific section for sale of home where you can indicate it wasn't your primary residence, and then it walks you through calculating your basis and gain or loss. So much cheaper than TurboTax too!
0 coins