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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 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.
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 :)
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Miguel Silva
This TurboTax policy is exactly why I switched to FreeTaxUSA last year. They give you unlimited access to all your past returns for free, forever. Their deluxe version is way cheaper than TurboTax too (like $25 vs $100+). I was able to import all my info from TurboTax too, so the switch wasn't as painful as I thought.
Do they handle complex returns though? I have rental properties, investments, and self-employment income. TurboTax handles all that pretty well even though it's expensive.
Miguel Silva
ā¢Yes, they handle all those tax situations! I have a rental property and some side gig income, and it worked great for me. The interface isn't quite as polished as TurboTax, but all the same forms and schedules are available. The big difference is they charge one flat fee for the Deluxe version instead of making you pay more for each "type" of income like TurboTax does. So whether you have investments, rental income, or self-employment, it's all included in that same ~$25 price.
Just FYI, this isn't a new policy - TurboTax has had this 3-year limit in place for several years. I found out the hard way in 2022 when I needed my 2018 return for a mortgage application. It's buried in their terms of service but has been there for a while. Always download and save your returns people!
Really? I've been using them since 2007 and this is the first time I've ever not been able to access an older return. Maybe they just started enforcing it more strictly? Either way, definitely downloading everything from now on.
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Ava Martinez
As an international student advisor at a university, I recommend checking with your school's international student office. Many universities offer free tax preparation help specifically for international students. We partner with tax pros who understand the unique situations of F-1 visa holders dealing with 1098-T forms and treaty benefits.
Mei Wong
ā¢Thank you for this suggestion! Does the international student office usually help with determining which tax forms to use? I'm really confused about which specific forms I need beyond the 1040NR.
Ava Martinez
ā¢Yes, most international student offices help identify which forms you need. For F-1 students, that typically includes Form 1040NR, Form 8843, and potentially others depending on your specific situation. Many offices also provide workshops during tax season specifically addressing common concerns like how to handle your 1098-T and scholarship reporting. Some even offer one-on-one sessions with trained volunteers through programs like VITA (Volunteer Income Tax Assistance).
Miguel Ramos
Don't forget to check if there's a tax treaty between the US and India! I'm from South Korea, and there's a tax treaty that let me exclude some of my scholarship from being taxed. Not sure about India but worth checking.
India does have a tax treaty with the US, but it doesn't provide the same education benefits that some other countries get. I learned this the hard way last year.
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One important thing nobody's mentioned - make sure to check if you qualify for the Taxpayer Advocate Service. They're an independent organization within the IRS that helps people resolve tax problems. If you're experiencing financial hardship because of this ban, they might take your case and it's completely free.
Mia Roberts
ā¢Thanks for this suggestion! Do you know how I would contact them or what qualifies as "financial hardship"? I'm definitely struggling financially because of this whole mess.
You can contact the Taxpayer Advocate Service by calling 877-777-4778 or by filling out Form 911 (Request for Taxpayer Advocate Service Assistance). Financial hardship can include things like being unable to pay basic living expenses, facing imminent eviction, or having utilities shut off due to inability to pay. In your specific situation with the earned income ban, if losing the Earned Income Tax Credit means you can't afford necessities, that would likely qualify. The TAS is particularly helpful in cases where normal IRS channels haven't resolved the issue or where there's an urgent need. They can sometimes expedite the appeals process too.
Has anyone else noticed how insanely difficult it is to understand the IRS notices? My brother got banned from claiming EITC for 2 years and the letter barely explained why. Just referenced some obscure tax code sections and said "due to reckless or intentional disregard of rules and regulations." How exactly are normal people supposed to know how to respond to this??
The IRS communication system is absolutely broken. I recommend requesting a detailed explanation by calling the number on your notice and specifically asking for the "examination report" that led to the determination. This usually contains more specifics than the initial notice.
Thanks for the tip! I'll tell my brother to ask for the examination report. Really appreciate it because we've been completely lost trying to figure out how to address something when we don't even understand what rules were supposedly broken.
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If you have a Traditional or Roth IRA, you can sometimes make tax payments through the same investment firm for free. I use Fidelity and they let me make federal and state estimated tax payments with no fees.
Owen Jenkins
ā¢Wait seriously??? I have Fidelity and had no idea they offered this. How do you access this feature?
Lilah Brooks
Don't forget to account for the safe harbor rules when making estimated tax payments! As long as you pay either 100% of last year's tax liability (110% if your AGI was over $150,000) or 90% of your current year's liability, you won't face underpayment penalties even if you end up owing more. This was a lifesaver for me because my income fluctuates a lot month to month as a contractor, so calculating exact quarterly estimates was driving me crazy.
That's really helpful! So if I made $80k last year and paid $12k in taxes, as long as I pay $3k per quarter this year ($12k/4), I won't get hit with penalties even if I end up making more? That makes planning so much easier.
Lilah Brooks
ā¢Exactly right! For your situation with $80k income and $12k tax last year, paying $3k per quarter will definitely keep you safe from underpayment penalties, even if your income jumps to $100k or more this year. It's one of the few tax rules that actually makes life easier for freelancers and contractors. Just remember if your income does increase dramatically, you'll still owe the additional tax when you file your return - you just won't have the extra penalty on top of it.
Amara Adeyemi
23 Just FYI - I was in almost this exact situation last year. My accountant had me file Form 1040 with a Form 8833 (Treaty-Based Return Position Disclosure) attached since the tax treaty with my home country had specific provisions for students transitioning to work visas. Might be worth checking if there's a tax treaty between the US and your country that could apply to your situation.
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Amara Adeyemi
ā¢12 That's interesting! What country are you from? I'm wondering if this would apply to me too.
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Amara Adeyemi
ā¢23 I'm from India, which has a comprehensive tax treaty with the US. Many countries have specific provisions for students and researchers in their tax treaties. The treaty provisions can sometimes override the general tax rules and provide more favorable treatment. You should definitely check if your country has a tax treaty with the US. If it does, read the specific articles that deal with students, teachers, and researchers. Form 8833 is used to disclose when you're taking a position on your tax return that's based on a tax treaty rather than regular tax law.
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Amara Adeyemi
19 Not sure if this helps, but I think the key issue is whether you've been in the US for 5 calendar years while on F1. If 2022 was your 5th or later calendar year on F1, then those F1 days start counting toward substantial presence. Otherwise, only your H1B days count.
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Amara Adeyemi
ā¢10 That's not completely accurate. For F-1 students, the exemption is for 5 calendar years, so days in the US don't count toward the substantial presence test for the first 5 calendar years. After that, F-1 days DO count. But for J-1 visa holders, it's only 2 years.
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