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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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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!
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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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Ethan Moore
Something nobody has mentioned yet - your employer should be able to provide you with a duplicate W-2 directly if you contact them. I work in HR and we help employees with this all the time. Just email your HR department or payroll provider before you leave and explain the situation. They can either: 1) Mail a duplicate W-2 to your address in Spain 2) Email you a secure PDF copy 3) Give you access to download it from their payroll system Most employers are required to provide W-2s electronically if requested anyway. Definitely the easiest solution rather than dealing with mail forwarding or IRS transcripts!
NeonNebula
ā¢This is super helpful! I didn't even think about contacting my employer directly. Would a PDF copy be considered an official document for tax filing purposes? I always assumed the IRS needed the original paper copy with all those special markings.
Ethan Moore
ā¢A PDF copy from your employer is absolutely valid for tax filing purposes! The IRS accepts electronic copies of W-2s, and you don't need to submit the actual physical form unless specifically requested (which is rare). Most people file electronically now anyway, so you'd just enter the information from your W-2 into whatever tax software you're using. The physical form with special markings is mostly a security feature to prevent forgery, but when you're getting it directly from your employer electronically, that's not a concern for the IRS.
Has anyone tried using a mail scanning service? There are companies that will receive your mail, scan it, and email you the contents. I used one when I was traveling long-term and it worked great for important documents. They can even forward specific pieces of mail internationally if you need the originals.
Carmen Vega
ā¢I use Earth Class Mail for this exact purpose! They give you a mailing address, collect your mail, scan the outside of each envelope, and then you decide whether they should open and scan the contents, forward the mail, or shred it. Super useful for traveling. The only downside is cost - it's like $20-30/month depending on the plan. But for a 4-month trip during tax season when you need important documents, it could be worth it.
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Have you checked your IRS account online? Go to irs.gov and create an account if you don't have one. You can see all notices they've sent you, even ones you never received. Also check your tax transcripts for 2020 - they'll show all activity on your account including when adjustments were made.
Rajiv Kumar
ā¢I tried to set up an online account but it required some credit card info that I don't have because I only use a debit card. Is there another way to access this info?
You can request your tax transcripts by mail using Form 4506-T if you can't create an online account. Another option is to visit a local IRS Taxpayer Assistance Center in person - just call 844-545-5640 to schedule an appointment. They can print your transcripts right there. You can also call the IRS transcript request line at 800-908-9946 to have transcripts mailed to your address on record. Just be sure your current address is updated with the IRS first.
This happened to me! The IRS claimed I didn't report some investment income from a small stock account I had totally forgotten about. What helped me was getting my "account transcript" not just my "return transcript" - they show different things.
Ryan Kim
ā¢What's the difference between an account transcript and return transcript? I always thought they were the same thing.
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For the Child Tax Credit specifically, make sure you have your kids' Social Security numbers and that they lived with you for more than half the year. The IRS has been cracking down on improper CTC claims lately.
They actually ask for proof that kids lived with you when filing? I've never had to upload school records or anything using turbotax.
Amina Diop
don't stress too much abt the audit thing. i did landscaping work for 3 yrs, claimed EITC and CTC, and never got audited. just be reasonable with ur estimates and keep what records u can going forward. the irs is mainly looking for people claiming crazy business losses or suspicious deductions, not regular ppl trying to do right. the Schedule C tax form is pretty straightforward for this kind of work. just make sure u track those business expenses - equipment, gas, repairs, etc. it'll reduce ur taxable income significantly!!
That's reassuring to hear. I'm definitely not trying to cheat the system, just worried about my lack of documentation. Any tips on tracking business expenses for yard work specifically?
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Whatever you do, DO NOT CASH THOSE CHECKS!! My cousin did this with an extra refund they sent him, spent it, and ended up owing the original amount plus penalties and interest. The IRS will eventually figure out their mistake. When they sent you the second check after you already disputed the first one, that's a red flag that their systems aren't communicating internally. Keep detailed records of every interaction - dates, times, who you talked to, what was said. You might need this paper trail later.
Thanks for the warning! Did your cousin have to pay back a lot in penalties? That's exactly what I'm worried about - even if I don't spend the money, I'm concerned they might still hit me with fees just for depositing it.
He ended up paying about 8% more than the original amount because of the penalties and interest that accrued during the 7 months before they discovered the error. The worst part was they froze his next year's refund until everything was paid back. Even if you just deposit it without spending, they might still consider that as you "accepting" the refund, which could potentially trigger penalties. The IRS doesn't care much about intent - they care about whether you received funds you weren't entitled to. Better to be proactive and get written documentation showing you've tried to return it.
You might want to check if someone filed a fraudulent return in your name. If the amount is way more than you'd normally expect as a refund, it could be identity theft where someone filed a return with inflated deductions or credits. The fact that you're getting multiple checks even after disputing is concerning.
NeonNova
ā¢This happened to my brother last year. Someone filed a fake return with his SSN claiming a huge refund, and he got similar letters and checks. The IRS fraud department was actually pretty helpful once he reported it.
Freya Collins
I went through something similar with my uncle's construction company. As others have said, you absolutely don't need to wait for the 1099 to file. Just list the income on Schedule C and keep track of your expenses too. Don't forget you can deduct costs like cleaning supplies, mileage driving to her house, any equipment you bought, even a portion of your phone bill if you use it for coordinating your work. These deductions can really reduce your self-employment tax.
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Gabriel Freeman
ā¢Thanks! I hadn't even thought about deducting expenses. I definitely buy my own cleaning supplies and drive about 15 miles round trip to her house each time. How do I calculate the phone deduction though? I do text with her about scheduling.
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Freya Collins
ā¢For mileage, keep a log of each trip with the date and miles driven. The deduction for 2023 was 65.5 cents per mile, which adds up quickly. So your 15-mile round trip would be worth about $9.83 in deductions each time. For the phone, you need to figure out what percentage you use it for business. If about 20% of your phone use is for coordinating cleaning jobs, you can deduct 20% of your phone bill. Just be reasonable with the estimate and keep your bills as documentation.
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LongPeri
The real issue here might be that your aunt is trying to deduct your house cleaning as a business expense when it's actually personal. That's probably why she's using business checks and wanting to issue a 1099 - to claim it as a business deduction when it's not legitimate. Just be aware that if you file accurately (which you should) and she files inaccurately, it could cause problems for both of you. Might be worth having an honest conversation with her about this.
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Oscar O'Neil
ā¢This is exactly what I was thinking! The aunt is definitely trying to write off personal home cleaning as a business expense. I had a client try to do this with me for babysitting her kids at her home office.
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