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I know this is a bit late to the party, but I just wanted to let everyone know that I just checked today and OnLine Taxes (OLT.com) also supports Form 7202 e-filing. It's only $49.95 for their premium version which is way cheaper than H&R Block or TurboTax. The interface isn't fancy but it gets the job done if you're primarily concerned about being able to e-file with Form 7202 without spending a fortune.
Have you actually used OLT yourself? I've never heard of them before and I'm worried about using some random tax site. Are they an authorized IRS e-file provider? And did they handle the rest of your taxes okay? I've got some investment stuff and a small business too.
Yes, I've used OLT for the past two years including this year with Form 7202. They are definitely an authorized IRS e-file provider - you can check the IRS website for their list of authorized providers and OLT is on there. For your investment and small business concerns, they handled my stock trades and side gig income without any problems. Their interface isn't as slick as TurboTax, but all the necessary forms and schedules are there. I found their small business section particularly good at walking through deductions many people miss. The $49.95 price includes all forms including Schedule C for business.
Any of you try using a tax professional instead of software? After struggling with Form 7202 last year trying to DIY with software, I broke down and hired an EA (Enrolled Agent) this year. Cost me $275 but she handled everything including Form 7202 and e-filed with no issues. Plus she found deductions I missed last year that more than paid for her fee.
I'd love to use a professional but am worried about the cost. Did you shop around for EAs or just pick one? $275 actually sounds reasonable - I was quoted $450 by someone local and thought that was the going rate. Also, how did you find them?
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Just a tip from someone who works in accounting - ALWAYS make sure to write your SSN and the specific tax year on any check you send to the IRS. This is really important! And keep copies of everything, including the check, coupon, and any correspondence. The IRS is known for misapplying payments and you'll want evidence of your intent. Also, if your existing payment plan doesn't include the new tax year, you technically are in violation of the terms if you incur new tax debt. They can terminate your agreement. You should definitely contact them to modify your existing agreement to include the new tax year.
Is there a specific form to fill out to modify an existing payment plan to include a new tax year? Or do you have to call?
You can use Form 9465 (Installment Agreement Request) to modify an existing agreement. Check the box that indicates you're revising an existing agreement. Include your current agreement number if you have it. You can also do this online through the IRS payment plan tool if your total debt is under $50,000. Look for the option to revise an existing agreement. It's generally faster than submitting a paper form, and you'll get immediate confirmation when it's processed.
I learned the hard way that sending a payment doesn't automatically add the new tax year to your payment plan!!! Sent in my 2023 payment last year while on a plan for earlier years and got a scary letter about defaulting on my payment agreement even though I paid the new amount. Had to call and fix it. Definitely contact the IRS first to officially add your 2024 tax to your existing plan before sending payment. And when you do send it, write "Apply to 2024 Form 1040" directly on the check.
What tax software do you use? I've found that some have better guidance for people with payment plans than others. I'm using FreeTaxUSA and it barely mentioned anything about my existing payment plan.
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Something nobody's mentioned yet - make sure you look into whether this arrangement could be considered a PFIC (Passive Foreign Investment Company). If your grandmother's business meets certain tests, your gains could be subject to complicated and usually unfavorable PFIC tax rules. Also, depending on how much you've sent, you may need to file Form 8938 (Statement of Specified Foreign Financial Assets) if your investment exceeds certain thresholds. The penalties for not filing these international information returns are harsh.
What exactly qualifies as a PFIC? My grandmother's cafe is definitely an active business where she works daily, not some passive investment vehicle. Would that still fall under those rules? And are the Form 8938 thresholds different for different countries?
A PFIC is generally a foreign corporation where either 75% or more of the income is passive (like interest or dividends) or 50% or more of assets produce passive income. An actively run cafe would typically not qualify as a PFIC, so you're probably safe there. Form 8938 thresholds don't vary by country, but they do differ based on filing status and whether you live in the US or abroad. For a single person living in the US, you'd file if your foreign financial assets exceed $50,000 on the last day of the tax year or $75,000 at any time during the year. The thresholds are higher for married couples and US persons living abroad.
Honestly the bigger issue is that ur grandma considers u an "owner" but legally ur not. This is a HUGE risk. If something goes wrong with the business, u have zero protection. If she passes away suddenly, u have no legal claim to anything. I'd strongly suggest getting an actual ownership agreement in writing, even if it's a small percentage. Otherwise ur basically making an unsecured loan with no documentation.
This is such an important point! My dad sent money to his brother in Mexico for a similar arrangement and when they had a falling out, he couldn't prove he was entitled to anything. Lost everything because there was no paper trail showing it was an investment rather than a gift.
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Just to add another perspective: I run a TTRPGing business similar to yours, and I did actually set up an LLC taxed as an S-corp because my income got high enough. I pay myself a salary of $3,500/month which is "reasonable" for a TTRPG creator in my area, and then take distributions for the rest. The paperwork is a pain and I pay about $1,200/year for a bookkeeper to handle the quarterly filings, but I'm saving around $7,400/year in self-employment taxes. If you're making under $40k profit, stick with sole proprietor and focus on maximizing your deductions instead.
How did you determine what's a "reasonable" salary for a DM? I didn't think there was enough data for that kind of job to establish market rates.
I researched what other professional DMs and TTRPG content creators charge hourly in my area and nationwide, then calculated what a full-time equivalent would earn. I also looked at similar creative professionals like game designers and tabletop gaming store managers. I documented all this research in case of an audit. The key is having a methodology that shows you didn't just pick a low number to avoid taxes. My CPA helped me gather comparable profession data that would stand up to scrutiny. With niche professions like ours, you need to get creative with finding salary comparisons, but there's actually more data out there than you might think now that professional DMing has grown as a career.
Don't forget about quarterly estimated tax payments if you're self-employed! I learned this the hard way with my editing business last year - got hit with a $420 penalty because I waited until April to pay everything.
How do you even calculate how much to pay quarterly when your income fluctuates month to month? My crafting business is super seasonal and I have no idea what I'll make until I make it.
Maggie Martinez
Just to add another perspective - I received a 1095-C from my employer too, and none of the monthly boxes were filled in. I called our HR department to ask about it, and they confirmed this is normal. The form is mainly to show that coverage was OFFERED to you, not to document payments. If you look at Part II, there should be codes in line 14 for each month. Those codes tell the IRS what type of coverage was offered. Line 16 codes show your enrollment status. The actual premium amounts don't matter for this particular form.
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Alejandro Castro
•What about if you switched employers mid-year? I had a job change in August and now I have two 1095-C forms with different codes on them. Do I need to report both or just indicate I had coverage the whole year?
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Maggie Martinez
•You should report both 1095-C forms since they represent different periods of coverage from different employers. The tax software will ask about multiple forms. The important thing is to show continuous coverage throughout the year. Having two forms is perfectly fine as long as there's no gap between them. If there was a gap, you might need to provide additional information about your coverage during that period. Most tax software walks you through this exact scenario.
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Monique Byrd
Just a heads up - while the 1095-C isn't used to calculate your taxes directly, don't throw it away! The IRS can use this form to verify information if you're claiming premium tax credits or if there are questions about your coverage. I learned this the hard way when my return got flagged for review because the information I reported about my health coverage didn't match what was on my 1095-C (which I hadn't even looked at closely). Took months to resolve!
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Jackie Martinez
•Does this also apply to the 1095-B form? My insurance company sent me that one instead of a 1095-C and I'm confused about the difference.
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