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One thing nobody's mentioned - if your accountant really did mess up your taxes, you might want to look into filing a complaint with your state's board of accountancy, especially if they were a CPA. Even though they're out of business now, it could help if there's any future issues related to their work. Also, I'd recommend getting your tax transcripts directly from the IRS for 2015-2016. Go to IRS.gov and search for "Get Transcript" - you can see exactly what the IRS has on file for those years, including any payments you've already made. This will help you figure out if you've already paid what they're asking for now.
That's great advice about the transcripts! I just requested them online. Do you know how long it usually takes to get them? And would filing a complaint against the accountant actually help my case with the IRS at all?
You should be able to access your transcripts immediately if you set up online access. If you requested them by mail, it typically takes 5-10 business days. The transcripts will show all reported income, your filed return details, and any payments or credits applied to your account. Filing a complaint against the accountant probably won't directly help with your current IRS issue. The IRS generally holds taxpayers responsible for their returns regardless of who prepared them. However, if there were truly egregious errors or misconduct, documenting it officially could potentially help if you need to request penalty abatement based on reasonable cause. It's also just good for consumer protection so others don't experience similar problems.
Has anyone successfully disputed a CP2000 from this far back? I'm in a similar situation with a 2017 return and wondering what my chances are.
Yes! I disputed a CP2000 from 2016 just last year. The key is having documentation. In my case, I had records showing I'd already paid the amount through withholding that wasn't properly credited. If you can prove your case with solid documentation, the year doesn't matter as much as having the evidence.
One thing nobody mentioned yet - if your spouse already has a visa that allowed entry to the US (like B1/B2, F1, etc.), check if they have a visa number! My Ukrainian wife had a visa number in her passport that we could use instead of an ITIN for the first year while waiting for her SSN processing. Also, if you're not in a rush for the ITIN, you can file your taxes as "married filing separately" this year, then amend later once she gets the ITIN to capture any benefits from filing jointly. Sometimes this approach is less stressful if you're up against the filing deadline.
Thanks for this suggestion! She does have a visa stamp in her passport. Are you saying we could use the visa number in place of an ITIN? I had no idea that was an option. Do you just enter the visa number where the tax form asks for the spouse's SSN/ITIN?
Not exactly - I should have been more clear. You can't use the visa number on the actual tax forms in place of an ITIN/SSN. What I meant was that for certain purposes (like opening bank accounts), sometimes the visa number can be used temporarily. For tax filing, you'd still need to follow one of these approaches: 1) Get the ITIN by submitting the W-7 with your return, 2) File as "married filing separately" now and amend later when you get the ITIN, or 3) File for an extension to give yourself more time to complete the ITIN process. Sorry for any confusion!
One thing that saved us last year: if your spouse has a foreign driver's license, you can sometimes use that as supporting documentation along with the passport. My wife is Brazilian and we included her Brazilian driver's license with a certified translation, which seemed to help our application go through faster. Also, FYI for anyone reading this thread, processing times vary WILDLY depending on when you submit. Our first application (submitted in April) took nearly 4 months. When we had to resubmit some documents in November, that processing only took 3 weeks. The IRS is massively backlogged during tax season.
One thing to consider with IP PINs - if you have a tax preparer or use an accountant, make sure you give them your PIN! My husband and I got PINs after our identities were stolen in 2022, but I completely forgot to give mine to our accountant last year. Our return got rejected and it delayed our refund by almost 6 weeks. Just a heads up since tax season is approaching!
Do you have to request a new PIN every year or does the IRS automatically send it? I'm worried about forgetting to get a new one.
The IRS automatically sends you a new IP PIN each year - you don't need to request it. They typically mail it in a letter around December or January before tax season starts. If you've created an online account with the IRS, you can also retrieve your current IP PIN there if you misplace the letter.
Just a data point - I got an IP PIN three years ago after someone filed a fake return with my info. No issues since then. Before getting the PIN, I had fraudulent returns filed in my name two years in a row despite changing all my passwords and getting credit monitoring. The IP PIN seems to be the only thing that actually stopped it.
I run a small consulting business and pay around $800-900 for tax prep each year. What helped me bring costs down was keeping super organized records throughout the year. I use QuickBooks Self-Employed ($15/month) to track everything, categorize expenses automatically, and record mileage. When tax time comes around, I just hand over organized reports instead of a shoebox of receipts. Tax preparers charge less when you do some of the legwork!
Did you find it difficult to set up QuickBooks initially? I've heard mixed things about how user-friendly it is. Also, does it handle the LLC specifics well?
QuickBooks has a bit of a learning curve at first, but it's not too bad for a basic setup. I watched a couple YouTube tutorials and got comfortable with it in about a week. The mobile app is actually pretty intuitive for day-to-day stuff like taking pictures of receipts and tracking mileage. For LLC specifics, it handles the basics well for a single-member LLC (which is taxed as a sole proprietorship by default). If you have a more complex LLC setup with multiple members or special tax elections, you might need QuickBooks Online rather than Self-Employed. The main thing is that it keeps your business finances separate and organized, which is crucial for any LLC regardless of tax treatment.
Can anyone recommend tax software that's good for LLC owners? I'm thinking of ditching paid preparers altogether next year. I'm organized enough but just nervous about missing deductions.
Ashley Simian
Have you checked if your bank account info was entered correctly? Last year I had a similar issue and it turned out I transposed two digits in my account number. The refund bounced back to the IRS, but their system never updated to tell me. After 2 months of waiting, I finally got a paper check in the mail with no explanation. Might be worth double-checking that part of your return just in case.
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Luis Johnson
ā¢Just checked and the account info is definitely correct. I used the same account for my state refund and that came through fine. I'm pretty sure the problem is on the IRS side, not mine. Sigh.
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Ashley Simian
ā¢That's good you checked. One other thing - did you claim any pandemic-related credits, like recovery rebate credit or earned income tax credit? Those are getting extra scrutiny this year and can delay processing by weeks or even months.
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Oliver Cheng
ugg i feel your pain!! my return has been "processing" for 10 WEEKS now!! i filed on jan 15 the FIRST DAY and still nothing!!! the irs is completely useless and the "wheres my refund" tool is a joke. anyone know if filing an amended return would help? im desperate and need my money ($5,200) for medical bills coming due!!!
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Ellie Kim
ā¢DO NOT file an amended return unless there's actually something wrong with your original return! Filing an amended return will only reset your place in line and create even more delays. It could potentially add months to your wait time.
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