I've been dealing with IRS phone issues for years and here's what I've learned: the audio problems are usually on their end, not yours. Their phone system is ancient and overloaded. Try calling the Taxpayer Advocate Service line instead - it's a separate number (1-877-777-4778) and I've had much better luck with clear connections there. They can often help with the same issues as the main IRS line but with way less hassle. Also, if you do get through to someone who can't hear you, ask them to note in your file that there were technical difficulties - this way if you have to call back, the next agent will see you already tried. Don't let them just hang up on you without documenting the attempt!

I've had this exact same problem! The IRS phone system is notorious for audio issues. Here are a few things that have worked for me: First, try calling from a landline if possible - cell phone connections can be spotty with their old system. Second, make sure you're in a quiet room and speak directly into the microphone (not on speaker). If they still can't hear you, don't waste time trying to make it work - immediately ask to be transferred to a different agent or line. I've also had success calling the early taxpayer assistance line at 1-800-829-1040 and pressing 2 for personal income tax questions - sometimes that routing has better audio quality. The key is being proactive about the audio check right when they pick up instead of trying to struggle through a bad connection. Good luck!

I dealt with a very similar situation last year when I made large anonymous donations through a local food bank. After consulting with a tax attorney, here's what I learned: The key distinction is whether you made gifts to specific individuals or charitable contributions to an organization. If the charity distributed your money to specific families (even anonymously), those are technically gifts to individuals and require Form 709 if over the exclusion amount. For Schedule A, I recommend: 1. List the charity's name and address in the "Donee's name and address" section 2. In the description field, write something like "Anonymous gifts to individuals facilitated by [Charity Name] - recipient identities unknown" 3. Include the total amount and date of transfer 4. Attach a statement explaining the circumstances and your good faith efforts to obtain recipient information The IRS Publication 559 actually addresses situations where complete information isn't available. As long as you document what you know and explain why certain information is missing, you should be compliant. The important thing is showing transparency and good faith effort to follow the reporting requirements. Don't leave fields completely blank - always provide what information you have and explain the limitations.

I'm dealing with a very similar situation right now! Made some large anonymous donations through a community fundraiser last year and just realized I crossed the gift tax threshold. Reading through all these responses has been incredibly helpful. One thing I want to add based on my research - make sure you're clear on the timing requirements. Form 709 is due by April 15th (or October 15th with extension) of the year AFTER you made the gifts, not the year you made them. So gifts made in 2024 require filing Form 709 by April 15, 2025. Also, even if you can't identify the specific recipients, you still need to report the total value of gifts that exceeded the annual exclusion. The annual exclusion for 2024 was $18,000 per recipient, and it's $19,000 for 2025. If you made multiple anonymous gifts through the same organization, each unknown recipient still gets their own $18,000/$19,000 exclusion. I'm planning to follow the advice here about including the facilitating organization's information and attaching an explanation statement. It's reassuring to hear from others who've successfully navigated this exact situation without issues from the IRS.

I've been following this thread and wanted to share something that might help with the privacy concerns mentioned by the original poster. While you can't get around the name matching requirements for tax purposes, there are some legitimate ways to add layers of privacy to your business operations. One approach I've used successfully is setting up a registered agent service in a privacy-friendly state like Wyoming or Nevada, even if you're not physically located there. This keeps your personal address out of public business records while still maintaining full tax compliance. Also, for anyone worried about making mistakes with W-9 forms, I've found it helpful to create templates for different scenarios (sole proprietor, single-member LLC, S-corp election, etc.) and have them reviewed by a tax professional once. That way you have verified templates ready to go whenever your business structure changes or you need to onboard new clients. The key is understanding that tax privacy and business privacy are two different things - you have more options for the latter while still being fully compliant with IRS requirements. It's about finding the right balance for your specific situation and risk tolerance.

I went through this exact same confusion when I started freelancing last year! The privacy concerns are totally valid, but unfortunately the IRS is pretty inflexible on the name matching requirements. Here's what I learned after making some mistakes and having to clean them up: If you're currently operating as a sole proprietor, you MUST use your personal legal name on line 1 of the W-9, period. Your business name or DBA goes on line 2. This is because as a sole proprietor, you file taxes under your personal name and SSN. If you form an LLC later, it gets a bit more complex. For a single-member LLC with default tax treatment (which is most common), you still use your personal name on line 1 because it's a "disregarded entity" for tax purposes - meaning the income flows through to your personal tax return. Only if you elect S-Corp or C-Corp treatment for your LLC would you put the business name on line 1. I know it's frustrating from a privacy standpoint, but any mismatch between your W-9 and how you file taxes will trigger IRS notices. I learned this the hard way when I tried to be creative with the name formatting. For privacy protection, consider getting a separate business address (virtual mailbox, etc.) rather than trying to work around the name requirements. The name has to match your tax filing, but you have more flexibility with addresses and other business information.

I had a similar experience with FreeTaxUSA and the EIC threshold confusion! The key thing that helped me understand was realizing that the income limits vary drastically based on whether you have qualifying children. Since you're single with no kids, your EIC income threshold is actually around $17,640 for 2024 taxes - way below your $43,750 income. The $59,899 figure you saw is probably for taxpayers with multiple qualifying children. It's frustrating because tax software doesn't always make these distinctions clear upfront. You might want to look into other credits you could qualify for instead - like the Retirement Savings Contributions Credit if you contributed to an IRA or 401k, or education credits if you had any qualifying education expenses. Sometimes there are credits available that we don't even know to look for!

I totally understand your frustration! I went through the exact same thing last year and it's so confusing when the software doesn't explain WHY you don't qualify. As others have mentioned, the EIC income limits are much lower for single filers without kids - around $17,640 for 2024 taxes. At $43,750, you're unfortunately above that threshold even though you're well below the limits for people with children. What really helped me was learning about other credits I actually did qualify for. Since you mentioned medical expenses, you might want to look into whether you can itemize deductions if your medical expenses exceeded 7.5% of your income. Also check if you qualify for the Retirement Savings Contributions Credit if you contributed to any retirement accounts, or see if there are any education-related credits available to you. The silver lining is that there are often other tax benefits available that aren't as well-known as the EIC. Don't get too discouraged - you might find some other ways to reduce your tax burden!

Have u tried TurboTax's W-4 calculator? It helped me way more than the IRS one tbh. Takes like 10 min and tells u exactly what to put on each line of ur W-4. Got my refund down from like $1400 to around $300 which was perfect 4 me. Their calculator seems more user friendly than the govt one lol

Another option that worked well for me is to calculate how much extra you're getting refunded and divide that by your remaining paychecks for the year. Then add that amount to Step 4(b) as additional deductions on your W-4. For example, if you're getting $900 back and have 20 paychecks left this year, that's about $45 per paycheck that's being over-withheld. You could add roughly $180 in additional deductions (since you're probably in the 25% bracket, $180 × 0.25 = $45 less withheld per check). The key is being conservative - start with a smaller adjustment and see how it affects your paychecks. You can always submit a new W-4 if you need to fine-tune it further. Better to get a small refund than owe a bunch at tax time!