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Just wanted to add that when you do respond to the CP2000, make sure you respond to EVERY item they're questioning, even if you agree with some parts and disagree with others. I made the mistake of only addressing the items I disagreed with, and it caused more confusion and delays. Also, if you're requesting an extension, do it as early as possible! The closer you get to your deadline, the more stressful it becomes.
This is really helpful! When I respond, should I send copies of all my documentation or just the specific records related to the discrepancies they found?
Only send copies of the specific documentation that directly addresses the discrepancies mentioned in your CP2000. Sending too many unrelated documents can actually confuse the review process and potentially delay resolution. Make sure each document you send clearly relates to a specific item they're questioning. I like to use a cover letter that lists each discrepancy and exactly which supporting documents address each one. This makes it easier for the IRS agent reviewing your case to connect your evidence to their questions.
Has anyone here ever had their extension request denied? I'm in a similar situation with a CP2000 notice, and I'm worried about what happens if they say no to giving me more time.
I'm a little late to this, but there's an important distinction no one has mentioned yet. There are actually two different penalties that could be at play here: 1. Failure-to-file penalty: 5% of unpaid taxes each month (max 25%) 2. Failure-to-pay penalty: 0.5% of unpaid taxes each month (max 25%) The extension prevented the big failure-to-file penalty, but you're still on the hook for the failure-to-pay penalty since the money was due April 18th. Plus interest, which compounds daily. Your accountant should have estimated what you owed and advised you to make a payment by the deadline even if the return wasn't ready. That's where they dropped the ball.
Thanks for breaking that down! So basically, even though the extension was filed, I should have made an estimated payment by April 18th to avoid the failure-to-pay penalty? Is there any recourse now, or am I just stuck with these fees?
Exactly right. The extension only gives more time for paperwork, not payment. For future reference, always make your best estimate payment by the deadline even if your return isn't ready. As for recourse now, your best option is to request a First Time Penalty Abatement if you've had a clean tax record for the past 3 years. You can call the IRS directly or use the number on your bill to request this. The interest typically can't be removed, but the failure-to-pay penalty often can be if it's your first infraction. Just explain the situation with your accountant's poor communication, and they're usually pretty reasonable.
Am I the only one stuck on the fact that the accountant added the wrong dependent information? That seems like a bigger issue than the extension! You should double-check everything else on the return because that's a pretty significant error. What tax software does your accountant use? Some of the professional ones are better than others at catching errors.
Not all tax software is created equal. I've used ProSeries and Lacerte professionally, and they have very different error checking capabilities. But honestly, good accountants should be manually reviewing returns anyway, not just relying on software to catch mistakes.
From a bookkeeping perspective, here's how I would record this in QuickBooks: 1. Create an Other Current Asset account called "Refundable Deposits" 2. Record the payment to this asset account (not to an expense) 3. When you get the money back, record the deposit against this same account This way your books will show that you have this asset, and your taxes won't show an expense that isn't really an expense. The key is that it doesn't impact your profit and loss statement at all - it's strictly a balance sheet item.
Thanks for breaking it down like this! This makes a lot of sense. Do I need to do anything special at tax time to report this deposit? Does it show up anywhere on Schedule C?
You don't need to do anything special with this deposit on your tax return. It won't appear on your Schedule C at all since it's not an income or expense item. Schedule C only reports items that affect profit or loss. This deposit will only be reflected on your balance sheet as an asset. Since the IRS doesn't require sole proprietors or single-member LLCs to file balance sheets with their tax returns, you won't need to report it anywhere on your tax forms. Just keep good records in your accounting system so you remember to properly handle it when it gets refunded.
Just a quick note that if your state doesn't end up refunding the deposit (like if you mess up your sales tax filings or something), then it WOULD become an expense at that point. My brother had this happen with his construction business - they kept his $750 deposit because he filed late twice, and his accountant said to record it as a business expense in the year they officially told him it was forfeited.
Yeah, and make sure you get documentation if they don't refund it! My state tried to claim I never paid a deposit in the first place when it came time for my refund. Thankfully I had kept the original receipt and was able to get it back, but it was a hassle.
Here's a simple way to think about it - when you select "0" allowances, you're basically telling your employer "take out extra tax just to be safe." Each allowance you claim reduces the amount withheld. Most single people with one job should claim at least 1 allowance to account for the standard deduction (which is $13,850 for 2023). If you claim 0, you're likely overwithholding. But honestly, it depends on your comfort level with tax time. Some people prefer the "forced savings" of overwithholding to get a big refund. Others want their money throughout the year.
Would it be bad to change it to 1 halfway through the year? I've been at 0 since January.
Not bad at all! You can change your withholding at any time during the year. If you switch from 0 to 1 allowance now, you'll just start having less tax withheld from your remaining paychecks this year. The withholding system is designed to adjust throughout the year. Your employer calculates the withholding for each individual paycheck based on your current W-4 information, not based on what you submitted in January. So making the change now just affects your future paychecks - it doesn't retroactively change anything.
Are you getting paid a lot more at this new job compared to your campus jobs? Because tax withholding is based on your projected annual income. If you were making like $15/hr part-time before and now you're making $25/hr full-time, you're in a higher tax bracket so they take out more.
This is the most likely answer. I remember the shock when I went from my $12/hr campus job to my first salaried position. Suddenly I was seeing hundreds in taxes instead of like $30-40 per check. Welcome to adult life lol
Levi Parker
Pro tip from someone who handles RSUs regularly: Always keep documentation from each vesting event, especially the fair market value on vesting date. This is your cost basis, and you need it to avoid exactly this situation. I create a spreadsheet each year with columns for: - Vesting date - Number of shares - FMV at vesting - Total value (reported as income on W-2) - Sale date - Sale price - Gain/loss since vesting (this is what goes on Schedule D) This makes tax time so much easier and helps prevent these IRS notices.
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Libby Hassan
•Is there any software that does this tracking automatically? Seems like a lot of manual work if you have monthly or quarterly vestings.
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Levi Parker
•There are several options for automatic tracking. Most of the major brokerages (Schwab, Fidelity, E*Trade) have reporting features that attempt to track this, but honestly they're often inaccurate for RSUs specifically. I've found that dedicated equity compensation tools like Carta, StockOpter, or even some features in tools like Personal Capital can help with tracking. There are also some newer fintech apps specifically for equity compensation, but I still recommend maintaining your own spreadsheet as a backup. Once you set it up initially, it only takes a few minutes to update each vesting period.
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Hunter Hampton
Something else to consider - check if your employer offered a "sell-to-cover" option where they automatically sold some shares to cover the tax withholding at vesting. If so, your W-2 already includes the income from the RSUs, and you only need to report any additional gain or loss that occurred between vesting and when you sold the remaining shares. When I had my IRS notice for unreported stock sales, I found out my company had only withheld at 22% for federal taxes, but I was in the 32% bracket, which created additional confusion.
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Sofia Peña
•This is such an important point! My company does withholding at vesting but only at 22%, and I got hit with a huge tax bill my first year with RSUs because I didn't realize I needed to make estimated tax payments on the difference. The whole RSU taxation system is unnecessarily complicated.
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