Can't reach IRS? Claimyr connects you to a live IRS agent in minutes.
Claimyr is a pay-as-you-go service. We do not charge a recurring subscription.
Using Claimyr will:
- Connect you to a human agent at the IRS
- Skip the long phone menu
- Call the correct department
- Redial until on hold
- Forward a call to your phone with reduced hold time
- Give you free callbacks if the IRS drops your call
If I could give 10 stars I would
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!
Really made a difference
Really made a difference, save me time and energy from going to a local office for making the call.
Worth not wasting your time calling for hours.
Was a bit nervous or untrusting at first, but my calls went thru. First time the wait was a bit long but their customer chat line on their page was helpful and put me at ease that I would receive my call. Today my call dropped because of EDD and Claimyr heard my concern on the same chat and another call was made within the hour.
An incredibly helpful service
An incredibly helpful service! Got me connected to a CA EDD agent without major hassle (outside of EDD's agents dropping calls – 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!
Consistent,frustration free, quality Service.
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.
IT WORKS!! Not a scam!
I tried for weeks to get thru to EDD PFL program with no luck. I gave this a try thinking it may be a scam. OMG! It worked and They got thru within an hour and my claim is going to finally get paid!! I upgraded to the $60 call. Best $60 spent!
Ask the community...
- DO post questions about your issues.
- DO answer questions and support each other.
- DO post tips & tricks to help folks.
- DO NOT post call problems here - there is a support tab at the top for that :)
Join the conversation
Join the conversation
One thing nobody's mentioned is that you should also look at whether you qualify for bonus depreciation in addition to Section 179. For 2025 filing (2024 tax year), bonus depreciation is 80% of the purchase price. This can sometimes be more beneficial, especially when your business income is low. For mixed-use assets like your laptop and phone, you need to be at least 50% business use to qualify for Section 179, but you can still take regular depreciation if your business use is less than 50%.
Thanks for bringing up bonus depreciation! I hadn't even heard of that option. Is there an income limit on bonus depreciation like there is with Section 179? And does the business use still need to be over 50% to qualify?
Bonus depreciation doesn't have the same business income limitation as Section 179, which is why it can be better for freelancers with low income but expensive equipment purchases. You can actually create a loss with bonus depreciation, unlike Section 179. For the business use requirement, you still need more than 50% business use to claim bonus depreciation on listed property (which includes computers and cell phones). If your business use drops below 50% in future years, you may have to recapture some of the depreciation as income, so keep good records of your business vs personal use.
Anyone using TurboSelf-Employed for this kind of situation? I've got similar freelance equipment issues but don't want to pay for a full accountant.
I used TurboSelf-Employed last year for my equipment deductions. It handled basic Section 179 questions okay but didn't really explain the business income limitation clearly. I ended up taking a bigger deduction than I should have and had to file an amended return later. If your situation is complex, it might not be the best option.
Join the conversation
Just my two cents, but we amended our S-corp return in 2022 to fix a similar revenue reporting error where we had accidentally counted some deposits twice. Ended up reducing our reported income by about $22,000. We filed the amendment, got a letter acknowledging receipt about 8 weeks later, and then eventually got a small refund check. No audit, no questions, nothing complicated.
Did you use a CPA or did you handle the amendment yourself? I've heard different things about whether professional preparation makes a difference in how returns get processed.
We used the same CPA who did our original return. He basically said the same things others have mentioned here - that reducing income isn't typically as concerning to the IRS as increasing deductions would be. He did recommend we include a clear explanation letter that he drafted, which specifically explained the exact nature of the accounting error (duplicate counting of specific transactions) and referenced our supporting documentation. I think having that professional guidance did help give us peace of mind, but from what I've learned, the risk was probably low either way.
One thing nobody's mentioned - make sure you also check if you need to amend your STATE tax returns too! I amended my federal return and completely forgot that the changes would affect my state return too. Ended up getting a notice from the state about the discrepancy.
Good point! I made this exact mistake a few years ago and got hit with a state penalty even though I fixed the federal return properly. The states don't automatically get notified when you amend your federal return.
Join the conversation
Has anyone tried using a tax professional through Upwork or other freelance platforms? I've been considering this approach since you can see reviews, set up video interviews, and often find qualified people at more reasonable rates than local high-cost firms. Just wondering if there are pitfalls I'm not seeing.
I tried the Upwork approach last year and had mixed results. Found a CPA with great reviews, but she got totally overwhelmed during tax season and communication suffered. Also, verify their credentials independently - not everyone claiming to be a CPA on those platforms actually is. Check your state's CPA license lookup tool.
Thank you for sharing your experience. That's a really good point about verification - I hadn't considered that credentials might not be properly vetted on freelance platforms. I'll definitely use my state's CPA license lookup tool if I go this route. The communication issue during busy season is concerning too. Maybe I should look for someone who has a smaller client base or specifically mentions their communication protocols during tax season.
Don't overlook smaller regional accounting firms that have embraced virtual services. After trying both large chains and independent preparers, I found a medium-sized firm based in Tennessee (I'm in California) that specialized in tech workers and property investors. Because they're located in a lower-cost area, their rates were about 30% less than comparable services in my city. The key is finding firms that explicitly market their virtual services and have experience with clients in tech hubs. They're used to handling RSUs, options and other tech compensation while charging more reasonable rates. The one I use even has a secure portal for document sharing and virtual meetings that's much better than just emailing files back and forth.
This sounds promising! How did you find them initially? Was it through a referral or did you search online? I'm wondering what search terms would be most effective to find these types of regional firms with virtual services.
Join the conversation
One thing I learned the hard way - if you're planning to do a SEP IRA instead of a 401k, the rules are different! With a SEP, you can contribute up to 25% of your net self-employment income, but the calculation gets weird with S-Corps. For S-Corps, SEP contributions can only be made as employer contributions, and they're based on W-2 wages, not K-1 distributions. So again, your $70k would be the limiting factor. Also be careful if you have any other retirement plans through other employment - contribution limits get complicated fast.
Would you recommend a Solo 401k over a SEP IRA for most S-Corp owners then? I'm currently using a SEP but wondering if I should switch.
I noticed nobody mentioned Qualified Business Income (QBI) deduction considerations in this discussion. This is another factor that might influence how you split income between W-2 and K-1. Your K-1 distributions might qualify for the 20% QBI deduction (depending on your total income and business type), but your W-2 wages don't. So increasing W-2 for retirement purposes could reduce your QBI deduction. It's yet another variable in the already complicated equation of S-Corp owner compensation planning. This is definitely an area where good tax planning software or a knowledgeable accountant is worth their weight in gold.
Sara Unger
8 Don't forget about state taxes too! Depending on your state, you might owe an additional 3-6% on that income. Some states also have their own penalties for not making estimated payments.
0 coins
Sara Unger
•1 Oh no, I completely forgot about state taxes. I'm in Illinois - any idea what percentage they take for self-employment income?
0 coins
Sara Unger
•8 Illinois has a flat income tax rate of 4.95% for all income types, including self-employment. Unlike some states, Illinois doesn't have a separate self-employment tax (just the state income tax). You'll need to file an IL-1040 along with your federal return. Illinois does have underpayment penalties similar to the federal ones, but they're typically smaller. If you qualify for the federal first-time abatement that others mentioned, you might be able to request similar relief from Illinois by attaching a letter explaining your situation when you file.
0 coins
Sara Unger
16 Quick tip from someone who's been freelancing for years: set aside 30-35% of EVERY payment you receive immediately into a separate tax account. I do automatic transfers so I'm never tempted to touch that money. Has saved me so much stress at tax time!
0 coins
Sara Unger
•20 Do you make quarterly payments from that account? I've been putting aside money but never know exactly how much to send for quarterly payments.
0 coins