I'm dealing with this exact same situation right now! My elderly father has been trying to file his 2023 return for weeks and keeps getting rejected for the IP PIN despite using the correct one from the portal. What's really frustrating is that he's been assigned an IP PIN for the past 3 years due to a previous identity theft incident, and this is the first time we've encountered this problem. From reading through all these responses, it sounds like there's definitely a systematic issue with the IRS database synchronization. @Daniel Rogers - did the Identity Theft hotline agent give you any timeline for when this might be resolved system-wide? And @Anna Stewart - that Form 14039 approach sounds promising but 3 weeks seems like a long time when we're already getting close to the filing deadline. Has anyone tried the "regenerate PIN" option that @Eleanor Foster mentioned? I'm wondering if that might be a quicker fix than waiting on hold for hours or mailing forms.

This IP PIN synchronization issue is unfortunately becoming more widespread this tax season. I've been helping several community members navigate this exact problem, and what's concerning is that it seems to disproportionately affect taxpayers who were assigned IP PINs due to previous identity theft incidents rather than voluntary enrollees. Based on the experiences shared here, I'd recommend trying solutions in this order of efficiency: 1. **Regenerate PIN method** (as @NebulaNinja and @Eleanor Foster confirmed works) - quickest solution at 24-48 hours 2. **Identity Theft hotline** at 800-908-4490 for immediate system override - expect long hold times but faster than paper processing 3. **Form 14039 with cover letter** explaining the PIN rejection issue - most thorough but takes 2-3 weeks For your sister and cousin, I'd definitely start with regenerating their PINs through the portal. The fact that this is affecting multiple family members suggests it might be related to how their accounts were initially flagged in the system. One additional tip: if they regenerate PINs, make sure they clear their browser cache and log out completely before logging back in to retrieve the new PIN. Sometimes the portal shows cached information rather than the updated PIN. Keep us posted on what works - this information helps the entire community!

Has anyone actually successfully filed hobby income from a 1099-NEC as "Other Income" instead of on Schedule C using TurboTax or H&R Block? When I tried this last year, TurboTax wouldn't let me skip entering the 1099-NEC into their business section.

I've been dealing with this exact situation for three years now! After trying multiple approaches, here's what I've learned works best: The key is understanding that while the 1099-NEC gets issued to you, how you report it depends on the nature of your activity. For true hobby income (like product testing where you're not trying to build a business), you have two viable options: 1. Report it as "Other Income" on line 8z of Form 1040 and don't enter the 1099-NEC form itself into your tax software (to avoid doubling the income). Include a brief statement with your return explaining it's hobby income from product testing. 2. Use Schedule C but ensure your software asks about "profit motive" and answer that you're NOT engaged in this activity for profit. This should prevent self-employment tax from being calculated. The reason your current software only shows business options is because most basic programs assume all 1099-NEC income is business income. TurboTax and similar programs have this limitation. I'd recommend either switching to FreeTaxUSA (which handles this better) or using one of the specialized services mentioned above. Don't stress too much - this is a genuinely confusing area of tax law that even CPAs sometimes get wrong!

I'm going through this exact same verification process right now! Filed my return 9 days ago and have been anxiously checking the mailbox every single day. The uncertainty is definitely the most stressful part - you don't know if your letter is on its way, got lost, or if there's some other issue with your return. Reading through everyone's experiences here has been incredibly reassuring though. It sounds like the 10-14 business day timeframe is pretty standard, even though it feels like forever when you're waiting for your refund. I just signed up for USPS Informed Delivery based on the suggestions here so I can at least see what mail is coming each day instead of just wondering. One thing that's helped me is realizing this verification process is actually protecting us from identity theft and fraud, even though it's frustrating in the moment. I'd rather deal with a few weeks of waiting than have someone file a fraudulent return in my name. Going to follow the advice here and wait the full 14 days before considering requesting a resend. Thanks to everyone for sharing their timelines and experiences - it really helps to know we're all navigating this stressful process together!

I'm in a very similar situation! Filed my return 8 days ago and also got flagged for verification. The waiting is definitely anxiety-inducing, especially when you're counting on that refund. Based on all the experiences shared here, it seems like the 10-14 business day window is pretty typical, though mail delays can extend it further. I just signed up for USPS Informed Delivery after seeing it recommended multiple times - what a great tip to at least know what's coming each day! It's actually really comforting to read through everyone's stories and realize this is such a common process. The uncertainty is the worst part when you don't know if your letter is on its way or lost somewhere. But seeing how many people have successfully completed verification gives me confidence it'll work out. I'm going to follow the advice here and wait the full 14 days before requesting a resend. Thanks to everyone for sharing their experiences and timelines - it really helps to know so many of us are going through this same stressful waiting period together!

In case it helps anyone, I found this explanation on Wheaton Precious Metals' investor FAQ page that specifically addresses taxation. It confirms they're a corporation and dividends/capital gains are taxed accordingly. They even mention that their non-direct exposure to physical metals is one reason some investors prefer them over physical gold or ETFs.

Just wanted to add that the distinction between these investment types becomes really important when you're doing tax-loss harvesting. Since royalty stocks like WPM are taxed as regular stocks, you can harvest losses against other stock gains at the more favorable capital gains rates. But if you're holding physical gold or gold ETFs that are taxed as collectibles, those losses can only offset collectible gains first before being applied to regular capital gains. This is something I learned the hard way when I was trying to optimize my tax situation last year. I had losses on some gold ETFs that I couldn't use as efficiently as I thought because of the collectible classification. The streaming stocks give you much more flexibility for tax planning strategies.

Has anyone successfully used the sales tax deduction calculator in previous years? I'm wondering if it's worth the effort or if I should just stick with my state income tax deduction.

I'm in a similar boat with itemizing for the first time this year! The IRS usually updates their calculators around December/January, so it's totally normal that 2024 isn't available yet. For now, you can get a rough estimate by using last year's calculator and adjusting for any major purchases you made in 2024. Since you mentioned big purchases with your new house, don't forget that you can also deduct sales tax on things like furniture, appliances, and even your car if you bought one this year - just keep all those receipts! The key is to compare your estimated sales tax deduction against your state income tax amount when you're ready to file. Whichever is higher is what you'll want to claim. Given that you're itemizing anyway for mortgage interest, it's definitely worth running both calculations to see which gives you the bigger deduction.