Question for people using their apartments for filming: how are you handling the "exclusive use" requirement for home office deductions? I film in my living room but obviously also use it for personal stuff, so I don't think I can claim it?

As someone who just went through this exact situation last year, here are the key things that would have saved me a lot of stress: 1. **Start tracking everything NOW** - Create a simple spreadsheet with all your TikTok payments, brand deals, and business expenses. Don't wait until tax season. 2. **Open a separate business checking account** - Even if you're not forming an LLC, having all your creator income and expenses in one account makes everything so much cleaner for taxes. 3. **Set aside 25-30% of each payment** - Put this in a separate savings account for taxes. Self-employment tax alone is 15.3%, plus regular income tax on top of that. 4. **You'll need to file Schedule C and Schedule SE** - Schedule C for your business income/expenses, Schedule SE for self-employment tax. TurboTax Self-Employed or similar software can handle this. 5. **For quarterly payments** - Use Form 1040ES. Your first payment for 2025 income is due April 15, 2025. Don't skip these or you'll get hit with underpayment penalties. The good news is once you get the system set up, it's really not that complicated. Just treat your TikTok like the business it is from day one!

Has anyone run into issues with their state's Department of Revenue on this? I'm in Washington state and purchased equipment from an individual last year. Even though federal doesn't require the W9 for asset purchases, our state DOR auditor questioned why we didn't have one during our routine audit.

California CPA here - wanted to chime in since I see clients struggle with this exact question regularly. You absolutely do NOT need a W9 for purchasing a vehicle from an individual, even as a business purchase. The confusion often comes from the $600 threshold rule, but that applies specifically to payments for SERVICES (like hiring a contractor), not asset purchases. When you buy a truck, you're acquiring property, not paying for services rendered. Your documentation should include: bill of sale with VIN, title transfer paperwork, proof of payment (check copy/wire transfer receipt), and sales tax receipt from DMV registration. This creates a complete audit trail without needing any W9 forms. One thing to watch out for - if the seller helps with delivery, installation, or any other services beyond just selling you the truck, those service fees might require separate 1099 reporting. But for a straightforward vehicle purchase, you're all set without the W9.

This thread has been incredibly helpful for understanding W9 requirements! As a new business owner who just completed my LLC formation and is about to apply for business licenses in two different counties, I was definitely planning to request W9s from every government office I'd be paying. The consensus here is crystal clear: government regulatory fees (licenses, permits, business taxes) don't require W9 collection because these are mandatory compliance payments, not contracted services. The simple test of paying the government FOR something versus TO DO something for you is brilliant and easy to remember. I'm definitely taking all the organizational advice shared here - creating separate filing categories for government fees vs. vendor documentation, keeping detailed expense descriptions instead of vague notes, and setting up a renewal tracking spreadsheet from the start. It sounds like proper organization upfront saves so much stress during tax season. Thanks especially to the tax preparer and government finance professional who provided expert confirmation that government entities are specifically exempt from 1099 reporting requirements. It's also reassuring to know from multiple experienced business owners that this W9 confusion is basically a rite of passage - makes me feel less silly about almost making these same mistakes! This discussion should definitely be required reading for new entrepreneurs. You've collectively saved me from some very awkward phone calls to confused county clerks!

This has been such a comprehensive and helpful discussion! As a newcomer who was literally about to make the same W9 request mistake with my local city hall, I can't thank everyone enough for sharing their experiences and expertise. The key takeaway that really clicked for me is the simple distinction: government regulatory fees (licenses, permits, business taxes) = no W9 needed, just keep receipts for tax deductions. These are mandatory compliance payments, not vendor services requiring 1099 reporting. I'm particularly grateful for the practical organization tips shared here - setting up separate filing for "Government Licenses & Permits" vs actual vendor documentation, writing detailed expense descriptions instead of vague notes, and creating a renewal tracking spreadsheet for multi-jurisdiction operations. Starting with proper systems from day one seems way smarter than trying to sort everything out later. The professional insights from the tax preparer and government finance worker really sealed my confidence in this guidance. Knowing that government entities are specifically exempt from 1099 reporting and that they regularly get these W9 requests (and find them amusing!) makes me feel much better about almost joining that club of confused business owners! This thread should definitely be bookmarked by every small business owner dealing with expansion and licensing. You've collectively saved so many people from unnecessary stress and embarrassing phone calls to bewildered government clerks!

I'm going through this exact same situation right now! My refund check showed up in USPS Informed Delivery back in March but never actually made it to my mailbox. Filed the missing mail search with USPS and they came back with nothing, just like yours. I submitted my Form 3911 about 5 weeks ago and haven't heard anything back yet. Reading through all these responses is really helpful - sounds like 6-12 weeks is pretty normal, though the waiting is driving me crazy too. One thing I learned from reading this thread that I didn't know before: apparently both spouses need to sign Form 3911 for joint returns. I only signed mine initially, so now I'm worried that might be causing delays. Probably going to try calling the IRS this week to check if that's holding things up. The tip about checking your IRS online account for status updates is great - I'm going to start monitoring that more closely. And I had no idea they sometimes switch to direct deposit for replacement refunds, so I'll keep an eye on my bank account too. Thanks for starting this thread - it's reassuring to know others have gone through this and eventually gotten their money, even if the process is painfully slow!

I just went through this exact situation a couple months ago! My refund check also showed up in Informed Delivery but never made it to my actual mailbox - so frustrating when you can literally see proof it was supposed to be delivered. Here's my timeline: I filed Form 3911 in early February and just received my replacement check last week, so it took about 10 weeks total. The waiting was brutal, especially with no communication from the IRS during that time, but the system does eventually work. A few things I learned that might help: 1. Make absolutely sure both you and your husband signed the Form 3911 since it's a joint return - this seems to be a common issue that can cause major delays based on other comments here. 2. Keep checking your IRS online account regularly. Mine showed "replacement refund issued" about a week before the actual check arrived, which was reassuring to see some movement. 3. They sent me another paper check to the same address, but I've heard they sometimes switch to direct deposit for replacements, so keep an eye on your bank account too. 4. Don't stress too much about the 3-week mark - you're still well within the normal processing window based on everyone's experiences here. The home repair planning is tough when you're waiting on money that's rightfully yours, but hang in there! Your replacement should come through in the next few weeks.

Im in a similar situation with 2 kids and HOH status. Does anyone know if using different tax software makes a difference? I used FreeTaxUSA this year and the numbers seem weird compared to when I used TurboTax last year. Do they calculate the child tax credit differently???

I've been following this thread and wanted to share some additional clarity since there seems to be some confusion about the numbers. For 2024 taxes (filed in 2025), you're absolutely correct that you should receive $2,000 per qualifying child. With your $58K AGI and HOH status, you're well below the phase-out thresholds, so you should get the full credit for both kids. The key thing that trips people up is that the Child Tax Credit can appear in multiple places on your return depending on your tax liability. If your actual tax owed is less than $4,000, you won't see the full $4,000 in one spot. Instead, it gets split: - The non-refundable portion (up to your tax liability) reduces what you owe - The refundable portion (Additional Child Tax Credit, up to $1,600 per child) can be part of your refund So if you only owed $2,000 in taxes, you'd see $2,000 reducing your tax bill and up to $2,000 ($1,600 max per child) as refundable credit. The total benefit is still $4,000, just distributed differently. Check Schedule 8812 - that's where all the Child Tax Credit calculations are detailed and you can see exactly how your credit was applied.