You're absolutely making the right decision! I work in tax preparation and we always recommend clients use their most reliable mailing address - which in your case is clearly your PO box. Since TurboTax is specifically asking for your "mailing address" (not residential), your PO box is perfect. The IRS processes millions of returns with PO box addresses every year without any issues. They care about being able to communicate with you reliably, not whether you live at that address. A couple of practical tips from what I've seen: - Keep your PO box active year-round since tax notices can arrive anytime - If you move or change PO boxes later, file Form 8822 with the IRS to update your address - Save a copy of your PO box rental agreement with your tax documents - it's rarely needed but good to have Your mail delivery issues at the apartment complex make this an even smarter choice. I've seen too many clients miss important IRS deadlines because notices got delivered to wrong units or stolen from mailboxes. You're being proactive and that will save you potential headaches down the road!

I can definitely confirm that using your PO box as your mailing address is the right approach! I've been doing this for the past few years after having similar issues with unreliable mail delivery at my residence. The key thing to understand is that the IRS distinguishes between your mailing address (where you want to receive correspondence) and your residential address (where you physically live). Since TurboTax is asking specifically for your mailing address, your PO box is exactly what they're looking for. A few things that have worked well for me: - I use my PO box consistently across all tax-related correspondence - I make sure to check my PO box regularly during tax season since important notices can arrive at any time - I keep my PO box rental active year-round because the IRS can send notices throughout the year, not just during filing season Given your history of mail delivery issues at your apartment complex, using your PO box will give you much better peace of mind. There's nothing worse than worrying whether you've missed an important IRS notice because it was delivered to the wrong unit or disappeared from an insecure mailbox. You're making a smart, proactive decision that will save you potential headaches down the road!

I just went through this last year. The most important thing is timing - if the annuity company already cut the check to the estate with 20% withholding, unfortunately you've likely lost the ability to do any kind of inherited IRA rollover. The distribution to the estate is considered the taxable event. Remember that on the 1041, you'll report the FULL amount of the annuity as income (including the 20% withheld), and then show the withholding as a credit. When the estate distributes the money to you, you'll receive a K-1 showing your share of the estate's income, deductions, etc. One potential silver lining - check if the deceased had any unrecovered investment in the annuity contract. If they made after-tax contributions to the annuity, a portion of the distribution might be non-taxable return of basis.

I'm dealing with a very similar situation right now with my aunt's estate. One thing that might be worth exploring - and I'm not sure if this applies to your specific case - is whether the annuity company properly followed the required distribution procedures when there's no named beneficiary. In some cases, if the annuity company didn't give proper notice to potential beneficiaries or follow state law requirements for estate distributions, there might be grounds to challenge the distribution method. I've heard of situations where this led to the ability to "undo" the estate distribution and have it paid directly to the heir instead. You might want to review the annuity contract terms and your state's laws about how these distributions should be handled. If there were procedural errors, it could potentially open up options that wouldn't normally be available once the money hits the estate. Also, make sure you're not missing any deadlines for estate tax elections or other time-sensitive decisions. Some states have different rules about inherited annuities that could affect your tax situation.

Just wanted to add another option that saved me in a similar situation - if your former employer had any kind of payroll service (like ADP, Paychex, etc.), you might still be able to access your W-2 through their online portals even after the company shut down. These services often maintain records for several years after a client goes out of business. Look through any old emails from 2022 for payroll notifications or login instructions. Sometimes these services send year-end tax document notifications that include direct links to access your W-2. Even if you can't remember which payroll company they used, the bigger ones like ADP have lookup tools where you can search by your SSN to see if you have any documents available. Also, check if you still have the employee portal app on your phone - I totally forgot I had the ADP mobile app installed and was able to pull up my old W-2 from there months after my employer closed. Worth checking before going through all the other more complicated routes!

If you're still struggling to find that EIN, here's one more approach that hasn't been mentioned - check if you have any old tax preparation software files on your computer from previous years. Sometimes people start their taxes, save the file, and then finish later. Even if you didn't complete your 2022 return, you might have entered some employer information that got saved. Also, if you used any expense tracking apps like Mint, YNAB, or even just your bank's budgeting tools in 2022, those sometimes categorize income deposits with more detail than your regular bank statements show. I found an old employer's info this way when the app had automatically pulled in the full company name from the ACH transfer. One last suggestion - if you're on good terms with anyone from HR at your current job, they sometimes have industry contacts or know people at payroll companies who can help track down information from defunct businesses. It's a long shot, but the payroll/HR world is pretty interconnected and people are usually willing to help with tax document issues. Don't give up! With all these suggestions from everyone, you should be able to track down that EIN without having to spend your entire day on hold with the IRS.

can someone explain how the 183 day rule works? ive heard this mentioned but im confused about what counts as a "day" in a state. if i sleep in one state but work during the day in another which one gets that day?? also what if ur traveling a lot between multiple states for work?

The complexity everyone's describing here is exactly why I ended up hiring a tax professional who specializes in multi-state returns. I tried to figure out my California-to-Nevada move on my own and kept getting overwhelmed by all the different rules and exceptions. One thing that really helped me understand was keeping a detailed calendar of where I spent each night during the year I moved. It sounds tedious, but when you're dealing with aggressive states like California, having documentation of your physical presence can be crucial if they ever challenge your residency status. Also, don't forget about the economic nexus test that some states use alongside the physical presence test. California looks at factors like where your income is sourced, where your professional licenses are held, and where you maintain business relationships. Just moving physically isn't always enough if you're still economically tied to the state. For your rental property in California, you'll definitely need to continue filing California non-resident returns for that income even after establishing Texas residency. Texas doesn't have state income tax, which is great, but make sure you're properly reporting that California rental income to avoid any issues down the road.

I've been in a similar situation and definitely agree with everyone saying to wait for the letter. The IRS correspondence will have specific notice codes and exact amounts that you'll need for your amendment. Phone agents sometimes give incomplete or slightly incorrect information, and you don't want to file an amendment based on partial details. The letter will also tell you exactly what documentation you need to include with your 1040X. I know it's frustrating to wait when you just want to get it resolved, but doing it right the first time will save you months of additional delays. In the meantime, you could gather any missing tax documents (like that 1099 you mentioned) so you're ready to go once the letter arrives.

I was in almost the exact same situation last year! The IRS agent told me over the phone that I needed to amend, but when I actually received the letter two weeks later, it turned out to be a CP2000 notice that gave me the option to either agree with their proposed changes OR file an amendment if I disagreed. The amounts they mentioned on the phone were also slightly different from what was in the actual letter. I ended up just agreeing with their adjustment by signing and returning the form, which was way faster than filing a 1040X. Definitely wait for that letter - it could save you a lot of time and hassle! The peace of mind of having the exact details in writing is worth the wait.