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One thing nobody mentioned is that you should consider setting up an LLC for your DoorDash work! It provides liability protection if anything happens while you're delivering. My cousin got sued when he accidentally damaged something during a delivery.
This is actually not great advice for most gig workers. An LLC provides limited liability protection, but it comes with additional costs (filing fees, possibly higher tax preparation fees) and in many states, you'll have annual fees just to maintain it. For most DoorDash drivers, proper insurance coverage is much more important and cost-effective than forming an LLC. Make sure your auto policy covers delivery driving (many personal policies don't) and consider a rider for this specific use. The liability protection from good insurance will be more practical than an LLC for the typical delivery driver.
Great question! I went through this exact situation when I started doing gig work alongside my regular job. Here's what I wish someone had told me upfront: The biggest thing to understand is that you're essentially running a small business now, even if it's just part-time DoorDash. This means you'll need to think like a business owner about taxes and record-keeping. First, open a separate checking account just for your DoorDash earnings and expenses. This makes tracking so much easier come tax time. I learned this the hard way after trying to sort through months of mixed transactions in my personal account. Second, set aside 25-30% of every DoorDash payment immediately for taxes. I know it seems like a lot, but between federal income tax, state tax (if applicable), and the 15.3% self-employment tax, it adds up quickly. Having that money already set aside prevents the shock of owing thousands at tax time. For the quarterly payments - if your W-2 job already withholds enough to cover 90% of your total tax liability (including the DoorDash income), you might not need to make quarterly payments. But it's usually safer to make them anyway to avoid any surprises. One last tip: track your "active delivery time" vs total time. You can only deduct mileage for when you're actually on a delivery or driving to pick up an order, not when you're just sitting in a parking lot waiting for orders to come in. Good luck rebuilding your finances! The extra income from DoorDash can really help, just stay on top of the tax side from day one.
This is incredibly helpful advice, Sean! The separate checking account tip is something I hadn't thought of but makes total sense. Quick question - when you say set aside 25-30%, is that a flat rate you use regardless of how much you make from DoorDash, or does it depend on your regular job's tax bracket? I'm worried about setting aside too little since my W-2 job already puts me in a decent tax bracket. Also, about the "active delivery time" - does this mean I can't deduct the miles driving to my usual DoorDash area to start my shift? Like if I drive 10 minutes from home to the busier part of town where I typically wait for orders?
Has anyone tried using any of the tax software packages to track S-corp basis over multiple years? I've been using a spreadsheet but it's getting unwieldy. I've heard QuickBooks doesn't really handle it well, but wondering if any of the tax packages do?
I use Drake Tax software for my S-corps and it has a decent basis worksheet function. It's not perfect - you still need to input all the historical info correctly - but once set up it does track year to year pretty well. Most of the professional tax software (UltraTax, Lacerte, ProSeries) have some version of this. Probably overkill if you're just doing one S-corp though.
I've been dealing with S-corp basis issues for years and want to clarify something that might help. The ordering rules are actually laid out in IRC Section 1367, and they're pretty rigid: 1. Start with beginning stock basis 2. Add: Income items (including tax-exempt income) 3. Add: Additional paid-in capital contributions 4. Subtract: Distributions (but not below zero) 5. Subtract: Non-deductible expenses 6. Subtract: Losses and deductions So in your case, Henry, your $18.5k additional paid-in capital does create basis that's available for distributions before your current year loss hits. But here's the key detail some people miss - if you take a distribution that exceeds your basis after steps 1-3, that excess becomes taxable as capital gain. One more thing about those suspended losses: they stay suspended indefinitely until you create enough basis to absorb them. They don't disappear, but they also don't factor into the current year ordering calculation. Think of them as sitting in a separate bucket waiting for future basis. Documentation is crucial here. The IRS loves to challenge S-corp basis calculations on audit, so keep detailed records of when you made the capital contribution and any distributions.
This is really helpful clarification on the IRC Section 1367 ordering! I'm a newcomer here but have been wrestling with similar S-corp basis issues. One question about the documentation you mentioned - what specific records would you recommend keeping for the additional paid-in capital contribution? I made mine via wire transfer but want to make sure I have everything documented properly in case of an audit. Should I also be keeping some kind of formal corporate resolution authorizing the contribution, or is the bank record sufficient?
I'm having the exact same problem! Been getting that "We are not able to provide assistance to you via the identity verification tool" message for the past 4 days now. It's so frustrating because I've been using that verification portal for years without any issues, and now suddenly I'm completely locked out. What's really annoying is how the error message makes it sound like there's something sketchy about your account when it's clearly just their system being broken. I was genuinely worried for a minute that I'd been flagged for identity theft or something until I found this thread and realized it's happening to tons of people. I tried all the usual troubleshooting - different browsers, clearing cache, using my phone instead of computer, even tried from my friend's house thinking maybe it was an IP issue. Nothing works! At least the regular Where's My Refund tool is still functioning, but you're right that it doesn't give nearly as much detail as the verification portal usually does. Really hoping they fix this soon because I filed electronically on January 31st and I'm getting antsy about my refund status. The fact that the IRS hasn't even acknowledged this is a known issue is pretty disappointing - would it kill them to put up a simple status notice?
I'm dealing with the exact same thing! Filed on Feb 1st and have been hitting that same error wall for days now. What's really getting to me is how they word it - makes you think you're under investigation or something when it's clearly just their system being wonky. I was panicking until I found all these comments showing it's widespread. The lack of any official communication from the IRS about this is honestly the most frustrating part. Like just put up a banner saying "hey, this tool is temporarily broken" instead of making us all think we did something wrong! š¤
I've been experiencing the exact same issue for over a week now! That "We are not able to provide assistance to you via the identity verification tool" error message is so misleading - it really makes you think there's something wrong with your specific account when it's clearly a widespread system problem. What's particularly frustrating is that I've been using the IRS verification portal successfully for the past few years, and now I'm suddenly locked out with no explanation. I filed my return on January 30th, so I'm definitely past the 21-day window, which makes the waiting even more nerve-wracking. Like everyone else, I've tried every possible fix - different browsers, devices, clearing cache, using mobile data instead of wifi - absolutely nothing works. The randomness of who's affected (some people can still access it fine while others are completely blocked) really confirms this is a backend issue on their end. The most annoying part is the complete lack of communication from the IRS about this. A simple status banner saying "identity verification tool temporarily unavailable" would save thousands of taxpayers from panicking and thinking they're being investigated for fraud. Instead, we're all left guessing and turning to forums like this to figure out what's going on. At least the basic Where's My Refund tool is still working, but it's frustrating to lose access to the detailed processing information. Hopefully they get this sorted out soon because tax season stress is bad enough without broken government websites making it worse! š¤¦āāļø
This is exactly what I've been going through too! Filed on Feb 3rd and been locked out since last Thursday. What really bugs me is how that error message is worded - it's like they're trying to make us feel guilty or suspicious when it's obviously just their system having problems. I was starting to think maybe my return got flagged for something until I saw all these comments. It's crazy that with all the technology available today, a major government agency can't even put up a basic status update when their tools break. Thanks for sharing your experience - makes me feel way less alone in this mess! š
5 One more thing to consider is the new reporting requirements from payment processors. Starting in 2023, platforms like PayPal, Venmo, and eBay are required to send 1099-K forms for anyone with more than $600 in annual transactions. This doesn't change what's taxable (selling personal items at a loss still isn't taxable income), but it does mean you might receive a 1099-K that includes BOTH your business sales AND personal item sales if you use the same account. When you get that form, you'll need to reconcile it on your tax return - reporting your business income on Schedule C while explaining that a portion of the 1099-K amount was from non-taxable personal item sales.
1 Oh crap, I didn't know about the $600 reporting threshold! I definitely sold more than that in personal stuff this year clearing out my apartment. How exactly do you "explain" on your tax return that some of it wasn't taxable? Is there a specific form?
You don't need a specific form to explain the difference! When you receive a 1099-K that includes both business and personal sales, you report your actual business income on Schedule C as usual. Then, if there's a discrepancy between what's on the 1099-K and what you're reporting as business income, you can attach a statement explaining that a portion was from non-taxable personal item sales. Many tax software programs now have built-in fields to help reconcile 1099-K forms that include mixed transaction types. The key is keeping good records showing which sales were business inventory vs personal items, especially if you're using the same PayPal or eBay account for both. The IRS is aware that these 1099-K forms often include non-taxable transactions, so they're not expecting every dollar on the form to be reported as income. Just be prepared to explain the difference if asked!
Just to add another perspective - I've been dealing with this exact situation for three years now. One thing that really helped me was setting up completely separate PayPal/eBay accounts for business vs personal sales from the start. My business account handles all the inventory I buy specifically to resell, and my personal account is just for clearing out stuff around the house. When tax time comes, I get separate 1099-K forms and it makes everything so much cleaner to track. If you're already mixing them on the same account, it's not too late to separate going forward. The documentation headache of proving what was personal vs business gets much easier when you can just point to different accounts. Plus it makes your bookkeeping way simpler throughout the year. Also, for those vintage collectibles that might have appreciated - take photos and do a little research on sold listings before you price them. You might be surprised what some of that old stuff is worth, and it's better to know upfront if you're looking at a potential capital gain situation.
That's really smart advice about separating the accounts! I wish I had thought of that from the beginning. I'm definitely going to set up a separate personal account going forward - dealing with one mixed 1099-K this year was confusing enough. Quick question though - if I switch to separate accounts now, do I need to tell the IRS about the change somehow? Or do I just start using the new setup and it'll be obvious from next year's forms that they're separate activities? Also totally agree about researching values first. I almost sold some old Pokemon cards for like $20 before discovering they were worth way more. Would have been a nasty surprise at tax time if I hadn't checked!
Mateo Sanchez
Important thing nobody mentioned yet - make sure your sister properly reports any taxable portion of her condo sale on her taxes! If she sold a primary residence she lived in for at least 2 of the last 5 years, she likely qualifies for the capital gains exclusion (up to $250k for single filers), meaning she might not owe taxes anyway. The temporary deposit in your joint account doesn't change anything about how she reports the sale. She should receive a 1099-S if the sale was handled by a title company, and she'll report everything on her return using Schedule D and Form 8949 if needed.
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Freya Christensen
ā¢Thanks for bringing this up! She did live there for about 3 years before selling, so that exclusion should apply. She mentioned her closing company would be sending her some tax forms, which must be the 1099-S you mentioned. I'll make sure she knows to report everything properly on her end.
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Matthew Sanchez
Just want to add another perspective here - I work at a credit union and see these situations fairly regularly. The key thing to remember is that banks report cash transactions over $10,000 through CTRs (Currency Transaction Reports), but this is purely for regulatory compliance, not tax purposes. These reports go to FinCEN (Financial Crimes Enforcement Network) and are used to track potential money laundering or other financial crimes. They're not automatically shared with the IRS for tax enforcement purposes, and receiving one doesn't mean you owe taxes or need to report anything additional. Your situation sounds completely normal - family members often use joint accounts for convenience when handling large transactions like real estate sales. As long as the money's source is legitimate (which a documented condo sale clearly is) and your sister reports any taxable gains on her return, you have nothing to worry about. The paper trail you already have (sale documents, deposit records, transfer to her individual account) is perfect documentation if any questions ever arise.
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Omar Farouk
ā¢This is really helpful insight from someone who actually works in banking! I've been wondering about the difference between those regulatory reports and actual tax reporting. So just to clarify - when the bank files a CTR for my sister's deposit, that report doesn't automatically get sent to the IRS tax division? It's more like a separate compliance thing that stays with FinCEN unless there's suspicious activity? I feel much better knowing this is a routine situation you see at your credit union. The whole thing had me worried I'd accidentally created some tax nightmare, but it sounds like as long as we have good documentation (which we do), everything should be fine.
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