Have you tried reaching META through their investor relations department? Sounds weird but it worked for me with a similar issue. They're much more responsive because they deal with actual humans and money questions. Also check your wage and income transcript from the IRS (you can get it online through their website) to see if there are any other surprise 1099s or W-2s you don't recognize. If someone has your SSN they might be using it with multiple companies.

This is such a frustrating situation, but you're getting some great advice here! I went through something similar with a different company and want to add a few things that helped me: First, when you contact META (however you manage to reach them), ask specifically for their "Tax Document Error Resolution" department. Don't let them transfer you to general customer service - be very specific about needing to correct an erroneous 1099-MISC. Second, consider filing a complaint with your state's Attorney General's office. Many AGs have consumer protection divisions that will contact companies on your behalf, especially for identity theft cases. It's free and sometimes gets faster results than individual attempts. Third, document EVERYTHING with timestamps - every phone call, email attempt, chat session, even the failed ones. The IRS wants to see you made good faith efforts to resolve this before filing. One more thing - when you do get this resolved, ask META to send you a corrected 1099-MISC showing $0 income. Don't just accept their word that they've "fixed it internally." You need paper proof for your records in case this ever comes up again in an audit. Stay strong - identity theft cases like this do get resolved, it just takes persistence and the right documentation!

Don't forget that if you sell any of these shares, you'll need to specify the cost basis method to your broker (FIFO, specific identification, etc). With inherited stock that was later subject to spinoffs, specific identification is usually best so you can strategically select which tax lots to sell first.

I'm dealing with a similar inherited stock situation and this thread has been incredibly helpful! One thing I'd add from my recent experience is to check if your current UTMA custodian has any historical cost basis records they can provide before you transfer. Even if they don't have complete information for pre-2011 holdings, they might have some documentation that could save you research time. Also, when you're gathering all the spinoff allocation information, make sure to note the exact dates of each distribution. The IRS can be particular about using the correct valuation dates, especially for inherited securities where the stepped-up basis calculation is involved. Having precise dates will help if you need to look up historical stock prices for any manual calculations. Good luck with the transfer process - it sounds like you're getting great advice here about the various resources available to help with these complex basis calculations!

Has anyone actually tried using the IRS Free File options for reporting freelance income? I'm in almost the exact same situation (Fiverr freelancer, payments to PayPal, income under $10k) and wondering if I can use the free options or if I need to pay for the premium versions of tax software.

Great to hear you got it sorted out with FreeTaxUSA! For anyone else reading this thread, I want to emphasize a key point that came up - keeping good records throughout the year is crucial for freelancers. Even though you can file with just the 1099-K from PayPal, you should still track your income and expenses separately. Create a simple spreadsheet with columns for date, client/platform, amount earned, and any business expenses. This makes tax time so much easier and ensures you don't miss any deductions. Also, since you're making under $9,500, you might not owe self-employment tax, but you should still file to establish a record with the IRS. And if you expect to earn more next year, consider making quarterly estimated tax payments to avoid penalties. One last tip - save all your documentation (PayPal statements, bank records, expense receipts) for at least 3 years in case of an audit. Digital copies are fine, just make sure they're backed up somewhere safe.

Does anyone know if you need a SEIN (State Employer Identification Number) in California just to issue 1099s? I'm in the same boat - freelancer in California occasionally hiring other freelancers, but I don't have any employees. Getting conflicting info about whether I need to register with EDD just to issue a few 1099s.

As someone who went through this exact situation last year as a California-based event planner hiring contractors across multiple states, I can share what I learned! The key thing to understand is that as an individual freelancer (not a business entity), your reporting obligations are much simpler than what corporations deal with. You're only required to report to California since that's where you're based and file your taxes. For boxes 5-7 on the 1099-NEC: - Box 5: Enter "CA" (your state) - Box 6: Leave blank if you don't have a California state employer ID (which you don't need as a freelancer with only independent contractors) - Box 7: Enter the full payment amount The contractors you hired are responsible for reporting their income to their respective home states (AZ, NY, CO). You don't need to file 1099s in those states unless you have a business registration or physical presence there, which it sounds like you don't. One important tip: Make sure you have W-9 forms from all your contractors before filing. This ensures you have the correct tax ID numbers and addresses, which prevents TIN mismatch penalties from the IRS. Track1099 should handle the electronic filing process smoothly once you have the boxes filled out correctly. You're doing great by getting this sorted out - many freelancers miss this requirement entirely!

Just a practical tip from someone who had to deal with this exact situation - if you end up having to fill out the W-8BEN-E as an individual (which is not ideal but sometimes unavoidable with PayPal), here's what worked for me: Part I: Fill out your personal information, using your name as the "organization" name Line 3: Check box for "Individual" Part III: Only complete if your country has a tax treaty with the US Parts IV-XXVIII: Leave completely blank Part XXX: Sign and date as an individual PayPal accepted this even though it's technically the wrong form. Their system is notoriously inflexible about these things.

I went through this exact same PayPal nightmare about 6 months ago! What finally worked for me was a combination of the approaches mentioned here. First, I tried the Claimyr service to get through to an actual PayPal representative - it took about 40 minutes but I finally reached someone who understood the issue. The rep explained that their system automatically flags certain accounts for W-8BEN-E based on transaction patterns, even for individuals. She walked me through two options: either convert my account type (which would take 5-7 business days and require re-verification) or complete the W-8BEN-E using the individual approach that Amelia outlined. I chose the second option since I needed my account restored quickly. Following her guidance, I filled out the form exactly as suggested - used my personal name as the organization, checked "Individual" on line 3, and left most sections blank. The key thing she emphasized was being consistent with how I originally set up my account. Form was accepted within 24 hours and my account was fully restored. Sometimes you just have to work within PayPal's flawed system rather than fight it!