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Has anyone successfully gotten an automatic revocation reversed? We missed 3 years of 990n filings because our treasurer had health issues, and now we're trying to get back in compliance. IRS website is confusing about the reinstatement process.
Yes, it's definitely possible to get reinstated after an automatic revocation! You'll need to file Form 1023 or 1023-EZ (depending on your org size) and pay the user fee. Look for the "streamlined retroactive reinstatement" option if it's been less than 15 months since revocation. For small nonprofits, the 1023-EZ is much simpler and has a lower fee (around $275 vs $600). You'll also need to include a statement explaining your reasonable cause for failing to file. Focus on circumstances beyond your control, like health issues, and explain what you've put in place to ensure timely filing in the future.
Thank you! I didn't realize the 1023-EZ might be an option for us. We definitely qualify since we're tiny. Hoping the health reasons will be considered reasonable cause. I'll start working on the reinstatement paperwork this week!
I went through this exact same situation last year when I suddenly became treasurer for our local theater group! The panic is real, but you're going to be fine. Here's what helped me the most: First, don't stress too much about being late - as others mentioned, you have a grace period before any serious consequences. The IRS is surprisingly understanding about transitions like yours. Before you start the filing process, gather these basics: - Your organization's EIN (should be on any previous tax documents) - The exact legal name of your nonprofit as registered with the IRS - Your current address and any address changes since the last filing - Gross receipts amount for the tax year you're filing One tip that saved me: when you get to the IRS portal, bookmark the exact page once you're logged in. The site times out frequently, and having the direct link makes it much faster to get back in if you get kicked out mid-process. Also, consider setting up a simple calendar reminder system for next year's filing (due May 15th annually). I use a recurring reminder starting in March to avoid this stress again! You've got this - taking responsibility and asking for help shows you're exactly the right person to handle this transition properly.
This is such helpful practical advice! I'm in a very similar boat - just took over as treasurer for our small community garden nonprofit after our previous treasurer retired unexpectedly. The EIN tip is especially good since I was wondering where to find that. One question about the calendar reminder system - do you set multiple reminders leading up to the deadline, or just one early warning? I'm trying to figure out the best way to avoid this panic situation next year. Also, did you find the IRS portal works better at certain times of day? I've heard government websites can be slow during peak hours. Thanks for the encouragement - it really helps to know other people have successfully navigated this transition!
I went through this exact same situation last year! The "Where's My Refund" tool is notoriously unhelpful when it comes to rejected direct deposits - it often shows the refund as "sent" even when the bank has already returned it to the IRS. Here's what typically happens: When your bank rejects the deposit (which they definitely would for a closed account), they send the funds back to the IRS within 1-2 business days. The IRS then has to process the returned funds and issue a paper check, which usually takes 2-3 weeks from the date of the rejected deposit. Since your refund shows as deposited on February 15th, I'd expect your bank rejected it around February 16th-17th, meaning your paper check was likely issued around early March. You should be receiving it any day now if you haven't already! One thing to double-check: make sure the mailing address on your tax return is current. If you moved and used your new address on the return, you should be fine. If not, definitely set up mail forwarding with USPS just in case. Don't panic - your money isn't lost! The IRS is just slow to update their systems when these situations occur.
This is really helpful information! I'm actually dealing with a similar situation right now where my refund shows as "sent" but I know my account was closed. It's reassuring to know this is a common issue and that the money isn't just lost in the system. Quick question - when you say the paper check was issued around early March, do you mean that's when it was actually mailed out, or when it was processed internally? I'm trying to figure out if I should expect mine this week or if it might take a bit longer. Thanks for breaking down the timeline so clearly!
When I say "issued around early March," I mean that's typically when the IRS processes the returned deposit and cuts the actual paper check - so it would be mailed out around that timeframe. From my experience, once the check is issued/mailed, it usually takes another 5-10 business days to actually arrive depending on your location and mail delivery times. So if your situation mirrors the original poster's timeline (refund showing as deposited Feb 15th), you'd be looking at the check being mailed sometime in the first week of March, which means you should definitely expect it this week or early next week at the latest. One tip: if it's been more than 4 weeks since your refund showed as "sent" and you still haven't received a paper check, that's when I'd recommend calling the IRS directly to check on the status. But based on typical processing times, you should be seeing it very soon!
I went through something very similar two years ago and want to share what I learned! When the IRS website shows your refund was "deposited" but your account was already closed, it's showing the initial attempt, not the actual successful transaction. Here's the typical timeline: Your bank likely rejected the deposit within 24-48 hours of February 15th and returned the funds to the IRS. The IRS then needs 10-21 business days to process the returned payment and issue a paper check. Given that your deposit attempt was February 15th, you should expect your paper check to arrive sometime in mid-to-late March. I'd recommend calling your old bank first to confirm they rejected and returned the deposit - this gave me peace of mind that the money wasn't stuck somewhere. You can also check that your current mailing address matches what you put on your tax return. The good news is that this process is automatic once the bank returns the funds, so you don't need to do anything special to trigger the paper check. Just be patient - the IRS systems are notoriously slow to update, but your refund will come!
This is super helpful! I'm actually in a very similar boat right now - filed in early February, refund shows as "sent" on the 18th, but I found out my old account was closed due to inactivity after I moved states. Been stressing about it for weeks thinking my money was lost somewhere in the system. Your timeline breakdown really helps put things in perspective. If my deposit attempt was February 18th, sounds like I should expect the paper check sometime around late March/early April based on the 10-21 business day processing window you mentioned. I'm definitely going to call my old bank tomorrow to confirm they rejected and returned the deposit - that's such a smart idea to get that confirmation. At least then I'll know for sure the money is making its way back through the proper channels. Thanks for sharing your experience and the realistic timeline expectations!
This has been such a valuable discussion! As a newcomer to options trading, I was completely overwhelmed by wash sale rules and honestly avoiding certain profitable setups because I wasn't sure about the tax implications. Reading through everyone's experiences, it's clear that the key insight is understanding what "substantially identical securities" actually means for options. The fact that different strike prices OR different expiration dates generally break this test gives so much more trading flexibility than I initially realized. I'm particularly impressed by the practical strategies shared here - the "strike ladder" approach for maintaining similar exposure while clearly avoiding wash sales is brilliant. And the emphasis on keeping detailed records resonates strongly, especially given how many people mentioned inaccuracies in Robinhood's reporting. One question for the group: for someone just starting to track trades manually, what's the minimum level of detail you'd recommend in a spreadsheet? I want to make sure I capture everything necessary without making it so complex that I won't keep up with it consistently. Thanks to everyone who shared real-world experiences rather than just theoretical tax advice. This thread has given me the confidence to approach options trading more strategically while staying compliant with wash sale rules!
Welcome to options trading! For tracking spreadsheet basics, I'd recommend these essential columns: Date, Underlying Symbol, Option Type (Call/Put), Strike Price, Expiration Date, Quantity, Action (Buy/Sell), Premium Per Contract, Total Premium, and P&L. Also add a "Potential Wash Sale?" column where you can flag trades that might need closer review - this saves time during tax season. The key is starting simple and adding complexity only as needed. Even this basic tracking will put you miles ahead of relying solely on broker reporting. From my experience, the most important thing is consistency - better to track fewer details religiously than to create an overly complex system you abandon after a few weeks. You can always add more columns later as your trading evolves! The confidence boost from understanding these rules and having your own records is incredible. You'll find yourself making much better strategic decisions once you're not paralyzed by wash sale uncertainty.
This thread has been incredibly helpful! I'm new to options trading and was getting really anxious about wash sale rules after reading some conflicting information online. Your AMZN example is exactly the kind of situation I was worried about. Based on everyone's experiences shared here, it's reassuring to know that options with different strike prices OR different expiration dates are generally not considered "substantially identical securities." This gives me much more confidence to execute my trading strategies without being paralyzed by wash sale fears. I'm definitely going to start implementing the spreadsheet tracking system that multiple people have recommended. The fact that so many experienced traders have caught discrepancies in Robinhood's reporting makes it clear that keeping my own detailed records is essential, not just helpful. One thing I'm curious about - for someone who primarily trades weekly options on popular stocks like SPY, AAPL, and TSLA, how granular should I get with my record keeping? Should I track every single weekly contract separately, or is there a more efficient way to organize this data while still maintaining compliance? Thanks to everyone for sharing real-world experiences instead of just repeating generic tax advice. This discussion has been a game changer for my understanding of wash sale rules with options!
Reading the comments, I'm still confused about one thing. My son's 1098-T shows a big amount in Box 4 ($3270) but nothing in Box 1. If they adjusted a prior year payment, shouldn't that money show up somewhere on this year's form?
Not necessarily. Box 4 only tells you they're making an adjustment to what was reported in a prior year. It doesn't automatically mean that amount gets reported somewhere else on this year's form. It could be that they reported payments in a previous year that should never have been reported at all (maybe your son got a retroactive waiver or something). Or it could be timing - maybe they realized the payment belongs to a different tax year entirely, like 2024.
Based on what you've described, you're in a pretty straightforward situation. Since you didn't claim any education credits in 2021 and your scholarships exceeded your qualified expenses that year, the Box 4 adjustment of $2,016.12 likely won't require you to amend your previous return. Here's what I'd recommend: First, check your 2021 1098-T to see if that $2,016.12 was included in Box 1 (payments received) that year. If it was, and you didn't use it for education credits because your scholarships already covered everything, then removing it now doesn't change your 2021 tax situation. For your 2022 return, you only need to worry about the $1,425 in Box 5. Since you dropped the classes and presumably didn't have qualifying expenses to offset this scholarship amount, that $1,425 would be taxable income for 2022. The Box 4 adjustment is just the school's way of saying "we reported this payment in the wrong year previously" - but if you weren't getting tax benefits from it anyway, the correction doesn't hurt you.
This is really helpful, thanks! Just to make sure I understand - when you say to check if the $2,016.12 was in Box 1 of my 2021 1098-T, what exactly am I looking for? Should I see that exact amount, or could it be part of a larger number in Box 1? Also, you mentioned the $1,425 would be taxable income since I dropped the classes - does this get reported as "other income" on my tax return, or is there a specific line for scholarship income that exceeded expenses?
Mateo Warren
Don't forget to check if you need to issue 1099s to LLCs! This tripped me up. If an LLC is taxed as a sole proprietorship or partnership, you DO need to issue a 1099. If they're taxed as a corporation, you DON'T. That's why the W-9 is important - it should indicate their tax classification. If they checked "Individual/sole proprietor" or "LLC" (with no corporation selection), you need to issue the 1099. If they checked "C Corporation" or "S Corporation," you typically don't.
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Sofia Price
ā¢What about payments made through credit cards or PayPal? I heard those don't require 1099s even if they're over $600?
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GalaxyGuardian
ā¢You're correct! If you paid contractors through third-party payment processors like PayPal, Venmo, credit card processors, or other payment networks, you generally don't need to issue 1099-NECs. The payment processor is responsible for issuing 1099-Ks to the contractors if they meet certain thresholds. However, if you paid contractors by check, cash, wire transfer, or direct bank transfer, then you DO need to issue 1099-NECs for amounts $600 and above. This is why it's helpful to keep track of your payment methods when working with contractors throughout the year.
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Evelyn Xu
Great question! I went through this exact same process last year as a new business owner. Here are a few additional tips that helped me: 1) **Keep detailed records throughout the year** - Don't wait until tax season to organize your contractor payments. I created a simple spreadsheet tracking contractor names, total payments, and W-9 status as I went. 2) **Double-check your W-9s NOW** - Make sure the names on the W-9s match exactly how you'll report them on the 1099s. Any mismatches can cause headaches later. 3) **Consider your business growth** - If you think you'll have more contractors next year, investing in a system like the ones mentioned above might be worth it for the long term, even if the upfront cost seems high for just a few forms. 4) **State requirements vary** - Some states have their own 1099 filing requirements with different deadlines. Make sure to check your state's specific rules. The January 31st deadline comes up fast, so don't put this off! I learned that lesson the hard way when I almost missed the deadline my first year.
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StarStrider
ā¢This is really helpful advice! I'm curious about the state requirements you mentioned - how do you find out what your specific state requires? Is there a central place to look this up, or do you have to dig through each state's tax department website? I'm in California and want to make sure I don't miss anything on the state level.
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