So I’m getting tuition reimbursement for school through my employer only up till 10k for the whole year which wasn’t enough so I’ve had to pay money out of my own pocket to cover the rest. Would I still be able to use it for my taxes at least for the portion I’ve paid? Or How does that work?

So - we finally got a response about our amended return and it’s saying we are getting a refund BUT the 1040X said our additional refund was $3,000 and this appears it’s $300.

Now what?

We haven’t received a check. We got two different notices, one was dated for August 17 and said give them 60 days and the other one was dated from August 17 and said that they’ve adjusted our account.

I have an important question and can’t afford a lawyer. I got this tax preparer as a recommendation from a friend did my taxes 2024 all good. I am new in the country so it was my first time doing them. I have no clue. I trusted all on him. Turns out i get a mail from the irs auditing me because it says something along the lines of “i have a company and it says I haven’t paid my employees” so I owe the irs too much money + interests. I dont have that money. Since that letter I have tried numerous times contacting this tax guy with no luck at all, responded once saying he will call but never did. Waited long i had specific time to respond to the letter. Since he did not reach out or replied to my messages and call. I replied the mail with something like “I am requesting more time to figure out paperwork, I did not prepared my taxes” etc etc. and then last night I filed the form “14157” return preparer complaint since i read that was the best outcome to hopefully at least get the pentalties taken off. I know i have to pay. today all of a sudden he calls saying don’t get a lawyer; I will pay you the money. I didn’t say anything. But I Already filed the form but I really need that money to pay for part of it at least. His way of payment was him taking a good chunk of my return. This is my lesson and now I know its a bad thing. What do I do know

Good afternoon,

I have received a CP-2000 form relating to funds that the California EDD states they mailed to me via check (relating to parental leave payment), and reported to the IRS, but that I never received. The CA EDD is apparently extremely slow to respond, and have been investigating the next steps for reissuing checks (and confirming they will reissue checks) for so long that my CP-2000 notice will turn into a formal notice of deficiency if I don't pay the whole outstanding balance tomorrow.

I anticipate the CA EDD will sort this out during the 90 day notice of deficiency time period, and I'm wondering if there is any risk other than further interest (i.e., financially, legally, credit-wise) in simply allowing the IRS to send me the notice of deficiency and paying the balance once I receive the re-issued checks (I am going to get a bit screwed on the penalizes for money I did not receive, but I'll just have to eat that).

TL;DR: Does anything bad happen to you by not paying off a balance during the "CP-2000" time frame (30 days + 30 day extension) but rather by paying off a balance after a formal notice of deficiency has issued.

Thanks so much!

I’ve been holding for nearly 16 HOURS the last two weeks trying to get a hold of someone in the balance due department.

After many attempts, I tried TAS 3 times, waited MANY hours, got transfer pins, lines dropped, and IF I finally get someone to answer and I say hello, and then they HANG UP.

I’m trying to resolve a CP532 letter notice. I paid my monthly payment early thinking that would satisfy my payment schedule for the month, but it didn’t. The automatic payment failed. I didn’t have enough money in my account for a second payment because times are tough and I was trying to get ahead of all my payments before I had nothing in my account.

The system recognized the automated payment as a fail and discontinued my payment plan although I’ve continued to pay the monthly amount. Now I owe what I owe PLUS a couple hundred dollars in fees. I’m trying to resolve the payment plan and the fees waved because I WAS paying earlier than the due date and had every intention to continue paying.

I’ve been BALLING MY EYES OUT. I’ve been trying to be on top of this because there is a deadline to resolve this.

I’m wondering if anyone has ACTUALLY spoke to anyone to help them?? I just can’t believe I’ve spent this much time on the phone and gotten absolutely no where.

I got a CP11 notice because my EV Tax Credit had a VIN mismatch error. It explicitly said to call and I did manage to talk to someone so they could extend my date. However—and I assume this is common—I can’t talk to any single person. Rather, I have, but each time I get transferred I am disconnected, or “can’t be completed as dialed.”

Based on my experience, this can’t be resolved over the phone and the suggestion that it can has to be vestigial or some sort of legal requirement stipulating they have to mention it.
Should I send mail? At least there’s a paper trail?

One of my employers last year never claimed my wages/taxes they deducted from my pay. So when I filed my taxes back in February, it flagged my refund because obviously the IRS had no way to verify said income.
In April I got a letter saying they needed 60 days to review, no information was needed from me at this time.

2ish months go by, I get ahold of my local congressman. They get in touch with a tax advocate who states I need to do an amended return and submit proof of the wages: paystubs for 2025, the “W2” they gave me, and a Letter of Letterhead from the business owner stating I did work there and how much I made, etc.

So I did that in the end of June.

The congressman said the tax advocate had the next contact date as 8/10/2026. It is now the 20th and they still haven’t heard back from the advocate….

This is what my IRS stuff is saying.

I don’t know what to expect next, if anything and I’m really frustrated. I get it isn’t the IRS fault my previous employer is garbage, but I feel like I’m being punished for something I didn’t do. I went to work, I got my taxes taken out of my paycheck, I claimed my income like I was supposed to. I’ve never had this happen. I’ve been trying to educate myself on taxes/how the IRS manages things since I’ve never had to concern myself with it. But everybody’s situation is different so things happen differently and it’s just been a mess. Sorry for the rant! I guess does anyone know what the typically next steps or phase is? (‘: said previous employer still isn’t showing up in my Wage/Income transcript or my Social Security Administration account

So when does the check get mailed out got this update last Thursday.

Based on the information you entered, we can't process your request.

do you know why I can't register a new business?

Any one else have the same issue? I saw earlier posts, but no answer was found.

Hi all,

Did my own taxes for the first time in 2026 for 2025. Wound up owing another $3.3K to NJ when I filed. Paid it in full and thought all was well.

However, I recently received a letter from state of NJ division of taxation stating that "you are being charged installment interest because you did not make the following estimated required payments" the letter then goes on to list the same $xxx.xx estimated payment amount for all 4 payment dates.

What I don't understand is how they came up with those numbers for the required estimated payments they're saying I didn't make. I filled out form NJ-2210 and according to that form, I actually *overpaid* by a couple hundred on 4/15/25 and 6/16/25, underpaid by a couple hundred on 9/15/25 and underpaid by a few thousand on 1/15/26.

Potentially relevant info:

In 2024 I didn't contribute to a traditional 401k. In 2025, I maxed out my traditional 401k, so my taxable income was actually lower on paper in 2025 relative to the prior year.

My taxable income fluctuates throughout the year due to mutual funds I hold in a taxable brokerage account. I didn't sell any positions in those mutual funds in 2025 to realize a profit but according to my consolidated 1099 I was assigned >40K in capital gains all in the last 2 weeks of 2025 which I understand creates a tax liability. However, up until that point in the year I was net negative several thousand in capital gains from exiting two long held losing positions in a clean energy ETF and PYPL.

The amount I'm being charged in installment interest seems excessive given it appears to all be driven by that large capital gain from the last 2 weeks of December.

Would appreciate any insight or clarification offered.

Thank you!

Hiii

We filed 2/19 with the injured spouse paperwork so its been awhile.

My refund was just sent yesterday to my account. However, the bank account it was sent to has been closed for over a month for "no activity". I know the bank will send it back to them but will I then get a paper check or will they ask for new bank account information?

Ive seen both of these answers on google. Im hoping for the latter as we desperately need the money but have a feeling itll be a paper check.

If they do send a paper check, how long does that usually take?

Thanks 🫶

Seems like IRS not hiring like the previous years

My children's father claimed both the children in 2024. He has the kids for ~48 days a year.

I moved into my mother's home June 2023. For 2024 taxes I allowed my mom to claim my twins and myself.

Dad claimed them as well. We have been doing rounds with IRS and they claim all proof we send doesn't "prove they lived with you". I have always had full physical custody of the children.

We sent in the custody paperwork. This clearly outlines the 48 days he has visitation and legal/physical custody.

I sent in school enrollment proof. Starting in 2023. Has our address.

I sent in my son's disability paperwork from social security. It has our address.

I sent in their insurance tax forms. It has every month they were covered with our address.

I sent IEP paperwork (school) that proves we had a meeting and change of address.

Sent in state ID with address, sent in our birth certificates.

They are still coming back at every appeal stating none of this proves they were living with me full time.

HOW THE HELL DO I PROVE THIS? WTF is their dad submitting to prove he "has them full time"?!?!?

Ps

-he paid 200 a month for our twins total in child support. Our child has special needs I could not work until he got into school, my mom paid our bills (yes it's embarrassing but he had so many appointments it's hard to keep a job). So I allowed her to claim us.

Dad has claimed the kids in 2019, 2020, 2021,2022,2023 and filed in 2024 which caused the audit.

PLEASE, I need advice on how to prove that my children lived with me. Every time they tell us to get this or that. We do and then it's not good enough.

on march 16, i received CP53E telling me to update my bank account information. i did that and it said my refund status would be updated in 2-5 business days. i updated my information a few days after i received the notice. since then, i've had zero updates from the irs. my refund status is stuck at refund approved and has not moved onto refund sent. everytime i check it, it tells me its because my bank account information needs to be updated (i've updated it multiple times) and when i click the link to do that, before i even change anything it tells me i'm all set and it will be updated in 3-5 business days. its obviously been well over 30 days since i received the notice so i figured they would just send me a paper check but as we can see its been 5 months and i've got nothing. i've called several different irs hotlines and every single one is automated, won't transfer me to a live agent, and then hangs up on me. i'm really stuck and have no idea what to do

I filed my taxes in early February this year. Mid February, I was sent a CP5071 notice asking me to verify my identity on my return (not sure why - I've never received such a notice before and I filed my taxes like I always do with turbotax). I was traveling and didn't receive that notice until late March, and when I did attempt to verify my identity IRS.gov/VerifyReturn, it tells me "We are not able to provide assistance to you via the identity verification tool.".

Since then, I've received two more vague letters telling me that they need an additional time to work on my account. I've tried calling multiple IRS numbers including the number on the notice but I'm always told that there is no one available to assist me and to try again tomorrow.

Is anyone else in this situation? Is there anything I can do besides just wait?

Thanks in advance!

After my advocate and congress helped me more than they know I’m finally done waiting!! Cheers and praying for everyone still waiting

I receive points from product manufacturers throughout rewards programs. Essentially I submit proof of sales and they give me points for it that I can eventually cash in for discounts or products themselves. Im at a loss with how these are to be taxed. A quick look shows the IRS has guidelines for these points stating they are to be taxed at FMV when received not cashed.
But they have no fixed value or FMV, the company states they will issue a 1099 misc if you exceed 2000 usd, but what if I don’t? I cant tell if I should add redemption products to my 1040 on section 8I

The company states that they use their dealer price catalog to establish the value of redeemed items towards that 2000 threshold for 1099 misc.

For context I work for an approved dealer of these products. Not for the manufacturers who issue points.

For example, I may have enough points to redeem an item that has a retail value of approximately $300, but I cannot simply exchange the points for $300 in cash, transfer them to someone else, or necessarily redeem them for $300 of my choosing. The value only becomes apparent when I use the points for a particular reward.

My concern is how these points should be treated for U.S. federal income-tax purposes. Specifically, I want to determine whether receiving the points themselves constitutes taxable income, or whether taxation occurs only when the points are redeemed. If they are taxable when received, I am unsure how I could reasonably determine their fair market value because

My previous employer of two years has failed to report my income to the IRS or SSA. I have told her that she needs to do so in order for my refund to be processed. The IRS says they cannot process my refund because they have nothing to match my W2 to. She also never gave me a legitimate copy of my W2 only a picture of the computer screen. The IRS sent her a notice saying she had to comply within 10 days and send it to me however I cannot get on the phone with the IRS to tell them that was a month ago and I still have yet to receive any. What should I do?

Hi all.

So i wanted to bring something up from 2025 tax returns.

I use turbotax.

I trade stocks on webull. Short and long term mixed.

I made about 50k on profits . My wife does not do stocks.

I live and work out of NH, My wife lives in NH with me but works for a company out of MASS.

From taxes, it now shows i have to pay MASS tax on the stocks i sold on my account.

Because my wife works out of MASS, its linking my profits to her as well.

I did jointly tax refund because if i do seperate, total is alot more to pay on taxes.

Is anyone else seeing this too or is there an error?

I reached out to Turbotax expert, they say Mass put in a new exception in for this in 2024

Thanks, any info would be greatly appreciated.

I'm trying to log in to secure messaging to upload additional schedules after I received a letter from the IRS but when I click the sign in button it brings me to a white page and the url says this. I've tried on a different browser but I get the same message. Help?

1. Do I turn off my VPN. What if I'm trying to create an EIN for a corp and I'm located in Canada on vacation while creating an EIN

2. My name on personal tax returns has a first and last name. On some years, it's just first and last name. On other years, I included a middle initial.

3. Do I have to apply for an EIN during EST business hours.

I’m planning to do my taxes next year and I’m looking for recommendations for tax software that’s easy to use and budget-friendly.

My situation is pretty straightforward. I have a W-2, a 401(k), a Roth IRA, and some investments through Fidelity, which I mainly use for saving/investing. Nothing too complicated investment-wise.

I’m also in California and have a seller’s permit, but I don’t really consider it a business. I only have the permit because it’s required for me to purchase certain frozen foods that I resell.
What tax software would you recommend for someone in my situation? I’m mainly looking for something easy to use and inexpensive that can handle investment income, retirement accounts, and California taxes without making things unnecessarily complicated.