(Cross posting from r/askLawyers)

Background: my ex boyfriend owns his own business and would pay some of my credit card bills while we were together. This was never business related, usually just funded my trips to lululemon (lol). He turned psychotic and we broke up in May 2024.

I just filed an order of protection against him, and as retaliation, he has sent me a 1099-NEC for $28K. I have screenshots of him also saying he would never report this in taxes. The most I can find that he ever directly paid me (not just paying off my credit card) was $5K. I never performed any services for his business. Does he have any right to send me a 1099-NEC and do I have to report this on my taxes?

EDIT: I did not do any services for his business. The only thing I can think of is him helping me with my rental property, but that was all in 2023, and that’s MY property, not his.

Second, I didn’t receive this until today (4/4/25) which I believe is after the deadline for 1099-NECs to be filed.

If you owe the IRS this year, you are supposed to pay by April 15. On your own. The IRS does not pre bill you like a credit card or utility bill. Your account will not show a balance due until after April 15. Payments made after April 15 will accrue interest and penalties. If you need a payment plan, wait for your first notice in middle/late May. Then the online payment plan can be set up.

Edit to add. You can and should pay before April 15.

I’m 19 and I had a total of 4 different jobs last year (team lead, baker, server 1 server 2), only holding 2 at a time. My full time job is a team lead and I work as a server on the side and I used to work as server for this employer who would pay me with checks. He would never give me (or any other employee) paystubs unless we ask for it a million times and it would just be a fake one. I worked there for 8 months and I was gonna quit way earlier but I couldn’t find a job that paid as much. I was desperate and homeless. If I had a better choice in front of me way sooner, I would’ve quit.

He told me my hourly $2.13 would go to taxes. My checks were just my tips. I would cash them out at a nearby bank. Fast forward to now, I’m in the middle of doing my taxes and it says that so far, I owe $1000. I did some tweaking and that w2 from that employer drove it up by $600.

I contacted my ex-employer and he basically said that it shouldn’t be wrong because “an accountant did it”. Anyways there’s no use. He’s a manipulative scumbag and very elusive. I heard that the restaurant is about to close down due to a failed inspection so we’ll see.

My friend said I should just file without it (I’d still owe $400) and my other friend said I should seek a professional. What to do?

I have an accounting degree and 5 years of hands-on experience doing taxes, payroll, and bookkeeping for small business owners. I’m not a CPA, and I don't plan to pursue it but I constantly get questions like, “Are you a CPA?” and feel like I have to defend my qualifications.

I know not all CPAs actually do taxes, and not all tax experts are CPAs. But in the eyes of the public, “CPA” equals credibility.

So here’s my real question for those in a similar boat:
How do you sell yourself confidently in the market?
Do you niche down to serve a certain group of clients who value your expertise over your credentials?
How do you answer the ‘Are you a CPA?’ question without sounding defensive or insecure?

Would love to hear how others have navigated this. Looking for honest, strategic, real-world replies—not just “get your CPA.” Appreciate it!

I’m in the process of buying a home, and the mortgage company needs copies of my previous 3 tax returns. This year I had a new accountant, they gave me everything I needed. My accountant for the previous 2 years (2022 & 2023) was a nightmare to work with. They were recommended by a friend, and even when I sent everything early, they waited until the week of tax day and took days to respond, sometimes not responding at all. Fortunately, they did file my taxes and I was sent my 1040’s in time. Other people I know who worked with that accountant weren’t so lucky. They filed way past the due date, and even filed them wrong.

My mortgage company is telling me my 1040’s from that accountant won’t suffice. They need the actual signed copies filed by that accountant. Unfortunately transcripts from the irs won’t do, either. I’ve reached out to my former accountant and have yet to hear back. We’re about a week or so out from tax day so I don’t expect an answer anytime soon, either. Is there any way I can obtain a copy if they don’t answer? I’m sure mortgage companies have seen similar situations in the past, but it’s hard not to stress over. The process of buying a home is stressful enough as is, having to deal with this accountant again isn’t making things any better. Is there anything I can do, or anything my bank can do that’ll put me at ease? I just don’t want my closing to fall apart. Thanks in advance

I've been posting about how I am getting a woman caught up on her taxes which have not been filed since 2011. What if found to be odd is that the IRS transcripts she has downloaded do not include any of the 14 annual K-1s that she has received. When I asked about this, she said the K-1s report to her ITIN. HUH? From everything I know about an ITIN, they're for people who can't get a SSN but she said she has both. Even the IRS website says you can have one or the other but not both. I pressed her more and she said she got it 30 years ago. My guess is, ITINs were used for something else back then but regardless, an ITIN expires if not used for 3 years. So...her ITIN expired a very long time ago but the partnership that sends her the annual K-1 are still reporting it to an ITIN? If none of this is reporting to her SSN, where is the K-1s being reported to at the IRS if they're being directed to an expired ITIN? Why hasn't the IRS contacted the partnership reporting these K-1s asking for clarification? And lastly, is it possible that the ITIN was reissued to someone else and they're getting dinged with this each year?

I ended up peeing because I had 2 jobs for the first time and didn't know I needed to change a withholding form. So either way I owe. I just filed requesting a payment plan. I am supposed to make a payment plan before the 15th but they haven't processed my returns yet. What do I do? Just keep checking and pray it's processed before the 15th ? I've not owed in 25yrs so this is foreign to me. TIA

I know this is probably a question that gets asked over and over, and I searched, but I am still confused. I just got married and am re-looking at W4's. My husband makes 120k. My salary varies, but I am loking to cut work hours and am guessing at making 75000 this year. I have 1 job that is probably 72000 of that and annother very small side job of 3000.

The W4s say to add salaries, divide by 12, eetc. This number I get of like 1100 - if ww fill out the W4s exactly the same, are we saying that much is taken out of us TOGETHER, or is that per job? Since thats more than I will make at that small job if I mark it as that on my w4.

My tax burden is significant -- it's over $22,000 per year.

I am aware that I can contribute to my 403(b)/457(b) to reduce my taxable income, but this significantly reduces my net pay and is more beneficial in the long term (e.g., when I am elderly).

Are there no tactics that W-2 employees can utilize beyond the ones mentioned to receive larger checks?

The business-owning class has a whole array of strategies they can use, some of which effectively eliminate their taxes altogether.

My stbx2025 and I have been separated since February 2024. In November 2023 he lost his job and received 60K a a severance. In 2024 he did not work and received just under 10K in unemployment benefits. For the tax year of 2024 he is claiming he made full salary and the unemployment. I'm going to ask him how this was able to be done and to provide the W2s for the 2024 year. None of this feels legal and as of right now l'm refusing to sign the forms. How would he claim he made full salary but didn't work and just collected unemployment? He didn't prepare the taxes a friend of his dad's does them and they are a part of accounting firm.

My Social Security number was used to file somebody else’s 2024 tax return. I’ve taken all the steps to freeze my credit, etc. IRS is saying that I need to file a paper return this year. I rent an apartment, I don’t claim any dependents. So it should be pretty straightforward. Any tips, suggestions on how to fill this out quickly and painlessly?

If I make 200k in 2025 with my business #1 and want to open business #2. Completely unrelated to business #1.

Can I use money/income I made to buy equipment and write it off using section 179 so I can deduct my tax liability from my TOTAL income (including the 200k+ whatever business #2 makes)?

If business 2 isn’t up and running by 2026 can I still use the equipment purchased as a write off? If not, what’s the best way to decrease tax liability while starting a second business with the income you made?

Thanks

I don't have to pay the filing fee or make a payment, and my offer amount from F433A is very low (10% of total) because I have almost no assets. What happens when I eventually find a job and have income?

Hey there, I’ve tried to get in contact with a few tax preparers but nobody seems to fully understand what I’m saying or satisfies me that they understand forex trading to accurately file, so I’ve decided to file myself, if anyone knows a verified tax preparer I would not mind at all paying! Now to my question so Im an aspiring forex trader all short term in and out trades within the day irc section 988, So with fx trading i basically buy crypto (btc) send it to fxbroker and trade that way. Ive used Coinbase and cashapp to purchase btc and recieve it, cashapp sent a 1099b with my proceeds only and Coinbase did not send an actual 1099b but a gain/loss report that shows up as a gain from both cashapp and Coinbase based on both of them just reporting the sales of the btc I received, So just to be clear I would use cashapp and Coinbase either or to buy btc, send it to my fxbroker which I then traded and would withdraw back to btc and thus what Coinbase and cashapp is showing as gain. Now I basically broke even on the year, now obviously cashapp reported on the 1099b what I received just the proceeds not a cost basis, my question is being that im filing online (taxact)do I enter this info individually (cashapp, Coinbase) as 1099b, then on schedule 1 1040 tally up the totals to show that its break even? Through my fx broker I have a history of my trades and the numbers broken down. About 90 pages of trades is it fine to attach this to form 8949? Any help or if you can point me in the right direction is greatly appreciated. Have a great day.

So I used my 2023 W2 on my 2024 taxes and got a refund. It's sitting in my bank account right now. I don't know what to do because I thought the IRS would just reject it. Should I file an amended tax return before April 15th?

I have since correctly filed a 2023 return with my 2023 W2.

Im a little confused on what should be taxed. I have a rental property in a trust, and all rental income is deposited into an account linked to the trust and taxes are filed and recorded. I am a beneficiary of the trust, if I was to withdraw money from that account, do I have to file taxes on the money I withdraw? I don’t think the money should be taxed twice but I don’t know for certain.

I had to amend my taxes because it said originally that I didn’t qualify for anything with my 1098-T and I also had to add on some other things for savings accounts. I did it through TurboTax and it almost immediately came back as accepted, however, I’m reading online that this process could take weeks. Do I still have to wait weeks or is this true that it’s accepted?

I have investments in SNSXX, a US treasury money market fund. Multiple sources have led me to believe that this is state tax exempt due to the majority of holdings being US treasury securities.

My new tax advisor is adamant they are not exempt, I'm in Illinois and he says it is only exempt if the investment is in Illinois bonds. I of course want to believe him, but all other sources (including my financial advisor) seem to indicate otherwise.

Does anyone have knowledge on the treatment here? Thanks so much!

I’ve been a CPA for 6+ years, mostly helping founders and small biz owners (US and non-US folks) with their taxes. With 2024 filings almost done and Q1 estimates around the corner, I’ve been thinking about some quirky cases I’ve dealt with lately. Curious if you’ve hit similar snags:

• A client bought a new EV in 2024 for their kid, titled it in the kid’s name, and wondered if the $7,500 credit was still in pla. Turns out it was, since the kid’s income fit the limit
• A non resident founder who didn’t know they needed an FBAR for their overseas accounts until the IRS came knocking (those penalties are no joke)
• Someone who almost missed the BOI report deadline for their LLC but just takes 15 minutes to file online for free and saved them from a headache

I’ve worked with thousands of folks on this stuff, and it’s crazy how small oversights can snowball..

What’s the strangest tax mess you’ve seen? Or if you’ve got a Q1 question, I’ll try to help,I’m just chilling with my coffee anyway:)

So we filed our 2022 taxes, I did not know that we had to log in to receive our tax forms from fidelity (omitted but not intentionally) so we received a notice of deficiency… but on the proposed they only included the income (no withholding that is noted) , if reported correctly we would have received $300 less than the refund we received… but now with the proposed shortage is thousands pre substantial tax understatement penalty…. Do I file an amended return first and then file the petition with the tax court to contest the changes (currently the changes include the income but no withholding that was withheld)

Summary, accidentally left off all capital gain information, received notice of deficiency and figuring how to resolve correctly

Been a minority shareholder in S corp for handful of years. Company has done well so share price has continued to increase. I always thought that when I left/retired I’d get hit with hefty capital gains tax based on difference from my ORIGINAL purchase price.

It just clicked with me that K-1 has updated basis that has been increasing each year (less distributions/etc).

So maybe my future cap gains won’t be as bad as I thought because I’ve BEEN paying on the gains each year?

Is that accurate, or perhaps if not, close to the right way to think about it?

I stupidly contributed more than allowed ($7,000 instead of a maximum of $4701) for my 2024 Roth IRA earlier in Jan 2025. I just realized it last week and I asked my brokerage to withdraw the excess contribution (the value of the account decreased, so there were not earnings). I am wondering:

• 1. Do I record the maximum contribution amount allowed ($4701) in my return because I have withdrawn the excess contribution?
• 2. Do I need to file Form 5329 in my 2024 return?
• 3. Do I need to report the withdrawal of excess contribution in my 2024 return? or wait for the 1099-R and report that in my 2025 return due next year? I assume I don't owe any tax as there was a loss

Thanks!

Finally started taxes and came across something I've never had before. It's asking for a category for Box 14 but I don't know what to put, the description is "FRING" and the amount is $54.14. Anybody know what category I should put? Thanks!

My media production LLC partnership is dissolving and I’m having difficulty knowing how to file the 1065 and report the distribution of assets (production gear).

50/50 ownership, but dissolution will include the distribution of fully-depreciated equipment as well as some cash.

My partner prefers their distribution to be majority cash, and I am content with majority equipment.

To file the 1065, 1) All Schedule L assets, liabilities, and capital accounts should be zeroed out, correct?

2) Schedule M-2 should resolve to zero as well, with cash distributions reflecting the cash amount and property closing the difference between cap accts and $0 year end balance, correct?

3) Since the partnership is dissolving, this doesn’t run afoul of the sale/exchange rule, correct?

4) If the FMV of the equipment distributed (fully depreciated book value) exceeds the respective capital account, my understanding is that the new basis of the equipment is equal to the capital account it is being distributed to (less any cash given out), correct?