I went through this exact situation just two months ago! You definitely don't need to wait for the verification letter - I never received mine either. Here's what worked for me: I went directly to idverify.irs.gov and completed the online verification process. You'll need your Social Security number, filing status, and your prior year AGI (adjusted gross income). The system will ask you some knowledge-based questions about your credit history, previous addresses, and sometimes loan information. The whole process took about 10 minutes, and my return started processing within 3 business days. Since you mentioned you're a student with pending financial aid, I'd recommend doing this ASAP rather than waiting for a letter that may never come. The IRS has been having mail delivery issues this season, so many people are successfully verifying online without ever receiving the physical correspondence.

I successfully completed identity verification without the letter just last week! Like others mentioned, I used idverify.irs.gov and had my prior year AGI ready (that's from your 2023 return if you're filing 2024). The knowledge-based questions were mostly about previous addresses, loan amounts, and some credit-related info - nothing too obscure. What really helped me was having my credit report pulled up on another screen so I could reference dates and amounts if needed. The whole process took about 8 minutes, and my return moved to "processing" status within 48 hours. Since you mentioned financial aid timing, I'd definitely recommend going ahead with the online verification rather than waiting for mail that might be delayed. Just make sure you're on the official IRS site (idverify.irs.gov) and not any third-party services. Good luck with your verification and financial aid disbursement!

Slightly different perspective here - have you considered just separating out the sales tax on your invoices/receipts instead of absorbing it? There are a few benefits: 1. Customers actually expect to see sales tax added separately 2. It's WAY easier for accounting/bookkeeping 3. You don't cut into your profit margins 4. Avoids all this tax deduction confusion When I switched from inclusive to exclusive pricing, my sales didn't drop at all - turns out customers are used to seeing the tax added at checkout. Just something to consider as a simpler solution to your problem.

I've been dealing with this exact same issue in my small business! After reading through all these responses, I'm convinced that backing out the sales tax from gross receipts is definitely the right approach rather than trying to deduct it as an expense. One thing I'd add is to make sure you're also considering multi-state sales tax rules if you sell online. I got caught off guard when I started selling to customers in other states and didn't realize I had economic nexus obligations in some of them. Each state has different thresholds for when you need to start collecting and remitting sales tax. Also, if you're doing craft shows or farmer's markets across state lines, you might need temporary sales tax permits in those states. I learned this the hard way when a show organizer informed me I needed to collect local sales tax for that jurisdiction. The good news is once you get your system set up correctly to separate the tax component from your actual sales revenue, quarterly filings become much more straightforward. I use a simple spreadsheet that automatically calculates the breakdown, and it's saved me so much headache compared to when I was trying to figure out deductions.

This is such a helpful thread! I'm a newcomer here and had no idea there were different rules for different payment methods. I've been doing all my charitable giving through my bank's bill pay system (which I think is ACH) and just assumed it counted when I scheduled the payment. Reading through all these responses, it sounds like I need to be much more strategic about timing if I want donations to count for a specific tax year. The tip about using credit cards for year-end donations is brilliant - I never thought about that workaround. For anyone else who's new to this like me, it seems like the key takeaway is: ACH/bank transfers = when money actually leaves your account, checks = when you mail them (as long as they clear), credit cards = when charged. Definitely going to bookmark this discussion for reference! Quick question - do apps like Venmo or PayPal for donations follow the ACH rules or do they have their own timing requirements?

This is such a valuable discussion! As someone new to this community, I had no idea about these different timing rules for charitable donations. I've been making year-end donations through my bank's online bill pay thinking they'd count for the current tax year, but now I realize I need to pay attention to when they actually process. The distinction between payment methods is really helpful - I never knew that credit card donations count when charged versus ACH transfers counting when processed. That credit card tip for year-end donations is genius for tax planning purposes! One follow-up question: if I have recurring monthly donations set up through ACH, do I need to track each individual monthly transfer's processing date? Or is there a simpler way to handle regular recurring donations for tax purposes? I imagine tracking 12 separate donations per charity could get pretty tedious come tax time. Thanks to everyone for sharing their experiences and knowledge - this is exactly the kind of practical tax advice that's hard to find elsewhere!

Thanks everyone for all the detailed responses! This has been incredibly helpful. Based on what I'm reading, it sounds like my original idea of buying $25K worth of stamps was way too aggressive and would likely raise red flags with the IRS. I think I'll stick closer to what Miguel and Zainab suggested - maybe buy 6-12 months worth at a time based on my actual usage patterns. Last year I spent about $10K on postage, so maybe I'll do a $5K bulk purchase of Forever stamps at the end of this year and track usage carefully. The storage concerns Miguel raised are definitely something I hadn't considered either. I live in Florida so humidity is always an issue - definitely don't want thousands of dollars worth of stamps getting ruined! Has anyone used a specific system or app to track stamp usage over time? I want to make sure I have good documentation in case of an audit.

Hey Isabella! For tracking stamp usage, I've found that keeping a simple log works best for audit purposes. I use a basic spreadsheet with columns for: Date Purchased, Quantity, Cost, Date Used, Order/Customer ID (if applicable), and Running Balance. The key thing the IRS wants to see is that you're using the stamps for legitimate business purposes, so I also note what type of shipment each stamp was used for (customer order, business correspondence, etc.). One tip from my accountant - take a photo of your stamp storage setup and keep it with your records. This shows you're properly maintaining the inventory and treating it as a business asset rather than just hoarding stamps as an investment. Since you're in Florida with the humidity concerns, definitely invest in some airtight containers with desiccant packets. I learned this the hard way when some of my stamps got sticky and unusable - had to write off about $200 worth as a loss, which was a pain to document properly for taxes! Your $5K purchase plan sounds much more reasonable than the original $25K idea. That should give you plenty of inventory without raising any red flags with the IRS.

Has anyone tried requesting penalty abatement through the IRS website or by mail instead of calling? I've been trying to get through on the phone for days with no luck.

Based on your situation, I'd strongly recommend trying for First Time Penalty Abatement first before going the reasonable cause route. Since you mentioned this is your first time ever being late and you've always been diligent about paying on time, you likely qualify automatically. The beauty of First Time Penalty Abatement is that you don't need to prove anything about the family emergency or bank account mix-up - they just check their records to confirm you have a clean compliance history for the past 3 years. If you qualify, they can remove the penalty right on the spot during your call. If for some reason you don't qualify for First Time Penalty Abatement, then you can fall back to the reasonable cause argument with all the details about your family situation and the honest mistake. But definitely start with the easier option first - just call and specifically ask "Do I qualify for First Time Penalty Abatement?" Given that this could save you $750, it's absolutely worth the phone call. And don't let the penalty stress you out too much - the IRS does have these provisions specifically for situations like yours where good taxpayers make honest mistakes.