This conversation has really opened my eyes to how deeply unfair our tax system is to single taxpayers. I never realized the extent of the discrimination until reading through everyone's experiences and calculations here. What strikes me most is how this isn't just about tax rates - it's a comprehensive system that penalizes singles at every level. Higher effective tax rates during our earning years, fewer deductions and credits available to us, Social Security benefits that favor married couples despite identical contributions, and as many of you pointed out, we're subsidizing public services we use less of. The lifetime cost calculations some of you shared are staggering. $75,000-$100,000 extra over a working career just for being single? That's not a minor policy quirk - that's systematic economic discrimination based on marital status. I'm particularly frustrated by the outdated assumptions built into this system. The tax code seems frozen in an era when being single was just a temporary phase before marriage and children. But millions of us are single by choice throughout our careers, and we deserve equal treatment under the law regardless of our personal decisions about marriage and family. It's time for Congress to acknowledge that nearly half of American adults are single and reform the tax code to reflect modern demographics rather than 1950s family structures. We're not asking for special treatment - just equal treatment as citizens and taxpayers.

Reading through this discussion really highlights how pervasive this issue is - it's validating to see so many others experiencing the same frustration with our tax system's bias against singles. What bothers me most is the philosophical inconsistency. We're supposed to live in a country that values individual liberty and personal choice, yet our tax code actively punishes people for exercising those freedoms. Whether someone chooses to marry, have children, or remain single should be a personal decision, not one influenced by government tax policy. I've been single for most of my career and always felt like something was off about my tax burden compared to married colleagues. Seeing the actual numbers people have shared here - paying 3-4 percentage points more in effective tax rates, lifetime costs of $75,000-$100,000 extra - really puts it in perspective. This isn't just an accounting quirk, it's systematic discrimination. The resource usage argument is particularly compelling. As a single person, I consume fewer government services across the board yet pay higher rates to fund them. I don't use public schools, generate less waste, put less wear on infrastructure, yet I'm effectively subsidizing families who use significantly more resources per tax dollar contributed. It's time for policymakers to recognize that single Americans aren't just young people waiting to get married anymore. We're a substantial and growing portion of the population who deserve equal treatment under our tax laws, not penalties for our lifestyle choices.

I've been following this thread with interest since I had a similar issue recently. What really helped me was understanding that the IRS designed IP PINs to be temporary by nature - they're not meant to be retrieved later, which is why the phone representatives can't help you get old ones. After reading through everyone's suggestions here, I'd recommend a two-pronged approach: First, definitely request those account transcripts for 2020 and 2021 through the IRS website. As others mentioned, these will show if your returns processed normally without identity verification issues, which is likely what you need to prove rather than the actual PIN numbers. Second, while you're waiting for the transcripts, do check any old tax software accounts you might have used those years. I was surprised to find my 2020 PIN buried in my FreeTaxUSA account history - apparently they save more detailed filing information than I realized. The frustrating phone experience you described is unfortunately typical, but the good news is that the transcript route doesn't require talking to anyone and gives you the verification most people actually need when they think they need old PINs.

I went through this exact same issue about six months ago and can confirm what others have said - there's no way to retrieve expired IP PINs from previous years. The IRS treats them as single-use security codes that expire after each tax year. What worked for me was requesting account transcripts for the years I needed through irs.gov/account/view-your-account-information. You can get them online instantly if you can verify your identity, or mail in Form 4506-T if you prefer. The transcripts will show if your returns were processed normally, which is usually what you actually need to prove rather than having the specific PIN numbers. I also found it helpful to search through my emails for "IP PIN" or "identity protection" - the IRS has been sending email reminders in recent years, and sometimes those contain reference numbers or confirmation that your PIN was issued. It's not the PIN itself, but it can be useful documentation. For the future, I now take a photo of my IP PIN letter as soon as it arrives in December and save it in multiple places. Learned that lesson the hard way after going through the same frustrating phone experience you described!

Just to share another perspective, my ex and I were both claiming EIC for our daughter (different addresses but shared custody) a few years back. We both got audited and had to provide documentation showing where our daughter lived. It was a huge headache! The IRS ended up making my ex pay back the EIC plus penalties because our daughter lived with me for more than half the year. They don't mess around with this - their systems are pretty good at catching when the same child's SSN is used to claim EIC on multiple returns. Don't risk it. Fix your return before filing if possible. If you've already filed, you might want to file an amended return (Form 1040-X) to remove the EIC claim before the IRS contacts you about it.

The original poster is absolutely right to be concerned about this situation. I went through a similar experience with my partner, and I can't stress enough how important it is to fix this before the IRS catches it. When both parents live in the same household with a qualifying child, the IRS has very specific rules about who can claim the Earned Income Credit. Even though you answered truthfully about your living situation, the tax software made an error by allowing you to claim EIC when your girlfriend already claimed your daughter as a dependent and received EIC for her. Here's what you need to do immediately: 1. Do NOT file your return as-is if you haven't already 2. Go back into your tax software and remove the EIC claim for your daughter 3. You can still indicate that she lives with you (because that's true), but make sure you're not claiming any tax benefits for her since your girlfriend is claiming her as a dependent The IRS computer systems are very good at matching Social Security Numbers across returns. When they see the same child's SSN being used for EIC on two different returns from the same address, it will trigger an automatic review that could lead to audits for both of you. The penalties and interest can add up quickly, and it's much easier to fix this now than to deal with it later. Your girlfriend should keep all the credits she's already claimed since she filed first and properly claimed your daughter as her dependent.

16 Does anyone know if I'm supposed to report my student loan payments anywhere on the tax return? I took out loans to pay the tuition that's shown on my 1098-T.

Just want to add something important that hasn't been mentioned yet - if your scholarships/grants exceed your qualified tuition and fees, the excess amount might be taxable income that you need to report on your tax return. In your case, you have $12,372.25 in qualified expenses and $8,670.50 in scholarships, so you're fine. But if it were the other way around, that excess would generally need to be reported as income on Line 1 of your 1040. Also, make sure you understand the difference between "qualified expenses" for tax purposes versus what your school considers qualified expenses. For education credits, qualified expenses are generally limited to tuition, required fees, and required course materials - things like room and board typically don't count even if they're part of your school bill. This is definitely one of those areas where it's worth double-checking everything or getting professional help if you're unsure, since mistakes can trigger IRS notices later.

The complexity of your situation definitely warrants careful structuring. One approach that might work is to treat this as two separate phases: first, complete the LLC-to-C-Corp conversion under Rev Rul 84-111 to establish your qualifying QSBS entity. Then, after sufficient time has passed (ideally 60-90 days to avoid step transaction issues), liquidate the 3 C Corps and have their shareholders contribute the assets directly to the converted corporation. This structure should help you avoid the stock-for-stock exchange prohibition in 1202(c)(1)(B) since the shareholders would be contributing assets, not stock. The liquidation gives them a stepped-up basis in the distributed assets, which addresses the basis reference concerns under 1202(h)(2). However, you'll need to be very careful about several things: (1) ensure the converted C Corp meets the $50M gross assets test after receiving the contributed assets, (2) document legitimate business purposes for each transaction step, (3) verify that any cash contributions fit within the working capital safe harbor, and (4) make sure no redemptions occur within the prohibited 4-year window. Given the potential tax savings at stake and the multiple compliance requirements, I'd strongly recommend getting a private letter ruling. The cost is usually justified when you're dealing with this level of complexity and the potential for significant QSBS benefits.

I've dealt with similar multi-entity QSBS restructurings, and the phased approach discussed here is definitely the right direction. One additional consideration that might be helpful - when you're planning the timing between the LLC conversion and the asset contributions, consider the impact on your client's business operations during the interim period. Since the 3 C Corps currently hold title to equipment that the LLC uses in operations, you'll need to ensure continuity of use during the restructuring. Consider documenting lease or use agreements between the converted C Corp and the C Corps during the interim period to maintain operational continuity and establish legitimate business reasons for the timing. Also, regarding the working capital safe harbor mentioned earlier - if the C Corps have significant cash on their balance sheets, you might want to consider having them distribute excess cash to their shareholders before liquidation, rather than contributing it all to the new corporation. This could help you stay within the active business asset requirements while still achieving the overall restructuring goals. The documentation will be critical here. Make sure each transaction has its own board resolutions, business justifications, and independent valuations where appropriate. This creates a paper trail that supports treating each step as a separate transaction rather than parts of an integrated plan.