I'm in the exact same boat! This is also my first year receiving Social Security (started benefits in October 2024) and I've been checking my mailbox every day since early February. It's reassuring to see I'm not the only one dealing with this delay. I tried the SSA website multiple times but keep getting error messages during the verification process. The user interface is pretty clunky too - seems like their system wasn't designed to handle the volume of people trying to access it during tax season. Based on what others are saying here, it sounds like the forms are just running late this year across the board. I think I'll wait until the end of February before pursuing the replacement options. Thanks for posting this - at least now I know it's not just me!

I'm also dealing with this frustrating situation! Started receiving Social Security in December 2024 and have been anxiously waiting for my SSA-1099. Like others have mentioned, the SSA website has been completely unreliable - I've tried logging in at least a dozen times with no success. What's particularly annoying is that I received all my other tax documents (W-2, bank 1099s) weeks ago, so the SSA delay really stands out. I called the 1-800 number twice but gave up after being on hold for over an hour each time. Reading through these comments has been really helpful though. It sounds like this is a widespread issue this year rather than something specific to individual cases. I'm going to follow the advice here and wait until early March before taking more drastic action. At least we still have plenty of time before the April deadline! Thanks to everyone who shared their experiences and solutions - this thread has been way more informative than anything I could find on the official SSA website.

I think everyone is overthinking this. I've been running my Etsy shop for 7 years and I just put all my material costs under "Supplies" and everything else under "Other expenses" with a note of what they are. Never been audited, never had a problem. The IRS has bigger fish to fry than whether you categorized your shipping costs separately from your Etsy fees.

I've been dealing with this exact same issue for my small business! Based on my experience and what I've learned from my CPA, proper categorization does matter more than some people think. While the IRS won't necessarily flag you for minor miscategorizations, having things in the right buckets helps if you ever get audited and also gives you better insights into your actual business expenses. For your jewelry business, I'd suggest: - Materials (beads, wire, findings) → "Cost of goods sold" if you track inventory, or "Supplies" if using cash method - Shipping costs → "Shipping and delivery" - Platform fees → "Commissions and fees" - Inventory software → "Office expenses" The key is consistency. Pick a reasonable categorization system and stick with it year over year. And definitely keep detailed records - receipts, transaction summaries from Etsy/eBay, etc. That documentation is way more important than perfect categorization. One tip: I create a simple document each year noting which expenses I put in which categories, so I can be consistent if I ever need to reference it later or if my accountant has questions.

I've had the opposite experience with interest. I miscalculated my quarterlies one year and thought I'd paid enough, but ended up owing more. The IRS hit me with underpayment penalties AND interest that was way more than what they'd pay me in the reverse situation.

This is such a great reminder that the tax system can occasionally work in our favor! I had no idea about the 45-day interest rule until reading this thread. It's refreshing to hear about the IRS actually paying taxpayers interest for once, especially after all the stories we hear about penalties and fees going the other way. Your identity verification experience sounds absolutely painful though - 8 weeks is ridiculous for something that should be straightforward. I'm glad you at least got compensated for their delay with that interest payment. The irony of getting a 1099-INT from the IRS for money they paid you because they were late is pretty amusing! Thanks for sharing this - I'm definitely going to keep this in mind if I ever have a large refund situation. Every little bit helps, especially when it's the government finally paying US interest for a change.

Has anyone dealt with the practical aspects of getting ITINs for foreign members? I've found that to be one of the most time-consuming parts of the process.

One thing I haven't seen mentioned yet is the potential impact of tax treaties between the US and the foreign corporation's country of residence. If there's a favorable tax treaty in place, it could significantly reduce the branch profits tax rate or potentially eliminate it altogether. The standard branch profits tax is 30%, but many treaties reduce this to 5% or even 0% in some cases. Also, consider the timing of your ownership change carefully. If you make the switch mid-year, you'll need to file both a short-year partnership return (Form 1065) for the period with multiple members AND treat the remainder of the year as a disregarded entity/branch operation. This creates additional complexity and potential for errors. I'd strongly recommend consulting with a tax professional who specializes in international business structures before making this change. The compliance burden and potential penalties for getting foreign-owned entity reporting wrong can be substantial.

Don't worry! I'm in a very similar situation - made $102k this year with 3 kids (ages 6, 9, and 11). I was freaking out about the same thing but just ran the numbers and I'm still getting back around $9k. The Child Tax Credit is huge - that's $6k right there for your 3 kids. Plus if you didn't adjust your withholding when your income went up, you probably had more taxes taken out than needed. The key thing is that tax credits reduce your tax liability dollar-for-dollar, so even if you're in a higher bracket, those credits still pack a punch. You'll probably be pleasantly surprised!

Just wanted to chime in as someone who went through this exact same worry last year! Made $99k with 3 kids and was convinced I'd owe money for the first time ever. Ended up getting back $8,900 - almost had a heart attack from relief lol. The Child Tax Credit really is a lifesaver at this income level. What helped me was looking at my paystubs throughout the year to see how much federal tax was actually withheld. If you didn't change your W-4 when you got the raise, you're probably golden. The worst part is just the anxiety of not knowing - once you actually run the numbers or file, you'll likely breathe a huge sigh of relief!