The exact same thing happened to me last year! It was for that Facebook data privacy settlement. Got like $78 and a 1099 with a note saying don't report it. I freaked out too, but my brother who's an accountant explained that certain settlements are considered non-taxable by the IRS - especially ones related to data breaches, privacy violations, or returning money that was wrongfully taken from you. I didn't report it and had zero issues with my return. The 1099 is just the company covering their bases for their own accounting purposes. As long as you keep the documentation showing it said not to report it, you're covered if there are ever any questions.

I'm dealing with something similar right now! Got a $45 settlement check from some consumer protection lawsuit I barely remember signing up for. The paperwork was super confusing - it had a 1099 but also said "this payment may not be taxable income depending on your circumstances." After reading through all these responses, I'm feeling more confident about not reporting it. The key seems to be keeping all the documentation that came with it. I took photos of everything including the envelope it came in, just in case I need to prove what instructions they gave me. One thing that helped me feel better was looking up the actual settlement online. Most of these class action websites have FAQ sections that explain the tax implications. Mine specifically said payments under $100 for consumer harm/restitution are typically not taxable income since they're just making you whole for losses, not providing additional income.

I went through something very similar with PayUSATax two years ago and it was incredibly stressful! The website confirmation system is definitely buggy, but here's what I learned from my experience: Your payment most likely DID go through despite not seeing the confirmation page. This is actually a known issue with their system - the payment processing happens on the backend even when the frontend confirmation fails. Here's what I'd suggest in order of priority: 1. **Check your email** (including spam) over the next 24-48 hours. PayUSATax confirmation emails are often delayed but they do eventually come through. 2. **Monitor your bank account** starting tomorrow. Look for any pending or posted transactions from "PayUSATax," "IRS Payment," or similar. This will show up before the IRS systems update. 3. **Call PayUSATax directly** at 1-844-729-8298 on Monday morning. Have your SSN, payment amount ($57), and the approximate time you made the payment ready. Their phone support can immediately tell you if the payment was processed. 4. **Don't make a second payment** until you've confirmed the first one didn't go through - you'd have to go through a lengthy refund process with the IRS if you pay twice. The fact that you got to the review page and clicked confirm is a good sign - most people who have this issue find out their payment was successful. Try not to worry too much over the weekend, and definitely don't assume your banking info was compromised. PayUSATax is legitimate, their website is just terrible! Keep us posted on what you find out - I'm sure other people will have this same issue this tax season.

I can totally relate to this PayUSATax nightmare! I had almost the identical experience last year - got all the way to the confirmation step, clicked the button, and then... nothing. Just dumped back to the homepage with no receipt or confirmation number. Like others have mentioned, your payment almost certainly went through despite the website glitch. Here's what I did that might help you feel more confident: **Immediate steps:** - Check your bank account daily starting tomorrow for any pending charges from PayUSATax/IRS Payment - Set up account alerts on your bank account if you haven't already - you'll get notified the moment any transaction posts - Save/screenshot the PayUSATax transaction details page if you can still access it through your browser history **If you don't see anything by Wednesday:** Call PayUSATax at 1-844-729-8298. I called them last year and despite their terrible website, the phone rep was actually helpful. She confirmed my payment had processed within about 2 minutes of looking up my info. **Backup plan:** If for some reason the payment truly didn't go through, you can use the IRS Direct Pay system as others mentioned. It's much more reliable and gives you immediate confirmation. The silver lining is that even if there was an issue, you're still well ahead of the April 15th deadline, so you have time to sort it out without penalties. Try not to stress too much this weekend - Monday you'll have definitive answers!

Don't forget to look at your state tax rules too! In my state (Virginia), the rules for who can be claimed as a dependent follow federal rules, but the tax benefits can be different. My daughter works part-time while in college, and I claim her federally, but there's a special deduction in our state that she can claim on her state return even while being my dependent.

Just want to emphasize something that might save you stress later - make sure you and your dad are on the same page about who's claiming you BEFORE you both file. If you accidentally file as independent and your dad also claims you as his dependent, the IRS will send notices to both of you asking for documentation to prove who has the right to claim the exemption. This happened to my friend last year and it delayed both of their refunds by months while they sorted it out. The IRS basically freezes both returns until you provide proof of support. Since your dad is paying tuition and most expenses, he should definitely claim you, but just coordinate so you both file consistently from the start. Also, even though you're filing as a dependent, you might still be eligible for the Earned Income Tax Credit if your income is low enough, which could increase your refund beyond just getting back withheld taxes.

Don't forget to sign and date each return! I mailed in my 2022 return last year and got it returned to me 2 months later because I forgot to sign it. Such a stupid mistake but it delayed everything. And make sure to use the correct address for where you're supposed to mail prior year returns - it's different depending on your state.

Just wanted to add another important tip - when you print your W-2s from the IRS website, make sure you're printing them at 100% scale (not "fit to page"). The IRS can be picky about document formatting, and if the forms are shrunk down or stretched, it might cause processing delays. Also, if you have any 1099 forms (for contract work, interest, etc.), you can get those from your IRS transcript too and print them the same way. The key is making sure everything is legible and matches the official format exactly. I'd recommend doing a test print on regular paper first to check the formatting before printing your final copies on good quality paper.

Has anyone used the "substantially equal periodic payments" (SEPP) method to withdraw from a SEP IRA? I'm considering this to avoid the 10% penalty since I'm only 52.

This is a really complex situation that highlights why SEP IRAs can be tricky for people who transition from business to personal contributions. Based on what others have shared here, it sounds like you have a few different issues to untangle: 1. Tax withholding on withdrawals - as mentioned, SEP IRA distributions will have taxes withheld regardless of how you contributed 2. Missed deductions - if you contributed from personal funds after closing your business but didn't claim tax deductions, you may have double-taxed that money 3. Potential amended returns - you might be able to recover some of those missed deductions if you're still within the filing window Given how complicated this has gotten, I'd strongly recommend getting professional help to sort out your contribution history and determine exactly what your tax situation is before making any withdrawals. The stories others shared about using services like taxr.ai or getting through to actual IRS agents via Claimyr sound like they could be really helpful for someone in your position. Don't let this drag on - the longer you wait, the fewer options you'll have for recovering those missed deductions.