Has anyone considered that maybe the property management company should be liable for some of the costs here? If they've been managing your property for years and never mentioned tax filing requirements, that seems like a serious oversight on their part!

This is a serious situation but definitely manageable if you act quickly. As a newcomer to this community, I've been reading through all the advice here and wanted to add a few key points that might help: First, don't panic - while 17 years of unfiled returns sounds catastrophic, most condo associations have minimal tax liability since their expenses typically offset their income. The bigger issue is compliance and potential penalties. Second, document everything NOW. Gather all financial records, bank statements, budgets, and meeting minutes you can find. This documentation will be crucial whether you work with a CPA or use one of the services mentioned here. Third, consider your board's fiduciary duty to the residents. You'll eventually need to communicate this to the community, but having a clear remediation plan first will help maintain confidence in the board's ability to handle the situation. Finally, make sure whoever you work with understands condo association taxation specifically. There are unique considerations like whether you qualify for 1120-H filing status vs. regular corporate returns, and how to handle things like special assessments and reserve fund interest. The fact that you're addressing this proactively puts you way ahead of associations that ignore the problem. Good luck!

As someone who just got through a similar process with Italian tax credits and FEIE complications, I wanted to add some recent perspective! My case was assigned in December and resolved in early February - so right around 8 weeks total. **What I learned about the process:** - Week 1-2: Initial contact and document gathering (this part moves quickly) - Weeks 3-5: The dreaded "black hole" period where you hear nothing (totally normal for international cases!) - Weeks 6-8: Sudden acceleration once all departments sync up **Reality check on timelines:** The 30-45 day estimate appears to be for straightforward domestic cases. For expat filers with tax credit complications like yours, 6-8 weeks seems to be the realistic range based on what I'm seeing in these comments and my own experience. **One thing that really helped:** I asked my advocate upfront which specific IRS departments would need to review my case (International Function, Examination, etc.) and roughly how long each step typically takes. This helped me understand that most of the waiting wasn't my advocate being slow - it was other specialized teams working through their backlogs. **Practical advice:** Use this waiting time to organize any additional documentation you might have. Even if they don't ask for it, having everything ready helps you respond quickly when they do reach out. The uncertainty is brutal, but you're actually in a much better position now with an assigned advocate than you were stuck in the general processing queue. Hang in there!

As someone who just navigated the TAS process for international tax issues, I wanted to share my timeline to help set realistic expectations! Got my advocate assigned in mid-January for Swiss tax credit complications and just had my case resolved last week - total time was about 7 weeks. **My actual timeline breakdown:** - Week 1: Advocate called within 4 days, very thorough initial intake call - Week 2: Submitted all requested documentation (Forms 1116, foreign tax statements, etc.) - Weeks 3-4: Complete silence - this was nerve-wracking but apparently totally normal! - Week 5: Update call explaining they were coordinating with International Function for treaty verification - Weeks 6-7: Final documentation review and resolution **What I wish I'd known earlier:** - The "30-45 day" timeline is definitely for simpler domestic cases - international cases with tax treaties almost always take 6-8 weeks minimum - Your advocate spends much of their time waiting on responses from specialized IRS departments, not actively ignoring your case - Having all foreign tax documents translated and organized upfront can save 1-2 weeks in the process **Key takeaway:** Getting assigned an advocate is actually huge progress! You're no longer in the general processing void. The waiting is still frustrating, but you now have someone specifically accountable for moving your case forward. For your international tax credits situation, I'd realistically plan for 6-8 weeks from assignment to resolution, but the good news is that once things start moving in the final weeks, they tend to move quickly!

This has been such an enlightening thread! As someone who's been tutoring part-time while building up my client base, I really appreciate everyone sharing their experiences and resources. I'm currently doing general academic tutoring (mainly helping college students with writing and study skills), and based on this discussion, it sounds like I shouldn't worry about being classified as an SSTB. The distinction between celebrity-type "reputation or skill" services and regular professional tutoring services makes a lot of sense. What's particularly helpful is seeing the range of approaches people have taken - from AI tools like taxr.ai to getting official IRS clarification through services like Claimyr. I'm nowhere near the income thresholds where this would significantly impact my taxes yet, but it's good to understand the landscape as my business grows. The S-Corp discussion is also really valuable for future planning. It's interesting how business structure choices can interact with these tax provisions in ways that aren't immediately obvious when you're just starting out. Thanks to Jessica for posting this question - it's clearly something a lot of tutors are wondering about, and now we have a comprehensive resource right here in the community!

This thread has been incredibly helpful! I'm a language tutor (Spanish and French) and have been wrestling with this same SSTB question for months. Based on all the research and experiences shared here, it seems clear that general academic tutoring - whether it's math, science, writing, or languages - doesn't fall into the SSTB category. The key insight for me is understanding that the "reputation or skill" provision is really narrowly defined. Teaching someone Spanish grammar is fundamentally different from getting paid for celebrity endorsements or media appearances, even though both technically rely on your skills. I'm particularly grateful for the specific regulatory citations people provided. Having those Treasury Regulation references (like § 1.199A-5) makes me feel much more confident about taking the full QBI deduction. It's one thing to have a general sense that you're probably okay, but another to have the actual legal framework backing it up. For anyone else in a similar boat, this discussion really reinforces the importance of getting proper documentation for your tax positions. Whether through the AI tools, IRS consultation services, or working with a qualified tax professional, having that backup is worth the investment.

One important thing I didn't see mentioned - if you're applying online for an EIN, you can only do it during the IRS's business hours (7am-10pm Eastern time, Monday-Friday). I tried doing mine on a Saturday and got so confused when the system wouldn't let me submit!

I just went through this exact process last month and wanted to share what I learned. You absolutely can get your EIN first without having a DBA filed - just leave that field blank on the application. The key thing to understand is that your EIN is tied to your tax identification (your SSN if you're a sole proprietor), not your business name. So whether you operate under your legal name or a DBA later doesn't affect your EIN itself. I'd recommend getting your EIN first since you need it for so many things - opening business bank accounts, getting business licenses, etc. You can always file your DBA later when you're ready. Just make sure to use your DBA name consistently on all business documents once you have it registered. One tip: when you do file for your DBA, keep a copy of the certificate handy. Some banks and vendors will want to see it when you're doing business under that name, even though your EIN application didn't require it.

I've been dealing with this exact same W2 confusion for weeks! The way you described it - seeing that extra $5,000 in income pop up in your tax software - is exactly what happened to me. What finally helped me understand was realizing that Box 10 is like a "total benefits received" box, not just employer contributions. So your $11,983.68 includes your DCFSA money ($5,869.81) PLUS your employer's contributions PLUS any other dependent care benefits like backup childcare. The frustrating part is that your DCFSA money went in pre-tax, but then gets partially added back as taxable income because of that $5,000 combined limit. It feels like you're being taxed twice, but really it's just the IRS clawing back the tax benefit on amounts over $5,000. One thing that helped me feel better about the situation: I calculated my effective tax rate on just that excess amount vs. what I would have paid if ALL my dependent care expenses were out-of-pocket with no DCFSA at all. Even with some of it becoming taxable again, I still came out ahead using the DCFSA. Also definitely look into the Child and Dependent Care Credit like others mentioned - it can provide some relief on the expenses beyond that $5,000 limit!

I went through this exact same confusion last year and it's honestly one of the most confusing parts of tax season! Your situation sounds completely normal for someone with both DCFSA contributions and employer-provided dependent care benefits. The key thing to understand is that Box 10 ($11,983.68) represents ALL dependent care assistance you received during the year - your DCFSA contributions, employer contributions, AND any other benefits like backup childcare services. Since the tax-free limit is $5,000 combined, everything above that becomes taxable income, which is why TurboTax is adding $6,983.68 back to your taxable income. Here's likely what happened with your numbers: - Your DCFSA: $5,869.81 - Employer contributions (including that 2023 retroactive payment): ~$4,100 - Other dependent care benefits (backup childcare, etc.): ~$2,000 That retroactive payment from 2023 that was paid in 2024 gets included on your 2024 W2 because W2s report what was actually paid during the tax year, not when the services were originally provided. Don't forget to check if you qualify for the Child and Dependent Care Credit on expenses that exceeded the $5,000 DCFSA limit - with high daycare costs, this credit could help offset some of the additional tax burden from that excess dependent care income. The numbers are frustrating but they're likely correct. You're still coming out ahead using the DCFSA compared to paying all childcare costs with after-tax dollars!