As someone who just joined this community specifically because of IRS phone frustrations, I can't express how grateful I am for this thread! I've been dreading making a call about my missing stimulus payment credit for weeks after hearing all the horror stories about endless hold times. Reading through everyone's success stories with the 7am Eastern strategy has completely changed my approach. I was planning to call during my lunch break (terrible idea based on what I've learned here), but now I'm setting my alarm for 4am Pacific tomorrow to try the early morning method. I've already printed my tax transcript, highlighted my AGI, and downloaded the IRS2Go app based on all the preparation tips shared here. The checklist idea from the recent posts is genius too - I'm making one tonight with all my reference numbers and key dates so I don't fumble around when I finally get connected. It's honestly mind-blowing that we need this level of strategic planning just to talk to someone about our taxes, but I'm so thankful this community has figured out what actually works. The transformation from 3+ hour failed attempts to 20-30 minute successful calls gives me hope that there's light at the end of this tunnel. I'll definitely report back with my results to add to the success stories (fingers crossed!). Thank you all for turning this from a nightmare into a manageable challenge with proven strategies!

I'm so glad I found this thread! I've been putting off calling the IRS for three weeks now because every time I psyche myself up to deal with their phone system, I remember the last time I spent 2.5 hours on hold only to get disconnected when I was transferred to a "specialist." Reading through all these success stories with the 7am Eastern strategy is giving me actual hope for the first time. I'm dealing with a 1099 correction that's preventing my return from processing, and I've been dreading the call because I assumed it would be an all-day ordeal. I'm definitely trying the early morning approach on Wednesday - alarm set for 4:00am Pacific (ugh, but worth it!). Already have my tax transcript printed and organized all my documentation tonight. The preparation tips here are incredible - I never would have thought to have my AGI ready or download the IRS2Go app beforehand. It's absolutely insane that we need PhD-level strategy just to get basic tax help, but I'm so grateful this community has figured out what actually works. The transformation stories from hours of failed attempts to 20-30 minute successful calls are exactly the motivation I needed to finally tackle this. Thanks everyone for sharing your hard-won wisdom - this thread is legitimately more helpful than anything on the IRS website!

Has anyone used TurboTax to report trustee fees and expenses? Does it walk you through where to put this stuff or do I need to use a CPA? I'm getting a modest fee ($8,000) for handling my mom's trust but spent about $2,100 on expenses.

I'm currently going through a similar situation as successor trustee for my grandmother's estate. One thing I learned from my tax preparer is that the IRS Publication 559 (Survivors, Executors, and Administrators) has specific guidance on trustee fees and deductible expenses. For your $3,200 in expenses, the key is that they must be "ordinary and necessary" for administering the trust. Travel costs to manage trust property, office supplies for record-keeping, and postage for beneficiary communications typically qualify. However, the value of your unpaid time off work is not deductible. Whether you use Schedule C or report as "other income" depends on the scope and nature of your trustee activities. If you're actively managing properties, making investment decisions, or running a business within the trust, Schedule C is likely appropriate. If your role is more passive oversight, "other income" might be correct. Given the complexity and the potential tax implications, I'd recommend getting clarity from your CPA before filing. The difference in how you report this could affect both your income tax and self-employment tax liability.

As someone who went through this process recently, I can confirm it's much simpler than it initially seems! The key thing to remember is that you don't need to do anything special when requesting the withdrawal from your brokerage - just ask for a regular distribution. They'll send you a 1099-R that shows the total amount withdrawn, but it won't break down contributions vs. earnings. The real work happens at tax time with Form 8606 Part III. You'll need to know your total contribution basis (all the money you've put in over the years), which is why keeping good records is so important. If your withdrawal amount is less than your total contributions, you won't owe any taxes or penalties. One tip that helped me: when I called my brokerage to request the distribution, I specifically asked them NOT to withhold any taxes since I knew it would be a tax-free withdrawal of contributions. This saved me from having to wait for a refund later. Most brokerages will ask if you want taxes withheld, so just decline that option. The whole process took about a week from request to having the money in my bank account, and filing Form 8606 with my tax return was straightforward once I had all my contribution records organized.

Just want to add a practical tip that saved me some headaches - when you're gathering your contribution records, don't forget to check if you ever made any recharacterizations or returned excess contributions in previous years. These adjustments can affect your total contribution basis and might not be obvious from just looking at your Form 5498s. I found a recharacterization from 2019 that I'd completely forgotten about, which would have thrown off my calculations if I hadn't caught it. Your brokerage statements should show these transactions, but they might be labeled differently than regular contributions. Also, if you've ever changed brokerages and transferred your Roth IRA, make sure you have records from ALL previous custodians. The new brokerage won't necessarily have your complete contribution history from before the transfer, so you'll need to piece it together yourself. I had to contact my old brokerage to get statements going back several years, but they were surprisingly helpful once I explained what I needed.

I totally understand your frustration - SBTPG's interface is genuinely confusing! Just to add to what others have said, the trace number might also be labeled as "Reference Number" or "Transaction ID" depending on when you're looking at it. I've noticed that SBTPG sometimes changes their terminology between different pages of their site. If you're still having trouble finding it, try clearing your browser cache and logging back in - sometimes their system glitches and doesn't display all the transaction details properly. Also, if you filed early in the season, the trace number format might be slightly different than what people are describing from later filings. The key thing is that it should be a long numerical string associated with your specific refund transaction once it's been processed.

I can relate to this confusion! When I first used SBTPG, I spent forever looking for that trace number. Here's what worked for me: log into your SBTPG account, click on "Refund Status" or "View Details" next to your refund amount, then scroll down to find the transaction information. The trace number might be called "ACH Trace Number," "Reference ID," or "Transaction Trace" - SBTPG isn't consistent with their labeling unfortunately. It's usually a 15-20 digit number that starts with 9. Keep in mind it only shows up AFTER the IRS has actually sent your refund to SBTPG, not when it's just been accepted. If your WMR (Where's My Refund) still shows "processing" or "approved," you won't see the trace number yet. Hope this helps navigate their confusing system!

I've been following this thread closely as someone who went through a very similar situation about 18 months ago. The advice here is really solid - paying your taxes now while preparing your SS-8 case for later submission is absolutely the right strategic approach when you're concerned about employer retaliation. One thing I want to emphasize that hasn't been mentioned much: keep a detailed timeline of events, especially around when your employer switched you from contractor to employee status. In my case, the IRS was very interested in what triggered that change - it often indicates the employer knew they were doing something wrong. Also, don't underestimate the power of email evidence. I found that searching my email for terms like "schedule," "deadline," "meeting," and "required" revealed tons of communications that clearly showed I was being treated as an employee even when classified as a contractor. The waiting period after filing SS-8 is definitely tough, but I ultimately recovered over $8,000 in overpaid self-employment taxes. It took about 9 months total, but having all my documentation well-organized (thanks to advice similar to what's been shared here) really seemed to help speed things along. Stay strong - you're fighting for money that's rightfully yours, and there are good systems in place to help workers in exactly your situation. Just protect yourself first by securing new employment before you pull the trigger on the SS-8.

I'm dealing with a very similar situation and this thread has been incredibly helpful! I've been misclassified as an independent contractor for about 8 months at my current job, and like many others here, I'm facing a huge self-employment tax bill. The consensus advice about paying taxes now to avoid penalties while preparing documentation for a future SS-8 filing makes perfect sense. I'm definitely going to follow that approach - it's not worth risking my current income over, but I also can't just eat a $7,000+ tax bill that shouldn't be mine to pay. One question for those who've been through this process: when you were gathering documentation while still employed, did you have any close calls with your employer noticing? I'm trying to be strategic about when and how I access old emails and company records, but I'm paranoid about leaving digital footprints that could tip them off. Also, for anyone who coordinated with coworkers on this - how did you approach that conversation? I know at least two other people in my exact situation, but I'm nervous about bringing it up in case word gets back to management. The retaliation protection information shared here is really reassuring. It's frustrating that we have to worry about this stuff, but knowing there are legal safeguards helps me feel more confident about eventually pursuing what I'm owed. Thanks to everyone who's shared their experiences - it really helps to know we're not alone in dealing with these unethical employer practices!