u/FUPeiMe

Thank you to everyone that replied! I wanted to provide a final update: I was able to submit a new TIA request using the client's old address (thank you u/theflow165**) and I was able to get through to the IRS this AM. The woman was the nicest person I have ever spoken with there. She initiated a payment plan, and if/when her manager approves it then my client will start making payments next month. Thank you all again for the wisdom, this sub is so great!**

--Original Post Below--

I am pulling out my hair with the inability to reach the IRS so I am coming to the collective brain trust today in the hopes that someone here that knows more than me (which wouldn't be hard!) can help me fix a problem. Apologies for the length, but I want to give all pertinent details.

The Situation:

I started working with a client for TY24 for filing his 1040 as a married small business owner. He and I got along great right from the start, and he has now become my top client (based on annual fees), and I happen to like him as a friend too.

He has not paid Federal taxes consistently since 2020 when he started his business. We're in state without income taxes so at least no state obligations.

• In 2020 he paid $0 of his tax liability, currently sitting at ~$14k
• In 2021 he paid $0 of his tax liability
• In 2022 he paid a few estimated payments, but still has a balance leftover
• In 2023 he paid $0 of his tax liability
• In 2024 he actually paid 100% of his tax liability because he had to as a condition of a bank giving him a mortgage when he upgraded his personal home (I know, don't get me started)
• In 2025 he paid $0 of his tax liability

He "only" owed ~$15-20k each year, and he mostly filed on time, but with interest and penalties he's close to $100,000k owed to the IRS right now (just under, but within dollars as of last calculation).

Due to the efficiency of our IRS hard at work, the IRS has sent him letters for all the years but at the moment they're only threatening to tax lien him for 2020 via CP504 notice. No major threats yet for 2021-2025. And due to the extreme competency of our current administration, both he and I have been unable to speak with anyone at the IRS for the past several months to begin a payment plan because we keep getting the automated message saying they're too busy.

The Big Problem:

Other than the obvious above, he has been trying to speak to the IRS to create a payment plan for several months, well before the CP504 showed up. He visited the local office three times, all times he was turned away and told he needed to call. Last week I began being more proactive (up until now I felt this was his problem to deal with as our engagement doesn't explicitly cover this) because I like him and I want to help.

• I submitted an 8821/TIA request via my IRS Tax Pro portal and he checks daily to see if that request shows up and it does not.
• I have called the Tax Practitioner Hotline every day last week and only one allowed for me to get a call back, the other days I get the message saying they're too busy and to try back another day
• On the one call back I got, I had the woman on the phone for 1-2 minutes while I repeatedly gave her the CAF number that she said wasn't right, then she said she was going to look into it further, and then she disconnected from the call

So at this point, what else can I do??

When he logs into his individual IRS account he does not have any option to initiate a payment plan online. I am not a highly experienced tax pro, but:

• Several months ago I recall that he and I filled out the IRS papers to request a payment plan, we mailed it via USPS certified mail, and never heard back. I do not remember form names.
• He currently has ~$3k to pay towards 2020, but not the ~$14k that would be required to make this problem go away.

Many thanks and a ton of appreciation to anyone that can help with this situation. AI did not write this, I did, so any mistakes belong to me :)

***UPDATE ABOVE****

Today is iHeart's usual "Monday Madness which can be found here: iHeart Monday Madness

The code to enter is: MAD4CIGARS

There we some decent deals I saw. Of particular interest to me were:

• Sombremesa Blue 5-packs for $60
• Privada Unico Serie Feral Flying Pig for $160/box of 10
• The Tabernacle Broadleaf Lancero for $290/box of 24

I'm sure people will light up the comments telling all the better prices by $1 elsewhere, or what places charge sales tax or not, etc etc etc so have at it. I tend to find iHeart's deals to be better than average when they're running specials, they ship fast, they don't charge tax, and they often have discontinued cigars that I can't find elsewhere.

I'd say it's worth a look. Happy puffing, friends!

First off, huge respect for you guys/gals that have been at this for years. I have only been an Uber passenger ~10 times and I've always been a decent rider and tipper, but now that I've completed my first week I can definitely say THESE RIDERS SUCK!

I was hoping to get feedback on two things I'd like to avoid in the future if possible, or at least get advice on how to handle.

Scenario 1: I pick up a rider on my way home using Destination Mode. We leave his neighborhood and start heading for the highway and he asks if we can stop at a gas station to pick up some beer. He says he'll tip good. I tell him I have to follow the Uber directions and he says, "Don't worry, I can add a stop." I tell him I'm new and that if he knows how to do it I can go where he adds. He adds the stop, I start driving there, but before we get there he says, "Oh, I like this gas station instead, can we go here instead??" He says he'll tip good. I say sure, pull in, wait a few minutes for him, and then he hops back in the car. Uber directions are still bringing me to the stop he added, and I tell him I'm going to have to drive there, stop for a minute, swipe that the stop is over, and proceed with our trip. He says, "Don't worry, I'll just remove it." He removes the stop, the directions change and now route us to his final destination, I don't get paid extra. WTF!? Also, obviously, the fucker did not tip me! How can I avoid this in the future, or what should I do to get paid for this??

Scenario 2: On my first night I brought my girlfriend along with me in the front passenger seat and she had a great time. I did a quick Google search and Gemini said this is acceptable. However, on my second and third day while driving alone I had two groups of 4 passengers (I have a five seater) that if I had arrived with my GF in the front we would have had a problem. She is considering driving for Uber now but does not want to drive without me there, and I tend to agree. How do I ensure that I inly get groups of three passengers or less?

Also, sidenote: the larger groups have all been terrible. Frat guys going to a concert, bachelorette party hopping from wine to wine, a family that had been at the zoo all day sweating and they stunk up my car, etc.

Thanks in advance! Driving in TN if that matters.

Hey all,

I happened to check out Thompson Cigar today and I noticed there is a one-day sale happening. The code to use is REVEL25.

It appears that some brands are excluded and this link appears to list all the excluded brands.

I don't frequent this site so I cannot offer commentary on how their prices or selection compare to favorites like Hilands, iHeart, CP, et al but I figured I'd drop this here for those who want to go hunting.

Cheers, friends!

Use this link: iHeart Monday Madness

Use Code: MAD305

Some deals on:

• Plasencia
• Padron
• Liga Pravada
• Arturo Fuente
• Opus X
• Davidoff
• Foundation
• and others

Happy smoking, ladies and gents!

Hey everyone,

I am looking for some real-world feedback on a pre-owned 2020 Jeanneau Merry Fisher 695 (pic included for reference).

I am based in East Tennessee and do most of my boating on the Tennessee River. My experience so far has only been with tritoons and bowriders, typically 200–250 hp, and I usually cruise in the 20–25 mph range for comfort and fuel efficiency.

I have started looking at stepping into something like the Jeanneau 695 for more all-around usability due to the enclosed cabin so we can extend the boating season here (rain, cooler months, and also getting out of the blazing summer sun). I also want to stay well under a 30' boat because I'm not taking on any major chop and I go out solo often enough that I'd like to be able to dock myself when needed. My main concerns are:

1. Cruising comfort and speed Would this type of boat realistically fit into that same “easy cruising” range I am used to around 20–25 mph, or is it a very different experience compared to pontoons and bowriders?
2. Comfort without AC or generator Since I would likely be looking at used boats without AC and a generator, how livable is the cabin in the summer? I know the hardtop helps, but I am curious how stuffy it gets in real-world use when it is hot and humid.

One challenge I am running into is that I am not able to find boats like this locally in East Tennessee. There are none for sale at nearby marinas, and nothing I can realistically sea trial in different conditions. So I am relying heavily on feedback from people who actually own or have spent time on them.

Any insights, good, bad, or things I am not thinking about, would be really appreciated.

I'm also all ears for similar boats regarding size, type, and price (ie $60k-75k pre-owned). Thanks!

https://preview.redd.it/5xbr7sveoh9h1.jpg?width=3840&format=pjpg&auto=webp&s=3b81cb2fc816a83ecdfb5b306d444086096a48d9

I'm kind of pulling my hair out here and I'd like to know how you guys are dealing with this...

My firm is located in Knoxville, and while some areas of East and Central TN got hit by terrible storms in 2025, my area was fine. Last year I vaguely recall the IRS notice that said "affected areas" of TN (and maybe 6-7 other states??) would not have to file by April 15th and/or that late payment penalties would be waived, but I never got clarification on how the IRS was defining "affected".

Now that it's letter season, a number of my clients have received letters saying:

• I miscalculated the penalties owed for underpayment (?)
• The IRS has recalculated late payment penalties, reduced them, and will be sending a refund back in 4-6 weeks, or
• In two cases, a client went from owing money (which they paid at time of filing) to being owed a refund which they need bank info for to send the refund

Today, I also heard back from a client who was initially owed a large refund ~$15k for which we put bank details at time of filing, then they later got a letter saying they'd be receiving a larger refund in 4-6 weeks, and now 8-9 weeks later the client has not received anything.

This very well may apply to tax pro's in other states too, but I am hoping/wondering if any of you are dealing with these weird abnormalities, and if so, what you're telling your clients. Obviously calling the IRS is out of the question for my clients (due to long hold times and/or being hung up on after waiting) and I feel bad continuing to tell them, "Sorry, the IRS is understaffed, just keep waiting."

Any suggestions or advice you all have would be most appreciated!

^(*Needless to say, Where's My Refund page shows no details other than processing)

Howdy friends,

No code needed. Box of 20 sticks for $109.99.

This may or may not be of interest, but I stumbled across this deal that seemed worth of a share. I am ordering a box after a recent sampling of the Johnny Tobacconaut Connecticut that I really liked and I figured I'd pass it along.

Product Page found here

Happy puffing!