Thanks Critter - I truly appreciate your comments. This is what I understand at this point.
1) The IRS W9 states, on page 3, that a disregarded entity must use the TIN of the personal taxpayer, a SSN. Vanguard forced me to use the EIN of the disregarded entity, while also checking the box as an individual. Its been 3 years, and I just learned that this might be wrong.
2) The IRS's instructions for filling out a 1099 for a disregarded entity / LLC states that I am to use my SSN, and not my EIN. If the EIN is used, then a 1096 Type 2 error needs to be reported on the corrected form. I will ask Vanguard to validate this point. Criiter-3 is saying that I can use the EIN or the SSN, so Vanguard did it right. My property manager used my EIN as well, and I filed my rent income on schedule E (I did not use schedule C). Critter-3 is saying that both schedule C and schedule E are correct.
3) The EIN for a disregarded entity was needed by Wells Fargo and Vanguard to set up my accounts, but wells fargo still reports my 1099-INT to my SSN. Vanguard reports the 1099-DIV and 1099-B to my EIN. It was vanguard who told my property manager to use my EIN for the 1099-MISC rental income.
4) I am getting mixed advice on whether or not I need to perform a corrected 1099 with my SSN (remove my EIN). Critter-3 is saying that I do not need to submit any corrections and this is why I received my 2017and 2018 tax refunds even though I used my EIN on the 1099s. Another person has told me that I need to fix the 1099s from the last 3 years, even though I received refunds. This is the reason for the confusion.
5) Critter-3 is asking me why I opened the LLC. Here are my reasons:
5A) An LLC allows me to deed real-estate in the name of the LLC. It hides my personal identity. I own many rental homes, and I do not want a google search to reveal my wealth.
5B) An LLC makes the business seem more professional and established. My tenants want the comfort of knowing that they are renting a home that will be available to them for many years. It makes them feel safe.
5C) A single-member LLC provides protection against civil law suits, but not criminal charges. The civil suit will be capped to the assets that are held within the LLC. I own many LLCs for this purpose. I still need commercial insurance policies.
Here is where I am. I mailed my return in March, and WMR says "still processing" with no letters being sent to me, and no error codes on my transcripts. In wondering why I have not received anything, I stumbled on the possibility that the 1099s are wrong for 2017, 2018, and 2019. I will be meeting with a Vanguard Group's tax speciaist, as they were the source of this possible problem. I will raise all of the points that are in this stream. Meanwhile, the IRS has published that no one should call them, and no one should write to them. In 4 months, I will be filing my 2020 returns, and I wonder if the 2019 returns will still be processing.
