For what it's worth, I've been getting 1099-INTs from Chase for the past 5 years and the state fields are always blank. Never had any issues with my tax returns because of it. I just enter the interest income amount on my state return and move on. The IRS and state tax departments get their information directly from the banks anyway.

This is such a common source of confusion for new taxpayers! I had the exact same panic when I first got a 1099-INT with blank state fields. What helped me understand it better is that the state ID number is really for the bank's internal reporting to state agencies, not something you need as a taxpayer. Think of it this way: Chase reports your interest income to both the IRS and your state tax authority behind the scenes. The 1099-INT they send you is basically just your copy of that information. Whether or not they fill in their state ID number on your copy doesn't change the fact that they've already done their reporting. When you file your state taxes, you're just confirming the income that your state already knows about from Chase's direct reporting. So don't stress about the blank fields - just report the interest amount and you'll be all set!

Has anyone tried using a tax professional instead of software for back taxes? I'm worried about making mistakes that could make my situation worse.

I went through this exact situation two years ago with 4 years of unfiled returns. Here's what I learned: 1. **Software choice**: I ended up using FreeTaxUSA after comparing costs. TurboTax wanted $140+ per year for my 1099 situation, while FreeTaxUSA was around $15-20 per prior year return. The interface isn't as polished as TurboTax, but it gets the job done. 2. **Filing order matters**: File in chronological order (2022 first, then 2023, then 2024). Some refunds from earlier years might offset what you owe for later years. 3. **Penalties**: The failure-to-file penalty is brutal (5% per month), but if you're getting refunds for any of those years, you won't owe failure-to-pay penalties on those. I qualified for first-time penalty abatement which saved me about $800. 4. **Keep copies of everything**: When you mail in the prior year returns, send them certified mail and keep tracking numbers. It can take 6-12 weeks for the IRS to process mailed returns. The whole process took me about 2 months to complete, but getting it done was such a relief. Don't let the fear of penalties stop you - the sooner you file, the sooner you can stop the failure-to-file penalties from accumulating. You've got this!

Another thing to consider is the "Medicare surtax" on investment income (3.8%) that kicks in at higher income levels ($250,000 for married filing jointly, $200,000 for singles). This applies on top of your capital gains rate. So even if you're in the 15% capital gains bracket, you might actually be paying 18.8% if your income is high enough. Tax brackets aren't always as simple as they first appear!

This is really helpful information! I had no idea that capital gains are included in the taxable income calculation for determining which bracket you fall into. I was thinking I could sell a bunch of stock as long as my regular job income was below the threshold, but now I understand it's the total that matters. One follow-up question - does this same logic apply to other types of investment income like dividends? If I'm receiving qualified dividends throughout the year, do those also count toward pushing me out of the 0% capital gains bracket? Also, for anyone planning their stock sales, remember to consider the timing. If you have control over when you realize the gains (like with stock options or RSUs), spreading them across tax years can really help maximize that 0% bracket.

Just want to add smth important - clothing donations need to be in "good used condition or better" to qualify for ANY deduction. If you donated stained/ripped stuff the IRS can deny the whole deduction. Ask me how I know lol... got audited last yr & lost half my claimed clothing donation value bc some items weren't "good condition" 😭

@Aaron Lee (the original poster) - I wanted to circle back to your specific situation since there's been so much great advice in this thread! Based on what you described (8 bags of clothing donations plus cash donations throughout the year), here's what I'd recommend: First, contact the shelter where you donated the clothes ASAP to get a receipt if you don't have one already. Most shelters are used to providing these retroactively. For valuing those 8 bags, use the "thrift store test" others mentioned - think about what each category of items would actually sell for at a thrift store, not what you originally paid. Since you file MFJ, your 2025 standard deduction will likely be around $29,200. To benefit from itemizing, your total deductions (charitable donations PLUS mortgage interest, state/local taxes, medical expenses, etc.) need to exceed that amount. Don't just look at donations in isolation. Given the volume of your donations, it might actually be worth paying for a consultation with a tax professional this year, especially since you mentioned never tracking donations before. They can help you properly value everything and determine if itemizing makes sense. You could also try some of the tools mentioned in this thread like taxr.ai to get a better sense of your total deductible amounts. The key is getting organized now while the donation is still fresh in your memory, rather than scrambling at tax time!

Anyone know if you can bring someone with you? My english isnt great and id like to bring my daughter to help translate

I went through this process about 6 months ago and it was actually pretty straightforward! Bring your ID, social security card (original), any IRS letters, and proof of address like utility bills. The IRS worker was really helpful and walked me through everything. One tip - arrive about 10 minutes early because they're usually running right on schedule. The whole thing took maybe 35 minutes including wait time. Don't stress too much about it!