I'm going through this exact same situation right now and this thread has been incredibly helpful! I've had just the single 810 code on my transcript for about 3 weeks now, and like everyone else, I was expecting to see other codes appear based on previous years' experiences. I tried the online verification at idverify.irs.gov twice but kept getting error messages saying they couldn't verify my information. I'm planning to call the 800-830-5084 number tomorrow morning. One thing I'm curious about - for those who successfully completed phone verification, did you need to have your actual tax return documents in front of you during the call, or was having last year's AGI and basic info sufficient? Also, I noticed some people mentioned that transcripts update on Fridays - is that a reliable pattern for seeing changes after verification is complete? I'm trying to figure out the best days to check for updates so I don't drive myself crazy refreshing daily! Thanks to everyone who shared their experiences here. It's such a relief to know this is normal for 2024 and not some unique problem with my return.

I'm currently dealing with this exact situation and this thread has been a lifesaver! I've had only the 810 code on my transcript for about 5 weeks now, and I was starting to panic thinking something was seriously wrong with my return. Reading everyone's experiences here has helped me understand that this is actually the new normal for identity verification in 2024. I successfully completed phone verification about 10 days ago after calling 800-830-5084. The agent was helpful and confirmed that the isolated 810 code meant my return never entered normal processing - it was flagged for identity verification right from the start. She told me to expect 6-9 weeks for processing to resume after verification, which aligns with what others have shared here. One thing I learned during my call that might help others: they asked me not just for my prior year AGI, but also for specific line items from my current return (like total wages and withholdings). Having my actual tax documents in front of me definitely made the process smoother. The verification itself only took about 15 minutes once I got through to an agent. Now I'm in the waiting phase like many of you. My transcript still shows just the 810 code, but I'm checking every Friday morning for updates based on the advice here. It's frustrating not knowing exactly when things will move, but at least I understand the process now thanks to this community!

One thing that helped me when I was confused about this - make sure you're looking at your Uber driver dashboard for the year-end tax summary. It breaks down exactly what you earned vs. what passengers paid (which is what shows on the 1099-K). The difference is huge - my 1099-K showed like $12,000 but I actually only earned about $8,500 after Uber's fees. You'll want to report the full 1099-K amount as income in the Self-Employment section, then deduct all of Uber's commissions and fees as business expenses. Also don't forget about tolls if you paid any - those are deductible too. FreeTaxUSA makes it pretty easy once you know to look under Self-Employment Income instead of trying to find a specific 1099-K form entry.

For anyone still struggling with this, I just went through the exact same thing with my Lyft 1099-K last week. What finally worked for me was going to the "Income" tab in FreeTaxUSA, then selecting "Business Income" (not "Other Income" like I initially tried). When it asks what type of business, select "Transportation" or "Other Services" - both work fine for rideshare driving. Then you'll get to a page where you can enter your total income from the 1099-K. The key thing everyone's mentioning about expenses is crucial - I almost forgot to deduct the platform fees until I saw these comments! Make sure you download your annual earnings summary from Uber's driver portal. It'll show you exactly how much they took in commissions, which you can deduct under "Other Business Expenses" in the expenses section. Also keep in mind that if you drove for multiple platforms (Uber, Lyft, DoorDash, etc.), you can combine all the income and expenses on one Schedule C rather than filing separate ones for each platform.

I've been following this discussion and wanted to add my perspective as someone who dealt with a very similar joint account situation with my elderly parents about 18 months ago. The consensus here is absolutely correct - since you're already a joint owner on the account, transferring money to your personal account isn't considered a gift for tax purposes. You're essentially moving funds you already have legal ownership of, even if the practical understanding is that it's your parents' money. What I found most helpful was creating what I called a "family financial summary" before doing any transfers. I documented: - All expenses I had paid for my parents (with dates, amounts, and categories) - The source of funds for each expense (my personal accounts, credit cards, etc.) - A running total of what I was "owed" - A simple statement signed by my parents acknowledging the debt When I finally did the transfer (about $95K in my case), I had this summary ready along with a one-page reimbursement agreement. My accountant was impressed with the organization and said it would easily satisfy any IRS questions if they ever came up. One practical tip - I did the transfer in two parts about a month apart, not because of any tax requirement, but because it felt less overwhelming to handle the bank's questions in smaller chunks. Both transfers went smoothly once I explained they were family reimbursements. The peace of mind from having everything properly documented was completely worth the effort. You're being smart to think through the tax implications beforehand!

I've been reading through all these responses and they're really helpful! I'm actually in an almost identical situation - my parents added me to their account for convenience, I've been covering their medical and living expenses, and now they want to reimburse me. One thing I want to emphasize that several people touched on but is worth repeating: the timing of your documentation matters. Create that written agreement BEFORE you do the transfer, not after. I made the mistake of doing my transfer first and then scrambling to create documentation afterward when my tax preparer asked about it. Also, regarding the bank flagging large transfers - in my experience with a $78K transfer last year, having a simple one-page explanation ready made all the difference. I literally wrote "Transfer represents reimbursement for medical and care expenses paid by [my name] on behalf of parents [their names] during 2022-2023. See attached expense summary." The bank representative appreciated the clarity and processed everything smoothly. The consensus here is solid - since you're already a joint account holder, this isn't a gift tax situation. But documentation is your friend. Keep those receipts, get that signed agreement, and you'll sleep much better knowing everything is properly recorded. Good luck with your situation! It sounds like you've been an amazing support for your parents.

Friendly reminder to everyone that the IRS is SEVERELY understaffed and underfunded! They're still dealing with backlogs from the pandemic and system limitations. The people answering phones are doing their best with limited resources. My sister works for the IRS and says amended returns are processed in the order received, but there are exceptions where returns get flagged for various reasons that require manual review. Sometimes these get stuck in queues waiting for available staff. Yes it's frustrating but the frontline employees aren't the ones creating these delays! They literally can't process returns any faster than the antiquated systems and staffing levels allow.

I completely understand your frustration - 9 months is definitely excessive for an amended return, especially when your 2020 amendment was processed quickly. Based on what others have shared here, it sounds like there might be a specific issue holding up your 2021 return that the phone reps aren't identifying. I'd strongly recommend trying multiple approaches simultaneously: 1. Request your account transcript online through the IRS website - this often shows processing codes and flags that phone reps don't mention 2. Contact the Taxpayer Advocate Service at 877-777-4778 - they're specifically designed to help with situations like yours where normal channels aren't working 3. Reach out to your Congressional representative's office - many have constituent services that can inquire directly with the IRS on your behalf The fact that you mentioned unemployment income and a change from HOH to married filing status might be relevant - sometimes these changes trigger additional reviews that can cause delays. When you call next, specifically ask if there are any "freeze codes" or "hold codes" on your account and request to speak with someone who can actually review your file rather than just check the general status. Don't give up - 9 months with no clear explanation is not acceptable, and you have legitimate options to escalate this beyond the standard phone support.

This is such a smart approach to think about optimizing your deductions as a household! You're absolutely right that sometimes it makes more financial sense for one person to claim the full deduction rather than splitting 50/50. Just to add to what others have said - make sure you also consider the state tax implications if you're in a state with income tax. Some states have different rules or limits for mortgage interest deductions that might affect your optimization strategy. Also, since you mentioned you're both on the title, you might want to document your agreement about how you're handling the tax deductions. It's not required, but having a simple written agreement between you two about who claims what can be helpful if questions ever come up later. This is especially useful if you decide to change your approach in future years. The key thing the IRS cares about is that the person claiming the deduction actually paid that portion of the expense, so as long as you set up your payment structure to match your deduction claims, you should be in good shape!

Great question about changing strategies year to year! It's completely normal and acceptable to adjust your deduction approach annually based on your circumstances - the IRS doesn't expect you to stick with the same split forever. What matters is that each year's approach accurately reflects who actually paid what expenses that year. Regarding state-specific rules, most states follow federal guidelines for mortgage interest deductions, but there are some exceptions to watch out for. For example, some states have lower caps on mortgage interest deductions than federal limits, and a few states don't allow mortgage interest deductions at all (like states with no income tax). States like California generally follow federal rules but have their own forms and sometimes different AGI thresholds that could affect whether itemizing makes sense. New York has some unique rules around property tax deductions that might impact your optimization strategy. I'd recommend checking your specific state's tax guidelines or consulting with a local tax professional who knows your state's quirks. The strategy that works best federally might not always be optimal when you factor in state taxes, especially if you're in a high-tax state with different deduction limits or phaseout rules.