One thing to remember that no one mentioned - if u don't have a business license and ur supposed to in ur city, the IRS might share info with local authorities which could lead to fines. Happened to my friend! Also don't forget about self-employment taxes (15.3%) on top of regular income tax. Those hit hard when ur not expecting them!

Great question! I was in a similar situation last year with my freelance graphic design work. The key thing to understand is that business expenses are deductible based on whether you're legitimately running a business, not whether you have a license. However, I'd strongly recommend getting that business license sooner rather than later. While it won't change your tax deductions, it protects you legally and shows the IRS you're serious about your business operations. Plus, at $23k in income, you're definitely past the "hobby" threshold. Make sure you're tracking that business use percentage accurately for mixed-use items like your laptop and internet. The IRS loves documentation, so keep detailed records of when and how you use these items for business. Also, don't forget to set aside money for self-employment taxes - they caught me off guard my first year! One last tip: consider opening a separate business bank account even without the license. It makes tracking expenses so much easier and creates a clear separation between personal and business finances.

I'm so sorry you're going through this - 130 weeks is absolutely outrageous! I just joined this community because I'm dealing with a similar nightmare with my 2021 amended return (currently at 92 weeks and counting). Reading through all the advice here has been incredibly helpful. The congressional inquiry route seems to be the most effective option based on the multiple success stories shared. What really struck me was @Roger Romero's explanation about how many 2021 amended returns got stuck in "suspended status" due to system changes in late 2022 - that perfectly explains why so many of us are dealing with these extreme delays for that specific tax year. I had no idea that congressional offices have direct IRS liaisons specifically for these types of issues. It's frustrating that we have to go through our representatives to get the IRS to do their basic job, but if it works, it works! I'm planning to contact my representative's office this week after seeing how well it worked for others here. The fact that @Roger Romero got results after 95 weeks gives me hope that even these really long delays can be resolved. @Genevieve Cavalier - please keep us posted on what approach you decide to try! Your situation could really help others who are stuck in the same boat. We shouldn't have to wait over 2 years for money we're legally owed. Hang in there!

I'm so sorry you're dealing with this incredibly frustrating situation - 130 weeks is absolutely unacceptable! After reading through all the excellent advice and success stories shared here, I'd strongly recommend starting with a congressional inquiry as your first step. Based on the experiences shared by multiple community members, this approach seems to have the highest success rate for these extreme delays. Contact your representative's local district office (not their DC office) and explain that you've been waiting 2.5 years for your amended return to process. They'll have you fill out a privacy release form, and their office has dedicated staff with direct IRS liaison contacts specifically for resolving these types of federal agency issues. What really stands out from everyone's stories is that these returns aren't actually "being processed" - they're stuck in various system limbo states. As @Roger Romero explained, many 2021 amended returns got caught up in system changes implemented in late 2022 and ended up in suspended queues that weren't being actively worked. Congressional inquiries force the IRS to manually locate and prioritize these stuck cases. You should also contact the Taxpayer Advocate Service at 1-877-777-4778 - after 130 weeks, you definitely qualify for their assistance due to excessive processing delays. Don't give up! $1,890 is a significant amount and you've already waited far too long. Please keep us updated on your progress - your experience could really help others facing similar delays. We're all rooting for you!

Just checking - have you contacted the original company that sponsored your H2B visa? They're the ones who are legally responsible for your employment, and they might not even know this "contractor" is handling things improperly. When I worked on an H2B at a resort, something similar happened, and when I contacted HR at the main company, they were horrified and fixed the situation immediately.

This situation is absolutely unacceptable and potentially illegal. As an H2B visa holder, you have specific legal protections that are being violated here. The fact that you're working through a "contractor" instead of your actual visa sponsor, receiving payments from various bank accounts, and getting payslips via WhatsApp are all major red flags indicating potential visa fraud and tax evasion. DO NOT provide your SSN for a 1099 - this would make you complicit in tax fraud since H2B workers must be W-2 employees with proper withholding. I'd recommend taking these immediate steps: 1) Contact the DOL's National H-2B Fraud Detection Unit at 1-866-4-USWAGE, 2) Report this to ICE since it involves visa fraud, and 3) Contact an immigration attorney who handles H2B cases. Document everything - those WhatsApp messages, payment records, and any communication about the 1099. This contractor setup is designed to avoid paying proper taxes and could jeopardize your visa status. Your sponsoring employer needs to be made aware immediately as they're legally responsible for ensuring you're properly employed and classified.

Has anyone dealt with this situation where the escrow company issued the 1099-S incorrectly? My brother and I sold our parents' house but the escrow company put the entire amount under my SSN even though we split it 50/50. Will this cause problems with the IRS?

I went through something very similar when my sister and I inherited and sold our dad's rental property. One thing I'd add is to make sure you have the proper estate documentation showing the stepped-up basis value. We had to get a formal appraisal done as of the date of death because the estate didn't have one initially. Also, since you mentioned using TurboTax - when you get to the Schedule D section, there's a specific checkbox for "inherited property" that ensures the software treats it correctly for the stepped-up basis calculation. Make sure you check that box, otherwise it might try to use your parents' original purchase price as the basis, which would result in a much higher taxable gain. One last tip - if the house had any improvements made between the date of death and the sale date, you can add those to your basis as well. We had to do some minor repairs before selling and those costs reduced our taxable gain.

I went through a very similar situation last year with multiple stipend sources and want to share what I learned the hard way. For your $400/month volunteer stipend, the IRS looks at substance over form. Even if they call it "expense reimbursement," if you're getting a flat amount regardless of actual costs, it's likely taxable income. I made the mistake of not tracking my real expenses and assumed the whole thing was tax-free - ended up owing back taxes when audited. Here's my practical advice: Start a simple expense log immediately. Note actual mileage, meal costs, and any other volunteer-related expenses. If your real costs average less than $400/month, you'll need to report the excess as income. For those summer fellowships - definitely taxable and you'll want to make quarterly payments. I learned this lesson when I owed $4,800 in taxes plus $600 in penalties because I waited until year-end to pay. The organizations often don't send proper tax forms either, so keep your own records of every payment. One thing that really helped me was opening a separate savings account just for tax money. Every time I got a stipend payment, I immediately transferred 25% to that account and didn't touch it. Made tax season much less stressful. Also, if you're doing multiple fellowships, double-check that you're not accidentally exceeding income limits for any benefits you receive (like health insurance subsidies or student aid). I almost lost my Pell Grant eligibility because I didn't realize fellowship income counted toward those calculations.

This is such a comprehensive discussion! As someone who just started dealing with stipends myself, I wanted to add a few practical tips that might help others in similar situations. First, don't assume the organization knows the correct tax treatment just because they're established. I received conflicting advice from three different departments at my university about fellowship taxation. The financial aid office, HR, and the fellowship coordinator all gave me different answers about the same stipend program. Second, if you're applying for multiple fellowships/internships, ask upfront about their tax reporting practices during the application process. Some organizations are great about providing clear guidance and proper tax forms, while others leave you completely in the dark. This can help you plan better for tax obligations. For expense tracking with volunteer stipends, I use a simple smartphone app to log mileage and take photos of receipts immediately. It takes about 30 seconds per expense but creates a timestamped record that would hold up under scrutiny. One thing I haven't seen mentioned yet: if you have student loans, stipend income can affect your income-driven repayment calculations. I had to recertify my income mid-year when my fellowship pushed me into a higher payment bracket. Something to keep in mind for anyone with federal student loans. The key lesson I've learned is to be proactive rather than reactive with stipend taxation. It's much easier to track everything properly from the start than to try to reconstruct records later for tax filing or potential audits.