I work as a tax preparer and see this exact scenario dozens of times every tax season! Your transcript is showing exactly what we expect to see for a return filed on January 31st. The "Return Not Present" status and all the zero balances are completely normal at this stage. Here's what's actually happening: Your return was successfully received by the IRS (you would have gotten an acceptance confirmation if you e-filed), but it's sitting in their processing queue. The IRS processes returns in batches, and with millions of returns flooding in during late January/early February, there's always a significant backlog. The transcript system only shows returns that have been fully processed and entered into their master file database. Until that happens, everything shows as blank or zero. This usually takes 2-4 weeks during peak season, sometimes longer. Don't call the IRS yet - they'll just tell you to wait. Instead, use the "Where's My Refund" tool on their website, which updates more frequently than transcripts. If you don't see any updates there by mid-March, then consider calling. Your return isn't lost or rejected - it's just waiting its turn in line! This happens to thousands of taxpayers every year around this time.

I'm going through the exact same thing! Filed on January 30th and my transcript looks identical - all zeros, "Return Not Present" message, completely blank fields. I've been checking obsessively every day and was starting to think something went wrong with my filing. Reading all these responses has been such a huge relief. I had no idea that the transcript system was separate from their actual processing queue, or that it's normal for returns to sit for weeks before showing up in the system. The "Return Not Present" wording is honestly so scary when you first see it! I'm definitely going to stop checking daily and switch to using the "Where's My Refund" tool instead. It sounds like we just need to be patient and let the IRS work through their backlog. Thanks everyone for sharing your experiences - it really helps to know we're all in the same boat waiting for processing! 🙏

Hey Ella! You're definitely on the right track with that spreadsheet - that's exactly the kind of documentation you need! Since you made over $400 total, you'll need to file Schedule C (Profit or Loss from Business) and Schedule SE (Self-Employment Tax). The good news is you can combine all your survey income into one total amount on Schedule C - no need to list each site separately. Use "Online Market Research" or "Survey Services" as your business description with code 541910. One thing that might help ease your stress: consider using tax software like TurboTax or FreeTaxUSA that specifically walks you through self-employment income. They'll ask you simple questions and fill out the forms for you based on your answers. Don't forget you can potentially deduct business expenses too! If you used your internet or phone specifically for survey work, you can deduct the business percentage of those costs. Even things like a portion of your electricity bill for your home office space could be deductible. The self-employment tax is about 15.3% on your net profit (after expenses), plus regular income tax on top of that. So definitely plan to set aside around 25-30% of your survey earnings for taxes going forward. You've got this - first-time filing is always intimidating but you're more prepared than most people!

Hey Ella! I totally understand the confusion - tax stuff can be super overwhelming when you're doing it for the first time, especially with non-traditional income like surveys! You're absolutely right that you need to report this as self-employment income since you made over $400 total. Here's the simple breakdown: you'll need to file Schedule C (Profit or Loss from Business) to report your combined survey income, and Schedule SE (Self-Employment Tax) to calculate the additional self-employment tax. The great news is that spreadsheet you kept is perfect! You can just enter the total amount from all survey sites combined on Schedule C - no need to list each platform separately. For business description, use something like "Online Market Research" with business code 541910. Don't forget about potential deductions! You can likely claim a portion of your internet bill (the percentage used for survey work), part of your phone bill if you did mobile surveys, and any office supplies or equipment you bought specifically for this work. Most tax software like TurboTax will walk you through this step-by-step once you indicate you have self-employment income without 1099s. It's way less scary than it seems! Just remember to set aside about 25-30% of any future survey earnings for taxes since nothing gets withheld automatically. You've got this!

One thing to keep in mind when calculating your basis - the IRS has a "safe harbor" provision for home improvements that might help with your documentation concerns. If you can show that similar improvements in your area during the same time period cost within a reasonable range of what you're claiming, that's generally acceptable even with some missing receipts. Since you mentioned getting quotes from contractors, those estimates can actually be really valuable for establishing the fair market value of materials used, even though you can't include labor. For example, if a contractor quoted $50k total for a kitchen remodel and you know labor typically represents 60-70% of renovation costs, you could reasonably estimate that $15-20k worth of materials were involved. Also worth noting - given your substantial gain even after the primary residence exclusion, you might want to consider if any of the work qualifies for energy efficiency tax credits that could offset some of your tax liability. Things like new windows, HVAC systems, or solar installations might qualify for additional benefits beyond just adding to your basis.

I went through something very similar when I sold my house last year after doing tons of DIY work over a decade. Here's what I learned from working with my CPA: You absolutely cannot include your labor value, but don't overlook these often-missed items that CAN be added to your basis: - Permits and inspection fees for all those projects - Architectural plans or design consultations you paid for - Specialty tools you had to buy specifically for permanent improvements (like a tile saw for bathroom work) - Delivery fees for materials - Dumpster rentals for construction debris - Any structural engineering reports if you had foundation work done For missing receipts from older projects, my accountant had me create a detailed log with project dates, square footage affected, and reasonable material cost estimates based on current prices adjusted for inflation. Home Depot and Lowe's can sometimes provide purchase history going back several years if you had a Pro account or used the same credit card consistently. One thing that really helped was finding old permits in our city's online database - even projects I'd forgotten about were documented there with dates and scope descriptions that helped justify our improvement timeline. Given your $1M+ gain situation, definitely consider hiring a tax professional who specializes in real estate transactions. The cost will be worth avoiding potential audit issues with such large numbers involved.

I'm completely new to filing taxes independently and this entire discussion has been incredibly helpful! I just accessed my transcript for the first time yesterday and saw an 846 code with a date for this Thursday. Like everyone else who's commented, I was absolutely about to create a post asking "when will I actually receive my refund?" because those IRS documents look so intimidating when you've never encountered them before. It's actually pretty comforting to see that almost every newcomer seems to go through this exact same thought process - looking at all those codes and dates and thinking "surely there's some hidden complexity I'm not understanding, right?" But after reading through all these explanations, it's clear that the 846 code really is as straightforward as it appears. I really appreciate how patient everyone has been in explaining not just what the 846 code means, but also the practical details about banking processing times and potential delays. As someone who's never dealt with tax refunds before, knowing that my Thursday date might actually mean Friday or Monday depending on my bank's processing really helps set realistic expectations. Thanks for creating this reality check post - even with the eye-rolling emojis! 😅 It's exactly what newcomers like me need to hear, and this community seems fantastic for helping people navigate all these confusing tax procedures for the first time.

I'm brand new to this community and filing taxes independently for the first time, so this thread has been absolutely invaluable! I literally just checked my transcript this morning and saw an 846 code with a date for next Tuesday. Like so many others here, I was completely prepared to post asking "but when will I ACTUALLY get my money?" because honestly, those IRS documents are pretty intimidating when you've never seen them before. Reading through everyone's experiences, it's clear that us newcomers all go through the same mental process - seeing those codes and thinking "there HAS to be some catch I'm not seeing, right?" But it really is as simple as everyone's explaining: 846 code + date = when the IRS sends your refund. The banking processing time explanations have been super helpful too. Now I know to expect my refund on Tuesday but not to panic if it takes an extra day or two for my bank to actually make the funds available. Thanks for this reality check post! Sometimes newcomers like me need someone to point out that the answer really is right there in front of us. This community seems amazing for helping people navigate all this tax stuff that nobody ever really teaches you how to understand. 😊

I'm in a similar spot but with a 1098-T from 2022. Which tax software is best for filing an amended return like this? Can the free ones handle it?

Just want to emphasize what others have said - you're definitely not too late! I missed claiming my 1098-T for 2021 and successfully amended in 2023. The key thing is to be thorough with your paperwork. Make copies of everything before you mail it, and definitely use certified mail or priority mail with tracking when you send your 1040-X to the IRS. One tip that saved me time: before you start the amendment process, call your school's financial aid office and ask them to verify the amounts on your 1098-T. Sometimes there are corrections or additional qualifying expenses they can clarify that might increase your credit. I discovered I had additional fees that qualified but weren't originally reported on my form. Also, don't stress about filing both your 2023 amendment and your 2024 return in the same season - the IRS processes these completely independently. Just make sure you're using the correct year's forms for each filing!