Has anyone used TurboTax Self-Employed for their prop trading taxes? I'm trying to decide if I should use that or hire an accountant.

I went through this exact situation last year when I started prop trading! A few key things I learned the hard way: 1. You'll definitely want to find a CPA who understands trading - it's worth the extra cost. Regular tax preparers often don't grasp the nuances of trader expenses and quarterly payments. 2. Start tracking EVERYTHING now - trading software subscriptions, home office space, computer equipment, even books and courses related to trading. The deductions can really add up. 3. For quarterly payments, I use the safe harbor rule (paying 100% of last year's tax liability divided by 4). It's simpler than trying to estimate variable trading income. 4. One thing that caught me off guard - you might need to pay both sides of Social Security/Medicare tax (15.3% total) on your net prop trading profits since you're self-employed. 5. Consider opening a separate business checking account for all your trading-related expenses. Makes record keeping much cleaner come tax time. The learning curve is steep but manageable once you get the systems in place. Don't stress too much - just start documenting everything and find that specialized accountant!

Looking at your transcript, you're actually in pretty good shape! The processing date of March 10th is when your amendment will be fully processed, not when you have to wait until. That second 971 code with "202212" is likely just a system notation - I wouldn't worry about it unless you get a notice. Your account balance of -$8,832 is promising - that negative balance typically indicates what you'll receive as a refund. The $1,300 credit (code 766) is probably just one component of your total refund. Since you're on the daily processing cycle (which is faster than weekly), and your amendment was accepted 2/8, you're looking at roughly 8-12 weeks total processing time. So expect your refund somewhere between early April to early May. Keep checking for code 846 - that's when your refund is officially issued and should hit your account within 3-5 business days after that. The EIC (code 768) is a good sign too - that's additional refundable credit that will be included in your final refund amount. Just be patient, your amendment is moving through the system normally!

Just went through something very similar! My amended return was accepted on 1/15 and I just got my refund last week (took about 10 weeks total). Your transcript looks really good - that -$8,832 account balance is almost certainly going to be your refund amount when everything processes through. A few things that helped me during the wait: - Check your transcript weekly for updates (I used the IRS website) - That 971 code about "wrong identifying number" is usually just a system note, not something to worry about - The March 10th processing date means that's when they'll finish working on it, not when you have to wait until Your daily processing cycle is definitely better than weekly - mine was weekly and still came through in reasonable time. The EIC (code 768) will add to your refund too. Based on my experience, you're probably looking at getting your money sometime in April, maybe early May at the latest. Just keep watching for code 846 (refund issued) and then you'll know it's on the way! The waiting is the worst part but your amendment is clearly progressing normally through the system.

Has anyone used the annualized income installment method on Form 2210? TurboTax is recommending I use it since most of my income came in the last quarter, but it looks really complicated with all these worksheets.

I went through this exact same situation last year! Form 2210 can definitely seem overwhelming at first, but it's actually there to help you in many cases, not hurt you. Since you mentioned your freelance income came mostly in the last quarter, you're likely a perfect candidate for the annualized income installment method that others have mentioned. This method recognizes that your income wasn't spread evenly throughout the year, so you shouldn't be penalized as if it was. A few key points that might help: - The IRS generally expects you to pay 25% of your annual tax liability each quarter - But if your income was uneven (like yours), the annualized method calculates what you actually should have owed each quarter based on when you earned the income - This often dramatically reduces or eliminates penalties for people in your situation Don't stress too much about making a mistake - TurboTax will guide you through the calculations, and the IRS is actually pretty reasonable about first-time issues with estimated payments, especially when you're dealing with new income sources. The penalty rates aren't horrible either (around 8% annually), so even if you do owe something, it's likely to be manageable given your income amounts. Definitely don't ignore it though - completing the form properly could save you money and prevent future issues!

Wait until you see cycle code 0605. That's when things start moving!

I had a similar situation last year with an 810 freeze and zero income showing on my transcript. The IRS typically places these holds when there's a mismatch between reported income and refundable credits claimed. Since you're showing $0 AGI but claiming nearly $24K in refunds, they want to verify your eligibility for credits like EITC and CTC. The freeze date being before your processing date is actually normal - the IRS can flag returns for review during initial processing. In my case, the freeze lasted about 8-10 weeks after the processing date. You might get a CP05 notice asking for documentation to support your credits. My advice: gather all your supporting docs (W-2s, 1099s, proof of dependents, etc.) and wait for correspondence. Calling won't speed things up much, but you can check if they need anything specific from you.

Just a heads up for anyone preparing 2022 returns with NOLs carried forward from 2018-2020 - remember those aren't subject to the 80% limitation due to the CARES Act provisions. Only NOLs from 2021 forward have the 80% limitation. I've seen several colleagues mistakenly apply the 80% limitation to all NOLs.

This is exactly the kind of complex scenario that highlights why NOL calculations can be so tricky! I've dealt with similar situations and want to add a few practical tips that have helped me: First, when you're doing the iterative calculations that others mentioned, I found it helpful to set up a simple Excel worksheet with columns for: Iteration #, AGI before NOL, Social Security taxable amount, Taxable income before NOL, 80% limitation amount, and Final taxable income after NOL. This makes it easy to see the convergence pattern and provides documentation for your files. Second, I've noticed that the circular calculation usually stabilizes within 3-4 iterations, but occasionally with very specific income ranges near the Social Security benefit thresholds, it can take 5-6 iterations. Don't panic if the first few rounds seem off - just keep going until the numbers stop changing. One thing I haven't seen mentioned yet is to double-check your state return if applicable. Some states don't conform to the federal 80% limitation or have their own NOL rules that could create additional complications. California, for example, has suspended NOL deductions entirely for certain tax years. Great discussion everyone - this is exactly the kind of real-world problem-solving that makes this community so valuable!