As someone who's dealt with similar issues, I'd recommend calculating the actual tax impact first before deciding on your next steps. Since you're still before the April 15 deadline, you have the option to file a superseding return instead of an amendment - this completely replaces your original return rather than just correcting it. For the 1099 from Fidelity, check what type it is and the amounts involved. If it's substantial income that wasn't reported, definitely act quickly. For the 1098 mortgage interest, calculate whether it would push your itemized deductions above the standard deduction you likely took. If both forms would result in owing more tax, file the correction ASAP to avoid penalties and interest. The IRS receives copies of these forms directly, so they will eventually catch the discrepancy through their automated matching system.

I completely understand your frustration with the tax preparer - it's so stressful when you realize important forms were missed! Since you're still before the April 15 deadline, you have a great opportunity to fix this properly. I'd strongly recommend doing the calculation yourself first to see the actual impact. For the Fidelity 1099, check if it's showing dividends, interest, or capital gains - each has different tax implications. The 1098 mortgage interest could actually save you money if it pushes your itemized deductions above the standard deduction. If you're comfortable with tax software, you might want to handle the correction yourself rather than going back to the same preparer. Many people find software like TurboTax or FreeTaxUSA easier to navigate than they expected, and it gives you more control over the process. The key is to act before April 15 so you can avoid the more complicated amended return process later!

Has anyone actually had their tax return audited after claiming AOTC for grad school? I'm in a similar boat (finished undergrad in 3.5 years) and want to claim it, but I'm nervous about getting flagged.

I'm actually a CPA who deals with education credits regularly, and I can confirm that you should be eligible to claim the AOTC for your first year of grad school. The IRS looks at whether you've completed the "first 4 years of post-secondary education" before the beginning of the tax year - since you completed your degree in 3 years, you have 1 year of eligibility remaining. The key factors that make you eligible are: 1. You haven't completed 4 academic years of post-secondary education 2. You're enrolled at least half-time in a degree program at an eligible institution 3. Your income is below the phase-out threshold (which you mentioned it is) One thing to double-check: make sure your graduate program is at an institution eligible for federal student aid. Most accredited universities are, but it's worth verifying. Also, keep good records of your transcripts showing you only completed 3 years of undergrad - this will be helpful documentation if the IRS ever has questions. Given your situation, you should be able to claim up to $2,500 in AOTC for qualified education expenses in your first year of grad school.

I've used H&R Block's virtual tax pro service for three consecutive tax years and can confirm their current processing delays. Here's what you need to do to expedite your return: 1. Login to your H&R Block account 2. Navigate to the Message Center (not the general status page) 3. Send a direct message to your assigned preparer requesting status 4. If no response within 24 hours, call the Priority Support line at their main number 5. Reference your specific submission ID when speaking with representatives Their system prioritizes returns based on both submission date and client follow-up frequency. I've consistently found that a single follow-up message moves your return higher in their queue.

I'm in the exact same boat! Submitted my return 3 days ago through their virtual service and still stuck on "awaiting professional review" with zero communication. What's frustrating is that I specifically chose H&R Block over doing it myself because I needed the peace of mind of professional review for my small business expenses, but now I'm wondering if I would have been better off just filing myself through their DIY software. Has anyone had success reaching them through their chat feature, or is calling really the only way to get answers? I'm worried about missing the deadline if this drags on much longer.

Husband and I went through this in 2023. Pro tip: if they're asking for business expense docs, separate everything by category (office supplies, travel, equipment, etc) and include a spreadsheet that totals each category to match what you reported. Makes it super clear where each number on your return came from. Also don't miss the deadline! They can be strict about those 30 days. If you need more time, call and ask for an extension BEFORE the deadline passes. Most agents will give you 2-4 more weeks if you ask politely.

Color-coding can definitely help with organization! I'm a visual person too and found that using different colored dividers or folders made it much easier to navigate my documentation package. Just make sure your cover letter clearly explains what each color represents so the IRS agent reviewing it doesn't get confused. One thing that really helped me was creating a simple table of contents at the front that listed each section with its color and what types of documents were included. For example: "Blue Section - Office Supplies ($2,400)" followed by a list of the specific receipts in that section. The key is making it as easy as possible for the reviewer to find what they need quickly. A well-organized, color-coded response actually shows you're taking their request seriously and can work in your favor.

Dont forget that some orthodontists offer payment plans that stretch across tax years!! My Invisalign treatment was $6200 total but I paid $3100 in 2024 and will pay $3100 in 2025. Make sure ur keeping track of when u actually paid not just the total cost. Also my ortho gave me a printout of all payments for tax purposes without me even asking so check if yours does that too!

Just wanted to add my experience - I had Invisalign done last year and was able to deduct it successfully! One thing I discovered is that you can also deduct related expenses like the special cleaning tablets, replacement retainers, and even mileage to your orthodontist appointments (it's $0.22 per mile for medical travel in 2024). I kept a detailed log of all my appointments and tracked every little expense. The cleaning supplies alone added up to about $180 over the course of treatment. Also, if you need to take time off work for appointments, you can't deduct lost wages, but any parking fees or public transportation costs to get to appointments are deductible too. Make sure to get a detailed receipt from your orthodontist that shows the treatment was for medical purposes (bite correction, jaw alignment, etc.) rather than purely cosmetic. This documentation will be crucial if you ever get audited. My orthodontist was really helpful about providing a letter explaining the medical necessity of my treatment.