This is such a helpful thread! I'm dealing with a similar situation but with Uber Eats and Grubhub. Made about $450 with Uber Eats (no 1099) and $680 with Grubhub (got the 1099-NEC). Reading through all these responses really clarified things for me - I definitely need to report both amounts even without the Uber Eats form. The tip about checking the app for annual summaries is gold! I just logged into my Uber Eats driver app and found a detailed breakdown I didn't even know existed. One thing I'm still wondering about - does anyone know if the mileage deduction is calculated separately for each gig app, or do you combine all your delivery miles together? I drove for both platforms sometimes on the same trips, so I'm not sure how to split that up properly. Thanks everyone for sharing your experiences - this is way less intimidating now that I understand the process better!

I'm in almost the exact same boat! Made about $420 with Instacart and $750 with DoorDash last year. Like you, I was confused about whether I needed to report the Instacart income without getting a form. After reading through all these responses, it's crystal clear now - you absolutely need to report ALL your gig income, regardless of whether you got tax forms. The $600 threshold is just for when companies are required to send you paperwork, not for when you need to report the income to the IRS. One thing that really helped me was going into my Instacart shopper app and looking at the earnings history. You can actually export or view a summary of your total earnings for the year, which makes it super easy to get the exact amount to report on Schedule C. Also, definitely don't forget to track your expenses! I was only thinking about the mileage deduction, but reading about phone bills, delivery bags, and other business expenses opened my eyes to deductions I was missing. Every legitimate business expense reduces your taxable income, so it's worth being thorough. Good luck with your filing - sounds like you're being responsible by asking these questions upfront rather than just ignoring the smaller income streams!

This whole thread has been a lifesaver! I'm dealing with the exact same situation - my 19-year-old dependent earned $8,900 last year and I was so confused about Form 8962. Reading through everyone's experiences has made it crystal clear that yes, I absolutely need to include her income in our household MAGI calculation. What really helped me understand it was the explanation that the Premium Tax Credit looks at your entire "tax household" - not just the primary taxpayer's income. Since I'm claiming my daughter as a dependent, her income counts toward our household total for PTC purposes, period. It doesn't matter that she files her own return or that she's over 18. I'm actually feeling much more confident about tackling Form 8962 now. I was dreading it because the form looked so intimidating, but breaking it down step by step and making sure I include all household income seems manageable. The Federal Poverty Level calculations still look a bit complex, but at least I know I need to use the current year's FPL table from the form instructions. Thanks to everyone who shared their experiences with the various tools and services too. It's good to know there are options if I get stuck, whether it's tax software or ways to actually reach an IRS agent when needed. This community is awesome for helping each other navigate these confusing tax situations!

I went through this exact same confusion when I was preparing my taxes last year! The key thing to remember is that for Form 8962, you're looking at your entire "tax household" income, not just your personal income. Since you're claiming your daughter as a dependent, her $8,400 absolutely needs to be included in your household MAGI calculation, even though she'll likely file her own return (since she's over the $6,300 filing threshold for dependents). Here's what helped me get through Form 8962: First, gather all the income documents for everyone in your tax household - your W-2s, your daughter's W-2, and any other income sources. Then when you get to the household MAGI calculation, you'll add your income + spouse's income (if married filing jointly) + daughter's $8,400. One thing that tripped me up initially was making sure I used the correct Federal Poverty Level guidelines. The Form 8962 instructions include the current year's FPL tables - don't use old ones or look them up elsewhere, just use what's in the instructions for your tax year. The reconciliation process can be nerve-wracking if your actual income ended up higher than what you estimated when enrolling, but there are repayment caps that protect you from owing back huge amounts. The caps are based on your income level and are outlined in the form instructions. Don't stress too much - the Premium Tax Credit phases out gradually, so including your daughter's income probably won't create a massive change in your credit amount unless you're right on the edge of an income bracket.

This thread has been incredibly helpful for understanding how to handle missing receipts for home improvements! I'm dealing with a similar situation where I need to establish basis adjustments for capital gains purposes. One additional resource I'd suggest checking is your email archives - not just for contractor communications, but also for any correspondence with suppliers, permit offices, or even friends/family discussing the projects. I found old emails where I was asking relatives for contractor recommendations, discussing project timelines, or even complaining about construction delays. These emails had timestamps and project details that helped establish when work was completed. Also, if you used any project management apps, home improvement planning tools, or even just took notes in your phone during the renovation period, those digital records can be valuable supporting evidence. Many people use apps like Houzz, Pinterest, or even simple note-taking apps to track renovation ideas and progress without realizing they're creating documentation. For anyone working through this process, I'd recommend creating a simple spreadsheet to track all the evidence you find - source, date, type of improvement, and estimated value. This systematic approach makes it much easier to present your case clearly to a tax professional or the IRS if needed. The collective wisdom in this thread really shows that persistence and creativity in gathering documentation can make a huge difference in reducing capital gains liability!

I've been reading through this incredibly detailed thread and wanted to add one more angle that might help - check with your county clerk's office for any mechanic's liens that were filed and released during your renovation periods. Even if contractors properly released their liens after being paid, those filings create an official record of work performed with dates and sometimes dollar amounts. Also, don't overlook your property insurance claim history. If you had any weather damage during those years that required repairs alongside your improvements, your insurance company will have detailed records, photos, and contractor information that could help establish your renovation timeline. One thing I learned the hard way - make sure to distinguish between repairs (which don't increase basis) and actual improvements (which do). For example, fixing a leaky roof is a repair, but upgrading to a higher-quality roofing material is an improvement. The IRS is pretty strict about this distinction, so when you're estimating costs, focus on the portion that actually added value or extended the life of the property. Given the complexity you're dealing with and the potential tax savings, I'd strongly recommend getting professional help. A good tax attorney or CPA who specializes in real estate transactions can often identify basis adjustments and documentation strategies that save far more than their fees cost.

LLC vs S-Corp doesnt matter for medicaid its all about your AGI. Go with LLC since your income isnt high enough for S corp to make sense. S corps are a pain with the extra paperwork and payroll requirements!!! An accountant will charge you like $1200+ just for s-corp tax returns. Make sure your tracking all your business expenses properly to lower your AGI. Home office, internet, phone, mileage, insurance, equipment. Every $1000 in legit deductions could be the difference in qualifying or not.

As someone who went through this exact situation two years ago, I can confirm what others have said - your business structure won't help with Medicaid eligibility at your income level. I was making around $30k with my freelance writing business and spent way too much time researching S-Corps thinking it would somehow help with healthcare costs. The reality is that at $28k annually, you're likely well within the Medicaid income limits for expanded states (usually around 138% of federal poverty level, which is about $20,120 for a single person in 2024). Your Modified Adjusted Gross Income is what matters, and that includes your net self-employment income regardless of business structure. My advice: stick with sole proprietorship or form a simple LLC for liability protection if needed. Focus your energy on properly tracking deductible business expenses - that's what will actually lower your MAGI. Things like your home office percentage, business use of your phone/internet, professional development courses, and business equipment can all reduce your taxable income. I wasted months overthinking the business structure when I should have just applied for Medicaid sooner. The application process was much simpler than I expected, and I qualified easily with similar income to yours.

This whole situation is a perfect example of why I've switched to using open-source tax software whenever possible. Tools like FreeTaxUSA or even the IRS's own Free File Fillable Forms don't lock you into proprietary file formats that become inaccessible later. For your immediate problem, I'd definitely echo what others have said about the IRS transcript route - it's your most reliable option for getting the 2020 data you need. The format takes a little getting used to, but it has all the essential information including itemized deductions. One thing I haven't seen mentioned yet is that some public libraries offer free access to tax preparation software, including TurboTax desktop versions. You might be able to open your TAX2020 file there if you really need to see it in the original format. Call your local library's reference desk to ask if they have tax software available during tax season. Going forward, I'd strongly recommend switching away from TurboTax entirely. Their business model is increasingly focused on creating these kinds of lock-in situations and upselling users. There are plenty of alternatives that won't hold your own tax data hostage!

I went through this exact same frustration last year! TurboTax's proprietary file format is such a pain when you just want to reference your own tax information. Here's what ended up working for me: I called the IRS directly and requested both my tax return transcript AND my wage and income transcript for 2020. The return transcript has all your deduction details, while the wage/income transcript shows your W-2s, 1099s, etc. Together they give you a complete picture of your 2020 filing. You can actually get these online instantly at irs.gov/transcripts if you can verify your identity through their system. If not, you can request them by mail (takes 5-10 business days) or call the transcript line at 1-800-908-9946. The format is different from your original return but honestly it's more comprehensive in some ways - shows every single line item and calculation. I actually prefer it now for year-to-year comparisons because everything is clearly labeled and easy to find. Don't give TurboTax another dime just to see your own data! The IRS transcript route is free and comes straight from the source.