9 To add something practical - if you do decide to issue a corrected 1099, you don't need to file a new 1096. You would just submit the corrected 1099 marked as "CORRECTED" and the IRS will match it to your original submission. You can order more 1099 forms online from the IRS website or get them at office supply stores. But honestly, for just an address change, I wouldn't bother with a correction. The TIN matching is what matters for tax compliance.

As someone who's been handling 1099s for contractors for over a decade, I can confirm what others have said - address errors alone don't require corrected filings with the IRS. The matching system relies on TIN and income amounts, not mailing addresses. However, I'd suggest a middle-ground approach: reach out to your contractor and explain that while the IRS doesn't require a correction for address-only changes, you're happy to issue a corrected form if they have a specific business need for it (like mortgage applications or business loan requirements). This shows good customer service while also educating them about the actual tax implications. For your internal processes, definitely update their address in your system now so next year's forms are correct. And keep a record of their request - it shows you're maintaining good documentation practices even when corrections aren't legally required.

after 5 months of my transcript being blank and the as of date changing multiple times, i finally broke down and spent money on claimyr.com to actually talk to a human at the IRS. turns out they flagged my return because my 2022 return hadn't fully processed yet due to a clerical error on their end. the agent fixed it right away and I got both refunds within 2 weeks. sometimes you just need to talk to a real person to fix these issues.

I'm going through almost the exact same thing! Filed in March 2023 and my transcript has been blank forever. Just like you, I've had to verify my identity multiple times (twice online and once by phone). My "as of" date also recently changed to a future date in 2025. It's so frustrating because you feel completely in the dark about what's happening. I've been checking my transcript obsessively too, hoping to see some kind of update or code that would give me a clue about the status. From what I'm reading in the other comments, it sounds like the date change might actually be a positive sign that things are moving forward. I really hope that's the case for both of us! Let me know if you see any other updates on your transcript.

Speaking from experience (3 years running a US-based online marketing business while traveling), the technical/practical aspects were actually harder than the legal/tax aspects. Time zone challenges when clients expect meetings during US business hours but you're in Asia was brutal. Internet reliability is another huge factor - I learned to always have backup internet options (local SIM with hotspot capability + regular wifi). Also recommend setting up a good VoIP phone service that lets you maintain a US number. I use Google Voice which lets me make/receive US calls from anywhere. Clients never knew I was responding from a beach in Bali at 11pm my time.

One thing I haven't seen mentioned yet is visa requirements and how they might affect your tax situation. While you can absolutely run your US business from abroad, some countries have strict rules about working on tourist visas, even if it's remote work for a US company. Countries like Thailand, Vietnam, and several European nations are cracking down on "digital nomads" working on tourist visas. Getting caught could result in deportation and future visa denials. Consider looking into digital nomad visas that several countries now offer - Portugal, Estonia, and Barbados have legitimate remote work visas. Also, be aware that spending too much time in certain countries (usually 183+ days) can trigger tax residency there, which could complicate your US tax situation even with the FEIE. Each country has different thresholds and rules. I'd strongly recommend consulting with both a US international tax attorney AND researching the work visa requirements for each country you plan to visit. The $500-1000 you spend on proper legal advice upfront could save you from major legal and tax headaches down the road.

As someone who's been through the dual status nightmare myself, I'd strongly recommend getting your situation properly analyzed before picking any software. I made the mistake of jumping straight into TurboTax thinking it would handle everything, only to discover halfway through that it was missing critical forms for my foreign pension. What really helped me was understanding exactly which forms I needed BEFORE choosing software. For dual status with foreign assets, you're likely looking at Form 1040NR and 1040 (depending on your situation), Form 8938 for foreign assets, and possibly Form 3520 if you have foreign trusts or received large foreign gifts. The key is making sure whatever software you choose explicitly supports ALL the forms you need - not just "foreign income" in general. I ended up having to restart my entire return when I realized my chosen software couldn't handle one crucial form. FreeTaxUSA has been solid for me the past two years, but definitely verify it covers your specific situation before committing. Also remember that FBAR filing is completely separate from your tax return - you'll need to file that directly with FinCEN regardless of which tax software you use.

I'm dealing with a similar situation and found this thread super helpful! One thing I wanted to add - if you're still unsure about which forms you need, the IRS has a pretty decent interactive tool called the "Interactive Tax Assistant" on their website that can help you figure out your filing requirements based on your specific situation. For dual status returns, I've been using FreeTaxUSA for two years now and it's been solid. The key thing is that you'll need to prepare what's called a "dual-status statement" that gets attached to your return - basically a breakdown of which income belongs to which part of the year. FreeTaxUSA's help section has step-by-step instructions for this. One money-saving tip: if you're comfortable doing some of the legwork yourself, you can often use the free version for most of the return and only upgrade to premium if you absolutely need specific forms. I ended up paying just $15 last year because I only needed the state filing upgrade. Also seconding what others said about FBAR - that's filed completely separately through BSA E-Filing on the FinCEN website. It's actually pretty straightforward once you know where to go!

Hey Freya! I totally understand the confusion - I went through the exact same thing when I first set up my Solo 401k. The distinction absolutely DOES matter, and here's why: You get two separate contribution buckets as a self-employed person. The "employee" contribution is limited to $23,000 for 2025 (this is like your salary deferral), while the "employer" contribution can be up to 25% of your net self-employment earnings (but there's a formula that effectively makes it about 20%). With your $96k income, you could potentially contribute the full $23k as employee contributions PLUS additional employer contributions based on your net profit after expenses and SE tax adjustments. The total combined limit is $69,000 for 2025. The key deadline difference: employee contributions must be made by December 31, 2025, but employer contributions can wait until your tax filing deadline (including extensions). Since you're running out of time for 2025, focus on maximizing your employee contributions first - you can always add employer contributions when you file your taxes next year!

The timing aspect is really crucial here! Since you mentioned you're running out of time, I'd recommend focusing on getting your employee contributions maxed out first before December 31st. You can contribute up to $23,000 as employee deferrals, and this is the portion that has the hard year-end deadline. For your employer contribution calculation with $96k in income, you'll need to factor in your business expenses and the SE tax adjustment that others mentioned. The effective rate works out to about 20% of your net self-employment income after all adjustments, which could be a substantial additional contribution on top of the $23k employee portion. The good news is you have until your tax filing deadline (even with extensions) to make the employer contributions, so don't stress too much about getting that exact calculation perfect right now. Focus on maximizing that $23k employee contribution before year-end, then work with a tax professional early next year to optimize your employer contribution based on your final 2025 numbers. One last tip - if your Solo 401k plan allows Roth contributions, you might want to consider designating some or all of your employee contributions as Roth, especially if you expect higher income in future years. The employer portion will be pre-tax regardless, so this gives you some tax diversification.