One thing to consider - if you filed amended returns through a CPA, there may have been a substantial change in your reported income or deductions that triggered additional scrutiny. The certified mail could be related to that. I had this happen with my 2018 taxes when my CPA found significant deductions I'd missed. The IRS sent certified mail requesting documentation to verify those deductions. It wasn't an audit exactly, but they wanted proof before accepting all the changes.

Don't panic! Certified mail from the IRS is concerning but not necessarily catastrophic. The future date you're seeing (12/16 when today is 12/5) is actually normal - their system generates transcript entries before the physical notice is mailed. Given that this relates to your 2019 amended return and shows a $12,350 liability, this is most likely a CP2000 notice or similar correspondence about adjustments they've made based on your amendment. The $90 is probably a small penalty or interest charge. Here's what I'd recommend: First, don't stress too much until you actually receive and read the letter. Second, have all your 2019 tax documents ready along with anything your CPA filed for the amendment. Third, contact your CPA immediately when you get the letter since they're familiar with your situation. Most importantly, whatever the letter says, there are almost always options - payment plans, penalty abatements for first-time issues, or the ability to dispute if there are errors. The key is responding within the timeframe they give you (usually 30-90 days depending on the type of notice).

Has anyone else noticed that TurboTax seems to be having more technical issues this year? This is the first time I've had problems with them in years of filing.

I'm experiencing the exact same issue! Filed through TurboTax on Tuesday and it's now Friday with no acceptance notice. Reading through these comments has been really helpful - sounds like this is much more common this year than in previous filing seasons. I'm going to wait the full 5 days before taking any action, but it's reassuring to know that the transmission confirmation from TurboTax is the important first step. The information about new IRS fraud detection systems causing delays makes a lot of sense too. Thanks everyone for sharing your experiences!

Great breakdown of the pricing differences! I went through a similar comparison last year and was shocked at how much I was overpaying with the big-name services. One thing I'd add is to watch out for the upselling tactics during the filing process. H&R Block and TurboTax are notorious for starting you on their "free" tier and then gradually pushing you toward premium features you probably don't need. FreeTaxUSA is much more upfront about what costs extra, and their base paid tier covers most situations without the constant upgrade prompts. The only scenario where I might consider paying more is if you have a really complex tax situation with multiple rental properties, foreign income, or complicated business structures. But for the vast majority of people filing standard W-2s with some basic investments and deductions, you're absolutely making the smart choice going with the cheaper option.

Completely agree with your choice! I made the same switch two years ago and haven't looked back. The price difference is absolutely ridiculous for what you get. One thing I learned is that most of these tax software companies are literally using the same underlying tax calculation engines - they're all just different interfaces wrapped around the same IRS forms and tax code. So you're essentially paying $80+ extra for flashier graphics and brand recognition. I also appreciate that FreeTaxUSA doesn't bombard you with constant upsells during the filing process. With H&R Block, I felt like I was being pitched something new every other screen - "premium support," "maximum refund review," "audit protection" - most of which are unnecessary for straightforward returns like yours. The only people I know who still use the expensive services are either those with very complex business situations or folks who just haven't realized there are better alternatives. For standard W-2 employees with basic investments and deductions, FreeTaxUSA is definitely the way to go.

My brother is a contractor and I can tell you exactly what's happening here. They're probably reporting much less income than they actually make, and 1099s make that harder to do. That's why they're pushing back so hard. Send a final written notice (certified mail) stating that you'll be filing the 1099s for the full amount as legally required, whether or not they provide W-9s. Include IRS Form W-9 and a prepaid return envelope. State clearly that failure to provide the information may result in them being subject to backup withholding on future payments. Keep copies of everything. If they still don't provide the W-9s, file the 1099s with whatever information you have (name, address, etc.) and indicate they refused to provide their taxpayer ID. The IRS will handle it from there.

Wait, I'm confused about something - I have a rental property and pay people for repairs all the time. Am I supposed to be collecting W-9s from everyone? Like even the guy who mows the lawn for $50 a week? This is the first I'm hearing about this requirement...

9 Tax preparer here. Just to add some clarity: The "under $600" confusion is one of the most common issues I see with clients. The $600 threshold only determines whether the PAYER must issue a 1099 form. It has absolutely nothing to do with whether YOU must report the income. All income from any source is legally required to be reported on your tax return, even if it's $5. The IRS computer matching system will catch discrepancies between what's reported by others using your SSN and what you report on your return, regardless of amount.

4 Does anyone know if this applies to stuff sold on Facebook Marketplace too? I sold some old furniture and made maybe $400 total last year. No 1099 forms or anything, just cash and Venmo. Do I seriously need to report that??