Quick tip: Download the Stride app to track your mileage automatically. I drive for multiple apps and it's been a lifesaver. Just hit "start work" when you begin and "end work" when you're done. At tax time, it gives you a report with all your business miles and the deduction amount.

I totally understand the frustration! I went through the same confusion with my gig work taxes last year. Here's what I learned that might help: Your W-2 income and 1099 gig work are reported separately - don't try to combine them. The W-2 goes on the main 1040 form, and your gig income goes on Schedule C where you can deduct your business expenses. For your mileage, you're on the right track! You can deduct either actual vehicle expenses OR the standard mileage rate (currently $0.655 per mile for 2023). Since you tracked 15,600 miles, that's about $10,218 in deductions, which is substantial. Don't stress too much about making mistakes - the IRS typically sends letters first if there are issues, not immediate bank account seizures. They actually want to help you get it right. One thing that saved me: keep detailed records of everything. Besides mileage, you might be able to deduct things like phone bills (business portion), car washes, parking fees, and even some supplies. The key is having documentation. Have you considered using tax software specifically designed for gig workers? It can walk you through Schedule C step-by-step and make sure you don't miss any deductions. Much less stressful than trying to figure out the forms manually!

U can always amend if ur worried but honestly its probly fine

Similar thing happened to me with my son's name - had a typo in the middle name but everything processed fine! The IRS system is pretty forgiving with minor spelling errors as long as the SSN matches. Your refund should come through normally, so try not to stress too much about it. Next year just double-check against the social security card before submitting 👍

Anyone use TurboTax for this? I'm trying to figure out where to enter qualified education expenses that aren't on my 1098-T.

I went through something very similar last year! The key thing to remember is that the 1098-T is just what the school reports based on their accounting system - it's not the complete picture of what you can claim for education credits. Since you paid with loan proceeds in January 2025, those expenses would be claimed on your 2025 tax return (filed in 2026), not your current 2024 return. The IRS considers expenses "paid" when the loan funds are actually disbursed to the school, regardless of when you were billed. Make sure to keep copies of your loan disbursement records and university account statements showing the payment date. The IRS allows you to claim qualified education expenses paid with loan funds, and you can definitely include expenses that aren't reported on the 1098-T as long as they're legitimate tuition and required fees. Don't stress too much about it - you're asking the right questions and getting good advice here! Just remember it's for next year's return, not this year's.

Sometimes I've found that withholding a bit extra from my W-2 job is easier than dealing with quarterly payments for small self-employment income. You can file a new W-4 with your employer and just add an additional amount to be withheld from each paycheck. Way less paperwork than tracking and submitting quarterlies.

Just wanted to add another perspective for anyone in a similar situation - if your side gig income is truly inconsistent like yours, consider keeping a simple monthly tracking spreadsheet. I learned this the hard way when my freelance writing income jumped unexpectedly one quarter and I suddenly owed way more than expected. What I do now is track my monthly self-employment income and multiply by 15.3% (self-employment tax rate) plus my marginal tax rate to estimate what I should be setting aside. If I hit the point where I'm on track to owe more than $1,000 for the year, I either make a quarterly payment or increase my W-2 withholding like others mentioned. The inconsistency actually works in your favor right now since you're staying under the thresholds, but having a system in place will save you stress if your income grows. Better to be prepared than scrambling to catch up on payments later!

One trick I learned is that the IRS doesn't require equal payments for estimated taxes if your income is seasonal or irregular. Use Form 2210 Schedule AI (Annualized Income) to calculate different payment amounts for each quarter based on when you actually earn the income. Huge help for my lawn care business where I make 80% of my money in summer months!

Just wanted to add something that really helped me when I first started dealing with estimated taxes - you can actually make your payments online through EFTPS (Electronic Federal Tax Payment System) instead of mailing those paper vouchers. It's free to set up and you can schedule payments in advance, which is super helpful for budgeting. Also, if you're really unsure about your amounts, consider the "safe harbor" rule: if you pay 100% of last year's tax liability (110% if your AGI was over $150,000), you won't owe any underpayment penalties even if you end up owing more at tax time. It might mean a bigger refund, but it gives you peace of mind while you're learning the ropes of self-employment taxes. One last tip - keep detailed records of your business income and expenses throughout the year. This makes it so much easier to adjust your quarterly payments if your income changes significantly from what you initially projected.