Don't forget that if your dad doesn't qualify for Surviving Spouse status, Head of Household might still be better than Single! Even if you don't qualify as his dependent, does he support anyone else who might qualify? The tax rate differences between Single and Head of Household can be significant. Also check whether he qualifies for the Credit for Other Dependents ($500) for supporting you, even if you don't meet all the tests to be a qualifying child or qualifying relative. The income limits for this are different from the dependency requirements!

I'm sorry for your dad's loss. Based on what you've described, your dad unfortunately won't qualify for Qualifying Surviving Spouse status. The key issue is that you don't meet the requirements to be his qualifying dependent - since you're over 18, not a full-time student, and earned more than the $4,400 threshold, you can't help him qualify for this beneficial filing status. However, don't overlook some potential benefits! Even though you're not a qualifying dependent, your dad might still be eligible for the Credit for Other Dependents ($500) if he provided more than half of your support during the year. The income limits for this credit are more generous - you can earn significantly more than $4,400 and he can still claim it. Also, make sure to double-check if there are any other potential dependents in his situation. Sometimes people forget about elderly parents they support or other relatives who might qualify. If he does have another qualifying dependent, that could open up Head of Household filing status, which has better tax rates than Single. The tax software confusion you mentioned is common - many programs don't clearly explain the "why" behind these dependency rules, especially for blended families with stepchildren.

Protip: Check your transcript instead of WMR. Its usually more accurate and updates faster

I'm in the exact same situation! Filed on 2/28 and still getting that "still being processed" message on WMR. It's so frustrating seeing some people who filed around the same time already getting their refunds while we're stuck waiting. I've been trying not to check it obsessively but it's hard when you're expecting that money. At least we know we're not alone in this - seems like a lot of late February filers are still waiting. Hopefully we'll see some movement soon! 🤞

Is there any minimum amount of freelance income needed to qualify for QBI? I only made about $3,000 from my side gig last year but would love to get that 20% deduction.

Thanks everyone for the detailed responses! This is super helpful. I'm definitely going to file an amended return for 2023 to claim the QBI I missed. One follow-up question - when I amend my return, do I need to include any special documentation to support the QBI deduction, or is having the 1099-NEC sufficient? I want to make sure I have everything properly documented in case the IRS has questions later. Also, for anyone else in a similar situation, it sounds like the key points are: 1) Freelance income on 1099-NEC typically qualifies for QBI, 2) No minimum income threshold, 3) You don't need a formal business registration, and 4) It only reduces income tax, not self-employment tax. Did I miss anything important?

I made a huge mistake last year by putting my estimated tax payments on the wrong line of my 1040. The IRS sent me a letter saying I owed a bunch of money plus penalties, and it took months to get sorted out. Double check where you're entering everything!

This is exactly why I always keep detailed records of all my tax payments throughout the year! For your situation with two types of withholding, I'd recommend creating a simple spreadsheet to track everything before you start filing. List your W-2 withholding amount from box 2, then separately list each quarterly estimated payment you made with the dates and amounts. When you're ready to file, the W-2 withholding goes on line 25a of Form 1040, and your estimated payments total goes on line 26. In TurboTax, these will be in different sections - the W-2 info gets entered when you input your W-2 form, and the estimated payments have their own dedicated section usually under "Federal Taxes" or "Payments." The key thing is to make sure you have documentation for all your estimated payments - either bank records, confirmation numbers, or receipts. This way if the IRS ever questions anything, you have proof of what you paid and when.

The TurboTax advance works differently than the actual IRS refund process. Unlike H&R Block which requires IRS acceptance first, TurboTax makes their decision based on their own risk assessment immediately after you submit. For amended returns, they're more cautious since those have higher scrutiny rates from the IRS. Check your TurboTax messages section - that's where approval notifications appear first.

Just to add to what others have said - I had an amended return situation last year and TurboTax did approve me for the advance, but it took about 48 hours instead of the usual 24. They were more conservative with the amount too (only advanced about 40% of my expected refund). The key thing is that their decision is completely independent of IRS processing. Even if your return gets delayed or questioned by the IRS later, you still keep the advance money. Make sure to check both your TurboTax account dashboard AND your email (including spam) for the decision notification!