anyone know if u can e-file amendments now? heard they were supposed to start allowing that

Been through this process twice now and here's what I've learned: expect 20-25 weeks realistically, not the 16 they advertise. The "Where's My Amended Return" tool is basically useless - it'll show "processing" for months with no updates. Your best bet is to get your account transcripts every few weeks to see if there's any movement. Also, if you owe money from the amendment, pay it ASAP to avoid interest piling up while they take forever to process it. Good luck! 🤞

Has anyone here actually gone back and forth between W-2 employment and self-employment? I'm curious how bad the "tax shock" really is when you make the switch. After 12 years at a company, I'm thinking about going freelance in the same field but worried about the tax situation.

Great breakdown! As someone who made the switch from W-2 to self-employment three years ago, I can confirm your math is spot on. The psychological aspect you mentioned is huge - when you're an employee, you never see that 7.65% employer contribution, so it feels "free," but it's really just part of your total compensation package. One thing that helped me was setting up a separate tax savings account where I automatically transfer 30% of every payment I receive. That way, when quarterly estimated taxes come due, I'm not scrambling to find the money. The SE tax might feel more painful because you're writing the check, but you're also gaining control over deductions, retirement contributions, and business expenses that employees rarely get to leverage. The freedom and potential tax advantages of self-employment often outweigh that initial sticker shock once you get your systems in place!

FYI - I used TurboTax for a similar situation and it specifically asked if I maintained a home for a qualifying person, not just a dependent. The software correctly determined I could use QSS status even though my daughter made too much to be claimed as a dependent. Just make sure whoever does the amended return understands this distinction. Some tax preparers get confused and think QSS requires a dependent, but it actually requires a qualifying person who lives in the home.

This is a great discussion! I just wanted to add one more important point that might help with your decision-making process. When calculating whether your brother provided more than half the cost of maintaining the home for QSS purposes, make sure to include ALL qualifying household expenses for the entire year. This includes mortgage payments (principal and interest), property taxes, homeowners insurance, utilities (electric, gas, water, trash), home repairs and maintenance, and food consumed at home. Don't forget about things like HOA fees if applicable, or heating oil/propane if you use those. For 2023 specifically, since your niece earned $6.2k, you'll want to subtract any amount she contributed toward these household expenses from your brother's total. If she paid for groceries, utilities, or any home maintenance costs, those reduce the amount your brother can claim he provided. The good news is that if your brother is paying the entire mortgage and most utilities, he's likely well over the 50% threshold even with her income. Just document everything carefully in case the IRS asks for support during processing.

Transcript dates are impossible to understand without help tbh. I was going crazy trying to figure mine out until I used taxr.ai - it broke everything down and even predicted my deposit date accurately!

The "RETURN NOT PRESENT FOR THIS ACCOUNT" message is concerning and might explain why your dates are shifting. This usually means the IRS hasn't fully processed your return yet, even though you filed. The estimated tax payment being removed could be related to this processing issue. February 11th might be when they expect to complete processing, but transcript dates can change again. Since you're dealing with Head of Household filing status and there seems to be some processing complications, I'd recommend calling the IRS directly at 1-800-829-1040 to get clarification on why your return isn't showing as filed in their system. The appointed representative entry from September is also worth asking about - that could be affecting your processing timeline. Don't panic though, movement on transcript dates is usually positive even if the timeline keeps shifting!

Dont forget about the qualified business income deduction (QBI) on Section 199A! If your reporting income on Schedule C you might qualify for this extra 20% deduction even if you have expenses that offset most of the income. Could actually work in ur favor!!!!

This is a really helpful thread! I'm dealing with a similar situation where I got a 1099-NEC for what should have been expense reimbursements. Based on all the advice here, it sounds like Schedule C is the way to go to offset the income with the actual expenses. One question though - when reporting the expenses on Schedule C, do I need to follow the specific IRS categories (like separating meals at 50% deductible vs. full transportation costs), or since these were direct reimbursements can I just list them as "Other expenses" with a description? I want to make sure I'm not overcomplicating this but also want to be completely accurate in case of any questions later. Also really appreciate the suggestions about taxr.ai and Claimyr - it's reassuring to know there are resources available when you need specific guidance on these tricky situations!