One thing to consider - if you earned over $400 in self-employment income (which you did at $6,800), you're legally required to file it as self-employment on Schedule C. Not doing so could flag your return for audit. I've been freelancing for years and while the self-employment tax sucks, the deductions make a huge difference. Track EVERYTHING - mileage to client meetings, software subscriptions, equipment, portion of internet and phone, home office space, professional development courses, etc. I even deduct a percentage of my electricity since I use my computer and lighting for design work.

Don't forget to make quarterly estimated tax payments on your self-employment income going forward! I learned this the hard way and got hit with penalties my first year freelancing. The IRS expects you to pay taxes throughout the year, not just at filing time.

Protip: stop checking WMR every 2 seconds, it only updates once per day usually around 3am EST

Been there! This exact thing happened to me last month. TurboTax acceptance just means they successfully sent your return to the IRS, but it takes a few days for their systems to sync up. The IRS processes returns in batches, so even though they have it, it might not show in WMR until they start actually processing your specific return. Usually takes 3-5 business days from acceptance to show up in WMR. Try not to stress too much - if TurboTax says accepted, you're in the system! 🙂

Has anyone else noticed that tax prep software kinda creates this problem? They show you that big refund after one W-2 which gets your hopes up, then it crashes when you add everything. Maybe they should warn you that the number isn't final until ALL income is entered!

This is exactly what happened to me last year! The key thing to understand is that tax withholding is calculated based on each job independently, but your actual tax liability is based on your TOTAL income for the year. When you have multiple jobs, especially with significant tip income, you're essentially under-withholding throughout the year because each employer's payroll system doesn't know about your other income sources. Your $33,500 combined income puts you in a higher effective tax rate than what either job was withholding for individually. For tip income specifically, many employers only withhold taxes on the minimum wage portion and rely on you to report and pay taxes on the tips. Even with your extra 10% withholding, it probably wasn't enough to cover the full tax liability on that tip income when combined with your other job. Going forward, I'd recommend using the IRS Tax Withholding Estimator mid-year to check if you're on track, and don't be afraid to request even more additional withholding if needed. It's better to get a smaller refund than to owe money!

did u claim any credits? that usually triggers the red box and makes everything take 10x longer smh

Child tax credit claims definitely slow things down - they have to manually verify everything. I'm dealing with a similar situation but for federal. Filed early February and still waiting. The frustrating part is there's really nothing we can do but wait it out. At least Kentucky usually processes faster than federal once they get to your return. Hang in there! 🤞

One more thing to consider - if you make over a certain amount from your contractor work (I think it's around $1,000), you'll need to file Schedule C along with your tax return. This is where you report business income and expenses. You'll also fill out Schedule SE for self-employment tax. Start keeping track of ALL business-related expenses now if you haven't already! Mileage for business travel (not commuting), home office if applicable, portion of internet/phone, software subscriptions, office supplies, professional development, etc. These can significantly reduce your taxable income.

This thread has been incredibly helpful! As someone who just started contracting this year too, I want to add one thing that caught me off guard - make sure you're tracking your business expenses from DAY ONE, not just when tax season approaches. I learned this the hard way when I realized I had forgotten to save receipts for legitimate business expenses like software subscriptions, equipment purchases, and even parking fees for client meetings. The IRS requires documentation for deductions, so having a system in place early (even something as simple as a dedicated folder or app) can save you hundreds or thousands in missed deductions. Also, don't forget about the home office deduction if you work from home regularly and exclusively use a space for business. You can either use the simplified method ($5 per square foot up to 300 sq ft) or calculate actual expenses. Even if it's just a corner of your bedroom that you use only for work, it might qualify! One last tip: consider making estimated payments for 2025 even if you're not required to. It helps with cash flow management and prevents that massive tax bill shock next April. You can always adjust the amounts throughout the year if your income changes.