Do you need to know all the tax forms and which ones to fill out when using the software? That's what intimidates me - not knowing which forms I need.

You don't need to know any of the tax forms beforehand! That's the beauty of tax software. It asks you simple questions like "Did you own a home?" or "How many dependents do you have?" and then determines all the necessary forms for you automatically. The software fills out all the right forms behind the scenes based on your answers. You'll never need to decide "do I need Schedule A or Schedule C?" - it handles all of that. You just answer questions about your life situation and it does the technical part. It's designed for regular people, not tax experts.

I tried Cash App Taxes last year and it messed up my mortgage interest deduction somehow. Ended up having to file an amendment. Maybe they've fixed it for this year?

Is there a way to do a quick check for these hidden characters across my whole return? I'm using TaxAct and now I'm worried there might be backslashes I'm not seeing.

The best way to check your entire return is to create the PDF preview (usually there's a "Preview" or "Print Preview" option) and then use the search function (Ctrl+F on Windows or Command+F on Mac) to search for the backslash character. Just type \ in the search box and it will highlight any instances throughout the document. TaxAct also has a built-in error checker that runs before you file. While it might not specifically call out backslashes, it should catch most formatting issues that would cause rejection. If you're still concerned, you can also print the entire return and visually scan the fields where you entered text (like name, address, occupation) for any unexpected characters.

Forward slashes can definitely cause similar problems. The IRS systems interpret them as date separators or division operators in some contexts. I'd recommend removing them from any text fields like addresses. Only use them where they're expected (like in dates formatted as MM/DD/YYYY).

Did FreeTaxUSA handle state taxes too or just federal? And was that included in the basic price or an add-on?

FreeTaxUSA does federal returns for free and charges around $15 for state returns, which is way cheaper than most other services. The state filing is an add-on but still very affordable compared to the $40+ that TurboTax and others charge. They handle both federal and state unemployment reporting correctly, which was important for me since my state taxes unemployment a bit differently than federal.

I tried their app last year and honestly wouldn't recommend it. Super buggy and kept crashing when I tried to upload photos of my documents. Ended up having to use the website anyway. If you're set on using your phone, TaxSlayer's app worked better for me this year.

Does your mom know if there's any way to check if you've been certified as seriously delinquent? Or do you just have to wait and see if your passport gets approved?

The IRS is required to send you a Notice CP508C if they certify your tax debt to the State Department. It's a specific notice just for passport certification. If you haven't received that notice, you haven't been certified. You can also call the IRS and specifically ask if your account has been certified for passport denial. They also cannot certify you if you're making payments under an approved installment agreement, have a pending offer in compromise, or have requested innocent spouse relief. So those are all protective measures even for people who owe more than the threshold amount.

Did your online account update right away after you paid? Mine still shows the full amount even after making payments and it's been 3 weeks.

Check your E*Trade account for a transaction history report. Look for "sell to cover" transactions that happened on the same day as your vesting dates. These will show exactly how many shares were sold automatically to cover taxes. Also look for a form called a "Confirmation" after each vesting date - it should break down exactly how many shares vested, how many were sold for taxes, and how many you retained. If you can't find these in your account, contact E*Trade support and ask for vesting confirmation statements.

Thanks so much, I found the transaction history and you're right - there are "sell to cover" entries for each vesting date. Now I see exactly what happened - about 40% of each vesting was automatically sold for taxes, which matches roughly what my tax rate should be. That explains why the values on my W-2 and 1099-B overlap! I need to report the sales but make sure I'm not double-taxed on income that was already included in my W-2. This is really helpful.

Yes, you can absolutely request penalty abatement, especially if this is your first time making this type of error. The IRS has a "First Time Abatement" policy that often waives penalties for taxpayers with clean compliance history. When responding to the notice, include a formal request for penalty abatement explaining that you made an honest mistake and didn't understand the reporting requirements for RSUs. Focus on how you've always filed and paid on time previously.