I'm going through this exact same nightmare with my mother's estate - it's been 7 months now and I feel completely helpless. Reading through all these detailed experiences has been incredibly eye-opening about resources I had no idea existed. The most valuable takeaways for me are: 1) Call the executor hotline (866-699-4083) instead of the regular IRS number, 2) Specifically request the "Deceased Taxpayer Unit" when calling, 3) Contact your congressional representative's local office for constituent services, and 4) Request Account Transcripts to identify specific transaction codes causing delays. What really frustrates me is how regular IRS customer service gives you generic "wait another 30 days" responses without mentioning any of these specialized departments. It's like they're designed to wear you down rather than actually help solve the problem. I had no idea about Form 911 or the Taxpayer Advocate Service either. I'm definitely going to file one this week along with trying the congressional representative route. The success stories here give me hope that there's actually a path forward after months of feeling completely stuck. One question - for those who got resolution, what was the typical timeline from when you first contacted your congressional rep to getting actual movement on your case? I want to set realistic expectations as I try these approaches. Thank you to everyone who shared such detailed experiences. This thread should honestly be required reading for anyone dealing with deceased taxpayer returns. It's community knowledge-sharing like this that makes all the difference when navigating these bureaucratic nightmares!

I'm really sorry you're dealing with this incredibly frustrating situation. After reading through all the excellent advice shared here, I wanted to add one more resource that might help - the IRS has a specific "Where's My Refund" tool for deceased taxpayers at irs.gov, but you need to use the deceased person's SSN and the exact refund amount expected. Also, since you mentioned the estate is nearly insolvent, you might want to look into whether your brother qualifies for "currently not collectible" status if there are any outstanding tax debts. This can provide some breathing room while you're waiting for the refund to process. The combination of calling the executor hotline (866-699-4083), requesting the Deceased Taxpayer Unit, and contacting your congressional representative seems to be the most effective approach based on everyone's experiences here. At 200+ days, you're definitely past the point where generic "wait 30 more days" responses are acceptable. One thing to emphasize when you call - mention that this delay is preventing you from closing the estate and paying creditors. Sometimes framing it as preventing you from fulfilling your legal obligations as administrator gets more attention than just asking about processing times. Hang in there - based on the success stories shared here, you should finally start getting real answers with these targeted approaches.

Probably a stupid question but how do investment apps even know which state to report your income to? I use Robinhood and Webull just like you and moved twice last year...

Just wanted to add that you should also check if your state has any special rules for different types of investment income. For example, some states treat capital gains differently than dividend income, and a few states have preferential rates for long-term capital gains. Also, don't forget that if you had any state taxes withheld from your investment income (which sometimes happens with certain types of funds), you'll definitely want to file to potentially get that money back. I learned this the hard way when I skipped filing one year and left money on the table. FreeTaxUSA should walk you through your specific state's requirements once you enter your 1099 information, but it's always good to double-check the state's official website too.

This is such an excellent resource! I'm also dealing with mixed W-2/1099 income for the first time and feeling completely overwhelmed by the retirement contribution rules. Reading through all the real experiences and actual tax savings numbers has been incredibly eye-opening. What really stands out to me is how the Solo 401k seems to be a game-changer for anyone with even modest 1099 income. The ability to make both employee AND employer contributions (up to that ~20% of net SE income) creates so much more retirement savings capacity than I realized was possible. I'm particularly grateful for the clarification about the December 31st setup deadline vs the funding deadline - that distinction could have easily tripped me up. And seeing the breakdown of how the SE tax adjustment works in the contribution calculations was super helpful since that's not something you'd easily figure out on your own. For anyone else reading this who's in a similar boat, the consensus here seems crystal clear: the tax benefits alone make a Solo 401k worth setting up if you have any meaningful self-employment income. The setup process sounds much more straightforward than the IRS publications make it seem! Thanks to everyone who shared their real-world experiences and numbers - this thread should definitely be bookmarked as the definitive guide for mixed income retirement planning.

This has been such an incredibly valuable thread! As someone who just received my first significant 1099 payment this year ($19k) and has been completely lost on how to handle retirement contributions with mixed income, I can't thank everyone enough for sharing their real experiences and numbers. The breakdown of how Solo 401k contributions work alongside regular employer 401k plans finally makes sense to me. I had no idea you could make both employee AND employer contributions from self-employment income, or that the limits worked the way they do across multiple accounts. What really convinced me was seeing all the actual tax savings numbers people shared - $600-1000 in immediate savings on income levels similar to mine is definitely worth the setup effort. Plus the long-term growth potential makes this a no-brainer. I'm planning to move forward with Fidelity based on the recommendations here, especially since several people mentioned their quick setup times. The December 31st deadline for account establishment is good to know - I almost waited until next year thinking I had until the tax deadline for everything. One quick question for those who've been through this: did any of you run into issues with your regular employer when you started making Solo 401k contributions? I want to make sure there aren't any complications with having contributions going to both my W-2 job's plan and my own Solo 401k. Thanks again for making this complex topic so much clearer!

The FreeTaxUSA interface can be really confusing with QBI. I've found that TurboTax actually explains the QBI rules better and walks you through the calculations, but it's more expensive. H&R Block's software is somewhere in the middle.

This is exactly the kind of situation that trips up a lot of people! You're handling it correctly - when freelance work is substantially the same as what you did as an employee for the same company, it doesn't qualify for QBI. The IRS created this rule specifically to prevent people from just switching to contractor status to claim the deduction while doing identical work. One thing to keep in mind for future planning: if your wife continues freelancing, she might want to diversify her client base. Income from different clients (not former employers) doing similar work would qualify for QBI. Also, if she can expand her services to include substantially different work for her former employer, that portion might qualify. Don't feel bad about "losing" the QBI deduction - you're following the rules correctly, and she can still benefit from legitimate business expense deductions on Schedule C. It's better to be compliant than to incorrectly claim QBI and face potential penalties later.

I actually worked for one of these "tax resolution" companies for 3 months before quitting in disgust. The $9,500 quote is their standard starting point for 6+ years of returns, regardless of complexity. They're trained to scare people about IRS enforcement and push financing options that end up costing even more with interest. Your neighbor should look for an Enrolled Agent (EA) who specializes in back taxes. They typically charge $200-350 per back year for simple returns, and they're specifically licensed by the IRS to handle tax matters. The good news is the IRS is generally reasonable about payment plans. Once the returns are filed, your neighbor can likely set up a monthly payment plan with the IRS directly - often with much lower payments than what these resolution companies try to finance.

That $9,500 quote is absolutely predatory! I've been helping people with tax issues for years, and this is unfortunately a common scam targeting people who are already stressed about their situation. For straightforward 1099 income with minimal deductions, your neighbor should expect to pay around $200-400 per year for professional preparation. Even accounting for some complications with back taxes, the total should be nowhere near $9,500 - more like $1,500-3,000 maximum. Here's what I'd recommend: Tell your neighbor to hang up on these cold-callers immediately. Instead, he should contact the local IRS Taxpayer Advocate Service (it's free) or find a local Enrolled Agent through the IRS directory. Many EAs offer free initial consultations and can provide realistic cost estimates. The financing offer is another huge red flag - they're trying to lock him into payments for overpriced services. The IRS itself offers very reasonable payment plans once returns are filed, often with much lower monthly payments than what these companies are pushing. Your neighbor is lucky to have someone looking out for him. These companies specifically target older adults and people who are intimidated by tax issues.