This happened to my brother last year, but with a 1099-K from Etsy for supposedly selling $18k in merchandise. Turned out someone had created an Etsy shop using his stolen identity. The most frustrating part was that even after proving it wasn't him, the IRS computer systems still expected taxes on that income and automatically generated notices. Make sure whatever solution you use gives you physical documentation you can keep sending back every time another automated notice comes. It took about 6 months and 3 rounds of sending the same evidence package before the IRS fully resolved it in their systems.

This is such a nightmare situation, but you're getting excellent advice here from everyone. I went through something similar with a fraudulent Venmo account that showed up on a 1099-K. One additional step I'd recommend: contact your state's Attorney General office as well. Many states have dedicated identity theft units that can provide additional resources and sometimes help coordinate between different agencies. They often have experience dealing with these exact situations and can provide guidance specific to your state's laws. Also, when you file the Form 14039 with the IRS, make sure to include a cover letter that clearly summarizes your situation and references all the supporting documentation you're including. The IRS processes thousands of these forms, so making it easy for them to understand your case quickly can help speed up the resolution. Document everything with timestamps - even if it seems minor now, you might need those details later. I kept a simple spreadsheet with dates, who I talked to, what was discussed, and any reference numbers. It saved me so much time when I had to provide updates or clarify information later in the process. You've got this! It's stressful now but following these steps will get you through it.

Election worker here! This income is reported on Line 1, NOT Schedule C. You were an employee. Keep your paystubs as documentation. Election workers have special SS/Medicare exemptions below certain thresholds which is why they refunded those taxes.

I had a very similar situation last year with poll worker pay of about $280. No W-2 issued, but I still needed to report it. Here's what I learned from my tax preparer: 1) Definitely report it on Line 1 as wage income, not Schedule C 2) The $600 threshold is just for employer reporting requirements - you still owe taxes on any income over $400 annually 3) Election worker income under $2,000 is exempt from Social Security/Medicare taxes, which explains your refund 4) Keep all your pay stubs as backup documentation One tip: if you use tax software, look for an option like "Additional W-2 income" or "Income not reported on W-2" - most programs have this feature specifically for situations like ours. The software will add it to your total wages automatically. Don't stress about it - this is actually pretty common with temporary government work!

Just a heads up for the scholarship reporting - I was in the exact same situation last year and most tax software actually has a dedicated section for entering scholarship income. When you enter your 1098-T, it'll ask about the amounts and whether they were used for qualified education expenses. The software then automatically handles the "SCH" notation so you don't have to worry about the "to the left" instructions. For the 1099-NEC tutoring income, I also had a small amount last year from a teaching assistant position. The Schedule C looks intimidating but it's actually super simple for straightforward situations like tutoring. You'll just enter the income, any expenses (even if zero), and the software calculates the rest.

For your 401(k) distribution question, you'll definitely need the Form 1099-R from your plan administrator to see the exact breakdown. The "includible in income" amount is what goes in Box 2a of the 1099-R - this is the taxable portion of your distribution. You're right that you likely got separate checks because traditional 401(k) distributions are fully taxable while Roth distributions of contributions are generally tax-free (though earnings may be taxable if you're under 59½). Whether you need Form 5329 depends on if you owe the 10% early withdrawal penalty. There are several exceptions - like using the funds for qualified education expenses, first-time home purchase, or certain hardships. If you qualify for an exception, you won't need Form 5329. For your scholarship situation, the $11,000 stipend is indeed taxable since it exceeds qualified education expenses. Most tax software will handle the "SCH" notation automatically when you enter your 1098-T information, so don't stress too much about the "to the left" instruction. One tip: before paying for expensive tax software, check out the IRS Free File options. Many include all the forms you need (Schedule C, Schedule 1, etc.) at no cost if your income qualifies.

I adjunct at a community college too! For my $500ish biweekly checks, I have them withhold $100 for federal taxes. My spouse and I are in the 22% bracket with our combined incomes, and this has worked out almost perfectly for the past two years. You could try a similar percentage. Just remember that teaching income stacks on top of your other income for tax bracket purposes, so it's getting taxed at your highest marginal rate. Don't make the mistake I made the first year where I only had 10% withheld because I thought that's what the bracket would be if it was my only job!

I'm dealing with a similar situation with my part-time consulting work! One thing that really helped me was using the IRS Tax Withholding Estimator on their website. You can input all your income sources - your full-time job, your spouse's income, and your teaching income - and it will give you a pretty accurate recommendation for additional withholding. Since you're married filing jointly with two full-time incomes plus the teaching gig, you're likely in the 22% or 24% bracket. For your ~$435 biweekly checks, I'd probably start with requesting around $85-95 in federal withholding. You can always adjust it later if needed by submitting a new W-4. The key thing to remember is that this side income is being taxed at your marginal rate since it's "on top of" all your other income. Better to err on the side of slightly overwithholding than getting hit with underpayment penalties!

Have you tried checking the IRS2Go app? Sometimes it shows different information than the website. According to the r/IRS community wiki, the 971 code could mean several different things depending on what other codes appear with it. Do you have any other codes like 570 (refund hold) or 420 (examination/audit) on your transcript?

I'm in a very similar situation right now! Got the 971 code last week and have been checking my transcript daily. Reading through everyone's experiences here is really helpful - it sounds like most of the time it's just routine verification stuff, especially for first-time joint filers like us. I'm going to wait for the notice to arrive rather than rushing to the local office. @KylieRose thanks for the tip about checking the online account portal - I didn't know they sometimes post notices there before mailing them. Will definitely check that today!