17 Has anyone used TurboTax Self-Employed for filing both 1099-NEC and 1099-MISC income? Is it worth the extra cost compared to the regular version?

Welcome to the 1099 world! As someone who made the same transition a few years ago, I can tell you that yes, you absolutely need to file a tax return even though you've been making quarterly payments. Those quarterly payments are essentially just prepayments toward your actual tax liability that gets calculated when you file. Here's what I wish someone had told me when I started: your quarterly payments are estimates based on what you think you'll owe, but your actual tax liability is determined by your real income and deductions when you file Form 1040 with Schedule C attached. If you overpaid through quarterlies, you'll get a refund. If you underpaid, you'll owe the difference (plus potential penalties if it's significant). For your 1099-MISC income from surveys and online platforms, it should be included in your quarterly estimates since it's all self-employment income subject to both income tax and self-employment tax. When filing, you'll report everything together unless the activities are completely unrelated businesses. My advice: start organizing all your business expenses now (home office, internet, phone, software, supplies, etc.) because these deductions can really add up and reduce your tax liability. And consider using tax software designed for self-employed folks - it's usually worth the extra cost for the guidance on deductions you might miss.

One important thing nobody has mentioned yet is that your parents need to be aware of FIRPTA - the Foreign Investment in Real Property Tax Act. This only applies if they're not US persons (citizens or permanent residents) and are selling US property, not foreign property. But the reverse situation is important too! Many countries have their own version of FIRPTA that applies to foreign nationals (including Americans) selling property in their country. The foreign country might withhold a percentage of the sale proceeds regardless of actual gain. Your parents should check if the country where they're selling has a withholding requirement, as this could affect their cash flow even if they can later claim it back.

Something nobody's mentioned - if the total value of all foreign financial assets is over $10,000 at any point during the year, your parents likely need to file an FBAR (FinCEN Form 114). Selling a property worth $215-260k would definitely trigger this. There's also Form 8938 (Statement of Specified Foreign Financial Assets) which has different thresholds depending on whether they live in the US or abroad and whether they file jointly or separately. The penalties for not filing these forms can be severe, even if no tax is owed! This is separate from the actual tax on the capital gain.

Has anyone here ever actually filed an SS-8? I'm curious because TurboTax prompted me to file one last year for some side gig work, but after reading about how long they take to process (6+ months!), I decided against it and just paid the self-employment tax instead.

I went through this exact situation last year with my wife's postdoc fellowship at a research university. TurboTax kept prompting us for the SS-8 form, but after doing some research and consulting with our university's international scholar services office, we learned it was completely unnecessary. The key issue is that fellowship stipends have a special tax classification that's different from both employee wages and independent contractor income. When you enter fellowship income under the 1099 miscellaneous section, TurboTax's algorithm incorrectly assumes there might be a worker classification issue that needs to be resolved with an SS-8. Here's what we did: we removed the fellowship income from the 1099 section entirely and reported it as "Other Income" on line 8z of Form 1040 with the description "Fellowship Stipend." This immediately stopped the SS-8 prompts. The fellowship income was still taxable for federal income tax purposes, but it wasn't subject to self-employment tax, which saved us quite a bit of money. One important note for your husband's H1B situation: make sure to keep detailed records showing the clear distinction between the fellowship period (January-August) and the W-2 employment period (September-December). The IRS likes to see clean documentation that explains the change in status and income type.

Anyone know if the 50-year lease property arrangement is good enough for IRS purposes? I'm in a similar situation in Vietnam where foreigners can't technically "own" property but can get long-term leases.

Based on your detailed situation, you definitely have a strong case for the Bona Fide Residence Test. Your permanent resident visa status since 2016, long-term property lease, and continuous residence since 2012 are all excellent supporting factors. One thing I'd add to the great advice already given - when you make the switch, be prepared to explain the timing if asked. The IRS might wonder why you're changing methods now after 5 years of using Physical Presence. A simple explanation like "I now realize my situation better qualifies for Bona Fide Residence and want to use the most appropriate test" is perfectly fine. Regarding your concern about not paying local income tax - this actually works in your favor in some ways. It shows you're properly following local tax laws (many countries don't tax foreign-source income for residents), and it doesn't create any conflicting tax obligations that might complicate your US filing. I'd recommend keeping a simple log of your US visits going forward - not because there's a strict day limit with Bona Fide, but because it helps demonstrate that your foreign residence remains your primary home. The flexibility to spend more time with family in the US is exactly why Bona Fide Residence can be superior to Physical Presence for people in your situation.

This is why I switched to a small local CPA. I was paying H&R Block around $400-500 for my 1099 returns, and my local accountant now charges $275 for the same service with better advice. Those big chains prey on people who don't know better and add on unnecessary services.

$1,300 is definitely excessive for your situation! I've been doing 1099 work for several years and have never paid anywhere near that amount. Even with unemployment income added to the mix, you should be looking at maybe $200-400 per year maximum at most tax prep services. The fact that they didn't discuss pricing upfront is a huge red flag. Legitimate tax preparers should always provide a clear fee schedule before starting any work. Since you haven't signed anything, you absolutely can walk away and take your documents elsewhere. For future reference, if you decide to file yourself, TurboTax Self-Employed handles 1099 income really well and costs around $120 per year. It walks you through all the deductions you can claim as an independent contractor. For unemployment income, that's actually pretty straightforward to report - it's just additional income that gets added to your return. Don't let them pressure you into paying those outrageous fees. Get quotes from at least 2-3 other preparers or seriously consider doing it yourself with good tax software.