Has anyone calculated roughly how much you need to set aside from these 1099 payments? I just got asked to fill out W9 too for my DJ side gig and I'm trying to budget.

The key thing to understand is that you were already legally required to report and pay taxes on this income, even when it was paid in cash or Venmo. The W9 doesn't change your tax obligation - it just means the company is now going to properly report what they pay you to the IRS. You can't really refuse to fill out the W9 if you want to keep working for them. Companies are required to get this form from contractors they pay $600+ per year. If you refuse, they'll likely stop using your services or withhold 24% backup withholding from your payments. Start setting aside about 25-30% of what you earn going forward for taxes. You'll owe self-employment tax (15.3%) plus regular income tax on the net profit. But the good news is you can deduct all your legitimate business expenses - tools, materials, vehicle expenses for driving to jobs, work clothes, etc. These deductions can significantly reduce what you actually owe. Consider making quarterly estimated tax payments to avoid penalties. And definitely start keeping detailed records of all your work-related expenses from now on!

Another tip - if your amended return involves a substantial refund, consider filing Form 911 (Taxpayer Advocate Service request) after the 20-week mark. The Taxpayer Advocate can sometimes help if you're experiencing financial hardship due to the delay. They won't help just because of a long wait, but if you can demonstrate actual financial hardship, they might be able to expedite things.

I'm going through the exact same thing! Filed my amended return in August and it's now been over 4 months with just "received" status. What's really frustrating is that the IRS changed those rules so late in the game - it feels like they should prioritize processing returns that were amended because of THEIR rule changes. Based on what everyone's sharing here, it sounds like the key is figuring out if there's a specific issue holding up your return rather than just waiting blindly. The taxr.ai tool that @Jamal Thompson mentioned sounds interesting for identifying potential problems, and the Claimyr service for actually getting through to talk to someone seems worth trying if you're past the 16-week mark. @Carmen Reyes - since you mentioned needing the refund for home repairs, you might want to look into the Taxpayer Advocate Service (Form 911) that @Fatima Al-Mazrouei suggested if you can demonstrate financial hardship. September to now is already hitting that 20+ week timeframe where they might be able to help.

Has anyone noticed that amended returns involving the Recovery Rebate Credit or Earned Income Credit seem to take way longer? My friend and I both filed amendments in February, but mine had the EIC correction and is still processing while hers was just fixing income reporting and she got her refund weeks ago.

I'm in almost the exact same situation! Filed my amended return on February 15th and still showing "received" status with no movement. It's reassuring to hear from others with similar timelines - I was starting to think something went wrong with my filing. Based on what everyone's sharing here, it sounds like 12-16 weeks is pretty normal, especially if there are any credits or complex changes involved. My amendment was for adding a missed 1099-INT, so hopefully that's straightforward enough to process soon. The batching theory makes a lot of sense - probably explains why some people filed days apart but got completely different processing times. Going to try to stop checking the tool daily since it seems like it won't update until everything is completely done anyway. Thanks for posting this question, it's helpful to know we're not alone in the waiting game!

I verified my identity last month and same thing happened. Check came right on schedule tho

This is actually pretty common - happened to me two years ago. The IRS switched my DD to check even though my bank info was perfect. Turned out they flagged my return for routine verification. The frustrating part is you really can't do anything until after that April 7 deadline they gave you. I know it sucks waiting an extra month, but the check usually arrives pretty close to the date they give you. Just keep an eye on your mailbox around March 10th and maybe a few days after. At least your return is fully processed so there's no issue with the refund itself, just the delivery method.

The IRS systems are such a joke fr fr 💀

I feel your pain! Same thing happened to me - couldn't access my transcript online for ages due to some verification glitch. What finally worked for me was going to an IRS Taxpayer Assistance Center in person with my ID and Social Security card. They were able to reset my online access on the spot. You can find your nearest office on the IRS website and make an appointment. It's a bit of a hassle but way faster than waiting weeks for mail delivery!