That's amazing! Did you do anything special to make it go through faster? Or just straightforward electronic filing?

Nothing special at all - just made sure everything was accurate and double-checked all my numbers before submitting. I used the same tax software as last year and filed as soon as I had all my documents. I think the difference might be that I filed very early this year before the big rush, and my return was very simple with just one W-2 and standard deduction. No credits, no deductions, nothing that would trigger additional review.

I have a Schedule C too and got my refund in 14 days. Did you claim any home office or vehicle deductions? I've heard those can trigger additional review sometimes.

Check your return status on the IRS website. My Schedule C return was held up because I made a simple math error on one of my expense categories. They don't always notify you about these issues.

I had the exact same experience with eBay! Got a 1099-K for 2021 with around $7k in sales but nothing for 2022 with about $8k. I asked their support chat and they just sent me a link to a help article that didn't actually answer the question. Did you figure out what to do? I'm just reporting all income anyway but worried about inconsistencies triggering an audit.

I never got a satisfactory answer from Etsy, but I did some research and found that some states like Massachusetts, Vermont, and a few others had already implemented lower thresholds ($600) before the federal change was proposed. My guess is that either you or I moved states between 2021 and 2022, or the platforms changed how they determine which state's rules apply. I'm doing the same thing - reporting all income regardless of whether I got a form. My accountant confirmed that's the right approach and said inconsistencies in receiving forms shouldn't trigger an audit as long as you're properly reporting all your income.

That's correct. For 2022 tax filing (what you're filing now in 2023), the threshold remained at $20k AND 200 transactions for federal purposes. Some states have lower thresholds, which is why some people might receive a 1099-K even if they don't meet the federal threshold. For 2023 tax year (what you'll file in 2024), the threshold was originally supposed to drop to $600 with no transaction minimum. However, the IRS has actually announced ANOTHER delay for this implementation. So for 2023, the threshold will remain at $20k AND 200 transactions at the federal level. The $600 threshold is now scheduled to take effect for tax year 2024 (filing in 2025), but there's always the possibility of additional delays. Some tax software may not have been updated with the most recent delay announcement.

12 That's interesting! What country are you from? I'm wondering if this would apply to me too.

23 I'm from India, which has a comprehensive tax treaty with the US. Many countries have specific provisions for students and researchers in their tax treaties. The treaty provisions can sometimes override the general tax rules and provide more favorable treatment. You should definitely check if your country has a tax treaty with the US. If it does, read the specific articles that deal with students, teachers, and researchers. Form 8833 is used to disclose when you're taking a position on your tax return that's based on a tax treaty rather than regular tax law.

10 That's not completely accurate. For F-1 students, the exemption is for 5 calendar years, so days in the US don't count toward the substantial presence test for the first 5 calendar years. After that, F-1 days DO count. But for J-1 visa holders, it's only 2 years.

Wait the SALT cap applies separately?? So if you file separately each person gets their own $10k cap? That's a huge deal in states like CA or NY! Why isn't this more widely known??

That's good to know! Thankfully we don't have any back taxes or debts, and both have pretty straightforward W-2 income. Really starting to sound like filing jointly is the way to go in our situation. I'm going to run the numbers both ways though just to be sure. Thanks everyone for all the helpful advice! I feel much more confident about our decision now.

You're welcome! Definitely run the numbers both ways - that's really the only way to be sure. Joint filing is usually better for most couples, but the only way to know for your specific situation is to calculate it both ways. Good luck with your taxes! Sounds like you're making an informed decision now.

Do they handle complex returns though? I have rental properties, investments, and self-employment income. TurboTax handles all that pretty well even though it's expensive.

Yes, they handle all those tax situations! I have a rental property and some side gig income, and it worked great for me. The interface isn't quite as polished as TurboTax, but all the same forms and schedules are available. The big difference is they charge one flat fee for the Deluxe version instead of making you pay more for each "type" of income like TurboTax does. So whether you have investments, rental income, or self-employment, it's all included in that same ~$25 price.

Really? I've been using them since 2007 and this is the first time I've ever not been able to access an older return. Maybe they just started enforcing it more strictly? Either way, definitely downloading everything from now on.