FYI - The reason Part 3 is often blank on 1095-C forms has to do with employer insurance type. Here's a quick breakdown: If your employer is self-insured: They complete Part 3 of the 1095-C showing all covered individuals If your employer uses fully-insured coverage: Part 3 is blank on the 1095-C, and you should get a separate 1095-B from the insurance carrier You mentioned your wife was covered under your plan for several months. In that case, whoever was the primary policyholder should have a form showing your wife as a covered dependent - either on Part 3 of the 1095-C (self-insured employer) or on a 1095-B from the insurance company.

Has anyone used TurboTax to handle these 1095-C issues? I'm in a similar situation with blank Part 3 sections and I'm wondering if the tax software helps figure this out or if I need to get additional documentation before filing.

Just wanted to share that many H&R Block and some Jackson Hewitt offices are Certifying Acceptance Agents who can handle the ITIN application right there when they prepare your taxes. They verify your original documents on the spot so you don't have to mail anything to the IRS. We did this for my mother-in-law last year and it was SO much less stressful than sending her Philippine passport through the mail. It cost a bit extra but the peace of mind was worth it.

WARNING! Be careful with who prepares your W-7. My cousin used some "tax preparer" from Facebook who charged $200 to handle her husband's ITIN application, and it was rejected TWICE because they filled out Section 6 completely wrong. Wasted 5 months and had to pay penalties for late filing! The IRS is super picky about the W-7 form. Make sure whoever helps you is actually qualified. Ask specifically about their experience with ITINs, not just general tax preparation.

As someone who worked for a tax resolution firm, I want to add something important: look into the IRS Fresh Start Program. It's designed specifically for people with significant back taxes. Depending on your current financial situation, you might qualify for an Offer in Compromise (settling for less than you owe), Currently Not Collectible status (temporary pause on collections), or a manageable payment plan. Also - this is crucial - if you had years where you made under the filing threshold, you might not even need to file for those years. But you'll need to verify that with a professional who can look at your specific situation. Good luck! Taking the first step is always the hardest part.

One thing nobody's mentioned yet - if your income really was under $25k for most of these years, you might actually be due refunds for some years rather than owing money! I had a friend in a similar situation who didn't file for 7 years, and when he finally did his taxes, he was owed refunds for 4 of those years. Just be aware that you can only claim refunds for the past 3 years (so 2022, 2023, and 2024 for this year's filing season). Any refunds for earlier years are lost forever, but you still need to file those returns if required.

Sharing my favorite tax meme: "Tax Season is just finding out if you sent the government the right amount of your money that they already took from your paycheck all year." 😭 I feel this in my soul right now as I'm digging through receipts.

Serious question - does anyone else find that tax memes are actually educational sometimes? I learned what a W-9 was from a joke about freelancers, and now I understand Schedule C better from all the self-employment memes floating around.

Just to add another perspective here - I'm a rideshare driver and use multiple vehicles. Here's what I've learned through experience and confirmed with my tax guy: 1. You CAN use different methods for different vehicles in your fleet 2. Standard mileage is usually better for newer cars with good fuel efficiency 3. Actual expenses often work better for older vehicles with higher maintenance 4. Track EVERYTHING regardless of which method you use - the IRS is incredibly picky about vehicle documentation Keeping detailed mileage logs is essential even if you're using the actual expense method, since you'll need to determine the business use percentage.

Speaking from painful experience - I got audited specifically on vehicle expenses two years ago. The IRS agent was fixated on my switching methods and questioned whether I was eligible to use standard mileage after previously using actual expenses. I had to prove it was a completely different vehicle than the one I'd previously used actual expenses for. They required purchase documentation for both vehicles. The audit ended up covering 3 tax years because of this issue. Make sure you have SOLID documentation - the burden of proof is entirely on you if questioned.