Thanks for mentioning this! I actually did go back to HR Block yesterday after getting all this advice. The manager reviewed everything and confirmed the tax preparer never completed the payment plan setup - they just told me it was done! They've assigned a senior tax advisor to help me resolve everything with the IRS at no extra cost, and they're covering any penalties that accrued due to their mistake. I've also filed a formal complaint with their corporate office. I managed to get through to the IRS today and get a 45-day hold on collections while we sort everything out. They confirmed I can still set up a payment plan, but I need to act quickly. I'm submitting all the paperwork tomorrow with HR Block's help. I can't thank everyone enough for the advice. This has been so stressful, but I feel like we're finally getting it resolved!

That's really helpful advice. When I called the IRS they said the current amount is now about $41,700 with the added interest and penalties! It's crazy how fast it grows. They did give me a breakdown showing how much was original tax vs penalties vs interest. I asked about the Offer in Compromise but the agent said with our income level we probably wouldn't qualify. She suggested we try the payment plan first and if we have financial hardship later we can always apply for the OIC then. At least we're making progress now!

Wait what's this QBI deduction? 20% off sounds huge! Does that apply to all freelance income or are there restrictions?

QBI (Qualified Business Income) deduction lets you deduct up to 20% of your net profit from self-employment income. Most freelancers qualify as long as you're showing a profit after expenses. There are income thresholds where it starts to phase out, but for someone making $1,600/year from freelancing, you're well below those limits. So if your freelance writing brings in $1,600 annually, and after deducting your business expenses (including that partial laptop deduction) you have $1,200 in profit, you could potentially deduct an additional $240 (20% of $1,200). It's definitely worth looking into since it's essentially free money!

Yes, unfortunately you still need to complete Schedule C even for small amounts of 1099 income. Any self-employment income over $400 requires it. The good news is that with such straightforward income sources, it shouldn't be too complicated to fill out.

That's actually a really good point I hadn't considered. I did have some payments that crossed over between December 2021 and January 2022, so maybe that's causing confusion. I'll definitely double check the dates on all the 1099s. Do you remember what form you used to explain this to the IRS?

I wrote a simple letter explaining the date discrepancy and included copies of both the 1099 forms with the dates highlighted and a copy of my bank statements showing when I actually received the payments. I also included a copy of the page from my 2022 return where I did properly report that income. The key is to be super clear and provide documentation that makes it easy for them to verify your explanation. I sent it all certified mail so I had proof of when I responded.

Not OP, but this happened to me too! They lost Schedule C from my paper return and then hit me with a huge bill for unreported business income. Took months to resolve. Always e-file if you possibly can!

I e-filed through TurboTax, so I don't think that's the issue in my case. But that's scary they're still having problems with paper returns from years ago. Did you eventually get your situation resolved without having to pay?

If I started working from home mid-year, can I only deduct for the months I actually had the home office set up? Or is it an all-or-nothing for the tax year?

You can absolutely prorate the deduction for just the months you had the home office. If you started working from home in July, for example, you'd only take the deduction for 6 months of the year. Just make sure to document when you established the home office. Having dated photos of the setup process or receipts for office furniture can help establish your timeline.

That sounds nightmarish! Did you end up getting to keep the deduction or did they make you pay it back?

That's actually a really helpful suggestion. Did the tax professional charge a lot? And did they handle everything directly or still need to coordinate with the Trustee?

The cost was reasonable - around $800 for our situation which involved a house sale and some investments. Most importantly, it was paid from the trust assets, not out of anyone's pocket directly. The tax professional worked directly with our trustee (my brother), but needed minimal involvement from him - basically just collecting the necessary documents and signatures. They handled all the calculations, form preparation, and filing deadlines. The trust document allowed for hiring professionals, which is common language in most trusts.

That's a serious accusation to make without knowing the specifics. Sometimes trustees are just confused about the requirements or overwhelmed with the responsibility. Not everything is malicious.