Lol your boss is stuck in 2017! Mine said the same thing and I almost filed wrong because of it. The tax prep software kept asking about "unreimbursed employee expenses" and I entered everything but then got confused when it didn't seem to do anything with that info. Called my cousin who's an accountant and she explained the 2018 changes. Apparently the only real solution is to get your employer to reimburse you directly. My company now has a much better expense policy because so many employees complained after realizing they couldn't deduct stuff anymore.

Your supervisor means well, but they're definitely giving you outdated advice from before the Tax Cuts and Jobs Act. As others have mentioned, W-2 employees lost the ability to deduct unreimbursed business expenses in 2018. However, I'd suggest having a conversation with your company about their expense reimbursement policy. Since you're traveling regularly and they're already covering mileage and per diem, they might be willing to expand coverage to include things like safety equipment and protective gear that are genuinely necessary for your job duties. Many employers don't realize how the 2018 tax changes shifted the burden back to companies. What used to be a shared cost (employee pays upfront, gets partial tax benefit) is now entirely on the employee unless the company reimburses. It's worth framing it that way when you approach them - you're not asking for extras, you're asking them to cover legitimate business expenses that employees can no longer write off. Keep those receipts anyway though - you never know if the rules will change again, plus some states still allow these deductions even when federal doesn't.

Adding to what others have said - the timing really matters here. Since your return is already accepted, you're correct that you should wait for it to fully process before filing the 1040-X. The IRS systems need to complete processing your original return first, otherwise the amendment might get confused in their system. One thing to watch for: if your 1099-R had federal taxes withheld, you might actually end up with an additional refund from the amendment! I've seen this happen when people think they're going to owe more but the withholding covers it and then some. Check box 4 on your 1099-R to see if there was any federal withholding. The medical bills pressure is real, but rushing the amendment before your original processes could actually slow things down more. Better to do it right the first time on the amendment.

I'm dealing with a very similar situation right now - forgot to include a 1099-R from a retirement account distribution on my 2023 return that was just accepted. Reading through everyone's experiences here has been incredibly helpful! One thing I'm curious about - for those who went through this process, did you use tax software to prepare the 1040-X amendment, or did you fill it out manually? I'm trying to decide between using the same software I used for my original return versus doing it by hand. Also, when you say "wait for the original return to process," are we talking about waiting until the refund is actually deposited, or just until the IRS status changes from "accepted" to "approved"? The stress of knowing there's an error out there is real, but it sounds like being proactive about amending is the right move rather than waiting for the IRS to catch it later. Thanks to everyone for sharing your experiences!

Welcome to the community and congrats on seeing that $0.00 balance change! As someone who's been through this process a few times, I can tell you that's definitely a positive indicator. The fact that your account updated from "still processing" to showing a specific $0 balance means the IRS has likely finished reviewing your return and determined your refund amount. Based on typical patterns I've observed, you should see your transcript update with an 846 code (showing your direct deposit date) within the next 24-48 hours. The overnight update cycles usually happen between midnight and 6am EST, so I'd recommend checking your transcript first thing tomorrow morning. Don't worry about those payment options showing up - that's standard on all accounts regardless of refund status. The key thing to watch for now is that 846 code on your transcript with your actual DDD. At 21 days, you're right in the normal processing window, so everything sounds like it's moving along as expected. Keep us posted on when you see that transcript update! 🤞

Hey Tyrone! That $0.00 balance update is such a good sign! I'm new to this community and this whole tax process, but I've been reading through everyone's experiences and it seems like you're definitely in the final stages. From what I've learned here, that change from "still processing" to a specific $0 balance usually means they've finished reviewing everything and are preparing your refund. I'm currently at day 17 of waiting and still stuck on "still processing," so seeing your account update gives me so much hope that mine will change soon too! This community has been incredible for learning about what all these status changes actually mean - I had no idea about transcript codes or update cycles before finding this group. Really hoping you wake up tomorrow to that 846 code on your transcript with your DDD! Please keep us posted on when it updates - it's so helpful for those of us still waiting to see the timeline from balance change to actual deposit date. Fingers crossed you're getting your refund very soon! 🤞

This thread has been incredibly eye-opening! I'm a freelance writer who's been using TurboTax online for the past two years, and now I'm wondering if I've been missing deductions this whole time. I always just followed their interview process and assumed it would catch everything since I entered my 1099s. Reading through everyone's experiences, it sounds like the desktop version is definitely more thorough for self-employed folks. The fact that multiple people had the online version completely skip Schedule C even after entering 1099s is really concerning. I'm definitely going to go back and review my past returns now to see if I missed anything important. And next year I think I'll bite the bullet and pay the extra for desktop version - it sounds like the peace of mind is worth it when you're dealing with business expenses and self-employment tax. Thanks to everyone who shared their experiences and tips about manually searching for Schedule C and checking the forms view. This is exactly the kind of practical advice that can save us all from costly mistakes!

This is such an important discussion for anyone who's self-employed! I'm a freelance photographer and had almost the exact same experience with TurboTax online last year. It completely missed my Schedule C even though I entered multiple 1099-NECs. What's really frustrating is that TurboTax markets their online version as being just as comprehensive as desktop, but clearly there are some serious gaps in their interview logic for business owners. I ended up having to amend my return after realizing I missed thousands in legitimate business deductions - camera equipment, travel expenses, software subscriptions, etc. The desktop version has always walked me through every possible business expense category, but online just seems to assume you'll find everything yourself. For anyone still on the fence, I'd say the desktop version is absolutely worth the extra cost if you have any self-employment income at all. The peace of mind knowing it won't skip entire sections of your return is invaluable. Thanks to everyone sharing their experiences and workarounds - this kind of real user feedback is so much more helpful than TurboTax's official support!

Just wanted to add my perspective as someone who went through this exact situation last year! I had small amounts from multiple gig apps too - around $800 total spread across three different platforms. I initially thought I could skip reporting the really small amounts (like a $60 payment from one app), but after doing some research and talking to a tax preparer, I learned that ALL income needs to be reported regardless of amount. The $400 threshold people mention only applies to whether you owe self-employment tax, not whether you need to report the income at all. The good news is that reporting multiple small gig incomes isn't as complicated as it sounds. You can combine similar gig work (like all your delivery driving) on one line of Schedule C, or list them separately if you prefer to keep better records. Just make sure to keep track of your business expenses - even small things like phone chargers, car air fresheners, or parking fees can add up to meaningful deductions! One tip: start keeping better records now for next year. I use a simple spreadsheet to track income from each app and take photos of any business-related receipts. Makes tax time so much easier!

Just wanted to chime in as someone who's been doing gig work for a few years now. You absolutely need to report both amounts - the IRS doesn't care how small they are! I learned this the hard way when I thought I could skip reporting a small $300 payment one year. For your situation with $950 from Instacart and $135 from Uber Eats, you'll want to file Schedule C-EZ or Schedule C. The total ($1,085) puts you well over the $400 self-employment tax threshold, so you'll also need to file Schedule SE to pay self-employment taxes on that income. Pro tip: Don't forget to track your mileage! At 58.5 cents per mile for 2025, even a few hundred miles of delivery driving can significantly reduce your tax burden. I use a simple mileage tracking app that automatically logs my drives when I'm working. Also keep receipts for things like insulated delivery bags, phone mounts, or any other equipment you bought specifically for the gig work. The good news is that with proper deductions, you might end up owing less than you think, or even getting money back if you had other withholdings from a regular job. Just make sure to report everything honestly - it's not worth the risk of penalties later!