I actually prepared and filed the 1040X myself using paper forms because the amendment was pretty simple - just correcting an education credit amount. So I don't have a preparer to contact. And I do have the physical copy, it's just missing the date in the signature section, which apparently is a deal-breaker for my financial aid office. They're super strict about having complete documentation.

That's unfortunate. In that case, I think your best options are what others have suggested - either visiting a Taxpayer Assistance Center in person for immediate help or using one of the services mentioned to get through to the IRS more efficiently. Since you mentioned your deadline is approaching, I'd probably pursue multiple options simultaneously. Start the process with taxr.ai since that seemed to work for someone else with your exact issue, but also try to schedule an in-person appointment at a TAC as a backup plan.

I heard they're severely understaffed and dealing with massive backlogs still. My cousin works for the IRS and says they're processing literally millions of paper forms with too few employees. Apparently the best times to call are early Tuesday, Wednesday or Thursday mornings right when they open.

Thanks for the tip. Maybe I'll try calling at 7am on Tuesday and see if that helps. It's just frustrating that they make it so difficult to get basic documents that we're legally required to have.

Thanks for bringing this up! I'm definitely worried they won't send the 1099 now. Should I just email them and explicitly ask if they'll be sending a 1099-NEC since I'm classified as a vendor in their system? I have all my payment records but would obviously prefer to have the official form.

Yes, I'd recommend sending them a polite email asking for confirmation that they'll be issuing you a 1099-NEC for the 2024 tax year. Something like: "I understand I'm classified as a vendor in your system, and I just wanted to confirm you'll be issuing a 1099-NEC for tax purposes since the payments exceeded $600 this year." If they come back and say they don't issue 1099s to vendors, you can politely inform them that IRS rules require a 1099-NEC for independent contractors/vendors who were paid $600 or more for services. Sometimes the accounting department just needs a friendly reminder about the requirements.

Do you need a different form to track expenses for a vendor vs a contractor? I always get confused about this stuff.

This is a really good point about state taxes. I'm originally from California and they kept trying to claim me as a resident for tax purposes for years after I moved to France. I had to provide extensive documentation proving I had no intention of returning to California. Also, the FATCA thing is real - my French bank made me fill out a W-9 form once they realized I was a US citizen, and they definitely report my account information to the US authorities.

California is particularly aggressive about maintaining tax residency. They look for any connection (driver's license, voter registration, family ties, etc.) to claim you're still a resident. Other problematic states include New York, Virginia, and New Mexico. The FATCA reporting is a double-edged sword for expats. On one hand, it means the IRS likely already knows about your foreign accounts, which increases the importance of proper filing. On the other hand, it's caused some foreign banks to refuse US clients altogether due to the reporting burden. It's unfortunately part of the reality of being a US citizen abroad.

The UK-US tax treaty does help with investment income but it's complicated. Generally, you can claim foreign tax credits in the US for taxes paid to the UK on the same income. For US-source investment income like your US investments, you'll typically pay US tax on those first, then declare them on your UK return and get credit for the US tax paid. For dividends specifically, the treaty usually reduces withholding rates. Interest and capital gains have their own rules too. I recommend keeping very clear records of all taxes paid in both countries so you can properly claim credits.

How exactly do I calculate the right amount of extra withholding to put on my W-4? Is there a formula or calculator you'd recommend?

A simple approach is to take your expected freelance income for the year and multiply it by 30% (which covers both income tax and self-employment tax for most people). Then divide that amount by the number of pay periods you have at your regular job. For example, if you expect to make $5,000 in freelance income and get paid bi-weekly (26 pay periods), you would calculate: $5,000 × 0.30 = $1,500 in estimated taxes ÷ 26 pay periods = about $58 extra withholding per paycheck. You'd put that amount on line 4(c) of your W-4 form. The IRS also has a tax withholding estimator on their website that's more precise if you want to get it exactly right.

I've been doing freelance work for years and never made quarterly payments (don't tell the IRS lol). Never had any penalties. Is it really that important?

Is there a statute of limitations on how far back they can come after you for unfiled taxes? I'm worried they'll want returns from like 10 years ago even though I wasn't making much money back then.

The statute of limitations for the IRS to assess taxes is generally 3 years from the date you file your return. However - and this is important - there is NO statute of limitations on unfiled returns. The clock doesn't start until you actually file. For your situation, they typically focus on the last 6 years for unfiled returns, but technically they could go back further. That said, if you weren't making much money in those earlier years, it might not be worth their effort. My tax preparer advised me to focus on the last 6 years, but your situation might be different.

This is so important. My brother dealt with the IRS fine on his back taxes but completely forgot about state taxes. California actually put a lien on his property before he even knew what was happening.