anybody else's WMR still showing processing even with a DDD?

Same boat here with CK and 2/10 DDD! Based on past years they usually drop it Saturday night/Sunday morning so fingers crossed we see something tomorrow. The anticipation is killing me too 😩

Don't forget that as a contractor you'll be getting a 1099-NEC form (not 1099-MISC like in the old days) from whoever is paying you. This is what they'll send to the IRS to report how much they paid you. The W9 you're filling out now just gives them the info they need to create that 1099-NEC correctly.

Great question Miguel! You're absolutely right to be cautious about filling out tax forms correctly. Since you've filed your taxes properly for 2022 and 2023 and your SSN matches your name in the IRS system, you should be fine to sign the Part II certification on the W9. The backup withholding certification is mainly there to catch people who have either failed to report income in the past or have been specifically notified by the IRS that they're subject to backup withholding. One thing to keep in mind as you transition into contractor work - make sure you understand the difference between being an employee and an independent contractor for tax purposes. The company paying you should have legitimate business reasons for classifying you as a contractor rather than an employee. If you're doing the same type of work you did as a W2 employee but now as a "contractor," that could potentially be worker misclassification, which the IRS takes seriously. Also, since this is your first year doing contractor work, consider consulting with a tax professional who can help you navigate quarterly estimated payments and deductions you might be eligible for as a contractor. Good luck with your new side gig!

Don't forget that if you absolutely can't get your W2, you can file Form 4852 (Substitute for W-2) with your tax return. You'll need to estimate your wages and tax withholding as accurately as possible using your last pay stub. Not ideal, but it's there as a last resort if you truly can't get your W2s any other way.

Another option that worked for me was checking if your former employers used a payroll service like ADP or Paychex. Even after leaving on bad terms, you might still be able to access your employee portal if you remember your login credentials. Many people don't realize these accounts often stay active for a while after termination. I was able to download my W2 directly from ADP's website without having to contact my awful former boss at all. Just go to the payroll company's website and try logging in with your old credentials - worst case scenario it doesn't work, but if it does, you can get your W2 immediately.

Does anyone know if taxes from self-employment can be paid in installments if I can't afford to pay the full amount right now? I'm in a similar situation with about $580 due on gig work.

This is a really common confusion that trips up a lot of people! You've discovered one of the trickier aspects of the tax system - self-employment taxes work completely separately from regular income taxes. Even though your total income falls below the standard deduction (meaning $0 federal income tax), that DoorDash income is still subject to self-employment tax, which covers Social Security and Medicare contributions. Since you were essentially your own employer with DoorDash, you have to pay both the employee AND employer portions of these taxes - that's where the 15.3% rate comes from. The good news is you can potentially reduce this by claiming business deductions on Schedule C. Track down any records you have of: - Miles driven for deliveries (this is usually the biggest deduction) - Phone expenses related to the DoorDash app - Any equipment you bought for deliveries - Car maintenance/repairs during the time you were driving Even if you can only claim half the miles you actually drove, it could save you $100+ on your tax bill. Don't feel bad about not knowing this - the tax system doesn't make it obvious that gig work has different rules!

One thing to keep in mind: American Opportunity Credit can only be claimed for 4 tax years, so if you've already claimed it for 4 years, you might need to look at the Lifetime Learning Credit instead. Also, do you have any documentation showing you were enrolled in 2023 and that you paid in 2022? You'll want to keep those records (enrollment verification, payment receipts, etc.) in case you're audited, especially if you're claiming the credit without having a 1098-T for that specific year.

Pro tip: If you file an amended return to claim education credits, make sure you're specific about which semester the expenses were for! I made this mistake - claimed Spring 2023 expenses on my 2022 return (correctly, since I paid in Dec 2022) but didn't clearly document which semester it was for. Ended up getting flagged for review because it looked like I was claiming the same semester twice.