This is really helpful information! I had no idea about the $600 threshold rule. I'm in a similar situation - took two online courses last semester totaling around $480 and was wondering why I hadn't received my 1098-T yet. My tax software kept asking for it and I was getting worried I was missing something important. Good to know I can still claim the Lifetime Learning Credit with just my payment receipts. I have all my transactions saved from my student account portal, so I should be all set. Thanks for posting this question - probably saved me a lot of stress and confusion!

This thread has been incredibly helpful! I work in tax prep and see this confusion all the time. Just want to clarify a few key points for anyone else reading: 1. The $600 threshold is specifically for the INSTITUTION'S requirement to issue the form, not your eligibility to claim education credits 2. Keep all your payment records - receipts, bank statements, student account summaries. The IRS may ask for documentation during an audit 3. Make sure your expenses actually qualify - tuition and required fees yes, but things like room/board, transportation, and optional materials usually don't count for the credits 4. If you're part-time or taking just a few classes, the Lifetime Learning Credit is often better than the American Opportunity Credit since it doesn't have the "at least half-time" requirement Don't let the missing 1098-T stop you from claiming legitimate education expenses. The credit can be worth up to $2,000 for the Lifetime Learning Credit, so it's definitely worth pursuing if you qualify!

I went through this exact same situation last year with Uber Eats! You're definitely on the right track - even without the 1099-NEC form, you absolutely need to report that income. Here's what worked for me in FreeTaxUSA: Don't try to enter it as if you have a 1099-NEC. Instead, go to the "Business Income" section and select "Schedule C - Business Income or Loss." Enter your $2,780 as gross receipts from your Uber Eats earnings summary. The platform will walk you through the rest. A few important things I learned the hard way: - Save that earnings summary! It's your proof of income if the IRS ever asks - You can deduct business expenses like phone usage (I claimed about 30% of my monthly bill), delivery bags, and car expenses - The mileage deduction is HUGE - I wish I had tracked miles better, but even conservative estimates helped a lot Also, FreeTaxUSA will automatically generate Schedule SE for your self-employment taxes once you complete Schedule C. The self-employment tax hit was a surprise for me (about 15.3%), so just be prepared for that. One last tip: consider setting aside money quarterly this year for estimated taxes if you plan to continue gig work. It's much easier than getting hit with a big bill next April! You've got this! The hardest part is just getting started with that Schedule C.

I'm dealing with a similar situation right now! I did Uber Eats deliveries for about 8 months last year and made around $3,200, but never received any tax forms either. Reading through all these responses has been super helpful - I had no idea about Schedule C or that I could deduct so many business expenses. One thing I wanted to add that might help you and others: I found that Uber actually has a pretty detailed "Tax Summary" document in your driver portal that breaks down your earnings by month, total trips, and even some expenses they tracked. If you haven't found it yet, try logging into your Uber driver account and look under "Tax Info" or "Earnings." It's much more comprehensive than just the basic earnings summary. Also, for anyone worried about mileage tracking going forward, I started using the Stride app after reading these comments and it's been a game changer. It automatically detects when you're driving and lets you swipe to categorize trips as business or personal. Wish I had started using it sooner! The self-employment tax thing is definitely a shock if you're not expecting it. I'm planning to set aside about 25-30% of my gig earnings this year for taxes to avoid any surprises. Better to overestimate and get a refund than owe a bunch of money next April. Thanks everyone for sharing your experiences - it's making this whole tax filing process way less intimidating!

I went through this exact situation last year with my USO shares! After hours of research and calling around, here's what I learned: USO typically releases their tax package (preliminary K-1 info) on their investor relations website around late March/early April, but the official K-1 doesn't come until September or October. I ended up using their preliminary numbers to file on time, and when the actual K-1 arrived, the differences were minimal - mostly just rounding differences and some minor adjustments. The key is to check their website frequently in the coming weeks. One thing that really helped me was keeping detailed records of all my USO distributions throughout 2024, because those numbers usually match pretty closely with what ends up on the K-1. If you have your brokerage statements, you can use those distribution amounts as a starting point for estimates. The $10k penalty your wife mentioned is likely related to foreign partnership reporting (Form 8865), but USO is a US partnership, so that shouldn't apply here. The penalties for incorrect partnership reporting are usually much smaller and based on actual tax underpayment. My recommendation: Check USO's investor relations page daily, use any preliminary info they provide to file by the deadline, and amend if needed when the final K-1 arrives. It's way less stressful than dealing with extensions every year!

I dealt with this exact USO K-1 situation two years ago and learned some hard lessons. Here's what I wish I'd known: First, USO is notorious for late K-1s - they routinely don't arrive until September/October. The IRS knows this and generally won't penalize you if you handle it properly. My approach now: I file an extension every year for any returns involving partnerships. Yes, you still need to pay estimated taxes by April 15th, but you get until October 15th to file the actual return. This eliminates all the guesswork and amendment headaches. For estimating taxes owed, I look at the prior year's K-1 and adjust for any major changes in distributions or partnership performance. USO's distributions are pretty consistent year-over-year, so this method has worked well for me. The $10k penalty your wife mentioned likely refers to Form 8865 for foreign partnerships, but USO is domestic so that doesn't apply. Partnership penalties are typically much smaller and only apply if you significantly underpay taxes. One more tip: if you do decide to file with estimates, keep detailed documentation of your methodology. The IRS appreciates good faith efforts backed by reasonable assumptions. I created a simple spreadsheet showing how I calculated each estimate and saved screenshots of any partnership websites I used for reference. Don't stress too much - this is a common problem and the IRS has seen it thousands of times. Just pick a consistent approach and document everything well.

I actually went through this exact same verification process about 3 weeks ago and can confirm it's completely legitimate! The whole thing is part of the IRS's beefed-up security measures for 2025. A couple of things that might help while you're waiting: The CP01H notice they send is super plain looking - honestly looks like it could be junk mail at first glance. Mine came in a standard white envelope with just "Internal Revenue Service" in the return address. The 14-digit control number is in a clearly marked box about halfway down the page. The waiting period varies but mine took exactly 11 days from when I first hit that verification screen. I'd recommend checking your mail daily and maybe even asking neighbors if anything got misdelivered - that happened to my friend last month. Once you get the letter and enter those 14 digits (no spaces, just the numbers), the verification happens instantly and you're good to go. The system remembers you're verified so you shouldn't have to do this dance again anytime soon. The sa.www4.irs.gov domain threw me off too at first, but it's their official secure portal. I actually called the IRS to double-check (waited 2 hours on hold like an idiot) and they confirmed it was legit. Hang tight - I know the waiting sucks but the process actually works pretty smoothly once you get that magic number!

Just want to echo what others have said - this verification process is definitely real and becoming much more common this tax season. I'm a tax preparer and have had dozens of clients hit this same CP01H verification requirement over the past few months. The timing can be frustrating, but here's what I've observed: most of my clients receive their notice between days 8-16 after hitting that verification screen. The envelope is incredibly plain - just says "Internal Revenue Service" with no special markings, so it's easy to overlook. One thing I always tell clients is to avoid the temptation to keep clicking "resend notice" if it doesn't arrive exactly when expected. The IRS system can get backed up if you request multiple notices, and it might actually delay the process. Also worth noting - if you're married filing jointly, make sure the verification notice gets sent to the primary taxpayer's name and address as listed on the return. I've seen cases where couples assumed it would go to both spouses but it only goes to whoever is listed first. The sa.www4.irs.gov domain is 100% legitimate - it's their secure access portal specifically for this type of verification. Once you complete it successfully, you'll have normal access to all IRS online services and this verification typically doesn't repeat unless there are major changes to your tax situation. Stay patient - the system works, it's just slower than we'd all like!

Don't forget about the timing of your divorce! If your divorce will be final early in 2025, it might be worth delaying it by a few weeks to have the option of filing jointly for 2024. My ex and I saved almost $3k by pushing our divorce finalization from December 28 to January 3. Totally awkward but worth it financially.

As someone who went through a messy divorce two years ago with kids involved, I feel your pain! Here's what I learned that might help: Since you're still legally married on December 31st, you have three filing options to consider - married filing jointly, married filing separately, or potentially head of household if you qualify. Given that your kids have been living primarily with you since June and you've been separated, you might actually qualify for head of household status, which often provides better tax benefits than married filing separately. To qualify, you need to be considered unmarried (living apart for the last 6 months of the year counts), pay more than half the household expenses, and have a qualifying dependent. Before making any decision, I'd strongly recommend running the numbers for all possible scenarios. With your income levels ($85k vs $63k), filing jointly might still save you both money even during the divorce mess - you could potentially split any tax savings as part of your separation agreement. But definitely consider the liability risks Connor mentioned if there's any chance your ex has unreported income or questionable deductions. Document everything about who's paying what expenses and where the kids are living - this will be crucial not just for taxes but for your divorce proceedings too.