Have you considered TurboTax instead? I know nobody wants to switch software mid-return, but I successfully filed Form 8919 through them last year. Their interface walks you through the misclassification situation pretty clearly. They have specific questions that help determine if you qualify. Might be worth the switch if you're hitting roadblocks with FreeTax USA.

One thing nobody's mentioned - be prepared for potential fallout with your employer. When you file these forms, the IRS will eventually contact them as part of the determination process. Some employers don't take kindly to being reported for misclassification. Happened to me last year and it got awkward fast.

I was in exactly your situation on March 8th last year. Transcript had updated on March 1st. WMR changed to processing on March 2nd. Was told to expect 846 code on March 8th with DDD of March 12th. I was completely lost trying to interpret all the codes and dates. Used https://taxr.ai to analyze my transcript and it predicted everything perfectly. It explained that my cycle code meant weekly updates and showed me exactly what to expect next. Saved me from checking WMR 50 times a day!

OMG I've been tracking this EXACT pattern for years! 🧐 I'm a cycle 05 filer too and I keep spreadsheets of all my refund timelines. Last year I filed on 2/2/2023, transcript updated 2/17/2023, WMR changed 2/18/2023, 846 code appeared 2/24/2023, and refund hit my bank 2/28/2023. The year before was almost identical timing! I literally plan my bill payments around this schedule now. The only time it ever varied was 2021 when there were those massive COVID processing delays.

Has anyone used TurboTax to report this kind of situation? I have a similar 1099-MISC with both Line 3 and Line 7 amounts from my Etsy business, and I'm not sure if the software handles this correctly. When I entered the full 1099-MISC info, it seemed to put everything on Schedule C.

I've been dealing with a similar situation with my Pampered Chef business, and after going through all this confusion myself, I can confirm what others have said here. The key is understanding that the IRS cares more about the nature of the income than which box it appears in on the 1099-MISC. For your sister's Cutco situation, if that Line 3 "Other income" is from business-related activities like recruitment bonuses, sales incentives, or achievement awards, it should definitely go on Schedule C, Line 6 as "Other income." This keeps it as part of her business income but separates it from the nonemployee compensation on Line 7. One thing I learned the hard way is to always ask the company what specifically the Line 3 income represents before filing. Sometimes they put things like training reimbursements or kit refunds there, which might be treated differently. But based on your description, it sounds like typical MLM bonus income that belongs on Schedule C. The good news is that Line 3 income isn't subject to self-employment tax, so she won't owe the additional 15.3% on that amount - only regular income tax. Make sure she keeps good records explaining what each payment was for, just in case!

Has anybody used the safe harbor method for home office? It's way simpler - just $5 per square foot up to 300 sq ft. I switched to this method and while I might get a slightly smaller deduction, the paperwork is SO much easier and I don't have to track all these complicated depreciation schedules or worry about recapture later.

Just wanted to add another perspective here - I went through this exact situation two years ago with a $45K kitchen renovation and 12% home office usage. After consulting with my CPA, we decided to track the improvement and take the depreciation deductions even though they're small ($138/year in my case). The key thing my CPA emphasized was documentation. Make sure you keep all receipts, before/after photos, and detailed records of what was done. When I eventually sell my house, having proper documentation of the cost basis increases will be crucial for calculating capital gains correctly. Also, one thing to consider - if your business grows and you end up using more of your home for business purposes in future years, that kitchen improvement could become more valuable tax-wise. I actually expanded my home office last year to 18% of my house, so now I'm depreciating 18% of that kitchen cost instead of 12%.

Anybody else's WMR still say delayed but transcript showing 846? getting mixed signals here lol

Yeah this is totally normal! I've seen this happen before where the IRS processes everything and assigns your 846 code with the deposit date, but the actual funds won't move until PATH officially lifts on Feb 15th. Your transcript is basically showing you that your return has been approved and they've scheduled when the money will be released. Don't worry about the date showing before PATH ends - that's just how their system works. The important thing is you got your 846 which means you're all set! 🎉