Check if the 1099-MISC has her correct taxpayer ID/SSN at least! I once received a 1099 with the wrong SSN and it created a HUGE mess when I filed. The IRS computer systems kept flagging a "mismatch" and I got a scary letter about unreported income. Took months to straighten out.

This is definitely confusing, but you're right to want to get it sorted out! Before calling the employer, take a close look at which specific box has the amount - that'll help you ask the right questions. Also double-check that all the identifying information is correct (your wife's name, SSN, the employer's info). Sometimes these forms get generated with errors that can cause bigger headaches down the road. When you do contact them, ask specifically what type of payment this represents - was it a final paycheck adjustment, unused vacation payout, expense reimbursement, or something else? The nature of the payment determines how you'll need to report it on your tax return. Most employers' HR or payroll departments should be able to explain this pretty quickly once you have them on the phone. If you can't reach anyone at the old employer or they can't provide a clear answer, you might need to call the IRS for guidance on how to handle reporting this income properly.

lol meanwhile im still waiting on my 2022 return... pain 🥲

Thanks for sharing this update! It's really helpful to know the timeline. I filed my Kansas return about 3 weeks ago and it's been stuck on "processing" - this gives me hope that things might be moving behind the scenes even when the website doesn't reflect it. Did you e-file or mail yours in?

One thing nobody has mentioned yet is that you should run the numbers both ways before deciding. Sometimes actual expenses seem better in a high-repair year, but standard mileage works out better over the car's lifetime. I've been tracking both methods side-by-side since 2020 for my business vehicle, even though I always use standard mileage on my actual returns. This way I know exactly when (or if) I should switch. For 2025, standard mileage is 67.5 cents per mile which is pretty generous. For me that works out better than actual expenses unless I have catastrophic car problems.

Has anyone considered using an entirely separate vehicle just for business? That's what I ended up doing after dealing with this headache for years. I have a cheaper car that's 100% business use, and I always use actual expenses for it since the depreciation benefits were better in my situation. Then I have my personal car that never touches business stuff. Makes everything WAY cleaner for taxes and no more tracking mileage or worrying about personal/business percentages.

Random question - does anyone know if Robinhood reports cost basis to the IRS or just the sales amount? I've heard different things and I'm not sure if the IRS will know if the numbers are wrong.

Don't stress too much about this! You're definitely not the first person to forget about small investment accounts when filing taxes. The key thing is that you're addressing it now rather than ignoring it. For the Robinhood 1099-B showing $28, that's likely the gross proceeds from sales, not necessarily your taxable gain. If you bought stocks for $30 and sold them for $28, you'd actually have a $2 loss to report, not $28 in income. Same principle applies to your Cash App bitcoin - the $4.75 is probably what you received when you sold, but your actual gain/loss depends on what you originally paid. The IRS definitely receives copies of these 1099s, so filing an amended return is the right move. Given the small amounts involved, any additional tax owed will be minimal - probably less than $10 total. The peace of mind is worth it, and if you actually had losses on these transactions, you might even get a slightly bigger refund. File Form 1040-X once your original return finishes processing. Most tax software can handle this easily for such straightforward additions.

Has anyone tried Credit Karma Tax (now called Cash App Taxes)? It's completely free for federal and state filing. I switched from TurboTax last year and it was pretty good, handled my somewhat complicated return with no issues. No hidden fees or fake guarantees.

I'm dealing with this exact same issue right now! Filed with TurboTax online three weeks ago and discovered they miscalculated my child tax credit. When I called about their "satisfaction guarantee," the rep told me it only applies to desktop software. But their website shows the guarantee right on the online filing pages with no clear distinction! I've been going back and forth with customer service for days. They keep saying "we stand behind our products" but won't actually do anything to fix the error or refund my fees. It's so frustrating because I specifically chose TurboTax because of that guarantee. Thanks for posting this - at least I know I'm not the only one dealing with their misleading marketing. Definitely looking into those alternative services people mentioned here for next year.