Has anyone tried the IRS's Free File program? I heard they have direct options now for filing without using third-party software if your income is under a certain amount. Wondering if it's user-friendly or if it's better to just pay for one of the options mentioned.

I made the switch from TurboTax to FreeTaxUSA two years ago and it's been great! The savings are definitely real - I went from paying around $100 with TurboTax to about $25 total with FreeTaxUSA (federal + state). For your situation with W2, mortgage interest, and stock sales, FreeTaxUSA handles everything smoothly. The stock transaction entry is actually pretty intuitive - you can import from most major brokers or enter manually. The mortgage interest deduction process is straightforward too. One tip: if you're worried about making the transition, FreeTaxUSA offers a side-by-side comparison tool where you can prepare your return in both systems to make sure you get the same result. I did that my first year for peace of mind. The interface isn't as flashy as TurboTax but honestly, once you get used to it, it's just as functional for a fraction of the cost.

Anyone know if TaxAct automatically calculates the correct credit once you fill in Form 8880? I've had issues with it miscalculating credits before.

I went through this exact same situation last year with my 401k at Target! The key thing to understand is that Form 8880 is actually beneficial for you - it's the Saver's Credit that can put money back in your pocket. Since you're Head of Household with $43k income, you definitely qualify for the credit. Here's what you need to do: 1. Look at your W-2 Box 12 code D - that's your 401k contribution amount 2. On Form 8880, enter ZERO in all the distribution boxes (lines 4a-4d) since you haven't withdrawn anything 3. Enter your 401k contribution amount from Box 12D in the contributions section 4. TaxAct will calculate your 10% credit automatically The "distributions" the form asks about are withdrawals/cashing out retirement money, not contributions going in. Since you just started contributing in May 2022 and haven't taken any money out, those boxes should all be zero. Don't skip this form - you're potentially leaving a tax credit on the table! The warnings from TaxAct are actually helping you claim money you're entitled to.

Speaking as someone who went thru bankruptcy - its not worth it just for tax issues. The hit to your credit score takes YEARS to recover from. Look into other options first frfr

Before you consider bankruptcy, definitely explore all your other options first. You might qualify for an installment plan where you can pay off the debt over time while still getting your refunds. Also check if you qualify for "Currently Not Collectible" status if you're going through financial hardship - this can temporarily stop collections. The IRS also has a Fresh Start program that might help. Bankruptcy should really be a last resort since it affects so much more than just your tax situation.

Has anyone had the experience where TurboTax actually does let you e-file with Form 7202? My husband could swear he e-filed with it last year. Feel like some of this info might be outdated.

I went through this exact same situation earlier this year! After reading through all the responses here, I ended up using taxr.ai like Sophie and Connor mentioned, and it was honestly a game-changer for my Form 7202 amendment. The key thing that helped me was realizing that no matter which route you go - TurboTax's delayed 1040X feature, switching to new software, or using an AI service - you're still going to have to print and mail the forms. The IRS just doesn't accept e-filed amendments with Form 7202 attached, period. What made taxr.ai worth it for me was the time savings. As a self-employed person with multiple income streams like you, re-entering everything from scratch would have been a nightmare. The PDF upload feature worked perfectly and caught all my Schedule C details accurately. My advice: don't wait for TurboTax's 1040X feature if you want your refund sooner. Use one of the automated services to prepare your amendment, send it certified mail like Kelsey suggested, and then use Claimyr if you need to follow up with the IRS later. The whole process will still take months, but at least you'll get it started quickly!

I'm dealing with the exact same issue right now! Been trying the online IP PIN tool for weeks with no success - just that frustrating "Something went wrong" message every time. I requested the mail delivery about 5 weeks ago and still nothing in my mailbox. Reading through everyone's responses here is actually really helpful because I was starting to think it was just me having these problems. @Dmitry - that Claimyr service sounds interesting but I'm a bit wary of third-party services for tax stuff. Did they charge you for this service? And were you comfortable giving them your personal info to handle the IRS call? @Yara - I love the highway analogy! That makes total sense. I think I'll try the transcript method you mentioned while continuing to wait for the mail delivery. Better to have multiple options working simultaneously. Has anyone had any luck with calling that dedicated IP PIN helpline at 800-908-4490 that was mentioned earlier? I'm wondering if it's worth the potentially long hold time or if I should just be patient and wait for the mail delivery.

I've been following this thread closely since I'm dealing with the same IP PIN issues, and I wanted to add a few things that might help based on my recent experience: First, I can confirm that the 6 AM EST system refresh tip actually works! I tried it yesterday morning after reading Daniel's post and was able to successfully access the IP PIN tool on my first attempt. The key seems to be logging in right at 6:00 AM - not 6:05 or 6:10, but exactly at the refresh time. Second, for those waiting on mail delivery, I received mine yesterday after exactly 6 weeks and 2 days from my initial request. This aligns with what others are reporting about the 6-7 week timeframe. One additional tip that helped me: if you're still having online issues, try using an incognito/private browsing window AND clearing your cookies specifically for irs.gov before attempting access. Sometimes the site stores corrupted session data that causes the "Something went wrong" error to persist even after clearing your general browser cache. For anyone approaching the April 15th deadline, definitely file that Form 4868 extension as a backup plan. It's free and gives you peace of mind while you wait for your PIN to arrive. You can always file your actual return early once you get the PIN, even if you've already filed the extension. The IRS systems are definitely struggling this year, but there are multiple paths to success if you stay persistent!