Just wanted to add something important - don't forget about the Qualified Business Income deduction (Section 199A). Since you're self-employed with DoorDash, you can potentially deduct up to 20% of your net profit! Most of the free tax software should calculate this for you, but sometimes they miss it. On a $1050 income with expenses, it might not amount to much, but it's still free money!

Hey Yuki! I went through the exact same situation last year with my first DoorDash 1099-NEC. Here's what worked for me: I ended up using Cash App Taxes (completely free) and it handled everything perfectly. The interface is really user-friendly for beginners and walks you through each step. It automatically calculated my self-employment tax and even caught deductions I hadn't thought of. One thing I wish I had known earlier - start tracking EVERYTHING now for 2025! Not just mileage, but also: - Phone bill percentage (since you use it for the app) - Car maintenance and repairs - Any delivery bags or equipment - Even hand sanitizer if you bought it for work Also, don't stress too much about the self-employment tax calculation - the software does it all for you. With your income level, you're looking at about 15.3% SE tax on your net profit (after expenses), but then you get to deduct half of that SE tax, which reduces your overall tax burden. The whole process took me maybe 2 hours once I had all my documents ready. You've got this!

Does anyone know if there's an income limit for the Lifetime Learning Credit? I think I might be getting close to the phaseout and I'm worried I won't qualify even though I have the expenses.

Great question Sofia! I was in a similar situation a few years back. Yes, you can absolutely claim the Lifetime Learning Credit after using up your 4 years of AOTC - that's exactly what it's designed for! The LLC allows you to claim 20% of up to $10,000 in qualified education expenses (so max $2,000 credit). Those monthly $350 payments you made should definitely qualify as long as they were for tuition and required fees. The fact that FAFSA covered most expenses doesn't disqualify you - you can claim the LLC on the portion you paid out of pocket. Just make sure you keep good records of what those payments covered. Download official receipts from your student portal showing the breakdown of fees - this will be important if you ever get audited. The IRS wants to see exactly what the payments were for, not just bank statements. Also double-check your income limits - the LLC phases out starting at $80k for single filers, so you should be fine unless you're in a higher income bracket.

Just wanted to add that the yellow alert is basically H&R Block's visual indicator for PATH Act delays - nothing to worry about! I had the exact same thing last year and my refund came through exactly 21 days after acceptance. The PATH Act requires the IRS to hold refunds with EIC/ACTC until at least February 15th, but even after that date it can take 3-5 business days for the actual deposit to hit your account. Since you were accepted and we're now past the 15th, you're probably in that final processing window. Keep an eye on both H&R Block's tracker and the IRS Where's My Refund tool - sometimes one updates before the other!

PATH Act delays are frustrating but totally standard procedure. The yellow exclamation mark is just H&R Block's way of alerting you that your refund falls under PATH Act restrictions - it's not an error or problem with your return. Since you claimed EIC and your return was accepted, you're in the final stretch now. The IRS typically releases these refunds in waves starting around February 15th, but the actual deposit can take several more business days depending on your bank's processing time. I'd expect to see movement on your refund status within the next 3-7 business days. The fact that both your federal and state are showing pending amounts is actually a good sign - it means everything processed correctly and you're just waiting for the standard release timeline.

I'm going through this exact same situation right now! Filed in late February with the same bank account I've been using for my refunds for the past 6 years, and suddenly got the paper check notification with no explanation whatsoever. Reading through all these experiences has been incredibly reassuring - I was genuinely worried that I had somehow entered my banking information incorrectly or made some other mistake on my return. It's clear now that this is a much more widespread issue than I initially thought. The enhanced fraud prevention measures explanation makes complete sense, especially considering all the tax-related security issues that have been in the news lately. While it's definitely frustrating when you're planning your budget around that expected direct deposit date, I can understand why the IRS would want to err on the side of caution with our refunds. My check is scheduled to be mailed on March 24th, so based on everyone's shared experiences with the typical 5-7 business day delivery timeframe, I'm hoping to receive it by the end of March. Just signed up for USPS Informed Delivery after seeing how helpful it's been for so many people here - should definitely save me from constantly checking the mailbox! Thanks to everyone who has shared their timelines and experiences. This community has been invaluable for understanding that this is a system-wide change rather than individual errors, which has really helped reduce my stress about the whole situation.

I'm dealing with this exact same situation! Filed in early March using the same bank account I've had for over 5 years, and just got the notification that they're sending a paper check instead of my expected direct deposit. Finding this thread has been such a relief - I was really starting to worry that I had made some error on my return or entered my banking information incorrectly. It's clear from reading everyone's experiences that this is happening to a lot of people who haven't changed anything on their end. The fraud prevention explanation makes perfect sense given all the security concerns with tax refunds lately. While it's definitely inconvenient when you're counting on that direct deposit timing, I can appreciate that the IRS is being extra cautious with our money. My check is scheduled to be mailed on March 26th, so based on everyone's shared experiences with the 5-7 business day delivery window, I'm expecting it to arrive around April 2nd. Just signed up for USPS Informed Delivery after seeing how helpful it's been for everyone here! Thanks to this community for sharing all these experiences - it's made this unexpected change so much less stressful knowing it's not just me dealing with this.

Don't forget about streaming service subscriptions! If you use Spotify Premium, Apple Music, etc. to research songs for your setlists or to study musical styles for paid gigs, you can deduct a percentage of those costs based on business use vs. personal use. I also deduct a portion of my cell phone bill since I use it to coordinate with venues, band members, and promote on social media. Same with my home internet.

Great question! As someone who's helped many musicians navigate these tax waters, I can confirm you're absolutely on the right track wanting to report this income properly. Since you made $11,400, you'll definitely need to file Schedule C for self-employment income. All your equipment purchases (guitar, PA system, effects pedals) are legitimate business deductions. For items over $2,500, you might want to consider Section 179 depreciation to deduct the full amount in the year of purchase. Your mileage to gigs is definitely deductible - just keep a log with dates, destinations, mileage, and business purpose. At 65.5 cents per mile for 2023, this can add up quickly! One thing I'd add that others haven't mentioned: since you're earning cash and Venmo payments, make sure you're setting aside money for taxes throughout the year. You'll owe both regular income tax AND self-employment tax (Social Security/Medicare) on your net profit. A good rule of thumb is to save 25-30% of your net income for taxes. Also consider making quarterly estimated tax payments going forward to avoid underpayment penalties. The IRS expects you to pay as you earn, not just at year-end. For the "stage clothes" question - unless it's something truly outlandish that you'd never wear elsewhere (like a costume), regular clothes aren't deductible even if you only wear them for performances.