Yeah, it was definitely above the threshold - around $5,800 total for the work. They actually did provide the 1099 form itself (which means they know they were required to), they just blacked out their own identification number on it, which is super weird.

Even if it's under $600, you still need to report the income. The $600 threshold is just for when the payer is required to send a 1099. You always have to report all income regardless of the amount.

Thank you for this advice! I am planning to put 6% into my 401k because my employer matches up to that amount. So that would lower my taxable income even before the standard deduction gets applied, right? And I did just finish my degree so I'll look into those education credits too!

Exactly right! The 401k contribution comes off your gross income first, then the standard deduction gets applied to what's left. So if you make $58k and contribute 6% ($3,480), your adjusted gross income becomes $54,520. Then you subtract the standard deduction (~$13,850) from that, leaving you with taxable income of around $40,670. Smart move taking the full employer match - that's free money! And definitely look into the American Opportunity Credit if you paid tuition/fees in the same tax year you're working. You might be able to claim up to $2,500 as a credit, which directly reduces your tax bill dollar-for-dollar.

This is such solid advice! I wish someone had told me about the mid-year withholding issue when I started my first job in August. My payroll system definitely didn't adjust properly and I ended up owing a small amount at tax time. The IRS withholding calculator is a lifesaver - I use it every time I have a major life change (new job, marriage, etc.). And yes, organization is key! I learned the hard way after spending hours looking for a missing 1098-E form during my second year of filing. @Chris King - since you re'in Illinois, make sure you also check if your employer is withholding Illinois state taxes correctly when you use that calculator. Sometimes the federal and state withholding don t'align perfectly, especially when starting mid-year.

class action lawsuit when? 👀

Ugh same situation here! Filed in January and been stuck since September. The waiting game is brutal 😩 Have you tried using any tools to decode your transcript? I've been seeing people mention taxr.ai in other threads - might be worth checking out to at least understand what's actually happening behind the scenes

Just tried taxr.ai after seeing it mentioned so much here and WOW! Finally got some real answers about what's been happening with my return. Been stuck since March with no movement and this tool actually explained all the codes and gave me a timeline. Definitely worth the few bucks - way better than spending hours on hold with the IRS for nothing 🙌

The practitioner priority line is unfortunately only available to enrolled agents, CPAs, and attorneys who are authorized to represent taxpayers before the IRS. Regular taxpayers have to use the standard phone lines, which as you mentioned, can be absolutely brutal. However, there are a few alternatives that might help if you need to speak with someone: You can try calling early in the morning (like 7-8 AM) or late in the afternoon when call volumes tend to be lower. Some people have had better luck with the automated callback feature if it's available when you call. There are also some third-party services that will wait on hold for you and then connect you to an agent once they get through - I've seen mixed reviews on those but some people swear by them. The downside is they usually charge a fee for the service. For most amendment questions though, the "Where's My Amended Return?" online tool and the written instructions are pretty comprehensive. But I totally get wanting to talk to a human when you're dealing with tax issues!

The practitioner priority line is unfortunately only available to enrolled agents, CPAs, and attorneys representing taxpayers - not for individual taxpayers calling on their own behalf. However, I've heard some people have had success with services like the Claimyr one that Victoria mentioned earlier in this thread. It basically automates the calling process so you don't have to sit on hold for hours. Another option is to try calling the IRS early in the morning (like right when they open at 7am) or later in the afternoon - I've found those times tend to have shorter wait times than the middle of the day. You can also try the automated callback feature if it's available when you call, so at least you don't have to stay on the line. For amended returns specifically, sometimes it's actually faster to just mail everything in and track it online rather than trying to get through on the phone, especially if your situation is straightforward like a simple address change.

I tried that approach but she's worried about the hassle of amending and possibly triggering an audit. Plus she already spent her refund so she's concerned she'd have to pay some back. How complicated was the amending process for your ex?

The amending process isn't that bad honestly. She just needed to file a 1040-X form which is basically just marking what changed from the original return. If she used tax software, most of them can help with amendments pretty easily. My ex was done in about 30 minutes. As for paying back refund money, yeah that could happen if her refund would be less without claiming your son. But waiting could be worse - if you both get audited later, she might have to pay back the refund PLUS penalties and interest. Might be worth running the numbers both ways to show her exactly what the difference would be.

What kind of documentation did they want? I'm in a similar situation but most of our bills are paid from a joint account so I'm not sure how I'd prove I contributed more.

They wanted bank statements showing who made the payments, receipts for major expenses like groceries and childcare, mortgage statements or lease agreements showing who's responsible for housing costs, and utility bills. For joint accounts, they looked at who was depositing the money into the account and what percentage each person contributed. I had to create a detailed spreadsheet breaking down every household expense for the year and show proof of payment. Since you have joint accounts, you might want to start tracking who deposits what percentage of income and keep receipts for child-related expenses paid separately. The IRS basically wants to see that you're the one actually providing more than half the support, not just that the money flows through a shared account.