Line 16 is definitely confusing at first, but you're on the right track by asking questions! Since you have both W-2 income and freelance work, here's the simplified breakdown: Line 16 = Your regular income tax (calculated from Line 15 using tax tables) + Self-employment tax from Schedule SE The tricky part with freelance income is that you'll need to complete Schedule C first to figure out your business profit/loss, then use that number for Schedule SE to calculate your self-employment tax. This self-employment tax covers the Social Security and Medicare taxes that weren't automatically withheld from your freelance payments. Don't worry about tax credits yet - those get subtracted later on Lines 17-20. Line 16 is just your total tax obligation before any credits reduce that amount. A helpful way to think about it: Line 16 answers "What's my total tax bill before considering what I've already paid or any credits I qualify for?" Take your time with Schedule C and SE first, and Line 16 will make much more sense once you have those numbers!

I totally feel your pain on this! Line 16 threw me for a loop my first time too. Just to add one more perspective that might help - when I was struggling with this same issue, I found it really helpful to work backwards from the concept. Think of Line 16 as the government's final answer to "How much tax do you owe us?" before they consider what you've already paid or any breaks (credits) you might get. For your specific situation with W-2 + freelance income: 1. Your W-2 income and freelance profit (from Schedule C) get combined into your total taxable income 2. That taxable income determines your regular income tax (using the tax tables) 3. Your freelance income ALSO creates a separate self-employment tax obligation (calculated on Schedule SE) 4. Line 16 = Regular income tax + Self-employment tax The part that clicked for me was realizing that your freelance income gets "taxed twice" in a sense - once as regular income (combined with your W-2) and once for self-employment tax (Social Security/Medicare). But it's not really double taxation - it's just that freelancers have to pay the employer AND employee portions of Social Security/Medicare taxes. Once you get Line 16 figured out, the rest of the form flows much more logically. You've got this!

As someone who's been through this exact frustration, I completely understand your situation! The good news is there are several viable options that don't require you to start over with those annoying interview questionnaires. Your best bet is probably the IRS Free File Fillable Forms (accessible directly through irs.gov). It's essentially the digital version of the paper forms you've already completed - you'll see the same Form 1040 and schedules in web format, and you can just transfer your numbers directly. No interviews, no upsells, just straightforward data entry. If you don't qualify for Free File Fillable Forms due to income thresholds, consider FreeTaxUSA's basic version, which allows more direct form entry without extensive questionnaires. You can jump straight to entering your data rather than answering lifestyle questions. One important tip: always access these services directly through the official websites (irs.gov for Free File, or the company's direct site) to avoid getting redirected to paid services that look similar. The process should be much faster since you've already done the hard work of determining which forms you need and completing the calculations. You're essentially just copying numbers from your PDFs to identical online forms. Just double-check your entries since these systems have minimal error checking compared to the full interview-style software.

I've been a tax professional for over 15 years and I completely understand your frustration with the interview-style software. You're definitely not alone in this - many people who are comfortable doing their own tax prep get annoyed with the hand-holding approach of most commercial software. The IRS Free File Fillable Forms that others have mentioned is absolutely your best option. It's exactly what you're looking for - just the digital equivalent of the paper forms without any of the "helpful guidance" or marketing. You access it directly through irs.gov (never through a third-party site that might try to upsell you). One thing I'd add that others haven't mentioned: if you're using Free File Fillable Forms, make sure to print or save a PDF copy of your completed return before submitting. The system doesn't automatically save your returns for future reference like the commercial software does. You'll want that copy for your records and for next year's tax prep. Also, since you mentioned this is your first time handling your own taxes, congrats on taking that step! The fact that you've already successfully completed the forms shows you have the skills to handle this going forward. The e-filing part should be the easy part now that you've done all the heavy lifting.

After calling the IRS for WEEKS and never getting through, I used this app called Claimyr and got a callback in 40 minutes. The agent told me my return was flagged for a simple verification that I needed to complete. Now my refund is being processed. Talking to a live agent was the only thing that worked - check out claimyr.com if you're getting nowhere like I was.

I'm dealing with the exact same frustration! Filed on Feb 20th and my return has been stuck on "Received" for over 2 months now. No transcript, no letters, nothing. It's maddening when you're expecting money back and there's zero communication from the IRS. I've seen some people mention that congressional offices can help with IRS issues - might be worth trying that route if calling directly isn't working. Hang in there, hopefully we both see movement soon!

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!

I went through this exact same situation two years ago and felt like I was going crazy! Here's what I learned that might help: If you're using the same tax software as last year, try logging into your account from last year's filing. Many people don't realize that tax software companies often store your previous year's filing information, including the Self-Select PIN, in your account profile. Look for sections like "My Account," "Tax History," or "Previous Returns." Also, check if you saved any screenshots or notes when you filed last year. I started taking a screenshot of my confirmation page after learning this lesson - it shows the PIN right there. If none of that works, definitely go with the prior year AGI method that others mentioned. It's actually more reliable than trying to remember a random 5-digit number you created a year ago! The IRS specifically allows this as an alternative verification method for exactly this reason. And here's a pro tip for next year: when you create your new Self-Select PIN, write it down in two places - one with your tax documents and one in a password manager or secure note on your phone. You'll thank yourself next April!

This is such a comprehensive thread - love seeing everyone help each other out during tax season! I went through this same PIN nightmare three years ago and it taught me to be way more organized with my tax records. One thing I haven't seen mentioned yet is that if you used a tax preparer last year (like H&R Block, Jackson Hewitt, etc.), they often keep copies of your e-file confirmation in their system. You can call them or visit the location where you filed, and they might be able to look up your Self-Select PIN from their records. Also, if you're really stuck and running up against the deadline, remember that you can file for an automatic 6-month extension using Form 4868. This gives you until October 15th to file your return (though you still need to pay any taxes owed by the original deadline). Sometimes taking the pressure off helps you think more clearly about where you might have saved that PIN information. The AGI verification method really is your best bet though - it's what I ended up using, and it worked perfectly. Just make sure you're using the exact dollar amount, including cents if applicable. The IRS system is very precise about matching that number.