As someone who's been through this process multiple times, I can confirm that 9 days is completely normal! The IRS processing times can vary significantly based on several factors - complexity of your return, current volume they're handling, and even random system delays. I've had returns that updated on day 6, others that took the full 18-19 days before showing "Approved." The key thing is that you're seeing Tax Topic 152, which is actually reassuring - it means your return is in the normal processing queue without any red flags or holds. Try not to stress about the timeline too much. The 21-day window is their commitment, and they're pretty good about meeting it. Your return is being processed, it's just moving through their system at their pace right now.

I'm in a similar situation - filed on the 5th and still showing "Return Received" status with Topic 152. Reading through everyone's experiences here is actually pretty comforting! It sounds like the 9-day mark is still well within normal processing times. I've been obsessively checking the IRS2Go app multiple times a day even though I know it only updates once daily 😅 The explanation about the three-stage process (Received → Approved → Sent) really helps put things in perspective. Guess we just need to practice patience and trust that our returns are moving through the system normally!

Another thing to keep in mind - if you're using TurboTax like you mentioned, they actually have a pretty straightforward amendment process. You can import your original return and then add the missing 1099-NEC income, and it'll automatically generate the 1040X for you. Just make sure when you're entering the 1099-NEC that you select it as self-employment income (which it sounds like it was since it was freelance design work). TurboTax will automatically calculate the self-employment tax for you, which is going to be about 15.3% of that $9,100 on top of your regular income tax. One silver lining - since you already got your refund, you might be able to use part of that $675 toward what you'll owe on the amendment. But definitely don't wait too long to file it, even though you have 3 years technically. The interest keeps adding up!

Yes, TurboTax automatically handles the deduction for the employer portion of SE tax when you enter 1099-NEC income! It calculates the full 15.3% self-employment tax on your net earnings, then gives you the deduction for half of that amount (which represents the "employer" portion) on your 1040. This reduces your adjusted gross income, so you don't pay income tax on that portion. It's one of the nice things about using tax software for amendments - it catches these details that are easy to miss if you're doing it manually. Just make sure when you're entering the 1099-NEC that you also input any legitimate business expenses you had related to that freelance work, since those will reduce your net self-employment income and save you on both income and SE taxes.

I've been through this process twice now - once with my grandfather's estate and again with my aunt's - and wanted to share what I learned about the software options and some pitfalls to watch out for. For software, I had the best experience with TaxAct Premium. The interview process is thorough and it handles most estate scenarios well. That said, I did run into issues when the estate had partnership income (K-1 from a business). The software could import the K-1 but didn't provide great guidance on how partnership items should flow through to beneficiaries. One thing I wish someone had told me upfront: pay close attention to the estate's tax year vs. calendar year. Estates can choose their tax year when they file their first return, and this decision impacts distribution timing and beneficiary tax planning. Most software assumes a calendar year, but depending on when the person died and when you expect to distribute assets, a different tax year might be beneficial. Also, if the estate owns any rental property, make sure whatever software you choose can handle depreciation recapture if you sell the property. This was a surprise complication that added significant complexity to my aunt's return. The tax preparation experience you mentioned should actually be helpful here - a lot of the concepts are similar to business returns, just applied to estate situations. Good luck with the filing!

This has been such a valuable discussion! As someone who's currently in the middle of handling my grandmother's estate, I wanted to add a few points that might help others in similar situations. First, regarding the software recommendations - I ended up going with TaxAct Premium based on the suggestions here and it's been working well so far. The estate had some complexity with municipal bonds and dividend income, and the software handled it better than I expected. The interview process really does walk you through the estate-specific questions methodically. One thing I learned that might save others some trouble: if you're dealing with an estate that received a significant life insurance payout, make sure you understand whether it's taxable to the estate or passes directly to beneficiaries. The life insurance proceeds themselves usually aren't taxable, but any interest earned on those proceeds while sitting in estate accounts definitely is and needs to be reported on the 1041. Also, I can't stress enough the importance of getting an EIN for the estate early in the process. You'll need it for opening estate bank accounts, and definitely for any tax software or IRS communications. It's free to get directly from the IRS website, but it can take a few weeks if you do it by mail. Thanks to everyone who shared their experiences - it's made this overwhelming process much more manageable!

One important thing to know is that the H&R Block Amazon version and website version have different refund guarantees. The website version has a "Maximum Refund Guarantee" where they'll refund the purchase price if another method gets you a larger refund. The Amazon version technically has this too, but it's more complicated to claim since you bought through a third party. Also, the website sometimes runs sales mid-tax season that can make it competitive with Amazon. I'd recommend checking both before purchasing. Last year there was a 20% off sale in February that made the website nearly the same price as Amazon.

I've been using H&R Block for several years and can confirm what others have said about the Amazon vs website versions. The core tax preparation features are identical, but there are definitely some trade-offs to consider. One thing I haven't seen mentioned is that the Amazon version sometimes takes a few extra days to get the latest tax law updates compared to the website version, which gets them immediately. This usually only matters if you're filing very early in the season or if there are last-minute tax law changes. Also, if you're planning to use H&R Block's bank product for faster refunds, the website version integrates more seamlessly with their financial services. The Amazon version can still access these features, but you might need to create additional accounts or go through extra verification steps. For what it's worth, I've used both and unless you specifically need the premium support or have a very complex return, the Amazon version has served me well. Just make sure to double-check that you're getting the current tax year version and not accidentally buying last year's software!

Don't forget that the self-employed health insurance deduction goes on Schedule 1, not Schedule C! I messed this up my first year and it caused all kinds of issues.

Thanks everyone for all the helpful advice! This thread has been incredibly useful. Just to make sure I understand correctly - since I'm repaying the premium tax credits on my return (which means I'm ultimately paying for the full insurance cost), I can deduct the entire $650/month premium amount, not just the $190 I paid out of pocket during the year? Also, I want to double-check something @Camila mentioned about spouse eligibility - my spouse works part-time at a photography studio but they don't offer any benefits to part-time employees. So I should still be eligible for the full deduction, right? One last question - when I enter this in TurboTax, should I expect to see it on Schedule 1 line 16? I want to make sure I'm putting it in the right place since this is my first year being self-employed.