I recommend getting tax software like FreeTaxUSA or Credit Karma Tax (now Cash App Taxes) which are both free for federal filing and guide you through the process for both W-2 and 1099 income. They'll prompt you to enter your doordashing income and expenses on Schedule C and automatically calculate your self-employment tax. Even with income under the standard deduction, definitely still file a return! You might qualify for refundable credits like the Earned Income Credit depending on your situation, which could get you money back even if you don't owe income tax.

As someone who went through this exact situation last year, I can confirm what others have said - you can definitely use the standard deduction against your combined income from both sources. However, the self-employment tax part caught me off guard too! One thing I'd add is to make sure you keep track of ALL your doordashing expenses going forward, not just mileage. Things like phone accessories (car mounts, chargers), insulated bags, even a portion of your phone bill can be deductible. I wish I had known this during my first year of gig work. Also, since you're young and this might be your first time dealing with self-employment income, consider setting aside about 15-20% of your 1099 earnings for taxes throughout the year if you continue doordashing. The self-employment tax plus any income tax can add up, and you don't want to be surprised next filing season. Good luck with everything - you've got this!

its so annoying how the irs cant just give us exact dates that actually mean something smh

Same thing happened to me last year! The transcript date is when the IRS sends the payment, but it can take 1-3 business days to actually show up in your account depending on your bank. Chase usually processes pretty fast, so you'll probably see it by tomorrow morning. Don't stress too much - as long as your transcript shows the deposit date, the money is on its way! 🙏

Great thread everyone! As someone who also got tripped up by MAGI calculations, I wanted to add one more consideration that might be relevant. If you have any employer stock purchase plans (ESPP) or receive restricted stock units (RSUs), these can also impact your MAGI calculation. The discount from ESPP or the value of vested RSUs gets included in your W-2 income, which then flows into your MAGI. I mention this because a lot of people forget about these when they're trying to estimate whether they'll hit the Roth IRA phase-out limits. If you get RSUs that vest throughout the year, it can push your income higher than expected and potentially disqualify you from direct Roth contributions. The good news is that if you realize mid-year you're going to be over the limit, you can either recharacterize your Roth contribution to traditional, or do the backdoor Roth strategy that others mentioned. Just make sure to track all your income sources when planning your IRA strategy!

This has been such an informative thread! I'm in a similar situation as the original poster and had no idea there were different MAGI calculations for different purposes. One thing I wanted to add that might help others - if you're using tax software like TurboTax or H&R Block, they usually calculate your MAGI automatically for IRA contribution purposes, but they don't always make it clear which version they're showing you. I learned this when I was trying to figure out my ACA premium tax credit eligibility and the MAGI number in my tax software didn't match what I needed. Also, for those mentioning the backdoor Roth strategy - my CPA warned me that if you do this, make sure your IRA custodian can handle the conversion process smoothly. Some brokers make it really easy with online forms, while others require paperwork and phone calls. Fidelity and Vanguard both have pretty streamlined processes from what I've experienced. The strategic 401k contribution adjustment to stay under the Roth limit is brilliant advice. I wish I had known about that earlier - I ended up having to do a backdoor Roth when I could have just shifted more money to my traditional 401k instead!

This is such a helpful thread! I'm in a very similar situation - moved from Mexico to the US on a TN visa in August 2023. I've been trying to figure out whether to make the first-year election or file as dual-status. One thing I'm wondering about that hasn't been mentioned yet: how does the timing of when you moved affect the decision? Since I only had 5 months as a US resident vs Brianna's 8 months, would that change the math significantly? I'm thinking the shorter period might make dual-status more favorable since I'd have less worldwide income to report during the resident portion. Also, for anyone who's used the tax analysis tools mentioned above - do they take into account the different tax brackets and how your income distribution throughout the year affects the optimal choice? My income was higher in Mexico during the first 7 months compared to my US salary for the last 5 months, so I'm trying to figure out if bunching all that higher income into the US return (with the first-year election) would push me into higher brackets unnecessarily.

This is an excellent discussion! As someone who went through a similar situation (moved from Germany on an H1B mid-year), I want to add a few practical considerations that helped me decide. First, don't overlook the impact of foreign tax credits if you make the first-year election. If you paid taxes to Canada on your January-May income, those foreign tax credits could significantly offset the US tax on that same income when you report it as a full-year resident. This often makes the election more favorable than it initially appears. Second, consider your deductions carefully. As a dual-status alien, you can only itemize deductions for the resident portion of the year, and many people don't have enough itemizable expenses to exceed the standard deduction threshold. The ability to claim the full standard deduction with the first-year election is often the deciding factor. Finally, think about future years too. If you're planning to stay in the US long-term, getting familiar with full-year resident tax filing now might save you complexity later. The dual-status return is more complicated and requires filing Form 1040NR for the non-resident portion plus Form 1040 for the resident portion. I'd strongly recommend running the numbers both ways before deciding. The "right" choice really depends on your specific income levels, tax paid to Canada, and available deductions.

The two 570 codes with the same date is definitely unusual - I've been following tax stuff for years and typically see just one 570 when there's a hold. This could indicate your return triggered multiple review flags simultaneously. The 971 notice will be key to understanding what specific documentation they need. In my experience, EIC reviews with dependents usually focus on verifying custody/residency requirements. Check your mail daily and respond quickly to any IRS correspondence - that's the fastest way to get these holds released. The April date for your EIC suggests they're planning to process it, they just need to complete their verification first.

I see you have dual 570 codes which is pretty rare - this usually happens when your return hits multiple verification checkpoints at once. With your EIC amount and the fact that you mentioned having 2 kids, the IRS is likely verifying both your income eligibility for EIC and your dependent qualifications. The 971 notice will spell out exactly what they need from you. Don't panic about the duplicate codes - I've seen this before with larger EIC claims and it doesn't necessarily mean there's a problem, just that they're being extra thorough. Keep checking your mail for that notice and respond promptly with whatever documentation they request. Your April 16th EIC date suggests they fully intend to process it once verification is complete.