Filing taxes as an undocumented immigrant with a legal SSN

Thanks for explaining, but I'm still confused about the Zelle payments. Do I need to list every single payment I received through Zelle individually? And what if I don't have any records of my expenses - can I still claim deductions?

You don't need to list every Zelle payment individually. Just add up the total amount you received for the year and report that sum as your gross income on Schedule C. What matters is the total income, not each individual transaction. For expenses, you can absolutely claim deductions even without perfect records, but you should create the best documentation you can now. Make a spreadsheet of expenses you remember, look through bank statements, and gather whatever receipts you might have. In case of an audit, having some records is better than none, and reasonable estimates are allowed for certain expenses.

How exactly does it work? Does taxr.ai actually file the taxes for you or just tell you what to do? I'm concerned about anything automated having access to my sensitive info.

Did they help you figure out the self-employment tax part too? That's what trips me up every time, and I'm always worried I'm calculating it wrong.

It doesn't file for you - it analyzes your specific situation and gives personalized guidance on how to correctly file yourself. You upload documents securely, and their AI helps identify deductions, forms needed, and walks you through the process step by step. I maintained control over my information throughout. The self-employment tax calculation was actually one of the most helpful parts for me. It walked me through exactly how to calculate it correctly using Schedule SE, explained what percentage to pay, and showed me how to claim the deduction for half of the self-employment tax on my 1040. Made something complicated feel surprisingly manageable.

How does this even work? Seems too good to be true that they can somehow get you through the IRS phone system when nobody else can. What's the catch?

Sorry but this sounds like a scam. There's no way some random service can magically bypass the IRS phone system. They probably just take your money and leave you hanging or worse, steal your information.

It works because they use technology that continually redials and navigates the IRS phone tree until they get through to an agent, then they connect you directly. Basically automating what you'd have to do manually for hours. There's no special "backdoor" - just efficient technology doing the frustrating part for you. No catch really - you're just paying for the time-saving. They only charge if they successfully connect you, and they don't ask for any sensitive tax information. They just get you through to the IRS, then you handle your actual tax discussion directly with the IRS agent.

Thank you so much for this perspective. I've been afraid to even look into my options. Do you think it would be better to use a tax professional for my situation or try to file myself using software?

In your situation, I'd recommend starting with a VITA (Volunteer Income Tax Assistance) site if your income is under $60,000. They provide free tax preparation by IRS-certified volunteers and are well-versed in situations like yours. They don't report to immigration authorities - they're strictly focused on helping people file taxes correctly. If you're not comfortable with that, tax software is your next best option. Look for programs that specifically handle self-employment income and can guide you through Schedule C. The key is making sure you report all your income correctly and calculate your self-employment tax properly, which is where people often make mistakes when filing themselves.

But the deadline for extensions was also in April, right? Can they still file an extension now in June?

You're right - the deadline for filing Form 4868 was also April 15th, so that ship has sailed. At this point, Katherine should just file her return as soon as possible to minimize the failure-to-file penalty, which is much steeper than the failure-to-pay penalty. The IRS calculates failure-to-file at 5% per month (up to 25% max) versus failure-to-pay at 0.5% per month. The sooner she files, even if she can't pay immediately, the better off she'll be financially.