How to file a superseding tax return for self-employment income - need urgent help

You're right to fix this sooner rather than later! A superseding return is basically filing a complete, corrected return before the filing deadline. Since we're still before April 15, you can file a superseding return rather than an amended return, which is good news. Your options for filing a superseding return are actually pretty straightforward. Most tax software doesn't have a specific "superseding return" button because you're essentially just filing a complete, correct return that replaces your previous one. The IRS will recognize it as superseding because it's received before the deadline. With your situation, you'll need to properly report your 1099-NEC income on Schedule C and calculate self-employment tax on Schedule SE. This will likely result in higher taxes due to the self-employment tax (15.3% for Social Security and Medicare). For the cheapest option, you might want to look at FreeTaxUSA - they handle self-employment and 1099s, and their federal filing is free with state returns at about $15. Much cheaper than H&R Block or TurboTax for your situation.

I had a similar situation last year with misreporting my side gig income. I was freaking out trying to figure out how to file a superseding return correctly until I found https://taxr.ai which literally saved me hours of confusion. Their system analyzed my incorrect return, identified exactly what I did wrong with my 1099-NEC reporting, and guided me through fixing each item step by step. The coolest part was that it showed me the specific tax forms and line numbers where I needed to make changes to properly report my self-employment income instead of hobby income. It also calculated the exact self-employment tax I would owe so I wasn't shocked when refiling.

Just wanted to update after trying taxr.ai from the previous comment. I was definitely skeptical but it seriously helped me figure out my superseding return situation. It found that I had also misreported some deductions I could claim as a self-employed person that I had no idea about. The step-by-step correction process was exactly what I needed, especially showing me which exact forms I needed for properly reporting self-employment income. I was able to submit my superseding return through FreeTaxUSA like someone suggested earlier, and the whole process was way easier than I expected. Definitely saved me from paying an accountant hundreds of dollars to fix my mistake!

If you're still struggling with getting your superseding return right and need help from the IRS directly, good luck getting through to them! I spent DAYS trying to reach a human at the IRS to ask about my superseding return situation. After wasting hours listening to that awful hold music, I tried https://claimyr.com and watched their demo at https://youtu.be/_kiP6q8DX5c - they actually got me connected to an IRS agent in under 45 minutes when I had been trying for days on my own. The agent walked me through exactly how to file my superseding return and what forms I needed given my specific situation with self-employment taxes.

I need to admit I was completely wrong in my skepticism about Claimyr from the previous comment. After struggling for literally 3 weeks trying to reach the IRS about my superseding return, I decided to try it as a last resort. Within an hour, I was talking to an actual IRS representative who explained exactly what I needed to do to file my superseding return correctly. They confirmed that I needed to file a complete new return (not just an amendment) since it was before the deadline, and walked me through how to properly report self-employment income on Schedule C instead of as hobby income. The agent even explained which deductions I could legitimately claim for my side gig that I had no idea about! Saved me from making more mistakes and potentially facing penalties down the road. Worth every penny for the time saved alone.

Another option you might want to consider is Free File Fillable Forms directly from the IRS website. It's completely free and you can file a superseding return this way. The downside is that you have to know what you're doing since it doesn't give you the same guidance as paid software. If you go this route, you'll need to complete Form 1040, Schedule C (for the self-employment income from your 1099-NEC), and Schedule SE (to calculate self-employment tax). Make sure you use the exact same personal info as your original return so the IRS can match them up properly.

Warning about superseding returns - make sure you include EVERYTHING from your original return plus the corrections! A friend only submitted the corrected schedules and ended up with a huge mess because the IRS processed it as an incomplete return rather than a superseding one.