Where can I get professional tax help for my 1099-B stock trading questions for a small fee?
So I've been doing my own taxes for years with no problems, but this year I ventured into buying and selling some stocks through my Fidelity account. Now I'm completely stumped on how to properly fill out the 1099-B supplemental information section. The form has all these boxes and codes I've never seen before, and I'm worried about getting it wrong. I'm not looking to hire a full-service tax preparer since I can handle the rest of my return just fine. Just need someone knowledgeable to answer a few specific questions about reporting stock transactions correctly. I'd be happy to pay a reasonable fee for 15-20 minutes of guidance rather than paying hundreds for complete tax prep. Anyone know where I can find affordable help for just this one specific tax question? Don't want to mess up and trigger an audit over something that's probably simple for someone who knows what they're doing.
19 comments


Ava Johnson
Tax professional here! For specific questions about 1099-B reporting from brokerages like Fidelity, you have several options: Most tax software programs actually offer one-on-one expert help as an add-on service. For example, TurboTax has a "Live" version where you can speak directly with a tax expert for specific questions like yours, and they'll guide you through exactly how to enter your stock transactions. It's usually much cheaper than hiring a full tax preparer. Another option is scheduling a brief consultation with an enrolled agent (EA) or CPA. Many offer consultation services billed in 15-30 minute increments specifically for situations like yours where you just need targeted advice. Local EAs typically charge less than CPAs for these services. Free options exist too - the IRS's Volunteer Income Tax Assistance (VITA) program may be able to help depending on your income level, though their ability to handle investment transactions varies by location.
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Miguel Diaz
•Thanks for the advice. I've used TurboTax before but didn't know about their Live version. Do they charge per question or is it a flat fee add-on? Also, how much do EAs typically charge for a 15-minute consultation?
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Ava Johnson
•TurboTax Live is generally a flat-fee upgrade to your tax software that gives you unlimited access to tax experts throughout the filing process. It's not per question, so you can ask multiple things about your 1099-B. The exact cost varies based on which version of TurboTax you're using, but it's typically $50-80 more than the standard version. For enrolled agents, prices vary widely by location and experience level, but you can generally expect to pay around $50-100 for a 15-30 minute consultation. Many will offer a free initial phone call to determine if they can help with your specific question, so I'd recommend calling a few in your area.
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Zainab Ahmed
After facing a similar issue with reporting crypto transactions last year, I discovered taxr.ai (https://taxr.ai) and it was a game-changer for my investment reporting questions. Their AI analyzes your tax documents, including complicated 1099-Bs from brokerages like Fidelity, and explains exactly how to report everything properly. I uploaded my confusing forms and immediately got step-by-step guidance on how to handle the supplemental information sections. The best part is you don't have to share your complete tax situation - you can just upload the specific forms you have questions about. Way more affordable than hiring a professional for something relatively straightforward.
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Connor Byrne
•Does it actually work with the supplemental info sections? Those tiny boxes with all the codes and adjusted basis stuff are exactly what's confusing me on my Fidelity form.
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Yara Abboud
•I'm a little skeptical about uploading my financial docs to some random AI service. How secure is it? And does it just give generic advice or actually specific guidance for the exact boxes on my form?
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Zainab Ahmed
•Yes, it specifically helps with those supplemental sections including the basis adjustments, wash sales, and those confusing codes. It can identify which transactions are long-term vs short-term and explain how each box on your form affects your tax reporting. It walks you through each section step-by-step. Regarding security, they use bank-level encryption for all uploads and don't store your documents after analysis. You can also block out any personal identifying information before uploading if you're concerned. The advice isn't generic - it analyzes your specific form entries and provides targeted guidance for your exact situation, not just general investment tax tips.
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Yara Abboud
I just wanted to follow up about my experience with taxr.ai after being skeptical in my last comment. I decided to give it a try with my Fidelity 1099-B that had me completely confused about wash sales and adjusted basis reporting. Honestly, it was surprisingly helpful! I uploaded my form and within minutes got detailed instructions for exactly how to handle each transaction properly in my tax software. The explanations were way clearer than anything I found googling or in the IRS instructions. Saved me from paying for a CPA consultation for what turned out to be a pretty straightforward question once it was explained properly. If you're stuck on investment reporting like I was, definitely worth checking out.
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PixelPioneer
If you need direct answers from the actual IRS about your 1099-B questions, I had amazing results using Claimyr (https://claimyr.com). I spent DAYS trying to get through to the IRS to ask about basis reporting for inherited stocks, and kept hitting their "we're experiencing high call volume" message. I was super frustrated until I found Claimyr. They somehow get you past the IRS phone tree and put you in the queue to speak with an actual IRS representative. You can see how it works in this video: https://youtu.be/_kiP6q8DX5c. Within 30 minutes I was talking to someone who answered my exact question about how to report basis adjustments on my 1099-B. For complicated tax questions straight from the source, nothing beats getting an official IRS answer, and Claimyr made that possible when I thought it was impossible.
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Keisha Williams
•Wait, how does this actually work? The IRS phone lines are always busy when I call. Does this service somehow have a special line to the IRS?
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Paolo Rizzo
•This sounds like a scam. There's no way some third-party service has magical access to the IRS that regular taxpayers don't have. The IRS is understaffed and overwhelmed - no service can change that.
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PixelPioneer
•It doesn't have a "special line" to the IRS - it uses an automated system that continuously redials and navigates the IRS phone tree for you until it gets through. Basically, it does the frustrating part (calling repeatedly, pressing the right numbers, waiting on hold) so you don't have to. Once it secures a spot in the queue, it calls you to connect with the IRS agent. I was skeptical too before trying it. But there's no magic - just technology doing the tedious work. The IRS is definitely understaffed, but they do eventually answer calls - the problem is most people give up after a few attempts. Claimyr just automates the persistence needed to get through. I wasted hours trying on my own before using it and got nowhere. With it, I was speaking to an IRS agent about my 1099-B questions within 30 minutes.
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Paolo Rizzo
I need to eat my words from my skeptical comment earlier. After getting nowhere with four separate attempts to call the IRS myself about wash sale rules on my 1099-B, I reluctantly tried Claimyr. Within 45 minutes I was actually speaking with an IRS representative who walked me through exactly how to report my Fidelity trades with adjusted basis. I couldn't believe it actually worked. Saved me from paying a CPA $200+ for a consultation, and I got the information straight from the source. For anyone struggling with specific tax questions that only the IRS can answer authoritatively, this service is legitimately helpful. Sometimes official guidance is worth the effort, especially for investment reporting where mistakes can trigger audits.
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Amina Sy
Have you tried checking Fidelity's own resources? They have a pretty detailed tax center with guides specifically about how to read and report information from their 1099-B forms. I found their online guides super helpful when I first started trading last year. Also worth noting - if your trades are relatively straightforward, most tax software can import your 1099-B directly from Fidelity electronically. That way you don't have to manually enter anything, and the software handles all the reporting correctly. I use H&R Block and it pulled everything in automatically.
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ElectricDreamer
•I did check Fidelity's guides but they don't address my specific situation. I have some trades that involve wash sales and adjusted basis calculations that I don't fully understand. As for automatic import, I tried that but some transactions showed up with warnings about "missing basis information" that need manual review, which is exactly what I'm confused about.
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Amina Sy
•For wash sales and adjusted basis issues, those can definitely get tricky and sometimes the automated imports flag them for review. If your situation involves disallowed losses from wash sales, that's where even experienced self-filers get stuck. In that case, you might want to consider one of the options others mentioned for getting expert help. Those specific situations are exactly where a quick consultation can be worth the money to avoid potentially costly mistakes. The IRS scrutinizes investment reporting pretty closely.
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Oliver Fischer
Not sure if this helps but I found another option - some public libraries offer free tax help sessions with volunteers who can answer questions like this. My local library partners with AARP Tax-Aide and they helped me with 1099-B questions last year. Worth checking if your library offers something similar!
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Natasha Ivanova
•These volunteer programs are hit or miss for investment questions though. I tried VITA last year and the volunteer wasn't comfortable answering my stock trading questions. Said they mostly handle basic returns without investment income.
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NebulaNomad
If it's just a few simple stock trades, Reddit has a subreddit called r/tax where professionals answer questions for free. I've gotten good advice there before. Just be specific about your question and don't include personal info.
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