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Is anyone else having trouble with the Uber tax summary? Mine shows a much lower mileage than what I actually drove. I tracked 32,000 miles but Uber only shows 24,500. This could mean thousands in missed deductions!
Always track your own mileage with an app! Uber only tracks when you have a passenger or are en route to pick up. They don't track miles driving to hotspots or returning home after your last ride. I use Stride and it saved me over $2k in taxes last year from the extra miles.
Hey Liv! I went through almost the exact same situation when I first started driving for Uber. That $9k tax bill sounds about right for $52k in earnings - self-employment tax alone is 15.3% on your net profit, plus regular income tax on top. A few things that might help you out: 1. **Double-check your mileage tracking** - Make sure you're capturing ALL business miles, not just what Uber reports. This includes driving to pickup locations, between rides, and heading home after your last ride of the day. 2. **Health Savings Account** - If you're eligible, you can contribute to an HSA which reduces your taxable income dollar-for-dollar. 3. **Equipment purchases** - Did you buy a phone mount, dash cam, or any other equipment for driving? Those are deductible too. 4. **Quarterly payments for next year** - Set aside about 25-30% of your earnings each quarter to avoid this shock next year. The IRS has a safe harbor rule - if you pay 100% of what you owed this year in quarterly payments, you won't get penalized even if you end up owing more. The penalty for not making quarterly payments usually isn't too bad for first-timers, especially if you file and pay on time. You've got this!
This is super helpful! I never thought about the HSA option - do I need to have health insurance through an employer to qualify for that? And for the equipment purchases, I did buy a phone mount and car chargers but they were pretty small amounts. Is it worth claiming like $30-40 in accessories or does that look suspicious to the IRS?
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Based on everyone's advice here, it sounds like you're in good shape to use the summary approach since your cost basis was reported to the IRS. I'm in a similar boat this year with more trading activity than usual. One thing I'd add is to double-check that your wash sale adjustments are correctly reflected in the summary totals on your 1099-B. Sometimes brokers handle the presentation differently, and you want to make sure the adjusted gains/losses match what you're reporting. Also, even though you're using the summary, I'd recommend keeping a spreadsheet or copy of all the individual transactions somewhere safe. Not just for potential IRS questions, but also for your own records - it's helpful to have that detail if you need to reference specific trades later for other financial planning purposes. FreeTaxUSA should handle the summary input smoothly once you have the right totals. Good luck with your filing!
Great advice about double-checking the wash sale adjustments in the summary! I actually ran into this issue a couple years ago where my broker's summary didn't properly reflect all the wash sale adjustments, and I ended up reporting incorrect numbers initially. One tip I'd add is to cross-reference the total gains/losses on your 1099-B summary with what your brokerage shows in your year-end tax documents or account statements. Sometimes there are small discrepancies that are worth catching before you file. Also, since you mentioned keeping records for financial planning - I've found it helpful to export the transaction data directly from my brokerage platform as a backup. That way even if the physical 1099-B gets lost, you still have all the details in a format that's easy to search through later.
This is really helpful information! I'm dealing with a similar situation this year - first time having significant investment activity and was dreading entering hundreds of transactions manually. From what I'm reading, it sounds like the key factors are: 1) whether cost basis was reported to the IRS (check Box 3 on your 1099-B), and 2) making sure any wash sale adjustments are properly reflected in the summary totals. One question for the group - if I have multiple 1099-Bs from different brokerages, do I need to enter separate summaries for each one, or can I combine them into one total? All of mine show cost basis reported, but they're from different firms (Schwab and Vanguard). Also want to echo what others said about keeping detailed records even when using the summary approach. Better to have them and not need them than the other way around!
You'll want to enter separate summaries for each brokerage's 1099-B rather than combining them. Each form needs to be reported individually since the IRS receives separate reports from Schwab and Vanguard. FreeTaxUSA should have fields to add multiple 1099-B forms. The good news is that since both show cost basis reported, you can use the summary approach for each one. Just make sure to enter them as distinct entries so your reporting matches what the IRS has on file from each brokerage. When you're entering them in FreeTaxUSA, you'll typically see an option like "Add another 1099-B" after you complete the first one. This keeps everything organized and makes it clear to the IRS (and yourself) which gains/losses came from which institution. Definitely agree on keeping those detailed records - having everything well-documented makes tax season so much less stressful!
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Pro tip: if you can pay off the full amount within 120 days, you can set up a short-term payment plan online without having to talk to anyone. Might be worth looking into if your balance isn't too high.
Just went through this process last month! Here's what helped me prepare: 1. Have your last 3 months of bank statements ready - they'll want to see your actual financial situation 2. Calculate a realistic monthly payment BEFORE you call (I used 20% of my take-home pay as a starting point) 3. Write down your monthly expenses beforehand so you don't forget anything important during the call 4. If you qualify, ask about Currently Not Collectible status - saved my friend when she was between jobs The agents are actually pretty reasonable if you're upfront about your situation. Don't oversell what you can afford just to get them off the phone faster. You got this! 💪
This is really helpful! The 20% rule sounds like a good starting point. Quick question - when they review your bank statements, are they looking for anything specific? I'm worried they might think some of my expenses are "unnecessary" but they're really not optional for me.
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Great question! I went through this exact same situation two years ago when I was a junior in college. Being claimed as a dependent has absolutely no impact on your ability to get a PTIN - they're completely separate issues. The PTIN application process is straightforward: go to the IRS PTIN website, create an account, fill out the application with your personal info (SSN, address, etc.), answer some ethics questions, and pay the fee (I think it was around $50 when I applied). You don't need to have filed your own taxes independently first. One thing to keep in mind though - once you start earning income from tax prep work, you'll need to report that income on your own tax return (Schedule C for self-employment income) even though you're still claimed as a dependent. Your parents claiming you doesn't change your obligation to report your own earnings. Also, don't forget about self-employment taxes! Even if your regular income is below the filing threshold, if you make more than $400 from self-employment (like tax prep), you'll need to pay SE taxes on that income. Good luck with your tax prep career! It's great experience for an accounting student.
This is really helpful! I'm in a similar boat as the OP - college student, dependent, wanting to get into tax prep. Quick question about the self-employment tax thing you mentioned - do you know if there's a minimum amount you need to make before it kicks in? Like if I only do a few returns and make like $200, do I still need to worry about Schedule C and SE taxes? Also, did you find it hard to get clients when you were just starting out as a student? I'm worried people won't trust someone who's still in school to do their taxes.
@Carmella Fromis Yes, you need to file Schedule C and pay self-employment taxes if you make $400 or more from tax prep work, regardless of how few returns you do. So if you only make $200, you wouldn t'need to worry about SE taxes, but you d'still need to report that income on your regular tax return. For getting clients as a student, I started by doing returns for family friends and classmates at a discounted rate to build experience and references. I was upfront about being a student but emphasized my PTIN certification and that I was studying accounting. Many people actually liked supporting a student, and offering lower rates than established preparers helped offset their concerns. Once I had a few satisfied clients and some good reviews, it became much easier to attract new business. The key is being honest about your experience level while demonstrating your knowledge and professionalism.
Just want to echo what others have said - being claimed as a dependent definitely won't prevent you from getting your PTIN! I got mine while I was still a dependent and it was no problem at all. One thing I'd add is to make sure you have all your documents ready before starting the application. You'll need your SSN, current address (use your school address if that's where you spend most of your time), and a way to pay the fee. The application itself only takes about 15-20 minutes if you have everything ready. Also, since you're studying accounting, this is perfect timing to get real-world experience! I found that working with actual tax returns helped me understand concepts from my tax classes so much better. Just make sure to start with simpler returns (like 1040EZ situations) while you're building confidence, then work your way up to more complex situations. Good luck with your tax prep venture - it's a great way to earn money during tax season and build your resume at the same time!
This is such great advice! I'm actually in the exact same situation as Lauren - 20, dependent, accounting major wanting to get into tax prep. It's really reassuring to hear from so many people who've successfully done this while being dependents. @Michael Green - when you mention starting with simpler returns, do you have any recommendations for how to find those types of clients? I m'thinking college students would be perfect since most of them probably just have W-2s and maybe some student loan interest, but I m'not sure how to market to that demographic without seeming unprofessional. Also, did anyone else feel nervous about the liability aspect when they first started? Like what happens if you make a mistake on someone s'return?
Levi Parker
This is such a common problem! The key issue is that the withholding tables assume you're the only earner in your household when you select "Married." When both spouses work and earn similar amounts, you end up in higher tax brackets than the withholding calculations expect. Here's what you need to do immediately: 1. **Update both W-4 forms** - The new 2020+ W-4 is completely different from the old allowances system. You both need to fill out fresh forms. 2. **Check the "Two Jobs" box** - In Step 2 of the new W-4, there's a checkbox for couples where both spouses work. This automatically adjusts your withholding upward. 3. **Only ONE spouse claims the kids** - Don't both claim your 3 children. The higher earner should claim them in Step 3, the other spouse leaves it blank. 4. **Consider extra withholding** - You can specify an additional dollar amount to be withheld each paycheck in Step 4(c). Based on owing $2,800, you might want each of you to have an extra $50-75 withheld per paycheck. The IRS also has a withholding calculator on their website that can help you figure out the exact amounts. Don't let this drag on another year - update those W-4s now and you should see the difference in your next paychecks!
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Wesley Hallow
•This is incredibly helpful! I had no idea about the "Two Jobs" checkbox - that explains so much. Quick question though: when you say the higher earner should claim the kids, what if we make almost exactly the same amount? Like within $2-3k of each other? Does it matter which one of us claims them then? Also, is there a rule of thumb for calculating that extra withholding amount in Step 4(c)? You mentioned $50-75 per paycheck but I'm not sure how to figure out what's right for our situation specifically.
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Benjamin Carter
•When you earn nearly the same amount, it really doesn't matter which spouse claims the children - the tax benefit will be identical either way. I'd just pick whoever has the slightly higher income or whoever processes payroll changes faster at their company. For the extra withholding calculation, here's a simple method: Take the amount you owed last year ($2,800) and divide by the total number of paychecks you both receive annually. So if you're both paid bi-weekly (26 paychecks each = 52 total), that's $2,800 ÷ 52 = about $54 per paycheck total. You could split this evenly ($27 each) or have one person withhold the full amount. But honestly, I'd start with just updating to the new W-4s with the "Two Jobs" box checked first. That alone might fix most of your underwithholding issue. You can always add extra withholding later if needed, but the two-jobs adjustment is usually pretty significant. The IRS withholding calculator at irs.gov/W4App can give you the most precise numbers if you want to get really accurate with it.
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Alina Rosenthal
This is exactly what happened to us! We were in the same boat - both claiming 0 on our old W-4s and still owing every year. The problem is that "married" withholding assumes only one spouse works, so when you both have jobs with similar incomes, you end up in higher tax brackets than expected. Here's what finally fixed it for us: We both filled out brand new W-4 forms and checked the "Two Jobs" box in Step 2. That single checkbox made a huge difference! We also made sure only one of us claimed our kids (I claimed all three since my salary is slightly higher), and the other spouse left Step 3 blank. Since you owed $2,800 this year, you might also want to add some extra withholding in Step 4(c) just to be safe. We added $40 per paycheck each after our first year with the new forms, and now we get a small refund instead of owing. Don't wait - update those W-4s right away! Your HR departments should have the current forms, and you'll see the increased withholding in your next paychecks.
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Anastasia Sokolov
•Thank you so much for sharing your experience! This gives me hope that we can actually fix this mess. I'm definitely going to talk to HR tomorrow about getting new W-4 forms for both of us. One quick question - when you added that extra $40 per paycheck in Step 4(c), did you notice a big difference in your take-home pay? I'm trying to figure out if we can afford to have that much extra withheld, especially since we're already dealing with this unexpected $2,800 tax bill eating into our budget. Also, did you use the IRS withholding calculator that others mentioned, or did you just estimate the $40 amount? I want to make sure we get this right this time!
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