Has anyone used the Taxpayer Advocate Service for help with a stuck amended return? I've heard they can sometimes intervene when regular channels aren't working.

I'm dealing with almost the exact same situation! Filed my 1040-X in September 2024 for a $2,200 refund and it's still showing "received" status with no movement. Reading through these comments has been really helpful - I had no idea I should file this year's return using my original amounts rather than the amended ones. That was honestly my biggest worry about moving forward. Has anyone had success with the "Where's My Amended Return" tool actually updating to show progress, or does it pretty much just sit on "received" the whole time until it's suddenly processed? I check it obsessively but it never seems to change. Also curious if there's any pattern to which processing centers are moving faster than others. Mine went to the Ogden, UT center and I'm wondering if that's particularly slow or if they're all equally backed up right now.

Has anyone else noticed that like half the companies out there don't even know how to handle basic tax paperwork correctly? Last year I had three different clients mess up my 1099s even though I gave them properly completed W9s. One reported my income under the wrong tax ID, another used my old address, and the third just... never sent it at all. 🤦‍♀️

I've been freelancing for 3 years now and unfortunately this kind of confusion is pretty common. Many smaller companies don't have proper accounting departments and genuinely don't understand the W9 process. From what you've described, it sounds like you already provided them with your completed W9 when you started the contract work, and now you're just asking for a copy of that same form for your records. That's completely reasonable and they should provide it without requiring you to submit another blank form. Sometimes framing it differently helps - try saying "Could you please provide me with a copy of the W9 I submitted to you on [date]?" rather than just "I need a W9." This makes it clear you're asking for your own paperwork back, not requesting they fill out a new form. If they continue to be difficult, you might want to mention that you need it to ensure the 1099 they send you matches your records. Most companies want to avoid 1099 errors since those can create headaches for everyone involved.

This is exactly what I needed to hear! I'm in a similar boat with W-2 income plus about $10K in freelance work, and the quarterly payment thing has been stressing me out. Quick question - when you increase your W-2 withholding, do you need to worry about overwithholding and getting a huge refund? I'd rather break even or owe a little bit than give the IRS an interest-free loan all year. Also, has anyone had issues with their HR department when submitting a new W-4 with significantly higher withholding amounts? I'm worried they might ask questions about why I'm suddenly withholding so much more.

This is such a common situation and you're definitely on the right track! I've been doing exactly this for the past two years with my W-2 job and side consulting work. The key thing to remember is that the IRS has safe harbor rules - as long as you pay at least 90% of this year's tax liability or 100% of last year's liability through withholding and estimated payments combined, you won't face penalties. Since withholding is treated as paid evenly throughout the year (even though it comes out of your regular paychecks), this strategy works perfectly. One tip I'd add: keep track of your actual 1099 income throughout the year and be prepared to adjust your withholding if needed. I started conservative and then increased my withholding mid-year when I realized my freelance income was going to be higher than expected. You can submit a new W-4 anytime! Also don't forget about business deductions for your freelance work - home office, equipment, software subscriptions, etc. These reduce your taxable 1099 income, which means you might not need to withhold quite as much as you initially calculated.

dose anyone know if the cycle code changes? mine was 05 last year but showing 02 this time

The cycle codes dont mean anything anymore tbh. I've seen 02 people waiting forever and 05 getting paid quick. its all random now

One thing to consider while you're still small - get good tax PLANNING software, not just preparation software. That's where you can really add value and charge higher fees. I use Holistiplan for analyzing client tax situations and modeling different scenarios. Clients are way more willing to pay premium rates for help AVOIDING taxes rather than just filing returns. Something to think about as you scale!

Great thread! As someone who made the jump from casual tax prep to a real practice about 3 years ago, I'd echo the Drake recommendation but also suggest looking into ProSeries if you want something more budget-friendly to start. It's about $800-1000 for the base package and handles most everything you'll need early on. One thing I wish someone had told me when I was scaling up - invest in a good scanner and document management system early. I started with a basic flatbed scanner and it became a huge bottleneck when I hit 50+ clients. Now I use a high-speed duplex scanner (Fujitsu ScanSnap) and it's been a game changer for productivity. Also, don't underestimate the importance of having a solid intake process. Create standardized organizers and checklists for clients - it'll save you tons of back-and-forth emails asking for missing documents. Good luck with the expansion!