A tip for the original poster - when you file your amended return, include a brief, clear explanation of why you're amending. Also attach a copy of the IRS notice you received. This helps the IRS process your amendment faster and connect it to the open issue in their system.

One important thing to add - when you file your amended return, make sure to check the "Amended Return" box on Form 1040X and clearly indicate which tax year you're amending. Since you're adding Schedule C and SE, your tax liability will likely increase due to the self-employment tax (around 15.3% on your net self-employment income). However, don't panic about the amount! You can often set up a payment plan with the IRS if you can't pay the full amount immediately. The key is responding to their notice within the 30-day timeframe they gave you. Even if you can't complete everything perfectly, at least contact them to show you're working on it. Also, for future reference, any time you receive a 1099-NEC (or 1099-MISC for non-employee compensation), you'll need to file Schedule C and SE. Most tax software should prompt you for this, but it's good to know for next year's filing.

Random question - does the IRS withholding calculator handle state taxes too? Or do we need to figure that out separately? I'm trying to use TurboTax's W-4 calculator but it seems to give different results than the IRS one.

I went through this exact same frustration last year! The key thing to understand is that the IRS calculator is designed to get you into the "safe harbor" range to avoid penalties, not necessarily to zero out your tax liability. Here's what I learned: The calculator factors in your year-to-date withholding and tries to project what you'll need for the remainder of the year based on your current withholding patterns. But if you've been consistently underwithholding all year, the suggested adjustment won't necessarily cover the full shortfall. If you want to avoid owing anything come tax time, I'd recommend taking that $2,700 projected shortfall, dividing it by your remaining pay periods, and adding that amount as extra withholding on line 4(c) of your W-4. You might end up with a small refund, but at least you won't have to worry about writing a check to the IRS next April. The math should be: ($2,700 ÷ remaining pay periods) + whatever the calculator already suggested = your total additional withholding per paycheck.

Is there a specific reference number or donation ID that needs to be included on Form 8283? My charity gave me a receipt with a reference number but I'm not sure if that goes somewhere on the form.

Great question about Form 8283! I dealt with a similar situation last year with mixed categories of donations. Based on my experience and research, here's what I learned: For your situation with $6,200 total ($3,100 household items and $3,100 clothing), you'll use Section A of Form 8283 since each category is between $500-$5,000. You can group similar items together by category - so one line for all household items and one line for all clothing items. The individual items over $500 (like your $650 antique lamp, $750 dining set, $580 designer coat, and $850 wedding dress) don't need separate line entries as long as they're under $5,000 each. However, keep detailed records of these higher-value items including photos, descriptions, and the charity's acknowledgment letter. Make sure your charity acknowledgment specifically describes what you donated rather than just saying "miscellaneous items." For clothing especially, the IRS has been scrutinizing valuations more closely recently. One thing that helped me was creating a spreadsheet with each item, its estimated fair market value, condition, and photos before donating. This made filling out the form much easier and gave me confidence in my documentation.

I work at a tax prep office (not giving tax advice, just sharing experience). We see this situation ALL the time lately. The IRS is severely backlogged with amended returns. The key thing most people miss: if your amended return involves a refund AND you've been waiting over 45 days from when it was received, you're actually entitled to interest on that refund amount! The IRS is required to pay interest on refunds not issued within 45 days of the filing deadline or receipt date, whichever is later.

Has anyone successfully gotten their amended return expedited? Mine has been "in process" for over 10 months now and I need it completed because I'm trying to get a mortgage and the lender needs my correct tax information.

This is exactly the kind of confusion I went through when I first became a tax resident! The key thing to remember is that even though you're getting a 1042-S, you're now filing as a US tax resident, so this interest gets treated just like any other US bank interest. For TaxSlayer specifically, you'll want to look for the "Interest and Dividend Income" section when you're going through the interview process. Just enter the $5.25 as interest income - you don't need to specify it came from a 1042-S form. The software will automatically put it on Schedule B if your total interest exceeds $1,500, or just include it in your total income if it's under that threshold. Also, since there was no federal tax withheld, you won't have any additional refund coming from this - it's just taxable income that gets added to your return. Keep the 1042-S with your tax records, but you don't need to attach it to your filing.

I had a similar situation a couple years ago when I transitioned from F-1 status to becoming a tax resident. The 1042-S forms can be really confusing at first! Since you're now a tax resident under the Substantial Presence Test, that $5.25 in interest income gets reported exactly like any other domestic bank interest. In TaxSlayer, you'll find this in the "Interest and Dividends" section during the interview process. Just enter it as regular interest income - no need to indicate it came from a 1042-S versus a regular 1099-INT. The reason you're getting a 1042-S instead of a 1099-INT is just because Bank of America still has you classified in their system as a foreign person from when you first opened the account. Once you update your tax status with them (bring a W-9 form and documentation of your current status), they should start issuing 1099-INTs going forward. Don't worry about this triggering any red flags with the IRS - they receive copies of all 1042-S forms and expect to see this income reported on your return. As long as you include that $5.25 in your interest income total, everything will match up perfectly in their systems.