Thank you so much for this additional perspective! If I file as HOH and then reconcile with my husband later this year, would that create any issues with either my taxes or benefits?

Your filing status is determined by your situation on December 31st of the tax year. If you reconcile later this year, that would affect next year's tax filing, not the current one. For benefits, you should update your SNAP case whenever your household situation changes. There's usually a requirement to report changes within a certain timeframe (often 10 days). Failing to update your household composition can potentially result in an overpayment that you might have to pay back. The specifics vary by state, so I'd recommend checking with your caseworker about your local reporting requirements.

The 6 month rule is so important! I messed this up one year and got a letter from the IRS later asking for proof. Had to refile and pay penalties because I misunderstood the timing requirement.

Exactly! And the burden of proof is on the taxpayer. I always recommend people keep documentation of separate residences (lease agreements, utility bills, etc) for at least 3 years after filing. The IRS can come back and question your filing status, and without proof, you could face not just having to pay the difference but penalties and interest too.

Wait - quarterly tax payments? Nobody told me about that! So I have to pay taxes four times a year now? How do I even know how much to pay when I don't know how much I'll make with DoorDash?

Yes, when you're self-employed the IRS wants you to pay taxes throughout the year, not just at tax time. It's because you don't have an employer withholding taxes from each paycheck. You estimate how much you'll make for the year and calculate your quarterly payments based on that. You can use last year's income as a basis, or if your income varies a lot, you can use the "annualized income installment method" which lets you pay based on what you've actually earned each quarter. If you use tax software, it will usually calculate your estimated payments for the next year and even generate payment vouchers.

Is it better to take the standard mileage deduction or track all your car expenses separately (gas, maintenance, etc)? I've been doing Doordash for 6 months and just writing down my miles.

Thanks for this advice! I'll ask my accountant about Form 911 tomorrow. Does filing this form have any downsides? Does it ever annoy the examiner or make them more likely to be thorough/harsh with the audit?

There are no downsides to filing Form 911. The Taxpayer Advocate Service exists specifically to help in situations like yours where normal procedures aren't working. Examiners understand this is part of the process and won't take it personally or be harsher as a result. In fact, in my experience, having TAS involvement often leads to more reasonable outcomes because it adds another layer of oversight to the audit process. The important thing is that you're demonstrating your willingness to cooperate and resolve the matter appropriately, which is always viewed favorably.

Try calling right when they open (7am Eastern I think). That's the only time I've had success. Also, don't select the option for "questions about a letter you received" because that queue is always full. Instead, choose "questions about tax law" and then just explain your situation once you get a human. They'll transfer you.

Thanks for the tip! I'll try calling at 7am tomorrow. It's crazy we have to use these workarounds just to talk to someone at the agency that's taking our money. Appreciate the suggestion about which option to select too - I've been picking the "letter" option since that matches my situation.

Mine took 32 days this year! Filed January 28th and didn't get my refund until March 1st. No special situations or anything complicated either, just a standard return with W-2 income only. I think they're just backed up.

That's crazy! Wonder if they're understaffed or something. Did you ever get an explanation for why it took so long? And did the status bar on the "Where's My Refund" tool update regularly or was it just stuck for weeks?

Filing an amended return shouldn't affect the processing of your original return - they're handled separately. Your original refund should proceed normally, and then the amended return (Form 1040-X) will be processed afterward. However, be prepared for a long wait on the amended return. Those typically take 16 weeks or longer to process, especially during peak tax season. Also worth noting that amended returns have to be processed manually, so they tend to take much longer than regular returns.

Does FreeTaxUSA handle self-employment income too? I've got a mix of W-2 and 1099 income plus the marketplace insurance, so I need something that can handle all of that without costing a fortune.

Yes, FreeTaxUSA handles self-employment income really well. I have both W-2 and 1099 income plus some investments, and it handled everything smoothly. Their interface for Schedule C is actually much better than most paid software I've tried. The only potential downside is that they charge for state filing, but the $14.99 is still way cheaper than most other options like TurboTax or H&R Block which can end up costing $100+ when you have self-employment income.

Thanks for the tip! Did you also have problems with the annual calculation on line 24? Mine keeps showing an error that the annual total doesn't match the sum of the monthly amounts, even though I've checked my math multiple times.