Is there any way to verify directly with the IRS that your 1099s were properly filed? Or do you just have to trust the service you used?

Unfortunately, the IRS doesn't have a simple verification system for confirming 1099-NEC filings. This is why getting the acknowledgment receipt with submission ID from your e-filing provider is so crucial. You can call the IRS Business & Specialty Tax Line (800-829-4933) and ask them to check if your forms were received, but be prepared for long wait times and potentially inconclusive answers. Sometimes they can confirm receipt, but they often tell you to just wait to see if you receive any non-filing notices, which isn't very helpful when you're trying to be proactive.

That's incorrect information that could cause serious problems. The threshold change to 250 (not 25) forms was actually implemented years ago, then reduced back to 10 forms for 1099-NEC specifically. For the 2024 tax year (filing in 2025), the threshold is still 10 forms, meaning OP must e-file since they have 12 forms. Filing incorrectly based on misunderstood future rule changes could result in penalties. The safest approach is to follow current requirements and use an authorized e-file provider as suggested earlier.

Wait, I've been overseas for 8 months now. Does that mean I might have qualified for that automatic extension? Do they just give it to you, or do you need to specifically request it? Also, do you know if that Foreign Earned Income thing requires you to have been overseas for a certain amount of time?

The automatic 2-month extension is given automatically to US citizens living abroad - you don't need to request it. However, it only extends the original April deadline to June, not the October extension deadline. So in your current situation, it wouldn't help unfortunately. For the Foreign Earned Income Exclusion, you typically need to meet either the Physical Presence Test (physically present in foreign countries for at least 330 days in a 12-month period) or the Bona Fide Residence Test (establish residence in a foreign country for an uninterrupted period that includes an entire tax year). Since you've been abroad 8 months, you might qualify under the Physical Presence Test depending on your specific dates. It's definitely worth looking into because it could exclude up to $120,000 of foreign earned income from US taxation.

I've sent tax docs from Japan twice now. Definitely use a courier service like DHL or FedEx rather than regular mail. They're much more reliable and give you tracking info. The IRS address you use depends on whether you're enclosing a payment - it should be listed on the IRS website under "where to file." Make sure to keep copies of EVERYTHING and proof of mailing.

Thanks for bringing up the recapture issue - that's something I wasn't aware of. What exactly is the "recovery period" and how long would he need to maintain business use? He plans to use it exclusively for business for at least 5 years. Also, do you know if there's an income limit that might prevent him from claiming the full EV credit? His 1099 income fluctuates year by year.

The recovery period for vehicles is typically 5 years, so your father's plan to use it exclusively for business during that time would avoid recapture issues. If business use drops below 50% during those 5 years, he would need to recapture the excess depreciation taken and report it as ordinary income. Yes, there are income limits for the EV credit. For a single filer, the credit begins to phase out at $150,000 AGI and is eliminated at $160,000. For married filing jointly, those thresholds are $300,000 and $310,000 respectively. With fluctuating 1099 income, he should do some tax planning to see if he'll fall under these limits in the year of purchase. If he's close to the threshold, he might want to consider timing the purchase or implementing strategies to reduce his AGI for that year.

This is an excellent point. The Inflation Reduction Act changed the requirements, and now the vehicle must meet North American final assembly requirements. Additionally, there are critical mineral and battery component requirements that affect the credit amount. Tesla has been adjusting their supply chain to qualify, but it varies by model and can change.

My friend is a tax preparer and she says most W2 employees with straightforward situations are wasting money on professional preparation. Wouldn't someone be better off just using that money to increase their 401k contributions?

For truly straightforward W2 situations, your friend is probably right. If someone makes $60k with no dependents, minimal investments, and takes the standard deduction, professional preparation might not provide enough value. But the original poster is describing a much more complex situation - $580k household income, variable commission-based pay, and a new dependent. At that income level, even small optimizations can save significant amounts. The tax code becomes more complex at higher income levels, with various phase-outs, alternative minimum tax considerations, and planning opportunities. The value of proper tax planning typically far exceeds the cost of preparation in these scenarios.

Honestly, for your income level ($580k), I'd avoid H&R Block. Nothing against them, but they're generally better for straightforward tax situations. Most of their preparers don't have the specialized knowledge to optimize taxes for high-income professionals with variable compensation. You'd be better off with a CPA who specializes in working with sales professionals or high-income individuals.

That's actually a really good point I hadn't considered. I did talk to my parents before filing the amendment and they agreed I should file as independent since I provided more than half of my own support last year. But now that you mention it, I'm not 100% sure they didn't already claim me on their return that they filed back in February. Should I have them check their return before I fix mine? Would that affect the specific error I'm getting about the credits not matching?

Definitely have them check their return first. The error you're getting about credits not matching could actually be indirectly related to this dependent status issue. When you change from dependent to independent, it affects multiple calculations throughout your return. The issue might be that TurboTax is trying to give you credits that you're eligible for as an independent filer, but the system is getting confused because there's conflicting information about your status in the IRS database. If your parents claimed you, the IRS computers may be rejecting certain credits you're trying to claim on your amended return, causing those total amounts to be inconsistent.

I tried TurboTax support for a similar issue and they were useless. The rep just read me the same error message I already had and suggested I "check my numbers." No specific guidance at all. Maybe I just got a bad rep though.