I made the switch from TurboTax to FreeTaxUSA last year and it was absolutely the right decision. Your situation sounds very similar to mine - W-2 plus some freelance income and a mortgage. FreeTaxUSA handled everything perfectly. The Schedule C for freelance work was straightforward, and all the mortgage interest deductions were included without any issues. The interface isn't as flashy as TurboTax, but honestly, I found that refreshing - no constant upselling or trying to trick you into expensive add-ons. The $15 state filing fee is so much better than what I was paying with TurboTax. And their customer support, while email-only, has been reliable when I've needed help. One tip: if you do switch, you can import your prior year return from TurboTax which makes the transition really smooth. FreeTaxUSA will automatically carry forward relevant information and ask you about any changes. For someone with your tax situation, I'd say FreeTaxUSA is definitely worth trying. The money you'll save compared to TurboTax is significant, and the functionality is basically the same for straightforward returns like yours.

I switched from TurboTax to FreeTaxUSA two years ago and couldn't be happier with the decision. Your tax situation sounds almost identical to mine - W-2 income, some freelance work (I made around $6,500 last year), and mortgage interest deduction. FreeTaxUSA handled everything seamlessly. The Schedule C section for freelance income is well-designed and walks you through all the business expense categories. I was able to deduct my home office expenses, business equipment, and other freelance-related costs without any issues. The mortgage interest deduction was automatically calculated once I entered my 1098 form. What really sold me was the transparency in pricing - federal filing is completely free regardless of complexity, and the $15 state fee is upfront with no hidden costs. Compare that to TurboTax where I was paying over $100 by the time I added all their "recommended" upgrades. The interface is admittedly more basic than TurboTax, but it's actually more straightforward because of that. No flashy graphics trying to distract you or constant popups pushing premium features. It just focuses on getting your taxes done correctly. One thing I appreciated was their review process at the end - it gives you a clear summary of all your deductions and income sources so you can double-check everything before filing. Customer support via email has been responsive the few times I've needed it. For your situation, I'd definitely recommend giving FreeTaxUSA a try. The savings alone make it worth it, and the functionality is solid for straightforward returns with freelance income.

For what it's worth, the American Opportunity Tax Credit does require that the student be enrolled at least half-time and be pursuing a degree. So they do need verification of enrollment status, but not grades. The Form 8863 that's used for education credits doesn't ask for GPA or individual course performance. Your parents just need documentation that you're enrolled in a qualifying educational institution. The 1098-T plus an enrollment verification letter is more than sufficient.

Your instincts are absolutely right - this is not a legitimate tax requirement. I've been doing taxes for families for over a decade, and transcripts with grades are never needed for any IRS education credit or deduction. What your parents actually need for tax purposes: - Form 1098-T (which shows tuition paid) - Receipts for qualified education expenses like required textbooks - Enrollment verification showing you're at least half-time (for dependency and education credit purposes) The IRS doesn't care about your GPA for the American Opportunity Credit, Lifetime Learning Credit, or any education deductions. They only care that you're enrolled and that qualifying expenses were paid. I'd recommend getting an enrollment verification letter from your school's registrar (usually free or very low cost) and offering that along with pointing out they already have the 1098-T. If they keep insisting on the transcript after that, then you know this is really about checking your grades, not taxes. At that point, it becomes a family boundary discussion rather than a tax compliance issue. Stand your ground on this - you're not being unreasonable at all.

I'm confused about something... if the client wrote checks directly to the subcontractors but asked you to deliver them, would you still need to file 1099s? Asking because I'm in a similar situation but my client wrote checks with the sub names on them, I just handed them out.

Just want to emphasize one important detail that might save you headaches - make sure you get W-9 forms from ALL your subcontractors before you pay them, not after. I made the mistake of trying to collect tax info after the job was done and some contractors had already moved on to other cities or changed phone numbers. Also, keep detailed records of everything - copies of all checks you wrote, the amounts, dates, and what work each contractor did. If you get audited, the IRS will want to see the paper trail showing these were legitimate business expenses. Since you're reporting this on Schedule C, having good documentation will help justify the deductions and show you weren't just trying to hide income. One more tip: if any of your contractors were incorporated businesses (like "ABC Roofing LLC"), you generally don't need to send them 1099s. But you still need to report the expenses on your Schedule C.

Just wondering - has anyone had issues with their refund after filing a superseding return? I'm in a situation where I'd get a bigger refund with the corrected return and wondering if it complicates or delays things?

I went through this exact same situation two years ago and can confirm what others have said about the process. One thing I'd add that saved me a lot of stress - when you write "SUPERSEDING RETURN" at the top, use a red pen or marker if you're mailing it in. It makes it much more visible to the processors. Also, keep copies of EVERYTHING. I mean your original return, the superseding return, all your supporting docs, and even the envelope you mail it in (take a photo). The IRS processed mine correctly, but having all that documentation gave me peace of mind. One more tip - if you're close to the deadline, send it certified mail with a return receipt. That way you have proof it was delivered before April 15th, which is crucial since superseding returns must be filed by the original deadline.

As someone who just went through this exact same maze of confusion last tax season, I completely feel your pain! The cost basis calculations for multiple stock purchases can be absolutely overwhelming, especially when your broker doesn't provide the basis information. Your Amazon example is spot-on with the FIFO calculation - you're correct that it would be $1,235 cost basis ($650 for the first 5 shares + $585 for 3 of the second batch). Unfortunately, as others have mentioned, you can't choose the method that gives you lower taxes after the fact. Since you didn't specify which shares to sell at the time of the transaction, you're stuck with FIFO. One thing that saved my sanity was creating a simple "lot tracking" spreadsheet with columns for Purchase Date, Shares, Price Per Share, and Total Cost. When I sold shares, I just worked from the oldest purchases down until I accounted for all shares sold. This visual approach made the FIFO method much clearer than trying to do it all in my head. Also, definitely double-check your broker's online portal for additional transaction details that might not be on your printed 1099-B - I found dividend reinvestment records there that I had completely missed initially. Those small DRIP transactions can really add up and significantly impact your cost basis calculations. The manual process is painful but educational. Next year, consider setting up specific identification with your broker if you want more control over tax optimization. Hang in there - it gets much easier once you establish a good tracking system!

As a newcomer to this community and investment taxes in general, I wanted to thank everyone for this incredibly detailed and helpful discussion! I'm in almost the exact same situation as Carter - first time dealing with stock transactions on my taxes and completely confused about cost basis calculations. The clarification that FIFO is mandatory for individual stocks (unless you specified shares at sale time) was crucial for me to understand. I had been hoping I could just pick whichever method gave me lower taxes, but now I see why that's not allowed. What I find most valuable about this thread is how many different approaches and tools have been shared - from manual spreadsheet tracking to automated platforms like taxr.ai, to professional CPA review services. It gives newcomers like me options based on our comfort level and complexity of our situations. I'm planning to follow the systematic approach several people recommended: start with the manual Publication 550 method to learn the fundamentals, then use an automated tool to verify my calculations. The emphasis on downloading complete transaction histories (including those easy-to-miss dividend reinvestments) before starting seems absolutely critical. One question for the group: for someone with about 15-20 stock transactions in their first year, would you still recommend the manual approach first, or at that volume should I jump straight to one of the automated tools to avoid potential calculation errors? I'm reasonably comfortable with spreadsheets but definitely want to get this right. Thanks again to this amazing community for sharing such detailed experiences and practical advice!