1040s, 1099s, Schedule Cs, lost of confusion & 4 years behind... HELP?

[justinm...@gmail.com]

Hello. Due to an outrageously incompetent (and mysteriously vanished) accountant I had a few years back, I am behind on my taxes 4 years. Within this time, I have worked several jobs in which I was a regular employee (I would usually file a 1040 EZ for these) but also a job in which I earned Independent Contractor wages (not taxed). I need to file for 2009-2012. Each year has income from my IC job as well as other jobs I worked.

I have not been able to get a straight answer whatsoever from anyone...not the IRS or any help agent for Turbo Tax or HR Block (they just tell me in order to figure it out, I need to sign up for their services).

Well, I am on food stamps as of this year, living on my own with a new job after being jobless for 5 months. I can't afford a "service." I would just like to know what tax forms I need to fill out for each year. I'm sure I can find them easily for download on the IRS site, but I don't know what to look for.

I assume a 1040 (not EZ, so I can itemize a few deductions) as well as a 1040 Schedule C for the IC jobs? Is this correct? Also, I do not have all the receipts and proof of my deductions, only some. What will I need in order to itemize deductions, like the laptop I bought for my IC job, or the mileage I logged for one of my regular jobs that involved driving to and from different houses?

Oh, and one last thing...I just moved to Chicago, and worked a few months in 2012 as a regular employee. How to I take care of that? Do I have to file a separate 1040 EZ for IL (if I don't have any deductions or Medicare or anything special)?

Any simple explanations would be a great help to me. It seems I either need to be a tax expert or have a bunch of money to spend in order to dig myself out of this hole. I would love to be able to just be told what forms I need to acquire and fill out. I can fill them out on my own and by looking up terms and definitions as I go.

I have contacted the IRS for a transcript of all my earnings for every job, so I believe I have all the records necessary.

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[Mark Bole]

On 2013-05-13 16:57, justinm...@gmail.com wrote:
> I have not been able to get a straight answer whatsoever from

> anyone...not the IRS [...]

> (they just tell me in order to figure it out, I need to sign up for
> their services).

You are looking for a "straight answer" to about 15 basic questions
(which you have phrased in a bunch of convoluted statements,
assumptions, and queries).

There are several IRS publications, easily found at the www.irs.gov web
site, which specifically address Schedule C business filers.

Since you said you don't know what to look for, but are able to "fill
[forms] out on my own [...] by looking up terms and definitions as I go.
", try this:

http://www.irs.gov/pub/irs-pdf/p334.pdf

Tax Guide for
Small Business
(For Individuals Who Use
Schedule C or C-EZ)

Since the tax laws have changed every year since the last time you
filed, you should expect to pay some kind of price for the services of
someone (or some software) who can help you with each and every missing
year. To expect detailed free help with each of your tax returns and
schedules for multiple past-due years is not very realistic, but perhaps
there are some Good Samaritans here.



--

Mark Bole, EA
Enrolled Agents - America's Tax Experts
http://markboletax.com

[paulthomascpa]

<justinm...@gmail.com> wrote

> I assume a 1040 (not EZ, so I can itemize a few deductions) as
> well as a 1040 Schedule C for the IC jobs? Is this correct?

Form 1040 is needed in the years you have any schedules not supported by a
1040A or 1040EZ. Schedule C would be one of those times.

Schedule C is where you would report your income from self-employment
(refered to as IC jobs) and claim your business expenses. You will need to
be able to support the claimed expenses, so if possible reconstruct them
from other records or get statements from the people you spent money with.
You may also need Schedule SE (self-employment tax), Form 8829 (home
office), and a 4562 (depreciation of that laptop), among other possible
forms or schedules.

> Also, I do not have all the receipts and proof of my deductions,
> only some. What will I need in order to itemize deductions, like
> the laptop I bought for my IC job, or the mileage I logged for one
> of my regular jobs that involved driving to and from different houses?

Business expenses are taken on Schedule C, as mentioned above. Unreimbursed
employee business expenses, like from your "regular job", get claimed on
Form 2106 which flows to Schedule A and subjected to a 2% of AGI floor,
which often times means they are not deductible.

> Oh, and one last thing...I just moved to Chicago, and worked
> a few months in 2012 as a regular employee. How to I take
> care of that? Do I have to file a separate 1040 EZ for IL (if I
> don't have any deductions or Medicare or anything special)?

State laws vary, and I'm not familiar enough with IL to know what specific
forms they have. Georgia does not have separate reporting for the Schedule
C, A, etc, but Alabama does. Maybe someone can give you more spcific info
on what IL tax reporting requirements are.

> Any simple explanations would be a great help to me. It seems
> I either need to be a tax expert or have a bunch of money to
> spend in order to dig myself out of this hole. I would love to be
> able to just be told what forms I need to acquire and fill out. I can
> fill them out on my own and by looking up terms and definitions as I go.

You only need money if you expect someone else to dig you out of your hole.

There won't be any simple answers because tax laws vary, individual facts
and circumstances vary, and state laws vary.

If you have specific questions, more than likely someone here will be
willing to answer them for you. Best if you ask them one at a time.

> I have contacted the IRS for a transcript of all my earnings for every
> job, so I believe I have all the records necessary.

More than likely the transcripts won't have any state withholding. So for
the W-2 data, contact the former employers to get copies of the W-2 so you
have state and local withholding numbers.





--
Paul Thomas, CPA
www.paulthomascpa.com
Watkinsville, Georgia