~Alessa~

My husband has never put his Russian nickname in the "other names used" field, but he has put in other variant spellings of his name.

They want the transcripts because you are expected to file taxes for all the years your are required to do so. For you that is 2017-2019. Upload 17 and 18. By the time interview comes around you'll have 2019- the three required years. 

If you were not a permanent resident in 2016 why would they expect you to have filed taxes. You can't produce something that does not exist. 

A fee change was proposed: https://www.federalregister.gov/documents/2019/11/14/2019-24366/us-citizenship-and-immigration-services-fee-schedule-and-changes-to-certain-other-immigration
The public comment period just ended. USCIS will review the comments and then either work to implement the change (possibly with changes) or not implement it (either directly or by virtue of not acting on it).
They usually post the new fees for a few months before they go into effect.

You can request a transcript online from the IRS (or by mail).  Transcripts are better than the actual return for immigration processes.
 
I believe the online application does ask for the tax information to be uploaded.  (I haven’t filled mine out just yet).  

Nothing firm is published about the fee increase, but it was proposed.  I would expect there would be a notice period provided.
 
For your application, you would submit the most current returns at the time available.  So if you were filing today, it would be 16, 17, and 18.  You would bring the 19 one to the interview. 

I took photos of all our document and submitted them online along with the N-400. It should not be an issue. My wife's application was approved at the interview on Dec. 26th.

Take a photo front and back and paste them on a Word or PowerPoint cropped and submit that, and you should be fine.  Also, take the physical GC to the N400 interview with you.
 
Good Luck!

Just crop the pic. It will be fine. It's electronic so it's all the same just make sure you save it as any of the listed file types.

Treat as the more entry you send, the more chances of winning.
Meaning the more evidences you send on the day of your filing the more chances you will get approved with smooth process.
Chances are the IO will delay the approval of your N-400 since sometimes the IO need to review first the evidences that you will give to the IO on the day of your interview.
Where in if you already send it on the day of your application then the IO will have time to review your case and evidences before your interview. 
 

Tax transcripts are not needed until interview.  See N-400 instructions page 11, Item 7.A.(e)
https://www.uscis.gov/sites/default/files/files/form/n-400instr.pdf

New card is being produced! (January 2019 filer).

New card is being produced! (January 2019 filer).

New card is being produced! (January 2019 filer).

New card is being produced! (January 2019 filer).

New card is being produced! (January 2019 filer).

New card is being produced! (January 2019 filer).

Why won't they divide income by state, some states are so much more affordable to live than others

You refile.   You can't use "I sent the wrong photos" as an excuse because you are an adult.

I'm honestly not sure, it's all still so new. I believe if they sue the administration it could tie everything up in court, but that's about as much as I know. I'm sorry. It's still so brand new theres probably a lot that they have to work out still. 

Extra annoying steps, plus extra annoying fees and extra annoying delays for everyone. 

Why won't they divide income by state, some states are so much more affordable to live than others

There is nothing wrong with using co-sponsors or joint sponsors. If all parties agree and the person makes more than enough to pass the test, what exactly is the issue? We are very grateful to our co-sponsor, without them, I would not only not be able to be with my husband but he would not be a successful taxpaying LPR fulfilling a critical role in his job and enjoying the opportunities this country has given him because of his hard work.. We never asked our co-sponsor for a dime, nor did we ever utilize the 'system'. We paid for our wedding. We paid for our health insurance. We had savings that saw our way through. Not everyone's case is straightforward, some are a little more complicated.

Why won't they divide income by state, some states are so much more affordable to live than others

Why won't they divide income by state, some states are so much more affordable to live than others