I finally got mine filed on Saturday. I use a free tax prep agency, because my taxes are somewhat complicated. My pension is partly pretax, partly post tax, I have an HSA, and I report hobby income most years. Last year I slacked off on selling stuff. I haven’t sold anything this year yet either, I need to get cracking.
@Barney Well it did involve a fair amount of waiting my turn. Most of the agencies aren’t certified to do HSAs, so I had to go to the biggest, busiest one. I forgot my social security card when I went on Thursday and you had to provide the original, I’d waited an hour already when I learned that. Then I waited about an hour and a half on Saturday. But having it done by a pro and knowing it’s right (or at least I have a good excuse if it’s wrong) is well worth the wait.
I did mine early this year; got my refund back already which went to the exciting thing of paying down the mortgage just a bit more. I’m aiming to be free and clear before year 20.
@narfcake Good idea. No debt of any kind always gives you freedom. Do double check though that they applied it to the principal rather than as if you “paid ahead”. You will pay more interest if they credited it as a “payment ahead” rather than “pay down principal”. I read something a while ago that some students loan services and some mortgage companies pull this stunt.
@Kidsandliz
Credit Unions are better about not doing that. But it depends on where/how the loan was sold into the mortgage investment market, who owns the paper, who processes and services the loan, and what other billion lying thieving companies have their finders in the process.
The usual big loan servicer palaces are often morally beyond total evil.
@Kidsandliz Excellent point. Yes, it was applied to the principal; I make sure of that every month.
@f00l My credit union couldn’t beat the rate I got through my broker. While I could have refinanced earlier when rates were lower, the fees would’ve taken over 6 years to recoup as my balance isn’t high enough to make a “we pay all the fees” refi worthwhile on their end. And I wasn’t going to take a larger loan either.
@narfcake
So, until you finish paying for it, who owns your - or anyone’s else’s - specific house, if that house is financed with a loan sold into the financial mortgage market?
Good luck figuring that on out on any given property, unless a court gets involved.
Anybody know what to do when you get W2’ed for settlement money but you weren’t owed back wages? Ex-employer refuses to rescind the W2 (they also 1099’ed me when under illness/injury - which in the settlement documentation they stated it was for, they are not supposed to - that I figured out what to do about). And for the nosey - no I didn’t get rich (state has pro employer laws) and it was not even close to being enough to get rid of all my medical bills (which is where all the money went).
@f00l 2 hours and 45 min later on hold with turbo tax I got the answer. I am screwed if they won’t reverse it (which they won’t). I also got the form number from them to report those assholes to the IRS for tax fraud both with the 1099 and the W2. Now lets hope something is done about it in a timely enough manner such that I can still file an amended tax form to get my money back.
Does anyone know who you report a law firm to when they purposely disregarded the law (eg what they did with how they documented my settlement) so that they get professionally/legally/whatever disciplined?
I just finished mine. I sold some RSU and ESPP shares for the first time and had to deal with figuring out the cost basis on my meager capital gain. Filling out the forms and trying to follow instructions was a nightmare. The “courtesy” numbers from e*Trade were not entirely correct, so I had to wing it. Their video tutorial was helpful, but not helpful. I need a drink. Hoping I don’t get audited.
@heartny Well lucky for you they are anticipating fewer audits due to budget cuts, and I think hiring freezes, etc. at the IRS. Can’t remember where I read that bit of bad/good news, the context I think was in the projected longer wait times for answers to tax questions from the IRS.
This year is our most complicated year-- 1 job change, HSA incl after-tax contribution, Roth IRA, investment gains, a very good AirBNB rental (out-of-state), tons of expenses, etc. I had to read/learn new bits of our absurd tax code. All is fine and dandy, refund due, except my wife’s employer screwed up her W2. They filled out her insurance premiums in the box for the HSA contribution, which makes it appear like we contributed too much to our HSA (It’s simply wrong). We’ll probably get audited because of her employer’s screw up.
But hooray for passive activity loss carryovers–
I had do do mine twice with 2 different software apps. I screwed up on the first and couldn’t figure out how to unscrew it. They said I owed about $4k. I knew I was due a refund. I procrastinated for about 6 weeks and got my good news last week!
(Procrastination due mostly to having to take care of my mom for the last 4 weeks - broke both shoulders.)
/image broken shoulders
@looseneck Yep, those phones can be deadly. That’s how Mom broke her hip – answering the phone. Unfortunately, it was me calling to see how she was doing.
So sorry about your Mom. Is she doing okay now? How long does the doc say before she will be back to pitching for the Yankees?
i did mine in january. i was unhappy with turbo tax this year. i was a first time home buyer in 2016 and expected turbo tax to lead me the new world of deductions. they didn’t, and i was pretty irritated. especially when i figured out where to find the manual MCC deduction and they told me i probably shouldn’t be doing this, and then at the end warned me that i was taking unusual deductions. you’d think in a state that somewhat commonly hands out MCC to first time buyers, they would account for that instead of giving me a national “these aren’t common” warning, twice, and that was just the largest thing they didn’t ask about after doing their “guaranteed analysis”. idiots. made the difference between a large bill and a normal return (i had previously done math and adjusted exemptions).
I thought buying a house (first time owner) in 2016 would give us a good refund, but only ended up getting $190. Still, totally better than owing, which we usually do. Of course, the IRS kept it since we still owe them for 2013.
Fuck em.
That’s why The DarkSide made extensions.
@f00l But you gotta do 'em sometime.
@Barney
You do?
Uh oh.
@f00l This year, for the first time in history, I’m going to file an extension. It’s complicated.
@OldCatLady You have until Tuesday this year.
Stupid taxes. I think mine are getting done on Thursday.
I finally got mine filed on Saturday. I use a free tax prep agency, because my taxes are somewhat complicated. My pension is partly pretax, partly post tax, I have an HSA, and I report hobby income most years. Last year I slacked off on selling stuff. I haven’t sold anything this year yet either, I need to get cracking.
@moondrake I would hate you if I didn’t like you so much.
@Barney Well it did involve a fair amount of waiting my turn. Most of the agencies aren’t certified to do HSAs, so I had to go to the biggest, busiest one. I forgot my social security card when I went on Thursday and you had to provide the original, I’d waited an hour already when I learned that. Then I waited about an hour and a half on Saturday. But having it done by a pro and knowing it’s right (or at least I have a good excuse if it’s wrong) is well worth the wait.
@moondrake Yep, that’s the way I do all gov’t stuff. I find the longest line and waste a day in it.
I did mine early this year; got my refund back already which went to the exciting thing of paying down the mortgage just a bit more. I’m aiming to be free and clear before year 20.
@narfcake Good idea. No debt of any kind always gives you freedom. Do double check though that they applied it to the principal rather than as if you “paid ahead”. You will pay more interest if they credited it as a “payment ahead” rather than “pay down principal”. I read something a while ago that some students loan services and some mortgage companies pull this stunt.
@Kidsandliz
Credit Unions are better about not doing that. But it depends on where/how the loan was sold into the mortgage investment market, who owns the paper, who processes and services the loan, and what other billion lying thieving companies have their finders in the process.
The usual big loan servicer palaces are often morally beyond total evil.
@Kidsandliz Excellent point. Yes, it was applied to the principal; I make sure of that every month.
@f00l My credit union couldn’t beat the rate I got through my broker. While I could have refinanced earlier when rates were lower, the fees would’ve taken over 6 years to recoup as my balance isn’t high enough to make a “we pay all the fees” refi worthwhile on their end. And I wasn’t going to take a larger loan either.
@narfcake
So, until you finish paying for it, who owns your - or anyone’s else’s - specific house, if that house is financed with a loan sold into the financial mortgage market?
Good luck figuring that on out on any given property, unless a court gets involved.
https://www.amazon.com/gp/product/1620971585?sa-no-redirect=1&pldnSite=1
Anybody know what to do when you get W2’ed for settlement money but you weren’t owed back wages? Ex-employer refuses to rescind the W2 (they also 1099’ed me when under illness/injury - which in the settlement documentation they stated it was for, they are not supposed to - that I figured out what to do about). And for the nosey - no I didn’t get rich (state has pro employer laws) and it was not even close to being enough to get rid of all my medical bills (which is where all the money went).
@Kidsandliz
There are places that will give substantial pro bono assistance with taxes. Ask @moondrake, I think.
@f00l 2 hours and 45 min later on hold with turbo tax I got the answer. I am screwed if they won’t reverse it (which they won’t). I also got the form number from them to report those assholes to the IRS for tax fraud both with the 1099 and the W2. Now lets hope something is done about it in a timely enough manner such that I can still file an amended tax form to get my money back.
Does anyone know who you report a law firm to when they purposely disregarded the law (eg what they did with how they documented my settlement) so that they get professionally/legally/whatever disciplined?
@Kidsandliz
You could start with the State Bar ethics and complaints section for whatever state this happened in.
@f00l thanks
I just finished mine. I sold some RSU and ESPP shares for the first time and had to deal with figuring out the cost basis on my meager capital gain. Filling out the forms and trying to follow instructions was a nightmare. The “courtesy” numbers from e*Trade were not entirely correct, so I had to wing it. Their video tutorial was helpful, but not helpful. I need a drink. Hoping I don’t get audited.
@heartny Well lucky for you they are anticipating fewer audits due to budget cuts, and I think hiring freezes, etc. at the IRS. Can’t remember where I read that bit of bad/good news, the context I think was in the projected longer wait times for answers to tax questions from the IRS.
@Kidsandliz
With fewer personnel, maybe they’ll give up on auditing politician’s tax returns.
This year is our most complicated year-- 1 job change, HSA incl after-tax contribution, Roth IRA, investment gains, a very good AirBNB rental (out-of-state), tons of expenses, etc. I had to read/learn new bits of our absurd tax code. All is fine and dandy, refund due, except my wife’s employer screwed up her W2. They filled out her insurance premiums in the box for the HSA contribution, which makes it appear like we contributed too much to our HSA (It’s simply wrong). We’ll probably get audited because of her employer’s screw up.
But hooray for passive activity loss carryovers–
I had do do mine twice with 2 different software apps. I screwed up on the first and couldn’t figure out how to unscrew it. They said I owed about $4k. I knew I was due a refund. I procrastinated for about 6 weeks and got my good news last week!
(Procrastination due mostly to having to take care of my mom for the last 4 weeks - broke both shoulders.)
/image broken shoulders
@looseneck
OW OW OW OW OW
Poor Mom!
@f00l AND one was dislocated
Lesson learned: Take it easy and don’t break stuff just because the phone rings.
@looseneck Yep, those phones can be deadly. That’s how Mom broke her hip – answering the phone. Unfortunately, it was me calling to see how she was doing.
So sorry about your Mom. Is she doing okay now? How long does the doc say before she will be back to pitching for the Yankees?
@Barney We never found out who was calling. If I ever do, they are gonna pay for it
She’ll be starting for Trenton Thunder next week.
@looseneck
No more uneven parallel bars in gymnastics, tho, right? She’s giving that up, I hope?
@f00l If she doesn’t, I’m taking her car away!
@looseneck You can’t blame me this time, 'cause I don’t have your Mom’s phone number.
@Barney Nope - only blame goes to loose rug on floor and old bones.
@looseneck wait… she has three shoulders?
@Steve7654 She does NOW.
@Steve7654 4 now - double the fun!
I done did mine, but didn’t file, waiting until I was sure we got old Uncle IRA funded properly. Thanks for the reminder - I clicked on “file” today.
i did mine in january. i was unhappy with turbo tax this year. i was a first time home buyer in 2016 and expected turbo tax to lead me the new world of deductions. they didn’t, and i was pretty irritated. especially when i figured out where to find the manual MCC deduction and they told me i probably shouldn’t be doing this, and then at the end warned me that i was taking unusual deductions. you’d think in a state that somewhat commonly hands out MCC to first time buyers, they would account for that instead of giving me a national “these aren’t common” warning, twice, and that was just the largest thing they didn’t ask about after doing their “guaranteed analysis”. idiots. made the difference between a large bill and a normal return (i had previously done math and adjusted exemptions).
@meh we have been using OLT for several years; pretty happy with them and ours is a fairly complicated return.
I thought buying a house (first time owner) in 2016 would give us a good refund, but only ended up getting $190. Still, totally better than owing, which we usually do. Of course, the IRS kept it since we still owe them for 2013.
JetBlue is giving free flights to 1000 people who owe money on their returns. They’re taking your word for it; just fill in the form. http://time.com/money/4736597/jetblue-free-flights-taxes/?xid=time_socialflow_twitter
My taxes are filed. I’M FREE!
/youtube Rolling Stones I’m free
@Barney Yay!
/image purple I’m free!
(ETA: What the fuck? …)
@Barney
The Who, just for you: