Has anyone had experience with getting a refund of the withholding later? I've heard the Canadian seller can file for a refund if the actual tax liability is less than what was withheld, but curious how complicated that process is.

I just went through this exact situation 6 months ago when buying from a Canadian seller! The stress is real, but you'll get through it. A few things that might help: First, definitely confirm with your title company what their role is here. In my case, they handled the actual withholding and filing - I just had to provide the buyer information and sign off on the calculations. They should NOT be dumping all of this on you at the last minute. Second, double-check if you qualify for the primary residence exemption. If this will be your main home and the purchase price is under $1 million, you should only need to withhold 10% (or 0% if under $300k). That could save you thousands. The form itself isn't as scary as it looks once you understand what goes where. The key boxes are pretty straightforward - your info, seller info, property address, purchase price, and withholding amount. Don't let them rush you into making mistakes because of their poor planning. You have every right to push back on the timeline if they're not providing proper support. This is a standard part of foreign seller transactions and they should have processes in place to handle it smoothly. Hang in there - you're almost at the finish line!

Has anyone successfully e-filed their return with an NOL carryforward? Last year I had to paper file because TurboTax kept rejecting my return when I tried to include my S-Corp NOL. Wondering if any software handles this correctly for 2025 filing season?

I went through this exact situation two years ago with my S-Corp consulting business. Here's what I learned that might help: For question 1 - No, the NOL doesn't go directly on line 21. Since you have an S-Corp, your losses flow through on Schedule K-1 and get reported on Schedule E of your 1040. The actual NOL calculation happens separately using Form 1045 Schedule A as a worksheet. For question 2 - You can claim your full share of the S-Corp loss, but it's limited by three things: your basis in the S-Corp stock, your at-risk amount, and passive activity rules (Form 8582). Make sure you have sufficient basis to absorb the loss - this includes your initial investment plus any loans you made TO the company. For question 3 - You're looking for Form 1045 Schedule A. Even though Form 1045 is technically for carrying losses back, Schedule A is the IRS worksheet used to calculate NOL amounts for carryforwards too. There's no separate "NOL worksheet" form number. One tip: Keep meticulous records of your basis calculations. The IRS doesn't provide a specific form for tracking S-Corp basis, so you'll need to maintain your own detailed worksheet showing contributions, distributions, prior income/losses, and any loans to the company. This becomes crucial if you ever get audited. Hope this helps! The NOL rules can be confusing but once you understand the flow-through nature of S-Corp losses, it becomes much clearer.

I'm seeing alot of zeros on mine too. Called IRS and was on hold for 2hrs just to get hung up on 🤡

Same thing happened to me last year! All zeros across the board even though I had W2 income. Turns out the IRS was just behind on processing - took about 3-4 weeks for my transcript to update with the actual numbers. Since you mentioned self-employment income, make sure all your 1099s were filed correctly by your clients. Sometimes if there's a mismatch between what you reported and what was filed, it can cause processing delays. Don't panic yet, but definitely keep an eye on it and maybe call if it doesn't update in the next couple weeks.

I make this mistake every year - waiting until the last minute to figure out which tax software to use. Just remember whatever you choose, file early! I filed in February last year and got my refund in 8 days. My friend used the exact same software but filed in April and waited over 6 weeks for his refund. The IRS processes returns in the order received, so early filing = faster refund. Also gives you time to fix any issues that might come up without stressing about deadlines.

Heads up on Tax Haven 3000 - I used it two years ago and while it worked fine for basic returns, their customer support is practically non-existent if you run into issues. When I had a question about a form that didn't look right, it took them over a week to respond via email and the answer wasn't even helpful. For someone still learning about taxes like you, I'd honestly recommend going with one of the established players like FreeTaxUSA or Credit Karma Tax (now Cash App Taxes). They have better help resources and chat support if you get stuck. The peace of mind is worth the extra $20-30, especially when you're building confidence with doing your own taxes. Also agree with the early filing advice - got my refund in under 10 days last year by filing in late January!

I went through almost the exact same situation last year and completely understand your panic! The zero withholding issue with the new W4 form caught so many people off guard. Here's what most likely happened: When the IRS redesigned the W4 form, they eliminated the old "allowances" system that we were all used to. The new form is supposed to be "simpler" but honestly, it's confusing as hell if you don't understand how each step affects your withholding. For your situation (HOH with 3 kids), here's the quickest fix: **Step 1:** Personal info + select Head of Household filing status **Step 2:** Leave blank unless you or your spouse have multiple jobs **Step 3:** This is critical - enter $6,000 (that's $2,000 × 3 kids for the Child Tax Credit) **Step 4:** Add extra withholding to catch up. Since you've had zero withholding for 4+ months, I'd suggest adding at least $150-200 per paycheck here The most common mistake people make is either accidentally checking "Exempt" in Step 4(c) or leaving Step 3 completely blank when they have dependents. Both can result in zero or minimal withholding. Get this to your HR department TODAY and double-check your next pay stub to make sure federal tax is actually being withheld. Don't let this drag on any longer - you're already behind for 2025!

I feel your pain on this! The zero withholding issue is surprisingly common with the redesigned W4. Based on your situation (HOH with 3 kids), here's what you need to do immediately: **Fill out a new W4 correctly:** - Step 1: Mark Head of Household - Step 2: Leave blank (unless you have multiple jobs or working spouse) - Step 3: Enter $6,000 ($2,000 × 3 qualifying children under 17) - Step 4(c): Add extra withholding for catch-up - I'd suggest $200-250 per paycheck since you're already 4+ months behind **Most likely what went wrong:** You either accidentally checked the "Exempt" box in Step 4(c), or left Step 3 blank when you have dependents. Both can result in zero federal withholding. **Action items:** 1. Submit new W4 to HR today 2. Verify on your next pay stub that federal tax is actually being withheld 3. Consider making a quarterly estimated payment if you're significantly behind The good news is this is totally fixable! Just don't wait any longer - every paycheck with zero withholding is digging the hole deeper for next year's tax bill. Once you get caught up over the next few months, you can submit another W4 to reduce the extra withholding so you don't overwithhold for the rest of the year.