I think most people are overlooking something important - the $47,000 in renovations mentioned in the original post. Those receipts are GOLD when calculating your adjusted basis! Make sure you've kept meticulous records of EVERYTHING you've done to improve the property. Not just the obvious renovations, but also: - Roof repairs - HVAC upgrades - Plumbing or electrical work - Window replacements - Landscaping improvements (if they add value) - Deck or patio additions I had a client who nearly forgot about $23,000 in windows and insulation they'd added over the years. That significantly reduced their taxable gain. Also, don't forget to include closing costs from when you purchased as part of your basis, and selling costs (commissions, etc.) as deductions from the sale price.

As someone who works in real estate tax consulting, I want to emphasize a key point that might provide additional peace of mind: the FIRPTA withholding requirement has specific safe harbors built in precisely for situations like yours. Since you're selling your primary residence and the sales price is likely under $1.1 million (based on your mention of the $500k capital gains exclusion being relevant), there's actually a buyer's exemption that can apply. If the buyer is acquiring the property as a residence and the purchase price is $1.1 million or less, they're not required to withhold under FIRPTA even if you were considered a foreign person (which you're not as a green card holder anyway). This creates a double layer of protection in your situation. However, I'd still recommend getting the proper documentation from your title company to avoid any confusion or delays at closing. One practical tip: when you compile those renovation receipts, organize them chronologically and create a simple spreadsheet showing the date, description, and amount for each improvement. This will make things much smoother for both the closing and your tax return preparation. The IRS loves organized documentation, and it shows you're taking the reporting requirements seriously.

Does anyone know if you can deduct expenses against T4A income? I drive Uber on weekends and got a T4A this year, but I paid for gas, car maintenance, etc.

I went through this exact same situation last year with a T4A from some freelance work. Yes, you absolutely must report it - the CRA already has a copy and their systems will automatically flag any discrepancies between what you file and what they received. The good news is that TurboTax makes it pretty straightforward. When you get to the income section, there's a specific area for T4A slips. Just enter the information exactly as it appears on your slip. Since you mentioned it's from a side gig, it's likely in box 048 (self-employment income), which means you might also be able to claim some business expenses against it if you have any. Don't stress too much about owing extra tax - $2,800 isn't a huge amount, and depending on your tax bracket, the additional tax might be less than you think. Plus, if you have any expenses related to that side gig (equipment, supplies, portion of home office, etc.), those can help reduce what you owe. The key thing is just to report it honestly. The CRA is pretty reasonable when people are upfront about their income - it's when they try to hide things that you run into real problems.

I went through something very similar last year and can relate to the stress you're feeling! The good news is this is definitely fixable, but you'll need to be persistent with Fidelity to get it handled correctly. First, call Fidelity back and ask to speak with someone in their IRA department specifically - don't just talk to general customer service. Tell them you need to "recharacterize" your withdrawal as a "return of excess contribution" for 2024. They should be able to do this since you're still in the same tax year. Make sure they understand you're correcting an excess contribution, not just making a regular withdrawal. Once they process this correctly, you'll get a 1099-R form that properly shows the distribution as a return of excess contribution. Any earnings that were generated on that excess contribution will be taxable income for 2024 and potentially subject to the 10% early withdrawal penalty if you're under 59½. Since you've already filed, you'll likely need to file an amended return (Form 1040-X) once you get the corrected documentation from Fidelity. The timing actually works in your favor since you caught this so quickly - there probably weren't significant earnings on the excess contribution during that short time period. Don't panic about the penalties - if Fidelity processes this as a proper excess contribution removal, you should be able to avoid the 6% excise tax. Just make sure you get the right paperwork from them showing it was handled correctly.

I'm dealing with a very similar situation right now and this thread has been incredibly helpful! I also exceeded the Roth IRA contribution limit this year and made the mistake of just withdrawing the money instead of requesting a proper "return of excess contribution." Based on what everyone is saying, it sounds like the key steps are: 1. Call your brokerage's IRA department specifically (not general customer service) 2. Ask them to recharacterize your withdrawal as a "return of excess contribution" 3. Get the corrected 1099-R documentation 4. File an amended return if you've already submitted One question I have - if the excess contribution was only in the account for a few days like in the original poster's case, would there even be any earnings to worry about? It seems like with such a short time period, the earnings would be minimal or potentially zero, which might simplify the tax reporting. Also, has anyone had success getting this fixed without needing to file an amended return? I'm wondering if there's any way to catch this before the IRS processes the original return.

This is a really common issue when employers switch payroll systems mid-year, so don't stress too much! The key red flag here is definitely the different EINs - that's not normal for the same employer and could cause problems with the IRS if not resolved. Before calling the employer, I'd suggest gathering all the documentation first: both W-2s, your boyfriend's final paystub from December (if he has it), and maybe even his last paystub from before the payroll system switch. This will help you verify if there's any double-counting of income. When you do call, ask specifically for the payroll manager or whoever handled the system transition. The questions others have suggested are spot-on: why are the EINs different, is the Statutory Employee classification intentional, and can they confirm the total wages are accurate for the full year. One thing I'd add - if they can't give you satisfactory answers or seem to be guessing, ask for the contact information of their payroll processing company (like ADP, Paychex, etc.). Sometimes the third-party processor can explain what happened better than the employer's internal staff. Don't file until this is resolved. I know it's frustrating to delay, but dealing with IRS notices or having to amend later is way more complicated than taking a few extra days to get correct documentation upfront. You're being smart by catching this early!

The different EINs are definitely the biggest concern here - that's not typical for payroll system changes and suggests either a mistake or some kind of corporate restructuring that should be documented. I'd recommend calling first thing tomorrow and asking to speak with whoever managed the payroll transition, not just general HR. Here's what I'd focus on when you call: 1. Ask them to explain why two different EINs were used for the same employer 2. Verify if the Statutory Employee classification was intentional (this is a big deal tax-wise) 3. Request they compare the total wages on both W-2s against their payroll records to check for double-counting If they can't give you clear answers or seem to be guessing, ask for contact info for their payroll processing company - they often understand the technical side better than internal staff. Don't file until you get this sorted out. I know it's tempting to just proceed since your software will let you, but dealing with IRS questions later is way more complicated than getting correct documentation now. The fact that FreeTaxUSA is flagging it as unusual income should be taken seriously. You're absolutely doing the right thing by being cautious about this. Payroll system changes do cause these issues, but that doesn't mean you should just accept confusing documentation without getting proper explanations from the employer.

As someone who's been through this exact situation, I totally understand your hesitation! I was claiming 0 for years thinking it was the "safe" option, but after reading through all these great responses and doing some research, I realized I was basically giving the government a free loan every year. What really helped me make the decision was using that IRS Tax Withholding Estimator that several people mentioned - it's completely free on the IRS website and gives you personalized recommendations based on your specific income and situation. Just have your last paystub and previous tax return ready when you use it. For someone in your situation (single, one job, no dependents, around $38k income), you should be able to safely adjust your withholding to get more money each paycheck without owing at tax time. The withholding tables are designed with people like us in mind. I'd also recommend asking your payroll department to run a "what if" scenario showing you exactly how much more you'd get per paycheck with different withholding amounts. Most payroll systems can do this easily, and it'll give you concrete numbers to work with instead of just guessing. The new W-4 form is definitely confusing at first, but for straightforward situations like yours, it's actually pretty simple once you understand what each section is for. The estimator will walk you through exactly what to put on each line.

I was in your exact shoes a couple years ago! Single, no dependents, making around $40k and claiming 0 because I thought it was the "safe" choice. After doing some research and talking to a tax professional, I learned that claiming 0 is actually pretty conservative for most single people with one job. Here's what I discovered: the tax withholding tables are designed so that claiming 1 allowance (or the equivalent on the new W-4) should get you pretty close to breaking even at tax time. You're essentially giving the government an interest-free loan when you over-withhold with 0 allowances. I made the switch last year and now get about $32 more per paycheck, which adds up to over $800 more throughout the year that I can use for bills, savings, or paying down debt. I still got a small refund of around $180 this past tax season, so I didn't end up owing anything. My advice would be to use the IRS Tax Withholding Estimator (it's free on their website) to see what they recommend for your specific situation. You can also ask your payroll department to show you what your take-home would look like with different withholding amounts before you make any changes. For someone with your income and filing status, you should be able to safely get more money in each paycheck without owing at tax time.