IRS
CommunityGovernment Services
Can't reach IRS? Claimyr calls for you, so you don't have to wait on hold.
Claimyr is a pay-as-you-go service. We do not charge a recurring subscription.
160,000+ people connected since 2021
Using Claimyr will:
- Connect you to a human agent at the IRS
- Skip the long phone menu
- Call the correct department
- Redial until on hold
- Forward a call to your phone with reduced hold time
- Give you free callbacks if the IRS drops your call
Ask the community...
- DO post questions about your issues.
- DO answer questions and support each other.
- DO post tips & tricks to help folks.
- DO NOT post call problems here - there is a support tab at the top for that :)
When to Start Required Minimum Distributions (RMDs) for someone turning 72 this year
I'm hoping someone can help clarify this situation. My mother is turning 72 in early December this year. I'm trying to figure out when she needs to start taking her Required Minimum Distributions (RMDs) from her retirement accounts. Her investment advisor at the bank is telling her she needs to start taking withdrawals THIS year (2023), but I've been reading the IRS guidelines and I'm pretty sure she doesn't need to start until 2024 since she turns 72 after December 31, 2022. The advisor is being really pushy about this and I don't want mom to take money out unnecessarily if she doesn't have to. I've tried looking at the IRS website and I think I understand what it says in Q3 about RMD timing, but I'd really appreciate if someone could confirm whether I'm reading this correctly or if the advisor is right. Mom's pretty anxious about making a mistake with her retirement funds and getting penalized.
Join the conversation
Why is my 1095-A causing me to owe over $1k this year when nothing changed?
Title: Why is my 1095-A causing me to owe over $1k this year when nothing changed? 1 I'm freaking out right now. Last year we had the same health insurance from the marketplace with the same tax credit and everything was fine with our taxes. We didn't owe anything - the 1095-A form actually helped lower our tax bill a bit. But this year when I entered our 1095-A information, our refund completely disappeared and now we suddenly owe over $1000! We were supposed to get back about that much, and now we're on the hook to pay it instead. That's like a $2000 swing! I honestly don't understand health insurance or tax credits at all. Can someone explain in simple terms what's happening? Why would the exact same situation with marketplace insurance cause us to owe so much this year? I'm seriously panicking because I'm unable to work due to health issues. My partner is the only one working, and there's absolutely no way we can afford to pay this much. We were counting on that refund for some essential expenses.
Join the conversation
10 Question for anyone who understands this stuff - does it matter what state you're in for how the 1095-A affects your taxes? I've heard some states expanded Medicaid and others didn't, and that can change how the marketplace plans and subsidies work.
15 Yes, your state does matter! States that expanded Medicaid under the ACA generally offer coverage to people with incomes up to 138% of the federal poverty level through Medicaid. In those states, marketplace subsidies typically start at 138% FPL. In states that didn't expand Medicaid, there can be a coverage gap where some low-income adults don't qualify for either Medicaid or marketplace subsidies. However, for those who do qualify for marketplace coverage in non-expansion states, subsidies can start at 100% FPL. Additionally, some states run their own marketplace exchanges with slightly different rules than the federal exchange (Healthcare.gov). And a few states (like California) even offer state-specific premium subsidies beyond the federal ones. If you're close to a subsidy cliff, moving between states or a state changing its policies could definitely impact your situation.
I'm so sorry you're going through this stress - the 1095-A reconciliation process can be absolutely brutal, especially when you're already dealing with health issues and financial constraints. From what you've described, it sounds like your partner's raise likely pushed your household income over a premium tax credit threshold. The ACA subsidies have some sharp "cliffs" where even a small income increase can dramatically reduce your credit or eliminate it entirely. A few things that might help your immediate situation: 1. Check if you can still contribute to a traditional IRA for 2024 (you have until the tax filing deadline). This reduces your MAGI, which is what they use to calculate your premium tax credit. 2. Look for any tax credits or deductions you might have missed - education credits, child tax credit, earned income credit, etc. 3. If you still end up owing, the IRS offers payment plans with very reasonable monthly payments based on your financial situation. Most importantly, contact the marketplace RIGHT NOW to report your income change for 2025. This will adjust your current advance premium tax credits so you don't face this same shock next year. The fact that you can't work due to health issues might also make you eligible for additional assistance programs. Don't give up - there are often more options available than people realize.
For the IRA contribution, even a modest amount can help! The premium tax credit calculations work on income ranges, so sometimes contributing just $1,000-2,000 can bump you back into a better subsidy bracket. You'd need to look at your specific income level compared to the federal poverty guidelines, but every dollar you contribute reduces your MAGI dollar-for-dollar. When reporting to the marketplace, estimate your total projected income for 2025 as accurately as possible. Include your partner's new hourly rate for the full year, plus any income you might realistically earn if your health improves. It's better to slightly overestimate than underestimate - you can always get a larger refund next year rather than owing again. For assistance programs with health-related work limitations, start with: - Your state's Medicaid office (you might qualify for different programs than regular Medicaid) - 211 (dial 2-1-1) for local assistance programs - Social Services/SNAP office - they often know about utility assistance, food programs, etc. - Disability advocacy organizations in your area Also look into whether you qualify for the IRS Taxpayer Advocate Service - they specifically help people facing financial hardship navigate tax issues. Since you have health problems limiting your ability to work, you might meet their criteria for assistance. Don't hesitate to ask the marketplace about hardship exemptions too - sometimes there are options available that aren't widely advertised.
For the IRA contribution, even a modest amount can help! The key is that it's a dollar-for-dollar reduction in your MAGI. So if a $1,000 IRA contribution moves you back into a better subsidy bracket, it could potentially save you more in taxes than it costs to contribute. For reporting income to the marketplace, estimate your total household income for the entire 2025 year as accurately as possible. Include your partner's new hourly rate multiplied by expected work hours, plus any other income sources. It's better to slightly overestimate than underestimate - you can always adjust again if circumstances change. For additional assistance programs, start with: - Your state's 211 service (dial 2-1-1) for local resources - Healthcare.gov has a "Get Help" section with local navigators who can assist for free - If you receive SSDI/SSI due to your health issues, you may qualify for additional healthcare programs - Some states have their own premium assistance programs beyond federal subsidies - Look into whether you qualify for the IRS Taxpayer Advocate Service if this creates genuine financial hardship The most important thing is getting your 2025 marketplace coverage adjusted quickly so you don't face this same situation next year. Many people forget this step and end up with repeated tax surprises.
OMB 1545-0074 Letter: Timeline for Refund Reduction & Payment?
Just got a letter from IRS with OMB clearance number 1545-0074. They're reducing my refund amount. Anyone know how long this process takes and when I'll actually see the money hit my account?
Join the conversation
did they tell u why theyre reducing it? sometimes u can appeal
nah they just said something about previous tax year adjustment
might wanna look into that. could be a mistake on their end
Effect of Mutual Fund Supplemental Information on Vanguard Consolidated 1099 for VTSAX and VTI
I'm looking at my Vanguard Consolidated 1099 form for the first time and I'm confused about something at the bottom of the statement. There's this section called "Mutual Fund and UIT Supplemental Information" that lists details for my VTSAX and VTI holdings. I've never noticed this section before and I'm not sure what to do with this information for tax purposes. Does this supplemental information need to be reported separately on my tax return? Or is it already factored into the numbers on the main part of the 1099? I've been investing for a few years but this is my first time having to deal with these funds on my taxes and I don't want to miss anything important or double-report something. Anyone know what effect this supplemental info has on my tax filing?
Join the conversation
Does anyone know if turbotax handles the mutual fund supplemental information correctly? I input my Vanguard 1099 for VTSAX and VTI but I'm worried it might double-count some of the dividend income if I'm not careful.
TurboTax handles it fine if you import your 1099 directly from Vanguard. I've been doing this for years with my VTSAX holdings. The import function properly pulls in all the main reportable amounts and ignores the supplemental breakdown information that doesn't need separate reporting. If you're manually entering the information, just stick to entering the main boxes from the 1099-DIV section (boxes 1a, 1b, etc.) and don't try to enter anything from the supplemental section. TurboTax will prompt you for all the information the IRS requires.
Thanks for confirming! I tried the import function but it didn't work for some reason, so I was manually entering everything. Good to know I should just focus on the main boxes and ignore the supplemental stuff. I was staring at all those percentages and breakdowns wondering if I needed to do something with them.
Great thread everyone! As someone who was completely overwhelmed by my first Vanguard 1099 with VTSAX and VTI last year, I can definitely relate to the original confusion. One thing I'd add is that if you're holding these funds in both taxable and tax-advantaged accounts, make sure you're only looking at the 1099 for your taxable account holdings. I made the mistake of trying to reconcile my entire portfolio at first, not realizing that the 1099 only covers the taxable account distributions. Also, for anyone using tax software other than TurboTax - I use FreeTaxUSA and it handles the Vanguard import correctly as well. The key is really just understanding that the supplemental section is informational only, as others have explained so well here.
Property Tax shows wrong square footage - can I get a refund?
I just discovered something frustrating about my property taxes. Since moving into our newly built home in 2019, our tax assessment has listed our square footage as 3100 sq ft. However, I recently found the original builder documents that clearly show the actual square footage is only 2450 sq ft! That's a pretty significant difference that we've been paying extra taxes on for almost 6 years now. Has anyone successfully challenged something like this and gotten money back? I'm wondering if there's a way to not only get the square footage corrected for future tax bills but also receive some kind of refund for all the overpayments we've made since 2019. The property tax in our county isn't cheap, so this could be a substantial amount. What's the process for requesting this kind of correction and potential refund? Do I need to hire someone or is this something I can handle myself through the county assessor's office? Any advice would be really appreciated!
Join the conversation
This is incredibly helpful information, everyone! I'm dealing with a similar situation where my property has been assessed at 2,850 sq ft when the actual size is only 2,400 sq ft. That's a 450 sq ft difference that I've been overpaying on for the past 4 years. Based on what I'm reading here, it sounds like the key steps are: 1) Gather all original builder documents and closing paperwork, 2) Contact the county assessor's office to start the correction process, and 3) Be very specific that I only want the square footage corrected to avoid any surprise "quality rating" increases. I'm curious about the timeframe - how long did it typically take from filing the correction request to actually receiving refund checks? I want to set proper expectations for when I might see the money back. Also, did anyone have to pay any fees for filing the correction request, or is this process free through the county? Thanks for sharing all your experiences - this gives me a lot more confidence to move forward with challenging my assessment!
This thread has been incredibly informative! I'm in a very similar situation - my property has been assessed at 2,750 sq ft when the actual size is 2,300 sq ft according to my original architectural plans. I've been overpaying for 3 years now. A few questions based on everyone's experiences: 1. For those who used services like taxr.ai or Claimyr - what were the actual costs? Are these free services or do they charge fees? 2. I see mixed advice about going DIY vs using these services. For someone who's generally comfortable with paperwork but has never dealt with property tax issues before, what would you recommend? 3. Has anyone dealt with a situation where the county initially pushes back on the correction request? I'm wondering what kind of resistance I might face and how to prepare for it. I'm in Texas if that makes any difference for the process. Really appreciate everyone sharing their experiences - it's given me the confidence to move forward with this instead of just accepting the overcharge every year!
Great questions! I can share some insights on the services you mentioned. Taxr.ai has a free basic analysis tool, but their full document preparation service runs about $89-149 depending on complexity. Claimyr charges around $20-30 for their phone connection service. For someone comfortable with paperwork like yourself, I'd honestly recommend starting with the DIY approach first, especially since you have clear documentation (architectural plans). Texas generally has pretty straightforward property tax correction processes, and you can always use the services as backup if you hit roadblocks. Regarding pushback - it's actually pretty rare when you have solid documentation like architectural plans. Counties want accurate records too. The most common "resistance" is just bureaucratic slowness or requests for additional documentation, not outright rejection. Just be prepared with multiple sources confirming your square footage if possible. Texas does allow retroactive corrections, typically 3-5 years depending on your specific county. Start with your county appraisal district's website - they usually have specific forms and processes outlined. Good luck with your correction!
Fatima Al-Qasimi
Has anyone dealt with a situation where the financial advisor is pushing for early RMDs like this? I'm curious if there's some financial incentive for them to have clients take distributions earlier than required? My dad's advisor did something similar.
0 coins
StarStrider
In my experience working adjacent to the industry (not an advisor myself), sometimes advisors earn commissions on transactions including distributions. Or they might be trying to sell you products with the withdrawn funds. Definitely worth asking directly how they're compensated for the advice.
0 coins
Maya Patel
I'm dealing with a very similar situation with my own mother who turns 72 in November this year. Her advisor at Edward Jones was also pushing for RMDs to start in 2023, but after doing my own research and getting a second opinion, I confirmed she doesn't need to start until 2024. What really helped me was getting everything in writing from the IRS. I called their retirement plans hotline (though it took forever to get through) and had them confirm the timeline in writing. The key thing the agent emphasized is that the RMD requirement is based on the tax year you turn 72, not the calendar year - so since your mom turns 72 in December 2023, her first RMD year is 2024. I'd suggest having your mom ask her advisor to provide written documentation of their recommendation and the specific IRS regulation they're citing. A legitimate advisor should be able to back up their advice with official sources. If they can't or won't, that's a red flag that they might not be giving accurate guidance.
0 coins