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So frustrated right now. I got this notice 6330C from the IRS saying I need to verify my identity. I went ahead and tried using their online verification system first, but after going through the whole process it just tells me I have to call them directly. The problem is I've been trying to call the identity verification number for THREE DAYS straight now. Every single time I call, I just get the automated message saying they're experiencing "unusually high call volume" and to try again later. Then it hangs up on me! I've tried calling at different times - early morning, lunch time, late afternoon - nothing works. The letter says I need to verify within 30 days or my refund will be delayed, but I only have about a week left now. Has anyone else dealt with this recently? What am I supposed to do if I literally cannot get through to a human being? I can't even get put on hold - it just disconnects me immediately. My refund is about $5,800 and I really need it for some unexpected medical bills that came up last month. Feeling completely stuck and don't know what to do next.
I've got an investment portfolio that brings in roughly $25,000 annually in dividends. I understand that I'm paying taxes on these dividends whether I take the cash or let them automatically reinvest (which is what my account is set up to do right now). Here's my situation - I've been reinvesting everything, but now I realize I need about $13,000 for some home repairs. If I sell some stock to get this money, am I essentially getting taxed twice? First on the $25,000 in dividend income that I already paid taxes on, and then again on the $13,000 from selling stock? Would I have been smarter from a tax perspective to just take the dividend payments as cash over the past few months instead of reinvesting and then having to sell stock? I'm trying to be more strategic about minimizing my tax burden but feel like I might have screwed myself here.
Just want to add - don't forget to consider the length of time you've held the shares! If you sell shares held less than a year, you'll pay short-term capital gains (your ordinary income rate). If you sell shares held longer than a year, you get the lower long-term capital gains rate! So ideally, if you need cash, sell the shares with: 1) Highest cost basis (less gain to tax) 2) Held more than a year (lower tax rate) This stuff gets complicated quick lol
Great discussion everyone! As someone who's been managing dividend portfolios for years, I'd add that it's also worth considering the wash sale rule if you're doing any tax-loss harvesting alongside your dividend strategy. If you sell shares at a loss and then your dividend reinvestment buys substantially identical securities within 30 days, you can't claim that loss for tax purposes. This is another reason why having a clear plan for when to take dividends as cash vs. reinvest can be crucial. Also, for those with larger portfolios, consider having some investments in tax-advantaged accounts (401k, IRA) where dividend reinvestment doesn't create immediate tax consequences, and keep your more tax-efficient investments in taxable accounts. This way you can be more strategic about which money you access when you need cash.
I've got a solo 401K plan that I manage myself. Last year (2023), I made some voluntary after-tax contributions and then did in-plan Roth conversions within the same 401K. Just got my 1099-R and noticed they put code 2 in box 7. After doing some research, I'm pretty sure this is wrong - code 2 is supposed to be for moving money from one Roth IRA to another Roth IRA, not for in-plan conversions within a 401K. From what I can tell, they should have used code G for this type of transaction. Do I need to contact my plan administrator to get a corrected 1099-R issued for 2023? Will this cause problems with my tax filing if I don't get it fixed? I'm worried about getting flagged for an audit or something if the codes don't match what actually happened. Anyone deal with this before?
Does anyone know if this will affect the way the conversion is taxed? My understanding is that with in-plan Roth conversions, you're supposed to pay tax on the pre-tax portion that gets converted, but not on any after-tax contributions. Would the wrong code change how the IRS calculates the taxable amount?
The code itself shouldn't change the taxability - that's determined by the amounts reported in other boxes on the 1099-R. Box 1 shows the total distribution, and Box 2a shows the taxable amount. If you made after-tax contributions that were converted, Box 5 should show those as the employee contribution amount, which reduces the taxable portion. Double-check those amounts to make sure they're correct, regardless of the code in Box 7!
I've dealt with this exact issue before with my solo 401(k). You're absolutely correct that code G should be used for in-plan Roth conversions, not code 2. Code 2 is specifically for early distributions from IRAs with exceptions. Here's what I learned from my experience: First, definitely contact your plan administrator ASAP to request a corrected 1099-R. Many can turn these around quickly since it's just a code correction. Second, if they can't get you a corrected form before your filing deadline, you can still file your return and include a brief statement explaining that the transaction was an in-plan Roth conversion within your 401(k), not an IRA distribution. The key thing is to make sure the dollar amounts in the other boxes are correct - Box 1 (gross distribution), Box 2a (taxable amount), and Box 5 (employee contributions). The wrong code is annoying but won't change your actual tax liability as long as those amounts are right. Keep documentation of your request to the plan administrator. I had to push mine pretty hard - they initially said "code 2 is fine" but eventually admitted they were using outdated guidance and issued the correction.
I just spent about $15k renovating my rental property and I'm trying to figure out the smartest way to handle the depreciation. The contractor gave me a super detailed invoice breaking down all the different work - new bathroom fixtures, kitchen appliances, flooring, plumbing repairs, closet installations, etc. From what I understand, I'd normally have to depreciate this whole remodel over 27.5 years, but that seems ridiculous for some of these smaller items. I've heard about the De Minimis safe harbor that lets you expense items under $2,500 immediately rather than depreciating them. So I'm wondering - can I use De Minimis for the categories on my invoice that are less than $2,500 each, and then just depreciate the remaining bigger ticket items over the 27.5 years? It just seems crazy to me that I'm spending all this money now, but have to spread the tax write-off over nearly three decades while inflation keeps eating away at the value. If the IRS is going to make us wait 27.5 years to fully write off these expenses, shouldn't they at least adjust for inflation? What are other landlords doing with renovation expenses?
Another approach I've used for rental renovations is to have my contractor specifically break out labor costs on certain items separately. Labor for repairs (vs improvements) can often be deducted immediately in the current year. For example, if they're replacing bathroom fixtures, the actual fixtures might need to be depreciated, but the labor to remove the old fixtures could potentially be classified as a repair expense and deducted immediately. Same with painting, minor plumbing work, etc. This is all about how the invoice is written and categorized. A good contractor who understands rental property tax implications can be worth their weight in gold!
Is this actually legit though? I thought if it's all part of the same remodel project, you can't just cherry-pick certain labor components to expense immediately?
It's definitely legit if done correctly. The key distinction is between repairs and improvements. Repairs maintain the property and can be expensed immediately, while improvements that add value must be depreciated. For example, if your contractor fixes a leaky pipe during a bathroom renovation, that specific labor could potentially be classified as a repair. Similarly, the labor to remove old fixtures or prepare surfaces can sometimes be classified differently than the labor to install new improvements. The IRS has specific guidance on this in their Tangible Property Regulations.
Has anyone actually tried a cost segregation study for a smaller rental property renovation? I've heard they're usually only worth it for properties worth $500k+ but wondering if it makes sense for a $15-20k remodel?
Thanks, that's helpful context. Maybe I'll ask around for those "light" cost segregation services. The property is definitely a long-term hold for me, so accelerating even some of the depreciation would be beneficial. Do you remember roughly what percentage of your renovation costs ended up being reclassified from 27.5-year to shorter depreciation periods? Just trying to get a ballpark of what might be realistic for my situation.
In my case, about 45% of the total renovation costs were reclassified to shorter depreciation periods. The biggest wins were appliances (5-year), electrical fixtures and ceiling fans (7-year), and some of the specialized bathroom fixtures (15-year). The study also identified several items that qualified for immediate expensing under De Minimis that I hadn't even considered - things like cabinet hardware, outlet covers, and some of the smaller plumbing components that were invoiced separately. One thing to keep in mind is that the percentage can vary a lot depending on the type of renovation. Kitchen and bathroom remodels tend to have more personal property components that qualify for shorter depreciation, while something like just flooring or painting might not yield as much benefit.
I purchased a piece of land a few years back with plans to eventually build my dream home. Well, life had other ideas and now I'm working about 300 miles away from that area with no realistic chance of moving back anytime soon. I'm currently renting and have never owned a primary residence before. I'm thinking of selling the land (which has appreciated nicely) and using those funds to finally buy my first actual home where I'm currently located. My question is - would I be able to use all the capital gains from selling this land tax-free since I'd be using it toward purchasing my first primary residence? I know there are some tax breaks for first-time homebuyers, but I'm not sure if they apply when you're selling land versus selling an actual home you've been living in. Any insights would be super helpful!
Has anyone else had issues with their county assessor's office properly calculating the basis when you sell land? When I sold my property last year, they used the wrong initial purchase date which would have HUGELY increased my cap gains if I hadn't caught it!!!
The county assessor's office doesn't actually calculate your basis for federal tax purposes - that's something you or your tax preparer needs to do on your tax return. The assessor is only concerned with property values for local tax purposes. Maybe you're thinking of the settlement company that handled your closing? They prepare the 1099-S for land sales.
One thing to keep in mind that hasn't been mentioned yet - if you've made any improvements to the land while you owned it, make sure you keep all those receipts! Things like clearing, grading, installing utilities, surveys, soil tests, environmental assessments, etc. can all be added to your cost basis and reduce your taxable gain. Also, don't forget about the costs associated with selling the property itself - real estate commissions, legal fees, title insurance, and other closing costs can typically be deducted from your gain as well. These can add up to several thousand dollars and make a meaningful difference in your final tax bill. Since this is your first time selling investment property, I'd strongly recommend consulting with a tax professional who can review your specific situation. The rules can get complex, especially if you've owned the land through different tax years or if there are any state-specific considerations where your land is located.
Mohamed Anderson
I completely understand your frustration - I went through this exact same nightmare about 6 months ago with a 6330C notice. After reading through all the suggestions here, I'd recommend trying multiple approaches simultaneously since you're running short on time. First, definitely try the early morning call strategy (7am sharp) for the next 2-3 days. Set multiple alarms and be ready to dial the second they open. Tuesday and Wednesday mornings tend to have slightly better odds. Second, call 844-545-5640 TODAY to schedule an in-person appointment at your local Taxpayer Assistance Center. Even if you get through on the phone first, having a backup appointment scheduled will give you peace of mind. These appointments can often be scheduled 1-2 weeks out, which should still be within your 30-day window. Third, if you're approaching your deadline and nothing else works, contact the Taxpayer Advocate Service at 877-777-4778. Mention that you're facing financial hardship due to the delayed refund (medical bills) and that you've been unable to reach the verification line despite multiple attempts. They can escalate your case. Don't panic about the 30-day deadline - while it's important to try to meet it, the IRS does have some flexibility, especially if you can document your attempts to reach them. Keep a log of when you've called and any reference numbers you receive. You'll get through this! The identity verification process itself is usually quick once you actually connect with someone.
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Steph Honey
Just keep calling after they hang up it lets you through I had to call like 12 times back to back but i did get through!!! Its like a glitch or something !
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