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One more thing to consider - if you're earning that much at 14, you might want to look into opening a Roth IRA! You can contribute earned income (like your Patreon money) up to the annual limit or the total amount you earned, whichever is less. Starting retirement savings at your age would be AMAZING for long-term growth. Your parents would need to help set this up as a custodial account, but it's a fantastic way to start building wealth while getting tax advantages. Plus, you can actually withdraw your contributions (not the earnings) penalty-free if you need them for something like college.
Wow, I didn't know you could open retirement accounts as a teenager! That's actually really cool to think about. I'll definitely talk to my parents about this too. Thanks for the suggestion!
Hey Luca! Great to see a young entrepreneur doing so well with their art! Just wanted to add a few practical tips from someone who's helped several teens navigate this: 1. **Quarterly estimated taxes**: Since you're making $450-500/month, you'll likely owe more than $1,000 in taxes for the year. This means you should consider making quarterly estimated tax payments to avoid penalties. Your first payment for 2025 would be due April 15th. 2. **Record keeping is CRUCIAL**: Start tracking everything now - income, expenses, receipts. Use a simple spreadsheet or app like QuickBooks Self-Employed. The IRS loves good records, especially for self-employment income. 3. **State taxes**: Don't forget about state income tax if you're in a state that has it! The rules can vary significantly by state for minor dependents with self-employment income. 4. **Consider forming an LLC**: Once you're consistently earning this much, your parents might want to look into forming a single-member LLC with them as the organizer. It can provide some liability protection and might make business banking easier. Keep up the great work with your art! It's awesome that you're thinking about taxes responsibly at 14. Your future self will thank you for getting this right from the start.
This is such helpful advice! I'm actually in a similar situation (just turned 15 and my YouTube channel is starting to make decent money). The quarterly estimated tax thing is something I hadn't even thought about - do you know how to calculate what those payments should be? And is there a minimum age requirement for forming an LLC, or does it vary by state? Thanks for breaking this down so clearly!
Question for anyone who understands this better than me - I've been accumulating passive losses for years but I'm considering converting one of my rentals to a primary residence for 2 years before selling to qualify for the $250k/$500k exclusion. What happens to the suspended passive losses in that scenario?
Converting to a primary residence complicates things. When you convert a rental to a primary residence, the suspended passive losses remain suspended until you sell the property. However, when you eventually sell, only the portion of the property that was used as a rental will trigger the release of suspended losses. The IRS will require you to allocate the gain between rental use and personal use based on the periods of each. The suspended losses can only offset the rental portion of the gain. And if you qualify for the $250k/$500k exclusion, that further complicates the calculation.
This is a great discussion on suspended passive losses! One thing I'd add that might help with planning - keep detailed records of which years your suspended losses were generated. When you eventually sell a property, the IRS requires you to track the suspended losses in chronological order (oldest first), and this becomes important if you're doing installment sales or have multiple properties. I learned this the hard way when I sold a rental property on an installment basis. The suspended losses are released proportionally with each payment received, not all at once in the year of sale. So if you're considering seller financing or installment sales as part of your exit strategy, factor in how that will affect the timing of when you can actually use those suspended losses. Also, don't forget about the Net Investment Income Tax (NIIT) implications. When your suspended passive losses become non-passive upon sale, they can help reduce your NIIT exposure if your income is above the thresholds ($200k single, $250k married filing jointly).
This is incredibly helpful information about installment sales and NIIT! I had no idea that suspended losses would be released proportionally with installment payments rather than all at once. That completely changes how I'm thinking about potentially seller-financing one of my properties. Quick question - when you say the losses are released in chronological order (oldest first), does that mean if I have suspended losses from multiple years on the same property, I need to track which specific year each loss came from? Or is it just that when I have multiple properties, I use the oldest property's losses first? Also, the NIIT point is huge for me since I'm right at that income threshold. So freed-up passive losses would reduce both my regular tax AND potentially help me avoid the 3.8% NIIT on investment income?
Great question! I was in a similar situation a few years ago and learned some hard lessons. With your combined income of around $63,000, you'll definitely want to be proactive about withholding. One thing to keep in mind is that restaurant work often involves tips, which are taxable income that may not have proper withholding. If you're serving tables, make sure to track all your tip income carefully and consider that when calculating your total annual earnings. The "different tax bracket" comment from your manager is referring to how your marginal tax rate increases as your income goes up. While you won't pay the higher rate on all your income (that's a common misconception), the additional $15K will likely be taxed at 22% instead of the 12% rate that covers most of your main job income. My recommendation: Use the IRS withholding calculator online to get specific guidance for your situation, or consider having extra tax withheld from your main job's paycheck. I'd rather get a refund than owe money when saving for a house down payment! Also, keep good records of any work-related expenses from the restaurant job.
This is really helpful advice! I'm just starting to think about taking on a second job myself and hadn't even considered the tip income aspect. Quick question - when you mention keeping records of work-related expenses from restaurant work, what kinds of things typically qualify? I know the tax laws changed a few years back for employee deductions. Are there still legitimate deductions for restaurant workers, or is it mainly just important for tracking purposes?
You're absolutely right to ask about this! Unfortunately, since the 2018 Tax Cuts and Jobs Act, most unreimbursed employee expenses (including things like uniforms, non-slip shoes, or tools) are no longer deductible for W-2 employees. The tracking is mainly important now for tip income reporting and making sure your employer is properly withholding on declared tips. However, if you end up doing any delivery work as part of the restaurant job and use your personal vehicle, that could potentially be deductible if you're treated as an independent contractor rather than an employee. The key is understanding your employment classification - W-2 employee vs 1099 contractor makes a big difference for deductions. For most traditional restaurant employee roles though, the focus should really be on proper withholding and tip reporting rather than trying to find deductions. The withholding planning @Ravi mentioned is definitely where you'll get the most benefit!
Having been through this exact scenario myself, I'd definitely echo the advice about adjusting your withholding proactively. One thing I wish someone had told me when I started my second job - consider setting aside a small emergency fund specifically for potential tax surprises, even if you do everything right with withholding. With restaurant work, there are a few additional considerations beyond just the base wages. If you're in a tipped position, your employer might only withhold taxes on your hourly wage (which could be as low as $2.13/hour in some states) but not on your tips. This can create a significant underwitholding situation if your tips are substantial. Also, make sure both employers know about your multiple job status when filling out your W-4. There's actually a checkbox on the 2020 and newer W-4 forms (Step 2c) specifically for this situation. Don't be afraid to be conservative with your withholding - when you're saving for a house down payment, the last thing you want is to have that money tied up in an unexpected tax bill. The good news is that $63k total income is still very manageable from a tax perspective, and with proper planning you shouldn't have any nasty surprises come filing time!
This is such solid advice, especially about the emergency fund for tax surprises! I never thought about how low the tipped minimum wage could affect withholding. Quick question - when you mention the W-4 checkbox for multiple jobs, do both employers need to know, or is it enough to just check it on one job's form? I want to make sure I'm handling this correctly from day one. Also, your point about being conservative with withholding really resonates. I'd much rather get a refund than scramble to pay a big tax bill when I'm trying to save for a house. Better safe than sorry!
Great question about the W-4 checkbox! Technically, you should check the multiple jobs box on both employers' W-4 forms for the most accurate withholding calculations. The IRS designed the form so that when both employers know about your multiple job situation, their payroll systems can coordinate better to avoid under-withholding. However, in practice, many people find it easier to just handle the extra withholding through their primary job (like adjusting line 4c for additional withholding) rather than trying to coordinate between two different HR departments. The key is making sure the total amount of tax withheld across both jobs covers your liability. Your instinct about being conservative is spot-on! When I was house shopping, I actually increased my withholding even more than the calculators suggested because I knew I couldn't afford any surprises. It meant smaller paychecks during the year, but having that peace of mind (and getting a nice refund right around house-hunting season) was totally worth it. You're already thinking about this the right way!
Don't forget to check if your state handles inherited property the same way the IRS does! NY generally follows federal rules, but some states have their own twists on capital gains for inherited property. Just something to double-check.
Good point. I inherited property in California and the rules were slightly different than federal. Had to file special paperwork with the county assessor too. Check with your state tax department to be sure.
This is a great question about Section 121 and inherited property! I went through something similar when I inherited my grandmother's house through intestate succession in Pennsylvania. One thing I learned that might be helpful - you should also consider getting a professional appraisal for the property's value at the date of death if you don't already have one. This establishes your stepped-up basis officially and can be crucial if the IRS ever questions your capital gains calculation. In my case, I had lived in the inherited house for 3 years before selling, so I easily qualified for Section 121. But even if I hadn't, the stepped-up basis meant my actual capital gain was much smaller than it would have been if I had purchased the property myself years ago. Also, make sure to keep detailed records of when you moved in and made it your primary residence. The IRS can be pretty strict about proving the 2-year residency requirement, so having utility bills, voter registration changes, and other documentation showing it was your principal residence will be important if you're ever audited.
This is really helpful advice about getting a professional appraisal! I hadn't thought about that but it makes total sense to have official documentation of the stepped-up basis. Do you know if there's a time limit for getting the appraisal done, or can I get one retroactively? I inherited the property about 2 years ago and didn't think to get an appraisal at the time. Also, did you use a specific type of appraiser or just any licensed real estate appraiser?
Liv Park
This thread has been absolutely incredible - thank you all for sharing such detailed experiences! As someone who's about to go through this exact process with my photography LLC, I'm taking notes on everything mentioned here. One thing I'm curious about that I don't think was fully covered: if you're changing responsible parties mid-year (like Giovanni's situation), do you need to file any amended returns for earlier quarters in that year? Or do the previous filings stand as-is since they were accurate at the time they were submitted? Also, I noticed several people mentioned the 4-8 week processing time, but has anyone experienced significantly longer delays? I'm trying to plan around some upcoming quarterly deadlines and want to build in enough buffer time. The checklist idea and timeline document suggestions are fantastic - I'm definitely going to create both before I start this process. It's clear that while the 8822-B itself is straightforward, coordinating all the related updates requires serious organization. Thanks again to everyone who shared their real-world experiences. This is exactly the kind of practical guidance you can't find in the official IRS instructions!
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CosmicCowboy
ā¢Great questions! Regarding amended returns for earlier quarters - you typically don't need to amend previous filings just because of a responsible party change. Those returns were accurate when filed since the original responsible party was correct at that time. The 8822-B is prospective, meaning it applies to future communications and filings. However, if you discover any actual errors in those earlier filings during your transition process, then yes, you'd want to file amendments. But the responsible party change itself doesn't require going back to fix old returns. As for processing delays, I experienced about 10 weeks during peak season (filed in March), which was longer than expected. Most people seem to hit that 4-8 week range, but I'd definitely build in extra buffer time if you have critical deadlines coming up. The certified mail receipt gives you proof you submitted on time, which can be helpful if there are any questions later. Your approach of creating both a checklist and timeline sounds perfect - those organizational tools really do make a huge difference in managing all the moving pieces. Good luck with your photography LLC transition!
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Jamal Washington
This has been such an incredibly detailed and helpful thread! I just went through this exact process with my landscaping LLC about 6 months ago, and I wish I had found a discussion like this beforehand. One small detail I'd add that hasn't been mentioned yet - if you're using any business credit cards or have business loans where the responsible party is listed as a contact or guarantor, you'll want to notify those lenders about the change too. I found out the hard way when our bank tried to contact our old responsible party about a routine credit line review and couldn't reach him. Also, regarding the timing question from @Liv Park - I submitted my 8822-B in September (outside of tax season) and it took exactly 5 weeks to process, which was right in that sweet spot everyone's been mentioning. But I did have a friend who filed during January and waited almost 12 weeks, so the peak season timing advice is definitely worth following. @Giovanni Marino - based on everything discussed here, it sounds like you're in great shape to handle this change smoothly. The fact that David is already involved in the business should make the transition much easier than situations where you're bringing in someone completely new to the tax responsibilities. Just make sure to keep detailed records of everything and you should be all set!
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