Question - if a trust has zero income for the year, do you still need to file a 1041? Our family trust just holds some property but didn't generate any income last year.

Great question! I went through this exact situation last year. As others have mentioned, you don't need the grantors to file personal 1040s just for your trust filing purposes. However, I'd recommend getting a clear understanding of whether your trust is actually a "grantor trust" or not - this makes a huge difference. If it's a standard irrevocable trust (not a grantor trust), then the trust files its own 1041 and issues K-1s to beneficiaries for any distributions. The grantors' personal income levels are irrelevant to the trust's filing requirements. One thing to watch out for: even if the grantors don't normally need to file because of low income, if they receive distributions from the trust that push them above the filing threshold, they'll need to file to report the K-1 income. But that's their responsibility, not yours as trustee. Make sure you have the trust's EIN and keep good records of all trust income and distributions. The 1041 filing requirements are based on the trust having $600+ in gross income OR any taxable income, regardless of the grantors' situation.

Hey Miguel, I went through almost the exact same thing earlier this year! Filed in March, everything looked good, then boom - 971 code appeared. I was freaking out because I needed that refund for some medical bills. Turned out to be income verification - they just needed to confirm my 1099 income matched what was reported. Got the letter about 10 days after the 971 code date, sent back the requested docs, and had my refund 3 weeks later. The 570 code (which you mentioned having) does put a hold on processing, but once they get what they need and verify everything, it moves pretty quickly. The waiting is the worst part honestly. Try not to stress too much about it - in most cases it's something simple that just needs clarification. And definitely keep checking your mail daily for that notice so you can respond ASAP when it arrives. Hope you get it sorted out soon! 🤞

I feel your pain Miguel! I just went through this exact scenario a few weeks ago. Had all the good codes, was expecting my refund around the same timeframe as you, then the dreaded 971 showed up. Mine ended up being an identity verification issue - they needed me to confirm my identity online through ID.me. The whole process took about 2 weeks from when I got the letter to when my refund was released. The key is responding to whatever they ask for as quickly as possible. One thing that helped me was setting up text alerts through the IRS2Go app so I'd know immediately when my transcript updated. Also, if you haven't already, sign up for USPS Informed Delivery so you can see what mail is coming each day - that notice is probably already on its way to you. Try to stay positive - I know it's stressful when you're counting on that money, but the vast majority of 971 codes get resolved without major issues. Just be ready to act fast when that letter arrives! Hang in there 💪

Just be careful with using assessed values! I'm in California and our assessed values are based on Prop 13 which limits increases to 2% per year regardless of actual market appreciation. My client tried using the assessed value for inherited property and it was WAY below market value at the time of death. Would have resulted in a huge overtaxation when they sold!

Great question! I've dealt with this exact scenario multiple times. The key is establishing a "reasonable" basis using whatever documentation you can gather. Here are the methods I've successfully used: 1. **County assessment records** - While not perfect, they're acceptable when properly adjusted. Look at the assessment-to-sale price ratios in that area during the inheritance year. 2. **Zillow/online estimates** - Print out historical estimates from the inheritance date. While not ideal, I've seen these accepted when combined with other evidence. 3. **Real estate agent CMAs** - Many agents can pull historical comparable sales data going back 10+ years. This creates a solid foundation for your basis calculation. 4. **Estate tax returns** - Check if the estate filed Form 706. Even if not required, sometimes executors file anyway and include property valuations. The IRS understands that perfect documentation isn't always available for inherited property. Document your methodology clearly, show good faith effort to determine fair market value, and keep detailed records of your approach. I've never had an issue when the method was reasonable and well-documented. Time-wise, you might consider filing an extension if you need more time to gather supporting documentation properly.

Has anyone used TurboTax to figure this out? I'm in a similar situation and wondering if the software helps determine head of household eligibility or if I need to go to an actual tax professional this year.

I went through something very similar two years ago! Based on your situation, it sounds like you likely qualify for head of household status. Since your kids live with you most weekdays and you're covering 65% of their expenses plus the housing costs, you're probably meeting both the "more than half the year" residency test and the "more than half the cost of maintaining the home" requirement. The key thing to remember is that head of household status is separate from claiming the kids as dependents. You could file as HOH based on them living with you, while still working out an alternating agreement with your ex about who claims them for the dependency exemption and child tax credit. My advice: Start documenting everything NOW. Keep a calendar showing which nights the kids stay with you, save receipts for their expenses (school supplies, clothes, medical costs), and document your housing expenses. If there's ever a question from the IRS, you'll want solid records showing they lived with you more than half the year and that you supported the household. Also consider getting professional help for this first post-divorce tax year. The rules can be tricky and the tax savings from HOH status are significant enough that it's worth making sure you get it right from the start.

One thing to keep in mind is that most RSUs are taxed at vesting (your company probably withheld shares for taxes when they vested). So your actual cost basis for tax purposes is the FMV on vesting date, not zero. This means your older RSUs that are "lower than current price" might actually represent a loss if the current price is lower than when they vested! In that case, selling them would give you a capital loss you can use to offset other gains. Check your vesting statements carefully!

Great advice from everyone here! One additional consideration for @Kristin Frank - if you're in a higher tax bracket this year but expect to be in a lower bracket next year (maybe due to job change, retirement, sabbatical, etc.), it might make sense to delay selling the older RSUs to take advantage of the lower long-term capital gains rate when your overall income is lower. Also, don't forget about the Net Investment Income Tax (NIIT) - if your modified adjusted gross income exceeds $200K (single) or $250K (married filing jointly), you'll pay an additional 3.8% tax on investment income including capital gains. This could influence the timing of when you sell. The tools others mentioned like taxr.ai sound really helpful for modeling different scenarios, especially when you factor in state taxes and these additional considerations!