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3 Has anyone used TaxAct with Notice 2014-7 income? I'm trying to figure out how to enter this correctly and the software keeps trying to tax me on it, even though box 1 of my W-2 shows $0. Help please!
15 I've used TaxAct with Notice 2014-7 income. You need to enter the W-2 as normal, but then look for the section about "Other Income" or "Less Common Income." There should be an option for "Medicaid Waiver Payments" or something similar. If you can't find it, try entering the W-2 normally, then create an offsetting negative entry in the adjustments section equal to the amount in Box 14. You'll also want to attach an explanation statement to your return explaining that you're excluding the income under Notice 2014-7.
I'm also dealing with Notice 2014-7 income as a caregiver and wanted to share what I learned after doing some research. The key thing to understand is that this notice specifically applies to difficulty-of-care payments made under Medicaid home and community-based services waivers. Since your W-2 shows $0 in Box 1 and the amount in Box 14 with the 2014-7 notation, your employer has correctly classified this as excludable income. You absolutely should still file a tax return and include this W-2, but the income won't be subject to federal income tax or self-employment tax. One important detail I discovered: make sure you're actually eligible for this exclusion. The care recipient must qualify for institutional care (like a nursing home) and you must be providing care in a home setting. Also, there are limits on how much can be excluded - it can't exceed the difficulty-of-care payment amount determined by the state. I'd recommend keeping detailed records of your caregiving activities and the recipient's medical condition documentation, just in case the IRS ever questions the exclusion.
This is really helpful information! I'm curious about the eligibility requirements you mentioned. How do I know if my cousin actually qualifies for "institutional care"? We've never been told specifically that they would qualify for nursing home placement, but they do need 24/7 supervision and help with all daily activities. Is there some kind of official assessment or documentation I should have on file to prove this eligibility for the Notice 2014-7 exclusion?
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Great thread with lots of helpful information! I'm dealing with a similar situation but have an additional complication - I received unemployment benefits from France during part of 2023 before starting my consulting work. Does anyone know how French unemployment benefits (allocation chômage) are treated for US tax purposes? I'm wondering if these would be considered foreign earned income eligible for the FEIE, or if they're treated more like unearned income. The benefits were based on my previous employment in France, so I'm not sure if the IRS views them as compensation for services or just social benefits. Has anyone dealt with this type of income before? Also, @Freya Christensen - have you been able to get clarity on your sabbatical situation yet? I'm curious how it turned out since our situations seem very similar with the mix of US and French income sources.
French unemployment benefits (allocation chômage) are generally treated as unearned income by the IRS, so they wouldn't qualify for the Foreign Earned Income Exclusion. The IRS typically views unemployment compensation as a replacement for lost wages rather than payment for current services, which puts it in the unearned income category. However, you'll still need to report this income on your US tax return. The good news is that if France taxed these benefits, you might be able to claim a Foreign Tax Credit for any French taxes paid on the unemployment income. This could help offset some or all of the US tax liability on that portion of your income. The key distinction is that the FEIE only applies to income from personal services performed while physically present in a foreign country. Since unemployment benefits aren't compensation for active work, they don't meet this requirement. Your consulting income from the French company would likely qualify for the FEIE though, assuming you performed the work while physically in France.
This is such a comprehensive discussion! I've been following along as someone in a similar situation with international income complications. One thing I haven't seen mentioned yet is the potential impact of tax treaties between the US and France. The US-France tax treaty has specific provisions that might affect how your sabbatical income and consulting work are treated. For instance, Article 15 covers employment income and might provide additional protections against double taxation. There are also provisions for researchers and academics that could be relevant to your sabbatical situation. Additionally, since you mentioned planning to return to the US in June 2024, you'll want to be strategic about your timing. If you break foreign residence before establishing it for a full tax year, it could affect your ability to use the Bona Fide Residence Test for 2024. You might need to rely on the Physical Presence Test instead, which requires careful day counting. Have you considered consulting with a tax professional who specializes in expat returns? Given the complexity with multiple income sources, treaty provisions, and the transition back to US residency, it might be worth the investment to ensure you're optimizing your tax position and staying compliant with all filing requirements.
You make an excellent point about the tax treaty provisions! I hadn't considered how the US-France treaty might specifically apply to academic research situations. Article 20 of the treaty actually has special provisions for students and researchers that could be really relevant here. For anyone dealing with similar situations, it's worth noting that the treaty can sometimes provide more favorable treatment than just relying on the FEIE alone. The researcher provisions might allow for temporary exemption of certain income that wouldn't otherwise qualify for standard exclusions. @Henry Delgado - your point about the timing of returning to the US is crucial. I learned this the hard way when I moved back mid-year and it complicated my residency test calculations. The Physical Presence Test becomes much more important in transition years, and you really need to track every single day spent in/out of the US. For complex international tax situations like this, I d'definitely second the recommendation to work with a specialist. The interaction between FEIE, Foreign Tax Credits, treaty provisions, and various reporting requirements can get pretty intricate, especially when you re'dealing with academic income, consulting work, and a pending move back to the US.
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I went through this exact situation last year and can confirm what others have said - you absolutely can file jointly while claiming insolvency just for your wife's debt! The IRS treats insolvency on a "per debt" basis, not based on your filing status. Since your wife's student loan was entirely her pre-marital debt, you only include her individual assets and liabilities when filling out the insolvency worksheet on Form 982. This was confusing for me too at first because it feels weird excluding your assets when you're filing together, but that's exactly how it's supposed to work. Make sure to document everything as of the exact cancellation date shown on the 1099-C - her bank account balances, any other debts she had, personal property values, etc. I created a detailed spreadsheet showing each asset and liability with the source documentation, which gave me confidence in case the IRS had questions. The good news is you can definitely take advantage of both the $1,350 joint filing savings AND exclude the forgiven debt under the insolvency exception. Just be thorough with your records and file Form 982 along with your return. We saved almost $1,800 using this approach and never heard anything back from the IRS.
This is exactly the reassurance I needed to hear! I've been going back and forth on this for weeks, worried that I was missing something or that it seemed too good to be true to get both benefits. Your point about the IRS treating insolvency on a "per debt" basis really clarifies the whole situation for me. I love the idea of creating a detailed spreadsheet with source documentation - that sounds like a great way to stay organized and build confidence in the filing. Did you include a column showing where each piece of documentation came from (like which bank statement or loan document)? I'm thinking that level of detail might be helpful if I ever need to explain my calculations. The $1,800 savings you mentioned plus never hearing back from the IRS is incredibly encouraging. It really does seem like this is a well-established approach that the IRS recognizes, even if their publications could be clearer about it. Thanks for sharing your experience!
I'm dealing with almost the exact same situation and this thread has been incredibly helpful! My wife had about $62k in student loans forgiven last year from before we got married, and I was completely confused about whether we could file jointly and still claim insolvency just for her portion. The explanation about insolvency following the debt rather than filing status makes perfect sense now. Since her loans were entirely pre-marital debt, it sounds like I only need to include her individual assets and liabilities on Form 982, even though we're filing jointly. I've been hesitant to move forward because the potential tax savings from joint filing are substantial for us (around $2,100), but I was worried we'd lose the ability to exclude the forgiven debt. Reading everyone's experiences here gives me confidence that we can actually get both benefits. Now I need to gather all her financial documentation from the cancellation date and work through the insolvency calculation. The advice about being thorough with documentation and creating detailed records really resonates - I'd rather over-document than face questions later. Thanks to everyone who shared their experiences - this community knowledge is invaluable for navigating these complex tax situations!
I'm so glad this thread has been helpful for you too! Your situation with $62k in forgiven student loans sounds very similar to what others have described, and the $2,100 in joint filing savings definitely makes it worth pursuing both benefits. One thing I'd add based on what I've learned from reading through everyone's experiences - make sure you're really thorough about capturing ALL of your wife's assets and liabilities as of that cancellation date. With a larger forgiven amount like $62k, the IRS might be more likely to scrutinize the insolvency calculation, so having rock-solid documentation will be crucial. Don't forget to include things like her portion of any joint accounts you might have had at that time, retirement account balances, personal property, etc. Even small assets can add up and potentially affect whether she qualifies as insolvent. The fact that so many people in this thread have successfully used this approach with no issues from the IRS is really encouraging. It seems like as long as you're thorough with the documentation and follow the "per debt" insolvency rule correctly, you should be able to get both the joint filing savings and the debt exclusion. Good luck with your filing!
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Pro tip: If you cant get your IP PIN online or by phone, you can file Form 15227 to request one. It takes longer, but it's an option if your stuck.
Just wanted to add that if you're using tax software like TurboTax or H&R Block, they usually have built-in help for IP PIN issues. Sometimes they can guide you through the retrieval process or even help you file without it in certain situations. Also, if you're married filing jointly and only one spouse has an IP PIN, you'll need to get one for both - learned that the hard way last year! 😅
Zoey Bianchi
Super quick question - does anyone know if this affects the mortgage interest deduction limit? Like, if we both claim part of the interest, do we each get up to the limit amount, or is the limit split between us?
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Christopher Morgan
•The mortgage interest deduction limit applies to the total mortgage, not per person. So the limit is $750,000 of debt for newer mortgages (or $1 million for older ones), regardless of how many people own the home. If you split the deduction, you're still subject to the same total limit.
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AstroAce
This is such a smart approach to think about optimizing your deductions as a household! You're absolutely right that sometimes it makes more financial sense for one person to claim the full deduction rather than splitting 50/50. Just to add to what others have said - make sure you also consider the state tax implications if you're in a state with income tax. Some states have different rules or limits for mortgage interest deductions that might affect your optimization strategy. Also, since you mentioned you're both on the title, you might want to document your agreement about how you're handling the tax deductions. It's not required, but having a simple written agreement between you two about who claims what can be helpful if questions ever come up later. This is especially useful if you decide to change your approach in future years. The key thing the IRS cares about is that the person claiming the deduction actually paid that portion of the expense, so as long as you set up your payment structure to match your deduction claims, you should be in good shape!
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Zara Shah
•Great point about documenting the agreement! I'm curious though - if we switch strategies next year (like go back to splitting 50/50), would that raise any red flags with the IRS? Or is it totally normal for couples to adjust their approach year to year based on changing circumstances? Also, when you mention state tax implications, are there any states that specifically don't allow this kind of optimization between unmarried co-owners? I want to make sure we're not missing anything state-specific that could cause problems.
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