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Be careful with using regular tax software like TurboTax for F1 students! Most mainstream tax prep services aren't designed for nonresident alien tax situations and might not ask the right questions to determine your correct filing status. I made this mistake my first year and had to amend my return, which was a huge headache. If the tax software isn't specifically asking about your visa status and entry date to the US, it's probably assuming you're a resident alien or citizen.
Just wanted to add my perspective as someone who went through this exact situation two years ago. The $2,300 swing you're seeing is unfortunately typical when comparing 1040 vs 1040NR for F1 students - I had a similar shock when I realized I'd been looking at the wrong form initially. A few additional points that might help: Make sure you're claiming any tax treaty benefits you're entitled to based on your home country. Many students miss this and end up paying more than they should. Also, keep in mind that your STEM OPT extension doesn't change your tax residency status - you're still considered a nonresident alien until you meet the substantial presence test (which as others mentioned, doesn't start counting your F1 time until after 5 years). For next year's planning, consider adjusting your W-4 withholdings if you're continuing on OPT. Since nonresident aliens can't take the standard deduction, you might want to have a bit more withheld to avoid owing a large amount again. Your HR department should be able to help with this adjustment.
This is really helpful advice, thank you! I had no idea about tax treaty benefits - I'm from Japan, so I should definitely look into what treaties exist between the US and Japan. Also, the point about adjusting W-4 withholdings for next year is something I hadn't considered at all. Since I'm likely to owe taxes again next year (assuming I stay on STEM OPT), having more withheld upfront makes a lot of sense to avoid another big tax bill. I'll definitely talk to HR about this once I get my current filing sorted out. Do you know if there are any good resources for understanding the US-Japan tax treaty provisions specifically? I want to make sure I'm not missing any benefits I'm entitled to claim.
Don't forget to check if the K-1s have any Section 199A(g) deductions as well, which is different from the regular QBI deduction. Some agricultural or horticultural partnerships include this, though it's less common with trading partnerships.
Good point, though Section 199A(g) deductions are specifically for specified agricultural or horticultural cooperatives, not trading partnerships. The OP mentioned these are trading partnerships, so they wouldn't have the 199A(g) deduction. It's important not to confuse the two types of deductions when reviewing K-1s. Trading partnerships would only have the regular QBI deduction information if they qualify.
I just went through this exact situation with my brother's estate - he was also heavily into day trading through partnerships. After reading through all these responses, I want to add that you should also check if FreeTaxUSA is properly handling the QBI limitations for estates. Estates have different QBI rules than individual returns. The QBI deduction for estates is limited to the lesser of 20% of the qualified business income OR 20% of the estate's taxable income above the deduction for distributions to beneficiaries. This calculation can be tricky when you have multiple K-1s. Also, since your uncle passed in October, you're dealing with a short tax year which could affect how the QBI deduction is calculated. The software might not automatically adjust for this, so you may want to double-check the calculations manually or consult a tax professional who specializes in estate returns with partnership interests.
This is really helpful information about estates and QBI that I hadn't considered! I'm using FreeTaxUSA and you're right - it doesn't seem to automatically handle the estate-specific QBI limitations. The software just treats it like a regular individual return when I enter the K-1 information. Do you know if there's a specific place in FreeTaxUSA where I can manually adjust for the short tax year calculation? Or would I need to calculate this separately and override the software's automatic QBI calculation? I'm getting a bit nervous about making manual adjustments since this is all new to me.
As a fellow young entrepreneur, I totally understand the confusion! I started selling vintage items online at 16 and was overwhelmed by the tax side of things. Here are a few additional tips that helped me: 1. **Keep meticulous records NOW** - Don't wait until tax time. Track every sale, expense, and fee immediately. I use a simple spreadsheet with columns for date, item sold, platform, gross income, fees paid, and net income. 2. **Home office deduction** - If you're using part of your bedroom or home for storing inventory, taking photos, or packaging items, you might qualify for a home office deduction. Even a small percentage can add up! 3. **Don't forget about these deductible expenses**: packaging materials, labels, tape, storage containers, cleaning supplies for items, gas for thrift store trips to source inventory, and even a portion of your internet bill if you use it for business. 4. **Consider quarterly payments** - If you expect to owe more than $1,000 in taxes, you might need to make quarterly estimated payments to avoid penalties next year. The fact that you're asking these questions at 17 shows you're being responsible! Don't stress too much - you've got this. The first year is always the hardest, but it gets much easier once you establish a system.
Great advice from everyone here! As someone who's helped several young sellers navigate their first tax filing, I'd add a few practical tips: **Documentation is key** - Since you're already tracking expenses ($3,200 inventory + $500 shipping), make sure you have receipts or bank/credit card statements to back everything up. The IRS can ask for proof of these deductions. **Consider your dependency status** - At 17, you're likely claimed as a dependent on your parents' return, which affects your standard deduction amount but doesn't change your self-employment tax obligations. **Banking separation** - Going forward, consider opening a separate checking account for your business transactions. It makes record-keeping much cleaner and shows the IRS you're treating this as a legitimate business. **State taxes** - Don't forget to check if your state requires you to file as well! Some states have their own thresholds and requirements for self-employment income. The $627 self-employment tax estimate mentioned earlier is pretty accurate for your situation. Just remember that self-employment tax covers your Social Security and Medicare contributions since you don't have an employer doing that for you. You're being incredibly responsible by addressing this early - many young sellers wait until they get scary letters from the IRS!
This is all such helpful advice! I'm 19 and just started my own reselling journey on Vinted and Facebook Marketplace. The banking separation tip is brilliant - I've been mixing everything in my personal account and it's already getting confusing after just two months. Quick question about the state tax part - how do I figure out what my state requires? I'm in Texas and honestly had no idea states could have different rules for this stuff. Is there a simple way to look this up or do I need to call someone? Also, @Fatima Al-Qasimi, when you mention "scary letters from the IRS" - what actually happens if someone waits too long or doesn't file? Just curious how serious the consequences really are for young sellers who might not know about these requirements.
This has been such an eye-opening discussion! I'm in a very similar boat - making about $85k and consistently getting $2,800-3,200 refunds each year. I never really thought about it as giving the government an interest-free loan until reading through these comments. I'm definitely going to try the approach of putting the standard deduction amount ($14,600 for 2024) in Step 4(b) of my W-4. That seems like the most straightforward solution for someone like me with a single job and no itemized deductions. Quick question for the group - if I make this change now in late 2024, will it cause any issues with my withholding being too low for the remainder of the year? Should I calculate a prorated amount based on remaining pay periods, or is it safe to use the full annual standard deduction amount even if I'm making the change partway through the year? Thanks to everyone for sharing their experiences - this community is incredibly helpful for navigating these tax complexities!
Great question about making the change mid-year! You're right to think about the timing. Since we're in late 2024, you'll want to be a bit careful about putting the full $14,600 standard deduction amount on your W-4 right now. The withholding system will spread that deduction reduction across your remaining pay periods, which could result in too little being withheld for the short time left in the year. Instead, you might want to calculate a smaller amount for the rest of 2024, then update your W-4 again in January 2025 with the full standard deduction amount. For example, if you have 4 pay periods left in 2024, you might only put about $2,400-3,000 in Step 4(b) to avoid underwithholding. Then in January, submit a fresh W-4 with the full $15,000 standard deduction for 2025 (the amount typically increases each year). Alternatively, you could just wait until January to make the change and get the full benefit for all of 2025. That might be the safest approach to avoid any surprises when you file your 2024 return!
This thread has been incredibly helpful! I'm dealing with a similar overwithholding situation - making about $102k and getting back around $4,200 each year. One thing I wanted to add for anyone considering these adjustments: make sure to factor in any life changes that might happen during the year. I made the mistake last year of adjusting my withholding in March, then got married in September and completely forgot to update my W-4 again. Even though my spouse and I file separately, the change in filing status affected my tax situation. Also, for those mentioning the IRS Withholding Estimator - I found it works much better if you have your most recent pay stub and last year's tax return handy when you use it. The tool asks for pretty specific information about year-to-date earnings and withholdings. One last tip: if your employer uses a payroll service like ADP or Paychex, you can often submit W-4 changes online through their employee portal, which tends to process faster than paper forms through HR.
Thanks for mentioning the life changes factor! That's something I hadn't considered. I'm actually planning to get married next year, so I'll need to remember to revisit my W-4 when that happens. Quick question about the online payroll portals - do you know if changes submitted through those systems still follow the same 30-day processing rule that @Mateusius Townsend mentioned earlier? Or do they typically get implemented faster since they re'electronic? Also, for anyone else following this thread, I just wanted to mention that I finally bit the bullet and used the IRS Withholding Estimator today. It recommended putting $12,800 in Step 4 b(for) my situation which (is less than the full standard deduction amount, probably because of my income level and tax bracket .)The tool was actually much easier to use than I expected once I had my pay stub in front of me.
FireflyDreams
If you're still having trouble getting through to the marketplace, you can also try requesting it through the mail. Call 1-800-318-2596 and ask them to mail a duplicate 1095-A to your current address - sometimes this is faster than trying to access it online, especially if you're having login issues. Just make sure they have your correct mailing address on file!
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Evelyn Kim
ā¢That's really helpful! I didn't know you could specifically request them to mail a duplicate. That might actually be easier than dealing with website login issues or waiting forever on hold. Thanks for sharing that option!
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Abby Marshall
Just wanted to add that if you enrolled through a state marketplace instead of healthcare.gov, you'll need to log into that state's specific website. Each state exchange handles their own 1095-A forms. Also, if you're still having trouble accessing it online, many tax prep software programs can help you locate and import the form directly - might be worth checking if your tax software has that feature!
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Yuki Nakamura
ā¢Really good point about the state marketplaces! I almost made that mistake myself. Also didn't know some tax software could import the forms directly - that sounds super convenient. Which tax programs have you seen do this? Might be worth switching if it makes the whole process easier!
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