Quick tip - save all your subscription receipts and take screenshots of the research they provide that you actually use for trades. I got audited last year and having this documentation saved me. The IRS questioned my trading subscription deductions specifically. Being able to show the direct connection between the research I paid for and actual trades I made based on that info was crucial. They wanted to see that the expense was "ordinary and necessary" for my trading activity.

Be very careful about the trading group deduction if you're dealing with crypto. The IRS has been extra scrutinous about crypto-related deductions lately, especially for subscription services that provide trading signals or research. I'd strongly recommend keeping detailed records of: 1. Every trade you made based on the group's research (with timestamps) 2. Screenshots or downloads of the specific research that influenced each trade 3. A trading journal documenting hours spent analyzing the group's research 4. Evidence that you're truly operating as a trader (regular income from trading, substantial time commitment, etc.) The $400/month subscription is substantial enough that it could trigger additional IRS attention if audited. Make sure you can demonstrate that this expense directly contributed to your trading profits and wasn't just general investment advice. Also consider consulting with a tax professional who specializes in trader tax status before filing. The rules around crypto trading classification are still evolving and you want to make sure you're positioning everything correctly from the start.

I'm going through almost the exact same situation with Gig Worker Solutions/Anchor Financial! Filed my SETC amendment in January, got all the same promises about advances and transcript verification, and now they're giving me the runaround about "third parties" not funding anyone who filed before April 1st. What's really frustrating is that they kept moving the goalposts - first it was transcripts, then it was formatting issues with the transcripts, then it was review time, and now suddenly there are funding restrictions they never mentioned before. It feels like they're just stalling. I've already revoked my POA with the IRS and filed complaints with the BBB and CFPB. The CFPB complaint at least got them to respond, though it was mostly generic corporate language about "reviewing policies." One thing I discovered - when I called the IRS directly (took forever to get through), they confirmed that my amendment is progressing normally and there are no issues on their end. The agent even mentioned they've been getting a lot of calls about these advance companies lately, which makes me think this is a widespread problem. At this point I'm just waiting for the IRS to process everything directly. It's slower but at least I know I'll actually get my money without someone taking a 20% cut. Hang in there - sounds like we're all in the same boat with these companies!

I went through something very similar with Anchor Financial earlier this year. Filed my SETC amendment in March and got caught up in the same cycle of excuses - first they needed transcripts, then the transcripts were formatted wrong, then they needed review time, and finally the "third party funding restrictions" excuse. What really opened my eyes was when I started tracking all their promises in writing. I had emails saying I'd get my advance "within 2 business days" from April, then May, then June. When I compiled all of this and sent it to them asking for an explanation of the contradictions, they suddenly stopped responding to my calls altogether. The turning point for me was revoking the POA and working directly with the IRS. Yes, it takes longer, but at least you know exactly where you stand. When I finally got through to an IRS agent, they confirmed my amendment was processing normally and said these advance companies have been a major source of confusion for taxpayers this year. My advice: document everything, revoke that POA immediately, and file complaints with both CFPB and your state's attorney general office. The attorney general complaint actually got more traction for me than the BBB. Most importantly, check your IRS transcript weekly to make sure they haven't tried to redirect your refund to their accounts - I've heard of that happening even after POA revocation. You'll get your money eventually, just directly from the IRS without giving these companies their cut. Hang in there!

Another option that hasn't been mentioned - if you can't get your W2 through any of the other methods, you can actually file your return using Form 4852 (Substitute for Form W-2). This lets you report your wages and withholdings based on your final paystub or other records you have. You'll need to include as much information as possible about your wages, federal income tax withheld, Social Security and Medicare taxes, etc. The IRS will match it against what your employer reported, and if there are discrepancies, they'll contact you. This should really be a last resort since it can delay processing and potentially trigger additional correspondence with the IRS. But if you're truly unable to get your W2 or wage transcripts before the filing deadline, it's better than not filing at all. Just make sure to keep detailed records of how you calculated the amounts you're reporting. Given that you have the automatic extension until June 15 as an expat, you probably have enough time to try the other methods first (contacting HR, getting IRS transcripts, etc.) before having to go this route.

Just wanted to add another resource that might help - the IRS has a specific publication (Pub 54) called "Tax Guide for U.S. Citizens and Resident Aliens Abroad" that covers a lot of these expat tax situations in detail. It's available as a free PDF download from IRS.gov. One thing I learned from experience is that if you're going to be living abroad long-term, it's worth setting up mail forwarding with the postal service before you leave (if you haven't already). I know that doesn't help your current situation, but for future years it can save a lot of headaches with tax documents and other important mail. Also, since you mentioned using TurboTax in the past, be aware that their international tax features are somewhat limited. You might want to consider tax software specifically designed for expats like FreeTaxUSA or even consulting with a tax professional who specializes in expat returns, especially if you end up qualifying for FEIE or need to deal with foreign tax credits in future years. The expat tax situation gets more complex each year you're abroad, so it's good to get familiar with all these options now!

This is a great question and you're definitely not alone in being confused by this! When your qualified dividends and ordinary dividends are exactly the same amount ($110.42 in your case), it means that 100% of your dividend income qualified for the preferential tax treatment. You absolutely should put $110.42 in both line 3a and line 3b on your 1040 - you're not double-reporting or paying tax twice. Line 3a captures all your dividend income, while line 3b tells the IRS how much of that qualifies for the lower capital gains tax rates (0%, 15%, or 20%) instead of being taxed at your ordinary income rates. Since all your dividends were qualified, you get the tax benefit on the entire amount. This is actually a good position to be in!

I had this exact same confusion when I first started getting dividend income! It's totally normal to be puzzled by this. What everyone else has explained is spot on - when your qualified dividends ($110.42) equal your ordinary dividends ($110.42), it means ALL of your dividends met the IRS requirements for qualified dividend status. This is actually fantastic news for your tax situation! You'll report $110.42 on both line 3a and 3b of your 1040, and the entire amount will be taxed at the much lower capital gains rates instead of your regular income tax rates. You're not reporting the same income twice - think of line 3a as "total dividends received" and line 3b as "how much of that total gets the special tax treatment." In your case, 100% gets the special treatment!

Is the 1095-A the only healthcare form I need to worry about? I got something called a 1095-B from my state program and I'm confused if that's the same thing or if I need to wait for an A form too?

I'm in the exact same boat as you! Still waiting on my 1095-A and getting more frustrated by the day. I called the Healthcare Marketplace last week and they told me there's been unusual delays this year due to "system updates" - whatever that means. The rep said they're prioritizing cases where people had mid-year coverage changes or income updates, which explains why some people are getting theirs while others aren't. She couldn't give me a specific timeline but said most should be available by the end of this month. One thing that helped me was setting up notifications in my marketplace account - you can get an email alert as soon as your 1095-A is posted online instead of constantly checking. At least that way I'm not refreshing the page ten times a day! Hang in there - we'll get through this tax season eventually. The wait is definitely more painful when you can see that refund just sitting there waiting for one stupid form.