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Great question and really timely for me too! I just went through this exact scenario moving some Bitcoin from Fidelity to Robinhood last month. The key thing everyone's mentioned is absolutely right - Robinhood will NOT receive your cost basis automatically. When the crypto arrives in your Robinhood account, it will just show the current market value as if you bought it that day, which is completely wrong for tax purposes. Here's my step-by-step process that worked well: 1. Before transferring, export ALL transaction history from Fidelity (CSV format if possible) 2. Screenshot your current holdings showing original purchase dates and amounts 3. Document the exact amount you're transferring and the date 4. Save the blockchain transaction hash when the transfer completes 5. Create a simple spreadsheet linking your original Fidelity purchases to your new Robinhood holdings One thing I learned the hard way - Fidelity's transaction history doesn't stay available forever after you close positions, so grab those records while you still can access them easily. I use a simple Google Sheet with columns for Date, Platform, Amount, Price Paid, Transaction Hash, and Notes. The good news is that crypto-to-crypto transfers aren't taxable events, so you won't owe anything just for moving between platforms. But you definitely need that original cost basis info for when you eventually sell on Robinhood.
This is exactly the kind of detailed walkthrough I needed! Thank you for sharing your actual experience. I'm curious about step 5 - when you created your spreadsheet linking Fidelity purchases to Robinhood holdings, how did you handle partial transfers? Like if you bought 0.5 BTC on three different dates but only transferred 1 BTC total, how do you determine which specific purchases that 1 BTC represents for cost basis purposes?
This is such a great question @264fb0e898f1! Partial transfers definitely make the record-keeping trickier. When I did my partial transfer, I used the FIFO method to determine which specific purchases were being moved. So in your example with 0.5 BTC bought on three dates, I would assume the 1 BTC transfer consisted of the first 0.5 BTC purchase (complete) plus the second 0.5 BTC purchase (complete), leaving the third purchase untouched in my Fidelity account. In my spreadsheet, I created separate rows for each "piece" of the transfer. So if Purchase #2 was 0.8 BTC at $45K but I only transferred 0.5 BTC of it, I'd have one row showing "0.5 BTC transferred to Robinhood from Purchase #2" and another showing "0.3 BTC remaining in Fidelity from Purchase #2." The key is being consistent with whatever method you choose (FIFO, LIFO, etc.) and documenting your logic clearly. I also noted in my spreadsheet comments exactly why I allocated the transfer the way I did, in case I ever need to explain it to the IRS or my tax preparer later. @bf3d16545fc5 did you handle partial transfers the same way or use a different approach?
As someone who's been through multiple crypto transfers between platforms, I can't stress enough how important it is to keep meticulous records BEFORE you initiate any transfer. I learned this lesson the hard way when I moved some Ethereum from Coinbase to Fidelity a couple years ago without proper documentation. Here's what I wish I had done from the start: 1. **Export everything immediately** - Don't wait until after the transfer. Get your complete transaction history from Fidelity right now in CSV format. Include purchase dates, amounts, fees, and any DCA transactions. 2. **Use blockchain explorers** - Tools like Etherscan (for Ethereum) or Blockchain.info (for Bitcoin) can help you verify transfer details and provide permanent records of the transaction hashes. 3. **Consider tax software early** - Even if you don't plan to sell soon, setting up with something like TaxBit or CoinTracker now can save you major headaches later. They can import your data and track cost basis automatically. 4. **Document your method** - Write down whether you're using FIFO, LIFO, or specific identification for your cost basis calculations. Be consistent and stick with it. The transfer itself won't trigger taxes, but when you eventually sell on Robinhood, you'll need to report the gains/losses based on your original Fidelity purchase prices, not what Robinhood shows as your "cost basis." Trust me, spending an hour organizing this now will save you days of stress during tax season!
This is incredibly helpful advice, especially the point about using blockchain explorers! I'm completely new to crypto transfers and honestly didn't even know those tools existed. Just checked out Etherscan and it's amazing how much transaction detail is available there. Quick newbie question - when you mention "specific identification" as a cost basis method, how does that actually work in practice? Is that something you declare on your tax return, or do you need to set it up somewhere beforehand? I've been doing small weekly Bitcoin purchases on Fidelity for about 6 months and I'm worried I might have already locked myself into FIFO without realizing it. Also, are there any red flags or common mistakes I should avoid when documenting everything? I don't want to accidentally create problems for myself down the road by organizing my records incorrectly from the start.
I'm confused about one thing - if the gross distribution wasn't taxable, does that mean you never got the money? I have a similar situation with an old 401k.
With codes G and H, the money moved directly from one retirement account to another without ever going to you personally. That's why it wasn't taxable. If you had received the money directly (like as a check or deposit to your bank account) and then put it into another retirement account yourself within 60 days, that would be a different code and would still be non-taxable but would be reported differently.
Just to add some reassurance here - I work in retirement plan administration and see these situations all the time. When you left your previous employer, if your 401(k) balance was relatively small (usually under $5,000), the plan administrator likely executed what's called a "force-out" rollover. This means they automatically moved your funds to an IRA to reduce administrative costs for the plan. The fact that you have both code G and code H suggests you might have had both traditional pre-tax contributions and Roth after-tax contributions in your old 401(k). The traditional portion would have gone to a traditional IRA (code G) and the Roth portion to a Roth IRA (code H). You should have received notices about this rollover, but they might have gone to an old address. I'd recommend checking with companies like Fidelity, Vanguard, or Charles Schwab to see if they have any accounts in your name that you weren't aware of. Many force-out rollovers end up with these large providers. Since the taxable amount is $0, you really don't need to stress about amending your return. The IRS gets the same 1099-R you received and their systems can see it was a non-taxable rollover.
This is really helpful context! I had no idea about the "force-out" rollover process. @Daniel Washington, do you know if there's a way to find out which company might have these accounts without having to call around to different providers? I'm wondering if there's some central database or if the old employer's HR department would have records of where they sent the funds.
I can relate to this stressful situation! I had a similar experience two years ago when I received a late K-1 from a real estate investment trust after already filing an amended return for a corrected 1099-B. The sequential processing really is standard - they won't even look at your second amendment until the first one is completely processed. One thing I learned that might help you: when you make that manual payment for your second amendment (which I definitely recommend), make sure to include a note or reference indicating it's for your 2023 amended return. I used the "additional information" field in IRS Direct Pay to note "Payment for 2023 1040X filed 4/10/2024" just to create a clear paper trail. Also, don't be surprised if your refund or final balance takes even longer to sort out after they process everything. In my case, they processed both amendments but it took an additional 4-6 weeks for them to apply all the payments correctly and send me the final account transcript. The good news is that once they start processing, they're usually pretty accurate with the calculations. The key thing is you did everything right by filing amendments as soon as you received the additional documents. That protects you from any penalties for underreporting income, even if the processing takes forever.
This is really helpful advice about including a note with the manual payment! I hadn't thought about using the "additional information" field to reference which amended return the payment is for. That seems like it could save confusion later when they're trying to match payments to returns. The timeline you mentioned about the final balance taking 4-6 weeks after processing is good to know too. I was wondering how long it would take for everything to get sorted out once they actually start working on the amendments. It sounds like even after the 4-5 month processing time, there's still more waiting involved for the final reconciliation. At least knowing that the sequential processing and long timelines are completely normal helps reduce some of the anxiety. When you can't see any progress online for months, it's easy to start wondering if something went wrong or if your paperwork got lost somewhere in the system. Thanks for sharing your experience - it's reassuring to hear from someone who went through the same thing and had it all work out in the end!
I'm dealing with a very similar situation right now - filed early in February, then had to amend in March for a corrected 1099-R, and just last week had to file ANOTHER amendment for a late K-1 from a partnership. The stress is real! What's helped me cope with the uncertainty is setting up a simple tracking spreadsheet with dates for when I filed each return/amendment, when documents arrived, and payment amounts. It gives me something concrete to reference instead of just worrying. I took everyone's advice here and made a manual payment for my second amendment through IRS Direct Pay yesterday. The system was pretty straightforward - I selected "Form 1040" for tax year 2023 and added "Payment for 2023 1040X filed [date]" in the additional info field. The hardest part for me has been the complete lack of visibility into what's happening. The "Where's My Amended Return" tool is basically useless when you have multiple amendments. But reading everyone's experiences here makes me feel much better about the long processing times being normal rather than a sign something went wrong. Thanks to everyone who shared their timelines and advice - it's incredibly helpful to know other people have successfully navigated this exact situation!
The tracking spreadsheet idea is brilliant! I wish I had thought of that when I was going through my amendment situation. Having all those dates and amounts in one place would have saved me so much stress and confusion when trying to remember what I filed when. It's really reassuring to see so many people sharing similar experiences here. When you're in the middle of it, you feel like you must have done something wrong or unusual, but clearly multiple amendments in one season is more common than I thought - especially with how late some investment documents arrive. Good call on making that manual payment right away. The interest and penalties can really add up if you wait for them to process everything, and at least this way you know you've done everything you can on your end. The waiting game is still brutal, but at least the financial part is handled. Thanks for sharing your experience too - it really helps to know we're not alone in dealing with this IRS processing nightmare!
Be careful with this situation. I had the exact same scenario last year - 570 code with PATH message on WMR. I assumed it would resolve itself and ignored it for weeks. Turns out the IRS was trying to verify my 1099-K income amounts because they didn't match what was reported. The 570 eventually turned into an audit that cost me $450 in tax preparation fees to resolve. If you reported significant gig economy income, especially if you received 1099-K forms, I'd recommend being proactive rather than waiting. The IRS has specifically targeted gig economy workers for increased scrutiny in Tax Year 2023 returns according to their published Compliance Initiatives.
I'm in the exact same boat! Filed on 1/29, got the 570 code about 10 days ago, and WMR is showing PATH messaging. I've been checking my transcript obsessively and noticed something interesting - my 2023 return had way more gig income than 2022 (almost double), so I'm wondering if that's triggering the verification hold. One thing I learned from calling the Taxpayer Advocate Service is that 570 codes for gig workers often relate to income verification, especially if you had a significant increase from the prior year or if your reported income doesn't exactly match your 1099s. They told me the average resolution time this year has been 2-3 weeks for these types of holds. Has anyone else noticed if the amount of gig income affects how likely you are to get the 570 code? I'm curious if there's a threshold that triggers additional review.
Ryder Greene
idk why they make this stuff so complicated fr
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Carmella Fromis
ā¢fr fr tax code is straight garbage
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Lena Kowalski
Actually, there's one more thing to check - make sure you're looking at your Adjusted Gross Income (AGI), not your total gross income. After deductions like health insurance premiums, retirement contributions, etc., your AGI might be lower than that $65k. Also, the income limits I see others mentioning look right for 2024 tax year. If you're really close to the threshold, definitely consider maxing out any pre-tax deductions you can still make for 2024!
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Ryan Andre
ā¢This is super helpful! @Eloise Kendrick you should definitely look into this - even small deductions could make the difference. Things like student loan interest, educator expenses if either of you are teachers, or HSA contributions can all lower your AGI. Worth double-checking before you give up on the EIC!
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