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Something nobody's mentioned yet - don't forget that when you eventually sell the rental property, all that mortgage interest you've been deducting on Schedule E will affect your depreciation recapture and capital gains calculations! The fact that you're deducting it as a business expense means you're reducing your basis in the property over time.
That's actually not correct. Mortgage interest deductions don't reduce your basis in the property. You're thinking of depreciation, which is a separate deduction that does reduce your basis and gets recaptured when you sell. Interest expense is just an operating expense - it has no impact on basis or future capital gains calculations.
Luis is absolutely right here. Mortgage interest is an operating expense that doesn't affect your property's basis at all. You're confusing it with depreciation deductions, which do reduce basis and create depreciation recapture when you sell. The mortgage interest you deduct on Schedule E each year is just the cost of financing the property - it doesn't change what you paid for it or any improvements you've made. Your basis for capital gains purposes will still be your original purchase price plus any capital improvements, minus any depreciation you've claimed over the years. So Brandon doesn't need to worry about his mortgage interest deductions affecting future sale calculations - only the depreciation portion of his Schedule E deductions will impact that.
This is a great discussion that really clarifies the mortgage interest deduction rules! As someone who's been dealing with similar questions, I want to emphasize how important it is to keep detailed records of all your mortgage payments and property expenses. One thing I'd add is that if you're doing any improvements to either property, make sure you're tracking those separately. Capital improvements to your rental property increase your basis (offsetting future depreciation recapture), while improvements to your primary residence might qualify for additional mortgage interest deductions if you finance them. Also, since you mentioned this is your first year with the rental property, don't forget that you may have some one-time startup expenses that are deductible in the first year, separate from your ongoing mortgage interest. Things like advertising for tenants, legal fees for lease agreements, etc. can all go on Schedule E alongside your mortgage interest. The key takeaway everyone's reinforcing here is correct - your rental mortgage interest has no cap and goes on Schedule E as a business expense, while your primary residence is subject to the $750k limit on Schedule A. Keep those two completely separate in your records and you'll be fine!
Something important that nobody has mentioned yet - make SURE you're actually eligible for an HSA in the first place. I nearly made a huge mistake because I didn't realize that being enrolled in my spouse's FSA made me ineligible for HSA contributions, even though I had an HDHP.
Great breakdown of your strategy! One additional consideration for the rollover portion - when you roll the remaining IRA funds to your 401k, make sure to coordinate the timing with your tax planning. If you do both the QHFD transfer and the 401k rollover in the same tax year, it'll simplify your tax reporting since all the IRA activity happens at once. Also, since you mentioned you're relatively new to investment strategies, consider looking at the investment options in your Vanguard 401k versus what you had in the Fidelity IRA. Sometimes consolidating for administrative simplicity is worth it even if the investment options aren't identical. One last thought - document everything carefully. The QHFD is reported on Form 8889, and you'll want clear records showing the transfer amount and dates for your tax preparer. The IRS is pretty strict about the testing period requirements, so good documentation will save you headaches if they ever ask questions.
This is really helpful advice about the documentation and timing! I'm definitely going to make sure I keep detailed records of everything. One question about Form 8889 - do I need to report the QHFD transfer in the year I make the transfer (2025), or does it get reported differently since it's not technically an HSA "contribution" in the normal sense? I want to make sure I'm prepared for tax season and don't miss anything important. Also, thanks for the reminder about comparing investment options between Fidelity and Vanguard. I hadn't really thought about that aspect - I was just focused on the tax implications and consolidation benefits.
I went through this exact same process about 6 months ago! Definitely bring multiple forms of ID like others mentioned - I brought my driver's license, passport, and social security card just to be safe. The appointment itself was pretty straightforward and took about 20 minutes. One thing I wish I had known beforehand - after they verify your identity, your return basically goes to the back of the processing queue again. So even though the verification is quick, you're still looking at several weeks for them to actually process and release your refund. In my case it was about 5-6 weeks from verification to getting the money in my account. The good news is your refund amount won't change - this is purely an identity verification issue, not an audit or anything like that. Just be patient after tomorrow's appointment and try not to stress too much about the timeline. The money will come eventually!
This is really reassuring to hear from someone who went through the same thing! I was worried that going to the back of the queue meant starting from scratch, but 5-6 weeks isn't too bad considering. Did you get any kind of confirmation at the appointment that everything was processed correctly, or did you just have to wait and see?
I had to go through this process last year and it was actually much smoother than I expected! The verification appointment itself is really quick - they just check your documents and ask you a few questions about your return to confirm you're really you. One tip: if you filed electronically, try to bring a copy of your return or at least remember some key details like your AGI from the prior year, because they might ask verification questions based on that info. After verification, my return took about 3-4 weeks to process and my refund amount was exactly what I expected - no changes at all. The hardest part is just the waiting, but at least you know it's moving forward once you complete the verification. Good luck with your appointment tomorrow!
I went through the verification gauntlet just last week! It's like a tax return escape room, except the prize is your own money. š I received the 5071C letter, tried the online route first, but the system couldn't verify me (probably because I recently changed my phone number). Had to call in and speak with an agent. The agent asked me questions about: - Previous addresses - Employers from 2+ years ago - Car loan information - Credit card accounts The whole call took 22 minutes once I got through to someone. My transcript updated 3 days later, and my refund was deposited 5 days after that. Not as painful as I expected... once I finally reached a human!
I'm currently going through this same process and wanted to share what I've learned so far. Since you mentioned caring for your elderly mother, I'd definitely recommend trying the online verification first through ID.me if/when you get the 5071C letter. It's much more convenient than sitting on hold for hours with a phone call. One thing that helped me prepare was gathering all my documents ahead of time: driver's license, Social Security card, and my 2022 tax return (you'll need the prior year AGI). Also, make sure you have access to the phone number and email address that the IRS has on file for you - they use these for verification codes. The timing seems pretty consistent based on what others have shared - most people get their verification letter around 3-4 weeks after filing. Since you filed 27 days ago, you might receive yours soon. Keep checking your mailbox daily, and don't forget to check with your post office if you've had any mail delivery issues recently. Once you complete verification, the refund processing usually takes 1-2 weeks. Given your caregiving responsibilities, having a clear timeline should help you plan around this. Good luck!
Emma Davis
Just went through this exact nightmare with Wells Fargo last month! Here's what actually worked for me after weeks of getting nowhere: Call Chase and specifically ask to be transferred to their "Document Services" or "Historical Records" department - NOT regular customer service. When I finally got to the right department, they were able to pull my 1099-INTs going back 5 years, though they did charge me $30 per tax year. If that doesn't work, definitely go with the IRS Wage and Income Transcript route that others mentioned. I got mine online instantly and it showed ALL the 1099-INT information that had been reported to the IRS, even from accounts I'd forgotten about. One thing that saved me time - I also used my online banking to pull up old statements and just calculated the annual interest myself. The monthly statements show exactly how much interest was credited each month, so you can add it up for the year. The IRS accepts this as long as you keep the statements as documentation. Don't panic about the notice deadline! I called the IRS number on my notice and explained I was gathering missing documents. They gave me an additional 60 days no questions asked. Just be proactive about calling them before the deadline passes.
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Sophia Long
ā¢This is exactly the kind of detailed advice I was hoping to find! I'm going to try calling Chase and specifically asking for their Document Services department first thing tomorrow morning. The $30 per year fee is totally worth it if I can get the actual 1099-INT forms. Quick question - when you called about the notice deadline, did you need to have any specific documentation ready to show you were actively working on it, or did they just take your word for it? I want to make sure I'm prepared when I call them. Also really appreciate the tip about calculating from monthly statements as a backup. I can definitely access those online going back several years, so that gives me confidence I'll have something to work with either way.
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Andre Lefebvre
I've been through this exact situation and wanted to add a few more options that helped me: If you have access to your old tax returns (even if they were filed incorrectly), sometimes banks will accept a copy of your prior return as proof when requesting historical 1099s. This can expedite the process since it shows you're legitimately trying to correct your taxes. Also, check if Chase has a dedicated tax season hotline - many banks set up special phone lines from January through April specifically for tax document requests. These lines often have shorter wait times and staff who are more familiar with these types of requests. One thing I learned the hard way: if you're calculating interest from statements, make sure to account for any interest that was compounded and added back to principal during the year. Sometimes banks show this differently on statements vs. 1099s, and you want to make sure you're only reporting the actual interest income, not principal additions. For your IRS response, consider including a cover letter explaining that you're working to obtain missing documents and provide a timeline for when you expect to have everything. This shows good faith effort and can buy you more time if needed.
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