Don't panic! I had the exact same issue with Cashapp and IDEX stock last year. If your total gain was only $340, then Cash App probably didn't meet the threshold for sending you a 1099-B. I called their support and they confirmed they only send forms if your trades exceed certain amounts. What I did was create my own makeshift "1099" using my transaction history from the app. I calculated: - Initial investment (purchase price × number of shares) - Final sale amount - The difference (my capital gain) Then I reported it on Form 8949 with Box C checked (for transactions without a 1099-B). The IRS never questioned it and my return was processed normally.

Quick tip from someone who works in tax prep - even if you don't receive a 1099, the IRS probably will. Financial institutions send copies of all 1099s to the IRS, even if they don't meet the threshold to send one to you. So definitely report your stock sales accurately!

Is this your first job out of college? Just wondering if maybe you're misreading your paystub. Most paystubs will SHOW both employer and employee portions of FICA/Medicare for informational purposes, but only the employee portion actually comes out of your check. The employer portion is just shown so you can see the total cost of employment.

This is a great point to double-check! @Owen, can you clarify - are you looking at your actual gross earnings on your W-2 or year-end statement, or are you looking at what's displayed on your paystub? Many paystubs will show employer tax contributions in an "informational" section that doesn't actually reduce your take-home pay. The key is to look at your W-2 Box 1 (wages subject to federal income tax) and compare that to your contracted salary amount. If your W-2 shows less than your contracted $125,000 (minus only legitimate pre-tax deductions you elected), then you definitely have a problem. But if the employer taxes are just being displayed on your paystub for transparency without actually being deducted, your gross earnings should still match your contract. Can you check your actual W-2 and let us know what Box 1 shows?

Another consideration for exchange funds that I haven't seen mentioned - make sure you understand the fund's investment strategy and diversification requirements. Some exchange funds have minimum contribution thresholds (often $1M+) and specific diversification rules that limit how much of any single security they can hold. This means they might need to sell portions of contributed positions to maintain compliance, which could trigger some of the capital gains you're trying to avoid in the first place. Also, the management fees on these funds are typically much higher than traditional mutual funds or ETFs - often 1-2% annually plus performance fees. Over a 7+ year holding period, these fees can significantly eat into your returns. Make sure to factor in the total cost of ownership, including the tax preparation complexity costs everyone's discussed, when evaluating whether an exchange fund makes sense for your situation. I'd strongly recommend getting detailed projections from the fund showing net returns after all fees and estimated annual tax liabilities before committing. The tax deferral benefits might not be as attractive as they initially appear once you factor in all the ongoing costs and complexities.

Performance fees in exchange funds are typically structured as "high-water mark" fees, meaning they're only charged when the fund achieves new performance highs above previous peaks. However, the base management fees (that 1-2% annually) are charged regardless of performance, which can be particularly painful during down market years when you're paying fees on a declining asset base. Regarding projections, most reputable exchange funds will provide scenario analyses that include various market conditions, but you have to specifically request them. The default marketing materials tend to focus on historical performance during favorable periods. I'd recommend asking for Monte Carlo simulations that show potential outcomes across different market environments, including extended bear markets. One additional complexity I should mention - exchange funds often have "lock-up" periods beyond the 7-year minimum where early redemption penalties apply, and some have "key person" clauses that can trigger forced distributions if key fund managers leave. These provisions can create unexpected tax events even when you're trying to hold for the full term. Also worth noting that if you're in a high-tax state like California or New York, the multi-state filing requirements become even more burdensome since you'll likely be paying top marginal rates in your home state plus potentially owing taxes in multiple other jurisdictions where the fund operates.

This is such valuable information! I've been dealing with SBTPG delays for the first time this year and had no idea about their internal processing steps. Your analysis explains so much about why the timing seems inconsistent. I'm currently on day 3 of waiting after the IRS sent my refund, and reading through all these comments has really helped me understand what's happening. The batch processing patterns that Giovanni mentioned make perfect sense - I bet that's why some people get lucky with same-day releases while others wait the full 48+ hours. One thing I'm curious about: has anyone noticed if SBTPG's processing times vary by refund amount? I have a relatively large refund ($4,200) and wondering if they have additional verification steps for higher amounts that might explain longer delays. Also want to echo what others said about paying prep fees upfront next year - this waiting game is stressful when you need the money for bills. The convenience isn't worth the anxiety and lost time accessing your own funds!

This thread has been incredibly enlightening! As someone new to the SBTPG process, I had no idea there were so many factors at play beyond just "they hold your money for a day or two." The batch processing insight is particularly valuable - it explains why timing can seem so random when you're just looking at it from the outside. I'm definitely bookmarking those processing windows (11 AM, 3 PM, 7 PM EST) for future reference. One thing I'm wondering about: does anyone know if SBTPG provides any kind of estimated release timeframe once they actually receive your funds? Their current status system seems pretty basic - just "unfunded" vs "funded" without much detail about where you are in their queue. Also, has anyone compared SBTPG's performance to other refund transfer companies like Republic Bank or MetaBank? I'm curious if this is an industry-wide issue or if some processors are genuinely faster than others. Thanks to everyone sharing their experiences and data - this is exactly the kind of community knowledge that helps us all navigate these financial processes more effectively!

I had the EXACT same issue! Is there anywhere to get the official red ink forms in person? My local office supply stores don't seem to carry them and online ordering says 7-10 business days shipping which puts me past the deadline :

I went through this exact headache last year with my housekeeper's W-2/W-3 forms! The SSA definitely won't accept handwritten forms - learned that the hard way when they sent everything back to me. Here's what saved me: Skip trying to find the official paper forms entirely and go straight to the SSA's Business Services Online portal. It's completely free and you can file everything electronically. You'll need your EIN (not your SSN) to register, but once you're set up, you can enter all the W-2 information directly into their system and submit it immediately. The electronic filing actually counts as providing the "official" forms to both the SSA and your babysitter. You can print copies of what you submitted for your records and for her to use with her taxes. I was worried about penalties too, but filing electronically as soon as possible is way better than continuing to struggle with paper forms that might get rejected again. The whole process took me maybe 30 minutes once I stopped trying to deal with the paper forms. Much less stressful than I expected!