Has anyone found a good solution for dealing with these K-1s that come after the filing deadline? I got my DBC one on April 20th last year and had to file an extension because of it. Super annoying!

I'm dealing with this exact same situation! Got my first DBC K-1 this year and was completely blindsided. One thing I learned after doing some research is that you should definitely keep records of your cost basis in DBC separate from what's reported on the K-1, because the K-1 income/loss items don't necessarily correspond to your actual economic gain or loss from the investment. Also, if you're using tax software like TurboTax or FreeTaxUSA, make sure to look for the "Partnership K-1" section specifically - don't try to enter it as regular investment income or you'll mess up your return. The software should walk you through each box on the K-1 and ask you what type of income it represents. One more heads up - if this is your first year with commodity ETF K-1s, expect to get it late next year too. I wish someone had warned me that these partnerships almost always file extensions and send out K-1s well after April 15th!

Has anyone suggested filing a police report? My sister's refund was stolen last year and the police report was super helpful for dealing with the IRS. They took her case more seriously once she had that documentation.

I'm so sorry this happened to you - identity theft for tax refunds is incredibly violating and stressful. The good news is that you absolutely can recover your stolen refund, though it will take some patience. Here's what worked for me when I went through this exact situation two years ago: 1. File Form 14039 (Identity Theft Affidavit) immediately - this is your most important step 2. File a police report even if they seem dismissive - you need the report number for documentation 3. File a complaint with the FTC at IdentityTheft.gov 4. Call the IRS Identity Theft hotline at 800-908-4490 (dedicated line for victims) The IRS will assign you a Personal Identification Number (PIN) for future filings to prevent this from happening again. You'll need to file a paper return for this year since the fraudulent one was already submitted electronically. It took about 4.5 months for me to get my refund, but I did get every penny back. The IRS actually has pretty good procedures for this - they deal with thousands of these cases annually. Stay organized with all your documentation and follow up regularly, but don't panic. You will get your money back.

A trick I learned when I was bartending - keep a tip journal in your phone with quick notes after each shift. I just created a note with date, cash tips, and card tips. Takes literally 20 seconds after your shift. The IRS actually prefers this kind of documentation if you ever get questioned, and it makes tax time WAY easier. If you haven't been doing this, start immediately - even if you're partway through the year. Better to have records for some months than none at all. Your future self will thank you come tax time!

As someone who just went through this exact situation last year, I want to emphasize something that might not be obvious - make sure you're setting aside money for taxes on your cash tips throughout the year, not just at tax time! I learned the hard way that when you don't report cash tips to your employer during the year, no taxes get withheld on that income. So come April, you could owe a lot more than expected. I now put about 25-30% of my cash tips into a separate savings account specifically for taxes. Also, if you're making decent money in tips (sounds like you are with $950-1150/week), you might need to make quarterly estimated tax payments to avoid underpayment penalties. This was a shock to me my second year bartending when I got hit with penalties on top of the taxes I owed. The good news is once you get a system down for tracking and saving for taxes, it becomes second nature. But definitely don't wait until next year to start - begin setting aside money now for this year's taxes!

Ok but what about stuff thats a little more complicated? I had a situation where I sold an item on ebay on Dec 30 2024 but the money didnt hit my account until Jan 3 2025 and paypal sent me a 1099-K for 2025. But the actual sale happened in 2024. Which year is this supposed to be reported for?

Just to add another perspective on timing that might help others - retirement account withdrawals follow the same "when you receive it" rule. I had an early 401k withdrawal in late December 2024, but my former employer didn't process it until January 2025. Even though I requested it in 2024, it shows up on my 2025 1099-R because that's when I actually received the funds. This timing can actually be strategic if you're trying to manage your tax bracket - you might want to delay a withdrawal to the following year if you've already had a high-income year. Same goes for things like cashing out unused vacation days or exercising stock options. The key is always when the money hits your account or you receive the check, not when you initiated the transaction.

I went through this exact same panic a few months ago! Here's what I learned that might help you feel better: the IRS confirmation letter is really just proof that you filed correctly, but it's not actually required for your tax return filing. Since you remember filing the 83B election properly and on time, you're in good shape. The IRS has their own records of receiving it. Here's what worked for me when I was in your situation: **First**, do a thorough email search across ALL your accounts (personal, work, even old ones you barely use) for keywords like "83B", "election confirmation", "IRS", and the month you filed. I found mine buried in a work email I'd completely forgotten about. **Second**, check with your company's equity team or whoever helped coordinate your stock options. They often keep copies of all employee filings. In my case, our legal team had everything including the certified mail receipt. **Third**, if you really want official confirmation for peace of mind, you can call the IRS (using those callback services mentioned above - they actually work!) to verify your election is in their system. The key thing is you filed it on time, which is what actually matters for your taxes. Everything else is just documentation. Since you have until October with your extension, you have plenty of time to track this down through multiple channels. Don't stress too much - you're going to be fine!

I totally get the anxiety you're feeling! I lost my 83B confirmation letter too and was convinced I'd somehow messed up my entire tax situation. But after going through this process, I can confirm what others have said - you don't actually need that physical letter for filing your return. What really helped me was understanding that the 83B election is a separate filing from your tax return. You filed it once within 30 days of getting your stock grant (which you did), and now you just report the tax consequences based on that election when you file annually. Here's my practical advice: Start with the easy stuff first. Search your emails thoroughly - I used search terms like "83B", "election", "confirmation", "acknowledgment", and even just "IRS" around the time period when you would have received it. Don't forget to check any shared drives or cloud storage where you might have saved a PDF copy. If that doesn't work, definitely reach out to your company's HR or legal team. They're usually really helpful with this stuff since it affects employees' tax situations. Most companies keep comprehensive records of equity-related filings. You've got plenty of time with your October extension, and honestly, the fact that you filed the election properly is what matters most for your taxes. The confirmation letter would just be nice to have for your records, but it's not make-or-break for your filing!