I had this issue too! It's because companies often issue separate W-2s when their payroll systems change or when you switch departments. All totally normal. The thing that helped me was to add up the box 1 wages from all three W-2s and make sure it matched what I actually earned for the year. If the total seems right, you're probably good to go!

This is actually more common than you might think! I had a similar situation a few years ago when my company switched payroll systems mid-year. The key thing to remember is that each W-2 represents a different period of employment, even though it's the same employer. You're doing it right by entering each W-2 separately in your tax software. The IRS expects to see all three forms reported individually on your return, and your software will automatically combine the totals for your overall tax calculation. One thing I'd suggest is double-checking that the total income across all three W-2s ($12,800 + $19,500 + $25,700 = $57,000) matches what you think you earned for the year. If it seems off, you might want to compare it against your final pay stub or contact your HR department. Don't worry about audits - having multiple W-2s from the same employer due to position changes is completely legitimate and the IRS sees this frequently. Just make sure you enter each form exactly as it appears and you'll be fine!

I'm going through the exact same thing right now! Just got my 1099-R from Fidelity yesterday and saw the dreaded code 1 instead of 2. Reading through all these responses has been incredibly helpful and reassuring. I think I'm going to follow the advice here and just make absolutely sure my Form 8606 is completed correctly rather than trying to fight with Fidelity to change the distribution code. It sounds like multiple people have been through this successfully without any issues from the IRS. @Brianna Schmidt - I don't think there were any major changes to the Backdoor Roth process in recent tax legislation, but I'd double-check with a tax professional if you're concerned. The Form 8606 requirements should be the same as previous years. Thanks everyone for sharing your experiences - this community is so helpful for navigating these confusing tax situations!

This is exactly what happened to me with Charles Schwab last year! Got code 1 on my 1099-R for my Backdoor Roth conversion and immediately started panicking about penalties. After reading through tons of IRS publications and talking to other people who've been through this, I learned that the Form 8606 is really the key document. What helped me was understanding that the 1099-R is just reporting what the brokerage sees - a distribution from your traditional IRA. They don't necessarily know or care that you're immediately converting it to a Roth. The Form 8606 is where you tell the IRS the full story about what actually happened. I filed with the code 1 as-is and made absolutely sure my 8606 was bulletproof. Line 18 showed zero taxable amount, and I've had zero issues with the IRS. No letters, no penalties, nothing. One thing that gave me extra confidence was keeping detailed records of the entire process - screenshots of my conversion transaction, dates, amounts, etc. That way if anyone ever questioned it, I could show the complete timeline proving it was a legitimate Backdoor Roth conversion and not just a random early distribution. You're definitely not alone in this situation - it seems to be pretty standard across most brokerages!

Just wanted to add something that might help with future planning - since you mentioned you're 27 and have time to rebuild. Consider setting up automatic contributions to your new Roth IRA to take advantage of dollar-cost averaging as you recover from this setback. Also, if you find yourself in another financial emergency, look into other options before touching retirement accounts again. Some alternatives include: personal loans (which might have lower effective costs than the 10% penalty plus taxes), borrowing from a 401k if your new employer's plan allows it (you pay interest to yourself), or even a 0% APR credit card for temporary relief. The compound interest loss you mentioned is real - that $12,000 could have grown to around $150,000+ by retirement age. But you're young enough that consistent contributions going forward can still put you in great shape for retirement. Don't let this one mistake derail your long-term financial planning!

One thing I haven't seen mentioned yet is the timing of when you'll actually receive your 1099-R form. Since your withdrawal happened in February, you should definitely receive the form by January 31st of next year, but keep in mind that some financial institutions are slower than others with their reporting. I'd recommend checking with your 401k provider in early January to make sure they have your current address, especially since you mentioned you were switching jobs around the time of the withdrawal. The last thing you want is for the 1099-R to get lost in the mail and delay your tax filing. Also, just to echo what others have said about the tax impact - with a $12,000 withdrawal plus your $20,000 Roth conversion, you're looking at $32,000 in additional taxable income for the year. Depending on your regular salary, this could potentially bump you into a higher tax bracket, so you might want to consider making estimated tax payments if you haven't already to avoid any underpayment penalties when you file. It sounds like you learned from this experience, which is the most important thing. We all make financial decisions we later regret, but you handled a tough situation and now you know what to avoid in the future.

Don't forget to look at your state tax situation too! Even if you don't need to file federal, some states have lower thresholds. I was in your same situation in GA and still had to file a state return.

Since you're in South Carolina, you're actually in luck! SC has a pretty straightforward tax situation for students. You mentioned that SC state tax is listed on your paystubs but no amounts are being deducted - that's likely because SC has a standard deduction of $12,000 for single filers in 2025, so with your $11,500 income, you probably won't owe any SC state taxes. However, I'd still recommend filing both federal and state returns. For federal, you'll get back that $1,250 in withholding since you're under the filing threshold. For SC, even though you might not owe anything, filing ensures you get any state withholding back (if any was taken) and creates a record. One thing to watch out for - make sure your parents aren't planning to claim education credits based on your tuition expenses. If they are and their income is within the phase-out limits, that could affect whether it makes sense for you to remain a dependent. The coordination between your tax situation and theirs is worth discussing as a family to make sure everyone gets the maximum benefit.

You're absolutely right that this is a legitimate business arrangement! I've been operating under a similar booth rental setup for my grooming business for over 3 years now, and it's completely legal when done properly. The key factors you mentioned - setting your own schedule, handling your own client payments, providing your own supplies, and carrying your own insurance - are exactly what the IRS looks for to establish true independent contractor status. The fact that you file Schedule C is also correct. One thing I'd add is to make sure your rental agreement explicitly states that you're renting space only, not providing services to the salon. This helps maintain the clear distinction between a landlord-tenant relationship versus an employer-employee relationship. Don't let the naysayers get to you - booth/table rental is an established and legitimate business model that's been used successfully across the grooming and beauty industries for decades. As long as you maintain proper documentation and operate with genuine independence (which it sounds like you do), you're on solid ground. Good luck with your move to the new location!

The arrangement you're describing is definitely legal and quite common in the grooming industry. What you have is a classic booth/table rental setup, which the IRS recognizes as legitimate when structured properly. You've hit all the key markers for true independent contractor status: controlling your own schedule, handling direct client payments, setting your own rates, providing your own tools and supplies, carrying your own insurance, and filing Schedule C. These factors clearly distinguish you from an employee relationship. The people commenting on the ad are likely confusing this with situations where salon owners misclassify employees as independent contractors while still controlling their work. That's what gets salons in trouble - not legitimate booth rental arrangements like yours. Since you mentioned the previous owner was audited and passed, that's actually great evidence that this setup is compliant. The IRS has clear guidelines on worker classification, and booth rental arrangements that maintain true independence (like yours) consistently pass scrutiny. Just make sure you have a written rental agreement that specifies you're renting space only, not providing services to the salon owner. Keep good records of your independent operation - separate business cards, your own appointment scheduling, direct client payments, etc. This documentation will support your classification if any questions ever arise. You're definitely on the right track legally and tax-wise!