I'm dealing with a very similar situation - excess HSA contribution from 2021 that I just discovered while preparing this year's taxes. Reading through all these responses has been incredibly helpful and honestly a huge relief! One thing I wanted to add that might help others: when I called my HSA administrator (Fidelity) about removing an excess contribution, they told me they could send me a detailed breakdown of how they calculated the earnings portion before processing the removal. This was really helpful because I could see exactly what would be added to my taxable income for 2024 and plan accordingly. They also mentioned that if you have multiple years of excess contributions (which thankfully I don't), they handle each tax year separately, so you'd need to make separate requests for each year's excess amount. For anyone still hesitant about calling their HSA provider - I was nervous too, but the representative I spoke with said they handle these requests regularly and it's considered a routine transaction. No judgment, no complications, just a straightforward correction. The Form 5329 filing also turned out to be much simpler than I expected. The form itself is pretty short and the instructions are actually clear for once! You just need basic info about the excess amount and the 6% calculation.

I'm going through a very similar situation right now and this thread has been a lifesaver! I had an excess HSA contribution of $89 from 2020 that I just discovered while organizing my tax documents. Like you, I was dealing with health issues at the time and completely missed addressing it. What's really helpful reading everyone's experiences is realizing this is way more common than I thought, especially during job transitions or health coverage changes. The fact that multiple people have successfully resolved this gives me confidence that it's not as complicated as it initially seemed. I'm planning to follow the advice here and call my HSA administrator (HSA Bank) this week to request removal of the excess contribution. Based on what others have shared, I'm going to be very specific and say "I need to remove an excess contribution from tax year 2020" to make sure they understand exactly what I need. The 6% excise tax doesn't seem too painful - for my $89 excess, that's about $5.34 per year, so maybe $20-25 total for the years it's been sitting there. Much more manageable than I was worried about! One question for those who have been through this - did any of you have issues with your HSA administrator not having clear records going back that far? I'm a bit worried they might not have good documentation from 2020, especially since there were so many system changes during the pandemic.

I'm also going through this verification process right now! Just completed my Michigan identity verification on March 15th after moving here from Pennsylvania last year. This thread has been incredibly helpful - I was getting worried when Michigan requested verification while my federal refund came through in just 8 days. Based on everyone's consistent experiences with the 19-24 day timeline, I'm planning for my refund around April 7th-12th. It's really reassuring to see so many people sharing their actual timelines rather than relying on the vague official information. As someone new to Michigan taxes, I had no idea this verification step was so standard. I'll definitely be bookmarking that "Where's My Refund" tool everyone mentioned and trying to be patient for those 3-4 weeks. Thanks to everyone for sharing their real experiences - this is exactly the kind of practical information newcomers like us need!

I'm currently going through this same process! Just completed my Michigan identity verification on March 17th after moving here from California last year. This thread has been incredibly valuable - I was starting to panic when Michigan requested verification since my federal refund arrived in just 9 days. Based on all the consistent experiences shared here, especially that reliable 19-24 day timeline, I'm now planning for my refund to arrive around April 9th-14th. It's really comforting to see so many other newcomers to Michigan navigating this same learning curve. The verification process definitely caught me off guard coming from California's system, but reading everyone's actual timelines has given me confidence this is just Michigan's standard fraud prevention protocol. I've bookmarked the "Where's My Refund" tool that several people mentioned and I'm going to try to limit myself to checking it just twice a week instead of daily. Thanks to everyone for sharing your real-world experiences - this practical information is so much more helpful than anything I could find on the official websites!

Don't forget you'll need to file Form 8606 for the traditional IRA to Roth conversion! This is super important and easy to miss. Also make sure you're not getting hit with an early withdrawal penalty. The conversion itself is exempt from the 10% penalty, but TurboTax sometimes flags it incorrectly if you don't answer all the questions in the right order.

I went through almost the exact same scenario last year - 401k to Traditional IRA, then quickly to Roth IRA. The key thing that solved my TurboTax errors was making sure I handled each transaction separately and in the right order. For the first rollover (401k to Traditional IRA), enter it as a direct rollover with zero taxable amount. For the second transaction (Traditional to Roth conversion), this is where you'll owe taxes on the full amount. One specific tip that helped me: when TurboTax asks about the Traditional to Roth conversion, look for the question "Did you convert any traditional IRA funds to a Roth IRA?" rather than just treating it as a regular distribution. This triggers the right forms (including 8606) and prevents the early withdrawal penalty from being applied incorrectly. Also, since you did this conversion in the same tax year, make sure you're not accidentally double-counting any basis. The entire amount should be taxable since it all came from pre-tax 401k funds originally.

PLEASE be careful with verification issues! My sister ignored her verification notices thinking she could just handle it "later" and it turned into a NIGHTMARE! 😫 The IRS froze her refund, then sent it to the fraud department, and it took 11 months to resolve. She had to submit paper copies of everything, get documents notarized, and even then they kept asking for more proof. If you absolutely can't verify online or by phone, send a certified letter to the address on your notice explaining your situation. It's slow but creates a paper trail they can't ignore.

Another option that worked for me - if you have a local VITA (Volunteer Income Tax Assistance) site or AARP Tax-Aide location near you, they can sometimes help facilitate the verification process. They have direct lines to IRS that regular taxpayers don't have access to. I went to my local library's VITA program after weeks of failed attempts, and the volunteer was able to get me connected within an hour. They can't do the actual verification for you, but they can get you to the right person who can walk you through alternative methods. Most VITA sites are open through April 15th and it's completely free. Just bring all your documents and the verification notice.

Does anyone know if half-day preschool programs qualify for the Child and Dependent Care Credit? My daughter only goes to preschool from 8-12, but I work full time. We have a babysitter in the afternoons. Can I claim both?

Great question about private preschool and Pre-K expenses! You're definitely on the right track. Since both you and your spouse worked full-time, those expenses should qualify for the Child and Dependent Care Credit. The IRS treats preschool and Pre-K as qualifying care for children under 13, even when provided by private schools. However, keep in mind that with two children, you can only claim up to $6,000 in expenses (not the full $14,800 you paid). The credit percentage depends on your adjusted gross income - it ranges from 20% to 35% of your qualifying expenses. So you could potentially get a credit of $1,200 to $2,100. Make sure to collect the school's name, address, and tax ID number (EIN) for Form 2441. You'll need this information when you file. Also, if either of you contributed to a dependent care FSA through work, you'll need to subtract that amount from your eligible expenses to avoid double-dipping on tax benefits.