Another quick tip - if you're filling out multiple W9s for different clients, make sure you're consistent with how you write your name and business info across all of them. I learned this the hard way when one client's 1099 didn't match my tax return because I abbreviated my middle name on one W9 but wrote it out fully on others. Created a headache during tax season that could have been easily avoided! Also, keep copies of all the W9s you submit. It helps when you're doing your taxes and need to cross-reference with the 1099s you receive.

Pro tip from someone who's been filing W9s for years: I actually keep a master document with all my standard info (full legal name exactly as it appears on tax returns, SSN, address, etc.) that I copy from every time I need to fill out a new W9. This ensures I'm always consistent across all forms. I also take a photo or screenshot of each completed W9 before submitting it - way easier than keeping track of physical copies. When tax season comes around, I have a folder on my phone with all my W9s that I can reference when the 1099s start arriving. One more thing - if you ever move or change your name legally, make sure to update ALL your clients with new W9s. Otherwise you'll get 1099s with your old info that won't match your current tax return. Learned that one the hard way too!

Don't forget that your state's Department of Labor might be able to help too! When my employer went bankrupt in 2023, I contacted our state labor department and they had wage records they could provide. It didn't have all the tax withholding details but it confirmed my earnings which helped with filing Form 4852. Just another avenue to try if the other methods aren't working for you.

Another option worth mentioning is to check if your employer had any kind of COBRA administrator or benefits company handling their employee benefits. Even after bankruptcy, these third-party administrators sometimes maintain access to payroll records for a period of time to handle final benefit reconciliations. I had luck with this approach when my employer folded - the COBRA administrator (Ceridian in my case) was able to provide me with year-end wage statements that had all the information I needed for my W-2. You might find this information on old benefits enrollment materials, insurance cards, or HR communications. It's a long shot but could save you from having to estimate numbers on Form 4852.

One thing nobody's mentioned yet - check if you're having additional withholding taken out accidentally. On your pay stub, there should be a line for "Additional Withholding" or something similar. When I started my new job, somehow HR put that I wanted an extra $50 withheld per check even though I never requested that!

Great advice in this thread! I wanted to add one more thing that might help - make sure you're taking advantage of any pre-tax benefits your employer offers beyond just the 401k. Things like health insurance premiums, dental/vision coverage, flexible spending accounts (FSA), or health savings accounts (HSA) all reduce your taxable income. I was in a similar situation when I started my current job and felt like too much was being withheld. After enrolling in my employer's health plan and setting up an FSA for medical expenses, my federal withholding dropped noticeably while I was actually getting better benefits. The FSA alone saved me about $300 in taxes last year since I contribute pre-tax dollars for things like copays and prescriptions I was already paying for anyway. Also, double-check that your employer classified you correctly as an employee (not contractor) - contractors have to pay both the employee AND employer portions of FICA/Medicare taxes, which would definitely explain why those seemed high!

im literally in the EXACT same boat. my emerald card was supposed to have my money today but nothing yet. im checking it every 5 minutes and driving myself crazy. this is the last time im using this stupid card, direct deposit next year for sure

I feel your pain! I went through this exact same anxiety last year with my Emerald Card. The deposit times are so inconsistent - mine came through at 5:47pm on what was supposed to be my deposit day, way later than I expected. The worst part is how the automated systems don't give you any real information, just generic "no pending deposits" messages that make you think something went wrong. What helped me was setting up text alerts through the H&R Block app so I'd get notified the moment anything changed instead of obsessively checking the balance. Also found that calling the Emerald Card line (1-866-353-1266) around 4-5pm sometimes gives you more current info than the app. The customer service reps there can see pending transactions that haven't posted yet. Hang in there - based on everyone else's experiences in this thread, it sounds like yours should come through by end of day today!

Great question, Derek! I went through this exact same confusion with my RSUs from Microsoft last year. Based on what you're describing with Fidelity automatically selling shares to cover taxes, you're definitely dealing with a "forced sale" situation rather than net settlement. Here's what you need to know: Your company should already be reporting the full fair market value of all 130 RSUs as ordinary income on your W-2 for the year they vested. This covers the tax on the compensation aspect. However, you'll also need to report the sale of those 26 shares that were sold for tax withholding on Schedule D. The tricky part is that your 1099-B from Fidelity might show an incorrect cost basis (often $0) for those sold shares, which would make it look like you have a big capital gain when you actually don't. Since you already paid ordinary income tax on the full value through your W-2, the cost basis for those sold shares should equal the fair market value on the vesting date. If the 1099-B basis is wrong, you'll need to use Form 8949 to make the adjustment. Most people miss this and end up paying tax twice on the same income. The remaining 104 shares you keep have a cost basis equal to their FMV on vesting date, so when you eventually sell those, any gain/loss is calculated from that point. Hope this helps clarify things!

Derek, you're dealing with a really common source of confusion that trips up a lot of people with RSUs! Based on your description of Fidelity using sell-to-cover and only 104 shares ending up in your account while 26 were sold, this is definitely a "forced sale" scenario. The good news is that your employer has likely already handled most of the heavy lifting by including the full value of all 130 RSUs as ordinary income on your W-2 when they vested. This means you've already paid income tax on the compensation value of those shares. However, you do need to report the sale of those 26 shares that were sold to cover taxes on Schedule D. Here's the catch that gets most people: your 1099-B from Fidelity probably shows a $0 cost basis for those sold shares, which would create an artificial capital gain. Since you already paid ordinary income tax on their full value, the correct cost basis should be the fair market value on the vesting date. You'll need to use Form 8949 to make this basis adjustment - otherwise you'll end up paying tax twice on the same income. The 104 shares you kept don't need to be reported until you actually sell them, and their cost basis will be the FMV on the vesting date. This is one of those areas where the tax code creates unnecessary complexity, but once you understand the pattern it becomes much clearer!