Sorry for the dumb queston but how do you know if you moved "original contributions" vs earnings in a Roth IRA? I've had mine for like 8 years and have no idea which is which when I look at my balance. Is there a way to tell? This is making me realize I don't understand something basic about how these accounts work.

The timing mismatch isn't necessarily a deal-breaker, but you'll need to be very careful about how you document this. Since you moved the money to your Fidelity Roth before the Vanguard distribution was complete, the IRS might view this as two separate transactions: a distribution from Vanguard and a new contribution to Fidelity, rather than a proper rollover. However, since you're dealing with original contributions only, you have some flexibility. Original Roth contributions can always be withdrawn tax and penalty-free, so even if the IRS doesn't accept this as a rollover, you shouldn't owe penalties on the Vanguard distribution. For the amended return, you'll want to include Form 8606 and a detailed explanation showing the connection between the transactions. Make sure you have documentation from both institutions with dates and amounts. Given that it's only $1,350, you might want to weigh the cost of professional help against just treating it as a contribution withdrawal and recontribution - which would still be penalty-free but might affect your annual contribution limits. The key is proving intent to roll over within the 60-day window, even though the funding sources got mixed up.

Check if any of your dividend income is from foreign sources. If so, you might be able to claim the foreign tax credit, which while it doesn't reduce your investment income, could help offset some of the tax impact from losing the EITC. Also worth checking if any of your investments made return of capital distributions that might have been misclassified as dividends on your statements.

I'm in a similar situation with investment income pushing me over the EITC threshold. One thing that might help is reviewing your 1099s very carefully - sometimes brokerages misclassify certain distributions. Also, if you have any investments in REITs or master limited partnerships (MLPs), some of their distributions might be considered return of capital rather than dividend income, which wouldn't count toward the $11,000 limit. Another angle to consider: if you have any investments showing unrealized losses, you could sell them before year-end to generate capital losses that offset some of your gains or other investment income. Just make sure you don't run afoul of wash sale rules if you plan to repurchase. Unfortunately, there's no way to "undo" interest and dividends that have already been distributed to you this year, but these strategies might help reduce your reportable investment income for EITC purposes.

Anyone here actually used a CRT for crypto specifically? I'm looking at doing this with some Ethereum that's way up from my cost basis, but my attorney seems hesitant about using crypto in a trust like this. Said something about valuation issues.

This is exactly why I always recommend consulting with both a tax attorney AND a financial advisor who specializes in charitable trusts before setting up any CRT with volatile assets. The interplay between the 10% remainder rule, payment obligations, and asset volatility can create serious cash flow issues even when you're technically compliant with IRS requirements. One strategy I've seen work well is setting up what's called a "flip CRUT" - it starts as a net income makeup trust (NIMCRUT) that only pays out actual income earned, then "flips" to a standard unitrust once a triggering event occurs (like diversification of the original volatile assets). This provides protection during periods when the trust assets might not generate enough income to support full payments. The key takeaway from your crypto example is that while the 10% rule won't be violated by market crashes after establishment, you could end up with a trust that gets completely depleted paying the fixed annuity amounts, leaving nothing for the charitable remainder. That defeats the whole purpose of the structure.

Might also depend on who your bank is. Some banks process ACH transfers faster than others. I got my split payment but the second half took 6 business days even though they said 3-5. My credit union is notoriously slow with processing.

This split payment thing is actually super common - I've seen it with almost every major tax prep company. They're basically hedging their bets in case the IRS rejects your return for any reason. The good news is that once they've released the first half, it usually means your return looks good and the second half should come through as promised. I'd give it the full 5 business days they mentioned before worrying. If it doesn't show up by then, definitely call them directly. Most of the time these payments come through exactly when they say they will, just feels longer when you're waiting for money you need!

Anyone else with Chime get theirs yet???

Still waiting on mine too! Filed early February and got federal already but Oklahoma is taking forever. At least now I know it's not just me - sounds like they're doing waves throughout the week. Guess we just gotta be patient 🤷‍♂️