


Ask the community...
Has anyone noticed that FreetaxUSA sometimes doesn't recognize the supplemental tax withholding from RSUs correctly? I had to manually add my state withholding amounts because they weren't pulling in properly from my W-2 entry.
Yeah, I had the same issue! I found that you need to go to the "Federal Taxes Withheld" section and there's an option to add additional withholding that wasn't captured from your W-2 entry. I think the problem is that FreetaxUSA has trouble with supplemental withholding codes on some W-2 forms.
Great thread! I'm dealing with a similar RSU situation in FreetaxUSA. One thing I discovered that might help others - if you have RSUs that vested in multiple tranches throughout the year, FreetaxUSA has a "batch entry" feature in the Capital Gains section that can save you a lot of time. Instead of entering each sale transaction individually, you can group transactions with the same acquisition date and cost basis. This is especially helpful if you had quarterly vestings and multiple same-day sales. Just make sure your total proceeds and cost basis match what's on your consolidated 1099-B. Also, for anyone wondering about ESPP (Employee Stock Purchase Plan) transactions - those follow different rules than RSUs and have their own section in FreetaxUSA under "Other Income." Don't mix them up with your RSU reporting!
Thanks for the batch entry tip! I didn't know FreetaxUSA had that feature. I've been manually entering each RSU transaction one by one, which has been a nightmare with quarterly vestings. Quick question - when you use the batch entry, does it still generate the proper forms (like Schedule D) automatically, or do you need to double-check anything? I want to make sure the IRS gets all the right documentation even with the consolidated entries.
I just went through this process for my 2023 taxes with our November baby, and it was much simpler than our rental property deductions! You'll need to get a Social Security Number for your baby though - the hospital will give you the paperwork, but it takes a few weeks to process. The IRS won't accept your return claiming the credit without a valid SSN for the child.
Isn't there also an adoption credit that's different from the Child Tax Credit? What if someone adopts a newborn instead of having a biological child? Would they qualify for both in the same tax year?
Think of adoption credits like buying a house vs. the Child Tax Credit like your annual property tax benefits. The adoption credit (up to $15,950 for 2024) covers qualified adoption expenses, while the $2,000 Child Tax Credit is an annual benefit for having a dependent child. You can claim both, but they serve different purposes - one for the upfront costs of adoption, the other for ongoing support of raising a child.
Congratulations on your upcoming bundle of joy! π As a parent who just went through this process, I can confirm that the $2,000 Child Tax Credit for 2024 is exactly right. What's great is that even though your baby arrives in June, you'll qualify for the full credit when you file your 2024 taxes next year - no proration needed! With your combined income of $185k, you're well within the safe zone. The phase-out doesn't start until $400k for married filing jointly, so you have plenty of breathing room there. One tip from my experience: start the Social Security number application process at the hospital right after birth. It typically takes 4-6 weeks to receive the card, and you'll need that SSN to claim the credit on your 2024 return. If for some reason it doesn't arrive by April 15, 2025, you can always file an extension to give yourself more time. Also, don't forget that up to $1,600 of that $2,000 credit is refundable, meaning you could get money back even if you don't owe taxes. The remaining $400 can offset any tax liability you have. It's honestly one of the more straightforward tax benefits to claim!
Check your transcript for cycle codes - those are way more important than the as of date tbh
where do i find the cycle codes?
look at the numbers on the left side of ur transcript entries. first 2 digits are the cycle week
Same thing happened to me last year - my as of date jumped around like crazy for weeks and I was losing sleep over it. Turns out it was just routine processing and I got my refund exactly when WMR originally said I would. The IRS systems are confusing but try not to stress too much about the date changes alone!
It's worth mentioning that if this is a side gig on top of your regular W-2 job, you might need to make quarterly estimated tax payments next year if you expect to owe more than $1000 in taxes from your self-employment income. You can get penalties if you wait until filing season to pay everything!
Omg I had no idea about this! I made about $6k from Doordash last year and didn't pay anything quarterly. Am I going to get hit with huge penalties??
Don't panic! For your first year of self-employment, the penalties are usually pretty small or might even be waived. What you should do now is make sure you're setting aside about 25-30% of your gig earnings for taxes going forward. For next year, look into Form 1040-ES for estimated payments. The due dates are April 15, June 15, September 15, and January 15. You can also potentially avoid penalties by having extra withholding taken from your W-2 job to cover your self-employment taxes. The IRS has a Tax Withholding Estimator on their website that can help you figure out the right amount.
Yes, you absolutely need to report both income sources! The $950 from DoorDash and $135 from Grubhub must both be reported on your tax return, regardless of how small the amounts seem. Here's the key rule: There's NO minimum threshold for reporting self-employment income. While companies only send 1099-NEC forms when you earn $600 or more (so you might not get one from Grubhub), you're still legally required to report ALL income you receive. Since your combined total is $1,085, you'll also need to pay self-employment tax (15.3% for Social Security and Medicare) because you're over the $400 threshold. You'll report everything on Schedule C and calculate the SE tax on Schedule SE. The good news? You can deduct legitimate business expenses like mileage (67Β’ per mile for 2024), portion of your phone bill, insulated bags, car chargers, etc. These deductions reduce your taxable income and can make a significant difference in what you owe. Since both gigs are delivery work, you can combine them on a single Schedule C rather than filing separate forms for each app. Keep good records of everything in case of questions later!
Hugo Kass
I'm wondering if I should be worried. I made about $1800 babysitting last year and didn't report it... is the IRS gonna come after me now?
0 coins
Nasira Ibanez
β’You should definitely file an amended return and report that income. The IRS has been increasing enforcement, especially for gig workers and self-employed people. Better to fix it yourself than have them find it later and hit you with penalties and interest.
0 coins
Yuki Tanaka
As someone who's been through this exact situation, I can confirm you're on the right track! Yes, you absolutely need to report that $2700 as self-employment income on Schedule C, even without a 1099. The IRS considers all income taxable regardless of whether you receive forms. A few tips from my experience: - Keep detailed records of all your babysitting-related expenses (mileage, supplies, etc.) - they add up quickly - You'll owe self-employment tax (about 15.3%) on your net profit after expenses - Since you earned over $600, you should consider making quarterly estimated tax payments going forward to avoid underpayment penalties next year - The family should have given you a 1099-NEC since they paid you over $600, but their oversight doesn't change your reporting obligation Don't stress too much - this is a common situation and as long as you report everything honestly, you'll be fine. The IRS actually appreciates when people proactively report income that might otherwise go unreported!
0 coins
CosmicCruiser
β’This is really helpful! I'm just getting started with understanding all this tax stuff as a newcomer to reporting self-employment income. Quick question - when you mention making quarterly estimated tax payments going forward, how do you calculate how much to pay? Is there a simple way to figure that out, or do you need to estimate your whole year's babysitting income in advance?
0 coins