Is this your first job out of college? Just wondering if maybe you're misreading your paystub. Most paystubs will SHOW both employer and employee portions of FICA/Medicare for informational purposes, but only the employee portion actually comes out of your check. The employer portion is just shown so you can see the total cost of employment.

This is a great point to double-check! @Owen, can you clarify - are you looking at your actual gross earnings on your W-2 or year-end statement, or are you looking at what's displayed on your paystub? Many paystubs will show employer tax contributions in an "informational" section that doesn't actually reduce your take-home pay. The key is to look at your W-2 Box 1 (wages subject to federal income tax) and compare that to your contracted salary amount. If your W-2 shows less than your contracted $125,000 (minus only legitimate pre-tax deductions you elected), then you definitely have a problem. But if the employer taxes are just being displayed on your paystub for transparency without actually being deducted, your gross earnings should still match your contract. Can you check your actual W-2 and let us know what Box 1 shows?

Another consideration for exchange funds that I haven't seen mentioned - make sure you understand the fund's investment strategy and diversification requirements. Some exchange funds have minimum contribution thresholds (often $1M+) and specific diversification rules that limit how much of any single security they can hold. This means they might need to sell portions of contributed positions to maintain compliance, which could trigger some of the capital gains you're trying to avoid in the first place. Also, the management fees on these funds are typically much higher than traditional mutual funds or ETFs - often 1-2% annually plus performance fees. Over a 7+ year holding period, these fees can significantly eat into your returns. Make sure to factor in the total cost of ownership, including the tax preparation complexity costs everyone's discussed, when evaluating whether an exchange fund makes sense for your situation. I'd strongly recommend getting detailed projections from the fund showing net returns after all fees and estimated annual tax liabilities before committing. The tax deferral benefits might not be as attractive as they initially appear once you factor in all the ongoing costs and complexities.

Performance fees in exchange funds are typically structured as "high-water mark" fees, meaning they're only charged when the fund achieves new performance highs above previous peaks. However, the base management fees (that 1-2% annually) are charged regardless of performance, which can be particularly painful during down market years when you're paying fees on a declining asset base. Regarding projections, most reputable exchange funds will provide scenario analyses that include various market conditions, but you have to specifically request them. The default marketing materials tend to focus on historical performance during favorable periods. I'd recommend asking for Monte Carlo simulations that show potential outcomes across different market environments, including extended bear markets. One additional complexity I should mention - exchange funds often have "lock-up" periods beyond the 7-year minimum where early redemption penalties apply, and some have "key person" clauses that can trigger forced distributions if key fund managers leave. These provisions can create unexpected tax events even when you're trying to hold for the full term. Also worth noting that if you're in a high-tax state like California or New York, the multi-state filing requirements become even more burdensome since you'll likely be paying top marginal rates in your home state plus potentially owing taxes in multiple other jurisdictions where the fund operates.

I was in your exact situation last month. Found my DD date on the Account Transcript under code 846, but it wasn't there initially. My transcript first showed codes 570 and 971, then updated a week later with the 846 code. Have you checked if you have any 570/971 codes on your transcript? Those usually indicate there's some verification happening before they set your deposit date.

Just wanted to add something that might help - if you're checking your transcript and don't see code 846 yet, don't panic! The IRS typically processes refunds in the order they were received, but there can be delays if your return needs additional review. I had to wait almost 3 weeks after my return was accepted before seeing my DD date appear. Also, make sure you're checking the transcript for the correct tax year - I accidentally looked at my 2022 transcript when I needed 2023 and thought something was wrong. The "Where's My Refund" tool on the IRS website updates less frequently than transcripts, so the Account Transcript is definitely your best bet for the most current info about your refund status.

Don't forget about FBAR requirements if you're keeping that money in a foreign account! If you have more than $10,000 in foreign financial accounts at any time during the calendar year, you need to file an FBAR (FinCEN Form 114). The penalties for not filing are insane - up to $10,000 for non-willful violations and the greater of $100,000 or 50% of account balances for willful violations.

Make sure you're keeping good records of everything - the wire transfers, any communications with the buyer, and especially any shipping receipts. If you're shipping to their US warehouse, that's domestic shipping which is generally not deductible against your capital gains. But if you have any other expenses directly related to the sales (like special packaging materials), those might be deductible against your proceeds.

wait what does cycle 5 even mean? im new to all this tax stuff

Same situation here! Filed 1/25, accepted 1/27, cycle 20250605 with ACTC. My transcript looks almost identical to yours - processing date Feb 24, code 150 with $0.00, and those future April dates. The waiting game is brutal but at least we know PATH should lift soon. That long number you mentioned (70211-424-09595-5) is just an internal IRS reference number, totally normal. Hang in there, we're all in this together! 🤞