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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?
This is exactly the right question to ask! I made a similar mistake when I first started working - I was looking at all the numbers on my paystub and getting confused about what was actually being deducted versus what was just informational. @Owen, definitely check your W-2 Box 1 first. If that matches your $125,000 salary (minus any pre-tax deductions you chose like health insurance or 401k), then the employer tax amounts you're seeing are probably just displayed for informational purposes and aren't actually reducing your pay. But if your W-2 Box 1 is significantly less than expected, then you've got a real issue that needs to be addressed with your employer immediately.
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.
This is exactly what I needed to hear - the fee structure breakdown is really helpful. I hadn't considered how those 1-2% management fees compound over 7+ years. Do you know if these performance fees are typically charged even in years when the fund underperforms? And when you mention "detailed projections," are most reputable exchange funds willing to provide realistic scenarios that include poor market performance years, or do they typically only show optimistic projections?
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.
Thanks for the detailed breakdown on performance fees and lock-up periods - that "key person" clause is something I definitely hadn't considered. Do you know if there's any way to negotiate these terms, or are they pretty much standard across all exchange funds? Also, regarding the multi-state filing burden you mentioned - I'm in California, so this is particularly relevant. Have you seen situations where the additional state tax compliance costs actually outweigh the benefits of the tax deferral, especially for someone with a moderately sized position (say $500K-$1M range)?
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.
I'm not keeping anything in foreign accounts - all the wire transfers are coming directly to my US bank account. Does that mean I don't need to worry about FBAR? Also, does the bank automatically report these transfers to the IRS since they're international?
You're good on the FBAR front since you're not keeping money in foreign accounts. That only applies if you have financial accounts outside the US. Your bank is definitely filing reports on these international wire transfers though. Banks are required to file a Currency Transaction Report (CTR) for transactions over $10,000, but they also file Suspicious Activity Reports (SARs) for patterns of activity like multiple transfers just under reporting thresholds - exactly like what you're describing with regular $6,500-$9,500 transfers. The IRS can easily access these reports, so they'll know about this income whether you report it or not. Always better to report properly than risk an audit and penalties.
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.
What tax form does this even go on? Is it Schedule C for business or something else since it's personal items?
Ravi Sharma
Don't panic! I had the exact same issue with Cashapp and IDEX stock last year. If your total gain was only $340, then Cash App probably didn't meet the threshold for sending you a 1099-B. I called their support and they confirmed they only send forms if your trades exceed certain amounts. What I did was create my own makeshift "1099" using my transaction history from the app. I calculated: - Initial investment (purchase price Γ number of shares) - Final sale amount - The difference (my capital gain) Then I reported it on Form 8949 with Box C checked (for transactions without a 1099-B). The IRS never questioned it and my return was processed normally.
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Paolo Ricci
β’Thanks so much for sharing your experience! That's really reassuring to hear. Did you have to attach any supporting documentation from your Cash App account when you filed, or did you just fill out the form with your calculated numbers?
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Ravi Sharma
β’I just filled out the form with my calculated numbers, no need to attach the Cash App documentation to your tax return. However, I did save PDF screenshots of all my purchase and sale confirmations in case I ever get audited. The key is making sure your calculations are accurate. Double-check your math and be sure to include any fees in your cost basis. As long as you're reporting everything properly and paying the correct tax, the IRS is generally fine with self-reported stock transactions when a 1099 wasn't issued.
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Freya Thomsen
Quick tip from someone who works in tax prep - even if you don't receive a 1099, the IRS probably will. Financial institutions send copies of all 1099s to the IRS, even if they don't meet the threshold to send one to you. So definitely report your stock sales accurately!
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Omar Zaki
β’Wait that's confusing. So Cash App might send the info to the IRS but not to the user? How are we supposed to match their numbers exactly if we don't see what they reported?
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Paolo Conti
β’That's a great point! The reporting thresholds can be different for what gets sent to taxpayers versus what gets sent to the IRS. Generally, if you calculate your gains/losses using your actual transaction records (like the OP has with their purchase and sale confirmations), your numbers should match what the broker reports to the IRS. The key is to be as accurate as possible with your calculations. Use the exact purchase price, sale price, and dates from your account history. If there are any discrepancies later, having your original transaction records will help resolve them. The IRS understands that sometimes taxpayers need to self-report when they don't receive forms, as long as you're making a good faith effort to report accurately.
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