Thank you for sharing this comprehensive guide, Sophia! I want to add that when requesting the detailed breakdown from your state unemployment office, specifically ask for the "Notice of Overpayment" or "Benefit Overpayment Decision" document - this is the official paper trail that shows their calculation methodology. In my case, I discovered they had miscategorized two weeks of partial unemployment benefits as full overpayments. Also, if your offset was due to suspected fraud (which is happening more frequently with identity theft cases), you'll need to complete an identity verification process with your state before any appeals can be processed. The 30-day appeal window starts from the date you receive the BFS letter, not from when the offset actually occurred, so don't panic if you just discovered this situation.

This is exactly the kind of information that should be pinned at the top of tax season discussions! I'm dealing with a similar situation right now - filed early February, transcript showed everything looked normal, but my refund never arrived on the scheduled deposit date. Called the TOP helpline this morning and discovered my state took the entire amount for an unemployment overpayment I had no clue existed. The automated system gave me a case number and told me to expect a letter within 10 business days, but like others have mentioned, there was absolutely nothing on my IRS transcript indicating this would happen. It's frustrating that we have to play detective with our own refunds, but I'm grateful for posts like this that help us understand the process. For anyone else going through this - don't wait around hoping your refund will magically appear. Make the call to 800-304-3107 and get the facts so you can start addressing it with your state agency.

I'm confused about what specific job expenses we're talking about. Does this include things like home office supplies if we're working remote? Or uniforms? What about professional licenses and continuing education?

I'm a CPA and wanted to clarify something important that might help with your $850 in unreimbursed expenses. While you're correct that most unreimbursed employee business expenses aren't deductible as itemized deductions from 2018-2025, there are still some options to explore. First, double-check if any of your expenses fall into categories that ARE still deductible - like educator expenses (if you're a teacher), certain moving expenses (for military), or impairment-related work expenses. Second, consider asking your employer about implementing an accountable plan as others mentioned. This is honestly your best bet for getting tax-free reimbursement going forward. Third, if any of your expenses relate to education or training that maintains or improves job skills, you might qualify for education tax credits instead of deductions - these can actually be more valuable than deductions anyway. Finally, keep detailed records of everything. If the TCJA provisions aren't extended past 2025, you'll want that documentation ready for potential future deductions. The political landscape around tax policy is always changing, so staying organized pays off long-term.

I'm kind of in a similar situation, maybe? I didn't file for a few years and now I'm trying to catch up. Does anyone know if I need to file for all the missing years before I can file for 2023? And also, maybe this is a silly question, but does the IRS eventually tell you if you were supposed to file but didn't?

@Andrew Pinnock You don't necessarily need to file all missing years before filing your current return - you can file them in any order. The IRS typically only requires you to file if you had income above the filing threshold for each year (which varies by year and filing status). As for your second question, the IRS usually doesn't proactively tell you that you should have filed unless they have records of income reported to them (like W-2s or 1099s) that would trigger a filing requirement. They might eventually send a notice if they detect unreported income, but this can take years. For catching up on multiple years, I'd suggest starting with the most recent year first since that's likely to have the biggest refund (if you're owed one), then work backwards. You can use prior year tax forms available on the IRS website. Just be aware that you can only claim refunds for the last 3 years - anything older than that, you lose the refund even if you were owed money.

Does anyone know if there are exceptions to getting a 1099-S? I sold a small parcel last year and never got one either but my tax guy said it wasn't needed in my case.

Just to add some clarity on the timing - while title companies have until January 31st to send you the 1099-S, most reputable companies will get it to you much sooner, often within 30-60 days of closing. Since you mentioned it's been over three weeks, I'd definitely recommend reaching out to them now rather than waiting. When you contact them, have your settlement statement handy with the closing date and property address. They'll likely ask for this information to locate your file. Also double-check that they have your current mailing address - address mix-ups are surprisingly common and could explain the delay. Even without the 1099-S in hand, start gathering your other documents now: original purchase paperwork, records of any improvements you made to the land, and your closing/settlement statement from the recent sale. You'll need all of this to properly calculate your capital gains anyway, so getting organized early will save you stress later.

Has anyone used H&R Block instead of TurboTax for handling a 1099-S for inherited land? I'm in the same situation but haven't filed yet, and wondering if their Deluxe version might handle this without needing to upgrade.

I went through this exact scenario last year with inherited farmland. A few key points that might help: First, don't panic about penalties - the IRS is generally understanding when forms arrive after you've already filed, especially 1099-S forms which are notorious for being late. You have plenty of time to amend once the forms become available. For the stepped-up basis calculation, I recommend calling the county assessor's office where the land was located. They often have historical records and can provide documentation of the property value around the time of death. In my case, they were able to give me a letter stating the assessed value, which I used as supporting documentation. One thing to watch out for - if this was agricultural land or had any special use designation, there might be additional considerations for the tax treatment. Also, since you mentioned it was partially owned by your mom, make sure you're only reporting your inherited portion of the proceeds, not the full amount on the 1099-S. The amendment process isn't as scary as it seems. When the forms become available (typically late February), you'll just need to file Form 1040-X along with Schedule D and Form 8949. TurboTax Premier will walk you through it step by step once it's available.