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FYI - there's another situation where you need to file Schedule B regardless of the amount of interest or dividends: if you have any foreign accounts. I found this out the hard way after getting a notice from the IRS. Even if you only have $5 of interest total, if any of it came from a foreign bank account, you still need to file Schedule B and check that box in Part III.
Yes! This is super important and a lot of people miss it. Even if you're under the $1,500 threshold, you need Schedule B if you have financial interest in or signature authority over a foreign account. That includes accounts where you're not even the owner but just have signing authority. Also, don't forget about FBAR requirements (FinCEN Form 114) if your foreign accounts exceed $10,000 in aggregate at any point during the year. These are separate from tax filing but have serious penalties if missed.
Just wanted to add another important detail that I learned when I had to file Schedule B for the first time - you need to list ALL payers of interest and dividends on Schedule B, not just the ones that put you over the threshold. So even if you have 10 different accounts contributing small amounts that together exceed $1,500, you have to list every single payer on the form, including their name, address, and the amount they paid you. It can make for a pretty long form if you have accounts scattered across multiple banks and brokerages. The IRS uses this information for matching purposes - they want to see that what you're reporting matches up with all the 1099-INT and 1099-DIV forms they received about you. Missing even a small payer can trigger a notice later on.
Yall need to chill lmao its only been 2 days since u filed
aint nobody got time to chill when rent due š¤”
anyone else's WMR still saying processing? getting nervous ngl
WMR is always behind. Use taxr.ai instead, it shows real time updates
Print your name and social security number on EVERY SINGLE PAGE of your amended return and attachments!!! I work at an accounting firm and you wouldn't believe how often pages get separated during processing. Also, secure everything with a paperclip, not staples (many state agencies specifically request no staples).
Thank you all for the amazing advice! I'm going with certified mail + return receipt and will definitely make copies of everything. Great tip about writing my SSN on each page and using paperclips - wouldn't have thought of that. I'm also going to check out taxr.ai to make sure my forms are done right before sending. Better safe than sorry!
One more critical tip that saved me last year - when you're filling out the certified mail form at the post office, make sure to write "TAX DOCUMENT - AMENDED RETURN" in the description section. This helps postal workers handle it with extra care and can be useful if you ever need to reference the mailing for any reason. Also, I'd recommend going to the post office during off-peak hours (mid-morning on weekdays if possible) when the staff has more time to help you get everything filled out correctly. The certified mail process has several steps and it's easy to miss something when they're rushing during busy periods. Keep that certified mail receipt in a safe place with your tax records - the IRS and state agencies sometimes ask for proof of mailing date years later, especially if there are any questions about meeting deadlines. I scan mine and keep digital copies too, just in case!
This is such great advice! I never would have thought to specify "TAX DOCUMENT - AMENDED RETURN" on the certified mail form, but that makes total sense for tracking purposes. The timing tip about going during off-peak hours is really smart too - I can imagine how rushed things get during lunch hours or right after work. Question for you - when you scan and keep digital copies of the certified mail receipt, do you also scan the return receipt card when it comes back? I'm wondering if having both would be even better documentation, especially since the return receipt shows the actual delivery signature.
One thing I'd add is to consider documenting the business purpose for each batch of chickens processed in your barn. Even though you're paying fair market value for personal-use chickens, having clear records showing that 95% of your processing is for business customers helps establish the barn's primary business use. I keep a simple log showing customer orders vs. owner purchases - it's been helpful when discussing deductions with my accountant. Also, make sure your LLC's operating agreement specifically addresses member purchases if it doesn't already. Some agreements require board resolutions or specific approval processes for related-party transactions, even at fair market value.
This is excellent advice about documenting the business purpose! I never thought about keeping a log showing the ratio of business vs personal use - that really helps paint the picture that the barn is primarily for business operations. The point about checking your LLC operating agreement is crucial too. I learned this the hard way when my accountant found out my agreement required written approval for any member purchases over $100. Had to go back and create retroactive documentation for several transactions. It's worth reviewing those agreements now rather than scrambling later during tax season.
Another consideration is timing - make sure you're documenting these personal purchases in real-time, not retroactively at year-end. The IRS looks favorably on contemporaneous records vs. reconstructed transactions. I'd also suggest taking photos of the chickens you're purchasing for personal use along with the receipt, similar to how restaurants document inventory. This creates a visual record that supports your documentation. One more tip: consider having your LLC send you a 1099-NEC if your annual personal purchases exceed $600, just like they would for any other customer. It shows you're treating yourself exactly like an arm's length customer, which strengthens your position that these are legitimate business transactions rather than disguised personal use of business assets.
Freya Pedersen
Just curious - does anyone know if there's a difference in how the IRS treats excess contributions if they were made because you were over the income limit versus if you just contributed more than the annual maximum? I made both mistakes in different years and wonder if the correction process is the same.
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Natasha Kuznetsova
ā¢I'm wondering this too! My situation was being over the income limit, but I've stayed within the annual contribution caps.
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AstroAdventurer
ā¢The correction process is essentially the same regardless of why the contribution was considered excessive. Whether you exceeded the annual dollar limit or were over the income threshold, the IRS treats it as an excess contribution. The 6% excise tax applies to both situations, and the options for correcting it are identical: remove the excess (plus earnings) or recharacterize to a Traditional IRA if you're still within the timeframe to do so. The only practical difference might be in calculating exactly how much was excessive - if you're over the income limit, the entire contribution is excessive, whereas if you exceeded the annual cap, only the amount above the limit is considered excess.
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Omar Fawaz
You might want to check if you qualified for any partial Roth contribution during those years instead of assuming you couldn't contribute anything. The income limits have a phaseout range where you can make reduced contributions. For 2017, the phaseout for single filers was between $118,000-$133,000. Unless you were completely above the upper threshold, you might have been eligible to contribute something.
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Natasha Kuznetsova
ā¢Omg thank you for pointing this out! I just checked my 2017 tax return and my MAGI was around $129,000 which means I was in the phaseout range. So I would have been eligible for a partial contribution. Does that change how I handle this situation? Do I only need to remove part of each year's contribution?
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Christopher Morgan
ā¢Yes, this changes everything for those years! If you were in the phaseout range, you need to calculate your maximum allowable contribution for each year based on your specific MAGI. The formula is a bit complex, but basically you take the maximum contribution limit minus a reduction based on how far into the phaseout range you were. For 2017 with a $129,000 MAGI, you'd calculate: $5,500 - (($129,000 - $118,000) / ($133,000 - $118,000)) Ć $5,500. That works out to about $1,433 you were allowed to contribute. So you'd only need to remove the excess amount above that ($4,067) rather than the full $5,500. You'll need to do this calculation for each year you were in the phaseout range. This could save you significant penalties and taxes on the removal of contributions that were actually legitimate!
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