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Whatever happened to MY BODY MY CHOICE?? This is another example of government overreach. Next they'll start taxing us extra if we have piercings or dyed hair š¤ I got a small tattoo last month and was shocked at the tax. When I questioned it, the artist just shrugged and said "government wants their cut of everything.
I don't think that's a fair comparison. The government isn't taxing you FOR having a tattoo - they're taxing the service of getting one, just like they tax other services. There's no annual "tattoo tax" or anything like that.
I totally get the frustration - it does feel weird paying tax on something so personal! But think about it this way: you're not being taxed for having a tattoo, you're being taxed for purchasing a service. It's the same as getting taxed for a haircut, massage, or any other personal service. The artist is providing their skill, time, and materials to create something for you. What really helped me understand it was realizing that without proper tax collection and regulation, we'd probably see a lot more unsafe tattoo practices. The tax system helps ensure shops are legitimate, licensed, and following health codes. Would you rather save $50 in tax but risk getting a tattoo from someone operating out of their garage with questionable hygiene standards? The tax is annoying but it's part of what keeps the industry professional and safe.
That's a really good point about the safety aspect! I never considered that the tax collection might actually help weed out sketchy operators. I guess I was just focused on the money coming out of my pocket without thinking about what it helps fund. Still feels like a lot though - $52 on a $650 tattoo is almost 8%! Is that normal for most states or does it vary a lot?
Check if your company uses ADP, Workday, or another payroll system that has an employee portal. You can usually log in and see a detailed breakdown of all your deductions there. My company uses a cryptic "VOLBEN" code on paystubs but in the portal it shows exactly what it covers (dental $12.47, vision $5.80, life insurance $3.25, etc.
This is great advice! I had the same issue with a code called "FIWH" and couldn't figure it out until I checked our Workday portal. Turned out to be "Fixed Insurance Withholding" for some optional coverage I forgot I signed up for during orientation.
Pro tip from someone who's been through this exact situation - if you still can't find clear documentation about your deductions after checking all the suggested resources (benefits portal, orientation materials, etc.), you can also request a "total compensation statement" from HR. This document breaks down not just your salary but ALL benefits and their costs, including those mystery deductions. Most companies are required to provide this annually anyway, but you can request it anytime. It's much more detailed than a regular paystub and will show you exactly where every dollar is going. I discovered I was paying for benefits I didn't even know I had!
make sure u update ur address on IRS website if u moved recently. They wont forward refund checks!!
Same thing happened to me last year! The waiting is the worst part. Just to add to what others said - you can also call the IRS refund hotline at 1-800-829-1954 to check the status once it's been about 10 business days since the bank rejection. They'll be able to tell you if they've processed it for a paper check yet. Hang in there! š¤
Can anyone confirm if we're supposed to check box 13b on Schedule A of Form 8936? The instructions are unclear but that box specifically asks if you transferred the credit to the dealer.
Yes, absolutely check box 13b! That's the flag that tells the IRS system you transferred the credit. Then enter $0 on Schedule 3. I spoke with my uncle who works at the IRS (in a different department but still familiar with these forms) and he confirmed this is the correct procedure.
Thanks everyone for the detailed responses! This has been incredibly helpful. I was definitely overthinking this situation. Based on what I'm reading here, it sounds like the consensus is: 1. Complete Form 8936 showing I qualify for the credit 2. Check box 13b on Schedule A indicating I transferred to dealer 3. Enter $0 on Schedule 3 Line 6f with "TRANSFERRED" notation 4. Attach a statement referencing IRC Section 30D(g) with my dealer documentation I really appreciate the specific IRC section references and sample statement language from @Hugh Intensity - that gives me confidence I'm documenting this properly. And @Melissa Lin, thanks for confirming about box 13b, I was definitely unsure about that checkbox. It's frustrating that the IRS instructions don't make this clearer, but at least there seems to be a consistent approach that works. I'll go with this method and keep all my documentation organized in case there are any follow-up questions. You've all saved me from either underpaying my taxes or spending hours on hold trying to reach the IRS directly!
This is such a great summary of all the advice in this thread! I'm dealing with the same exact situation and was getting overwhelmed by all the conflicting information I found online. Having it broken down into those clear steps makes it much more manageable. One quick question - when you attach the statement, are you including it as a separate page or writing it directly on the form somewhere? I want to make sure the IRS processors see it and don't miss the explanation for why I'm showing $0 on Schedule 3 despite qualifying for the credit. Also really appreciate everyone sharing their experiences here. It's reassuring to know this is a common issue and there's a established way to handle it properly.
Dmitri Volkov
5 I had a similar situation but with a REIT instead of an MLP in my Roth IRA. Can anyone recommend good tax software that handles these special investment situations well? I've been using TurboTax but it seems confused when I try to enter information about retirement account investments.
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Dmitri Volkov
ā¢19 I've had good luck with H&R Block's premium online version for investments. But honestly, for retirement accounts, you generally don't need to report the specific investments at all unless there's UBTI over $1,000 or you're taking distributions. The whole point of retirement accounts is that the investments grow tax-deferred (or tax-free for Roth).
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Luca Greco
Great question about MLP trading in retirement accounts! As others have mentioned, you're generally in the clear since you were day trading rather than holding for distributions. However, I'd add one important point that hasn't been fully addressed - make sure to keep good records of your trading activity. Even though you likely won't need to report anything for tax purposes, if the IRS ever questions your retirement account activity, having detailed records of your trades (entry/exit dates, amounts, reasoning) can help demonstrate that this was legitimate investment activity rather than prohibited transactions. Also, while UBTI is unlikely to be an issue with your day trading approach, it's worth noting that some MLPs can generate UBTI even without distributions if they have significant business income allocated to unit holders. Since you were only holding positions briefly, this shouldn't affect you, but it's good to be aware of for future reference. The bottom line is that retirement account trading generally shields you from most of these complications, which is exactly why these accounts are so valuable for active investors!
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