Has anyone actually received a W-2 that shows meal stipends separately? Last year I had a job with a $75 daily meal allowance and I can't even tell if it was included in my taxable wages or not. It's driving me crazy trying to figure out if I reported everything correctly.

The $200 daily amount is quite high for a meal stipend and will likely be partially or fully taxable. For context, the current federal per diem meal rates range from about $59-79 per day for most locations (with some high-cost areas going higher). Any amount above the applicable federal rate for your location would typically be considered taxable income. Since you mentioned this is loaded onto a card rather than being reimbursement for actual expenses, it sounds like it might be structured as a non-accountable plan, which would make the entire amount taxable. However, the specific tax treatment really depends on: 1) Whether your employer has structured this as an accountable or non-accountable plan 2) Your work location and the applicable federal per diem rates 3) Whether you're working away from your tax home I'd strongly recommend getting clarification from your employer about how they're reporting this on your W-2. With $200/day for 6 months, you're looking at around $36,000 in stipends, so getting the tax treatment right is really important. Don't wait until tax time to figure this out!

I work at a tax prep place part time during tax season, and I can tell you we see this confusion with 1099-K forms all the time. For the 2024 tax year, the threshold is definitely $5,000 for reporting purposes. But here's the important thing - receiving a 1099-K doesn't automatically mean that money is taxable income. It's just an information reporting form. When clients come in with 1099-Ks from personal transfers, we document the nature of the transfers and exclude them from taxable income.

Based on what I've seen with similar situations, you're likely fine as long as you can document that these are personal transfers and not payments for goods or services. The key is keeping good records showing the money flow - that your roommate receives money from family, sends it to you, and you withdraw it for him. Since you mentioned around $6,800 total, you're above the $5,000 threshold where CashApp might issue a 1099-K. But even if you receive one, it doesn't mean you owe taxes on that money. You would just need to explain on your tax return that these were non-taxable personal transfers. I'd suggest keeping screenshots or records of the transfers showing they're from your roommate (not business transactions), and maybe even a simple written agreement between you two documenting this arrangement. That way if any questions come up, you have clear documentation that you're just facilitating access to his own money to help him avoid fees. The IRS understands that people use these apps for personal transfers, so as long as you can show the money wasn't actually income to you, you should be okay.

9 Just adding another suggestion: call your employer's payroll department directly (not your manager). I work in HR and we can generate duplicate W-2s instantly with our payroll system at no charge. It's ridiculous they're trying to charge you $75! If it's a larger company, go above your boss's head and contact corporate payroll. By law, employers must provide W-2s to employees, and most companies don't charge for replacements.

As a tax preparer, I want to emphasize that you have several legitimate free options before paying your employer anything. The IRS wage and income transcript is your best bet - it's official, free, and most financial aid offices accept it. You can get it instantly online at irs.gov if you can verify your identity, or request it by phone. Also, definitely try calling your employer's corporate HR or payroll department if it's a larger company. Many employers don't charge for duplicate W-2s, and your manager might not be following company policy. The $75 fee sounds excessive and potentially against company guidelines. If all else fails and you're still within the tax filing deadline, you can actually file your taxes without the W-2 using Form 4852 (Substitute for Form W-2) based on your final pay stub, but check with a tax professional first since you're a dependent.

Don't forget about state taxes! While the federal government generally doesn't tax foreign inheritances, some states do have inheritance taxes. What state do you live in? That could make a difference too.

I went through something similar when my grandmother in France passed away and left me some money. One thing I learned that might help you - make sure you keep detailed records of EVERYTHING from the moment you're notified about the inheritance. I'd recommend creating a file with: the original will (and English translation), all correspondence with the Italian lawyer, bank transfer documents showing the source of funds, any Italian tax documents, and records of the exchange rate on the day you receive the money. The IRS loves documentation, and having this paper trail ready will save you headaches if they ever have questions. Also, don't rush to transfer the money immediately. Take time to understand all the requirements first - both the Form 3520 reporting and any potential FBAR obligations if the money sits in Italy for a while. I made the mistake of moving too quickly and had to reconstruct some of the documentation later. The €120,000 is a significant amount, so even though you won't owe income tax on it, getting professional help for at least the first year's filing is probably worth the cost to make sure everything is done correctly.

7 One thing nobody's mentioned yet - remember you can choose SPECIFIC LOTS when selling RSUs. You don't have to sell entire batches. Many brokers default to FIFO (first in, first out) but you can typically select exactly which shares to sell. This lets you fine-tune your tax strategy even further.

5 Just adding another consideration - if you've got other income/loss events this year, that might influence your decision. I ended up selling some underwater RSUs (at a loss) to offset gains from other investments. Tax-loss harvesting can be a powerful strategy!