I'm in Pennsylvania. I finally found the answer after calling the state department of revenue directly. For PA residents, you use your SSN for most cases with 1099-B forms. However, if you're filing as a business entity that has investments, you would use your state business tax ID. The confusion came from my tax software which wasn't state-specific in its wording. It asked for a "state ID number" generically when what it really meant was my SSN for my particular situation.

Good detective work! Yes, Pennsylvania is one of the states that primarily uses your SSN for individual 1099-B reporting. The tax software really should make that clearer - they cause so much unnecessary stress with their vague terminology. For anyone else reading this with the same issue, always check your state's specific department of revenue website or call them directly if you're unsure. The requirements can change from state to state and sometimes even year to year as tax laws are updated.

This is helpful but i still don't understand why my 1099-B from Fidelity doesn't have my state ID printed anywhere on it?? Shouldn't they include that information since they're the ones issuing the form??

Your 1099-B from Fidelity doesn't have your state ID printed on it because federal 1099-B forms are standardized by the IRS and don't include state-specific information. Brokerages like Fidelity are required to report to the federal government, but state reporting requirements vary widely. When you're entering this information into tax software, the software is trying to match your 1099-B to your state tax return, which is why it asks for a state ID. You provide this information yourself - usually your SSN for individual filers - rather than it coming from Fidelity. This connects your investment income reported on the federal level to your state tax obligation.

Is there any way for an employee to confirm that their employer actually submitted the corrected W2 to the SSA? I'm worried my employer might have given me a corrected one but forgotten to update it with the government.

Unfortunately, there's no direct way for employees to verify SSA submissions in real-time. However, you can indirectly check by creating an account on the SSA website (my.ssa.gov) and viewing your reported wages after tax season. This won't help immediately for filing, though. Your best approach is to contact your payroll or HR department directly and ask them to confirm they've submitted the corrected W2 to the SSA. Most payroll systems automatically handle this when generating a replacement W2, but it's fair to ask for confirmation. If they're using proper payroll software, they should be able to tell you the submission date of the corrected information.

Good advice. I keep all my tax docs for 7 years just to be safe. Electronic copies are fine too - I scan everything and keep it in a secure folder.

Good point about insurance! Also worth noting that some states charge higher registration fees for business vehicles vs personal ones. In my state, the business registration was about 25% higher. Something else to factor into the total cost equation.

That's super helpful! Did you need to provide any specific documents to the DMV to register it under your LLC? And did you run into any issues with insurance coverage when the vehicle was titled to your business instead of personally?

I had to bring my LLC formation documents and EIN letter from the IRS to the DMV. Some states also want to see your business license. The process was actually pretty straightforward - just took a little longer than a personal registration. Insurance was definitely different. My personal auto insurer wouldn't cover a business-titled vehicle, so I had to get a commercial auto policy. It was about 30% more expensive, but the good news is that commercial insurance is a legitimate business expense you can deduct. The insurance company wanted to know the percentage of business vs personal use, and they based some of their rates on that information. Make sure to shop around because the rates varied a lot between different insurance companies for the exact same coverage.

Wait, this is super important - will claiming my mom as a dependent actually impact her Section 8 or SNAP benefits? I definitely don't want to mess up her housing or food situation just to get a tax credit. Has anyone here actually experienced this happening?

It depends on the specific program and state regulations. Generally, Section 8 eligibility is based on the household's income and composition, not tax filing status. So claiming your mom on your taxes shouldn't directly affect her Section 8 benefits since you don't live together. For SNAP (food stamps), the rules focus on who purchases and prepares food together, not tax dependency. Since your mom lives separately and handles her own food preparation, claiming her shouldn't impact her SNAP benefits. However, if you're concerned, your mom should check with her benefits caseworker to confirm the specific rules in her state. Some states have different policies or additional requirements.

I claim my mother who lives in the Philippines! Keep ALL your transfer receipts. I use Xoom and it creates a perfect record. Also, have your grandfather send you pictures of rent receipts and major purchases if possible. The IRS understands foreign situations are different.

Oh that's super helpful - I didn't even think about mileage! I was taking the campus shuttle to most sessions but sometimes I did drive to off-campus locations. Do you need any special documentation for mileage or just a log?

A simple log is enough! Just note the date, starting location, ending location, purpose of trip (tutoring), and miles driven. I keep mine in a notes app on my phone so I can update it right after each session. You don't need anything fancy - just enough detail that you could explain it if questioned. Only track the miles specifically for tutoring though, not your regular commute to campus or personal trips.

Yep, that self-employment tax is brutal! But remember you can deduct half of it on your 1040, which helps a little bit. Schedule SE calculates this automatically.