Has anyone noticed that some tax software automatically fills in the payer info if you've used them before? I was entering a bunch of 1099-INTs and realized TurboTax remembered some banks from last year but got confused with the ones that changed names. Double check everything!

This is exactly why I always keep physical copies of my 1099 forms! I learned the hard way that relying on digital copies or memory can lead to transcription errors. Pro tip: if you're entering multiple 1099-INTs, do them all at once while you're focused rather than spreading it out over days. I made the mistake of doing a few one evening and finishing the rest a week later - ended up mixing up some of the EINs because I was rushing. The IRS notices for mismatched information are no joke and can delay your refund by months.

Something similar happened to me last year. What worked was going to my local IRS Taxpayer Assistance Center. You need to schedule an appointment first (can't just walk in) but they were able to track exactly where my refund was and fixed the issue while I was there.

I went through this exact same situation two years ago! My refund was sent to a Wells Fargo account I had closed months earlier. Here's what I learned from that experience: The 3-5 week timeline that others mentioned is pretty accurate, but it can stretch longer during peak tax season. In my case, it took almost 7 weeks to receive the paper check. The frustrating part is that the "Where's My Refund" tool will keep showing "refund sent" status even after the bank has rejected the deposit. One thing that helped me was requesting my tax transcript online through the IRS website. It shows more detailed information about what's happening with your refund than the basic tracking tool. You might see codes that indicate when the bank returned the funds and when the IRS started processing the paper check. Also, double-check that the IRS has your current mailing address. If you've moved since your last return or if there are any discrepancies in how your address is formatted, that could cause additional delays. The paper check will be sent to whatever address they have on file from your return. Hang in there - it's stressful but the money will come! Just make sure to update your bank info on next year's return so this doesn't happen again.

One thing to consider with Airbnb specifically - if you're renting for short periods and providing substantial services (like breakfast, cleaning during stays, etc.), the IRS might classify this as a "nonrental activity" instead of a passive rental activity. This could actually work in your favor. If you're providing substantial services beyond just the basic rental, you might qualify under different rules and potentially avoid some passive activity limitations. Your daily maintenance might qualify here. I'd recommend keeping a detailed log of all the services you provide and time spent. This documentation could be crucial if you're ever audited.

Has anyone used TurboTax for reporting Airbnb income? I'm in the same situation and wondering if their software handles these passive activity rules correctly or if I need to go to a CPA this year.

Different states have different rules for state income tax on capital gains from home sales. What state are you in? Some states follow federal rules but others have their own rules for exemptions.

The employment-related partial exclusion should definitely work for your situation! Just a heads up though - make sure to keep detailed records of everything related to your job change and the timeline of events. The IRS can be pretty thorough if they decide to review your return later. One thing I'd recommend is getting something in writing from your new employer that confirms the job required you to relocate, even if it's mostly remote. An email from HR or your manager stating that the position necessitated the move to your new location could be valuable documentation. Also, since you mentioned the job is "mostly remote," make sure your offer letter or employment agreement clearly indicates where your official work location or home office is considered to be. With your numbers ($30K gain vs. $229K prorated exclusion), you're well within the safe zone, but having rock-solid documentation will give you peace of mind if any questions come up down the road.

Is anyone else bothered by the fact that the tax system is so complicated that we can't even figure out what our actual income is? Like there are at least 3 different versions of "income" on one form (total income, AGI, taxable income) and they all mean different things. And then there's MAGI which isn't even on the form! How is a regular person supposed to understand this stuff??

I completely feel your frustration! I went through this exact same confusion last year when I was doing my 2019 taxes. The terminology is absolutely mind-boggling for regular people. Just to clarify for the original poster - your AGI (line 11) is what you'll need for most applications like rentals, loans, etc. The $18,200 difference between your AGI and taxable income sounds about right when you factor in the 2020 standard deduction plus any other deductions you qualified for. What helped me was thinking of it this way: AGI is your "real" income after work-related adjustments, taxable income is what the government actually taxes you on after personal deductions, and MAGI is just AGI with some stuff added back for specific programs. It's still unnecessarily complicated, but at least there's some logic to it. The fact that we need entire Reddit threads to explain basic tax concepts shows how broken this system is. Other countries have much simpler tax systems where the government just tells you what you owe!