What about Credit Karma Tax? I heard that's completely free even for more complicated returns. Has anyone tried it?

Credit Karma Tax (now called Cash App Taxes) is completely free and handles most tax situations well. I've used it for returns with some investments and a side gig. The interface is clean and it covers most forms. The only downsides: it doesn't support multiple state returns, certain less common situations (like foreign income), and doesn't offer as much guidance as paid options. If your return is moderately complex but doesn't have those specific issues, it's an excellent free choice. Just be aware they make money by recommending financial products to you based on your tax info - that's the tradeoff for the free service.

Just want to add that if your income is below $60,000 you might qualify for free in-person help through VITA (Volunteer Income Tax Assistance). They're IRS-certified volunteers who will prepare your return for free. Google "VITA tax help near me" to find locations.

That's really helpful advice. What specific documentation did you end up needing? Just the stock purchase agreement or were there other forms the company needed to provide?

I needed several documents to satisfy the IRS. First, I had the company provide a letter stating the most recent 409A valuation and when it was conducted. Second, I had a formal stock purchase agreement with the buyer that included representations about the arm's length nature of the transaction. I also kept all email communications regarding the negotiation to show it wasn't pre-arranged. Additionally, I made sure the payment was properly documented with a wire transfer rather than cash or personal checks. Finally, I had my exercise documented through the company's equity management platform with timestamps showing when each transaction occurred.

Good point! Our company requires board approval for any stock transfers. Found that out the hard way when I tried to transfer some shares to my spouse last year.

I haven't had any life changes like marriage or kids, but I didn't realize the tax laws had changed. Is there somewhere specific I should look at my return to see if that's affecting me? And yeah, my W-4 looks totally different than the last time I filled one out years ago. I'm confused about how to fill it out properly for next year to avoid this happening again.

The W-4 redesign definitely makes things confusing. The new form tries to be more accurate but requires more information. For your situation, pay special attention to Step 2 if you have multiple jobs (like your main job plus a side gig) - that's where a lot of people mess up. You probably need to look at your marginal tax bracket - when you got that promotion, you might have pushed some of your income into a higher tax bracket. The old W-4 wouldn't automatically adjust for that. The IRS has a Tax Withholding Estimator on their website that's actually pretty helpful for figuring out the right withholding amount.

Yes, there actually is! The IRS has something called "First Time Penalty Abatement" which they don't advertise much. If you've had a clean tax record for the past 3 years, you can often get penalties removed for a first-time issue. You just need to call them and specifically ask for this. You can also request abatement by writing a letter explaining if you had a reasonable cause for the underpayment - like if you had a major life change, calculation error, etc. They can be surprisingly understanding if you approach it the right way.

I didn't have any unemployment, but I think you might be onto something with the tax credits. I took a closer look at last year's return and I had qualified for a partial education credit that I didn't get this year since I'm done with school. It wasn't a huge amount but it might explain part of the difference. I'm also going to check if my employer changed their withholding calculations like someone else suggested. Looking at my final pay stub vs my W-2, the numbers match, but maybe the percentage they're withholding has changed.

That education credit would definitely explain part of it! Those can be worth hundreds depending on which one you qualified for. And the withholding percentage is definitely worth checking too - employers sometimes adjust that based on updated IRS guidance without employees noticing. One other thing - you mentioned your AGI was around $31,500. Did you have any pre-tax deductions that changed from last year? Things like 401k contributions, HSA deposits, or health insurance premiums? If those changed, they can affect both your AGI and how much tax is withheld.

That's such a good point! I've used TurboTax for years and the question flow definitely changes. Last year they asked about home office deductions right up front, but this year it was buried in some "other expenses" section I almost skipped. The UI changes can make a huge difference in what deductions you end up claiming.

That sounds perfect! Do they have good support if I get confused about something? And is it really just $15 total as opposed to TurboTax's crazy $275?

Yep, it's really just $15 for state filing - federal is completely free regardless of how complicated your return is. They do have customer support, though it's not as hand-holding as TurboTax. But for something simple like reporting a small crypto gain, you definitely won't need much help. They have a pretty straightforward section for capital gains where you just enter your info. I've filed everything from W-2 income to crypto gains to self-employment and rental income with them without issues. For your situation with just a small gain, it'll be super easy.

Seriously? The IRS is going to come after someone over what would amount to like $8 in taxes on a $43 gain? They have bigger fish to fry. The audit rate is at historic lows, and they're not wasting resources on tiny amounts like this.