Just wanted to add another perspective on documentation - I went through a similar situation last year and found that maintaining a simple spreadsheet with dates worked really well for tracking custody. I included columns for pickup/dropoff times, who had the kids each night, and any deviations from our normal schedule. What really helped during my IRS review was that I also kept copies of things like: - School pickup/dropoff records (many schools track this) - Medical appointment records showing which parent took kids - Activity registrations and who transported them - Even grocery receipts showing kid-related purchases on specific dates The key thing I learned is that the IRS wants to see a pattern of actual physical custody, not just what's written in your divorce agreement. Since you mentioned having the kids "slightly more than 50%" of nights, make sure you can prove that specific percentage with real dates and documentation. Also, don't forget that overnights count more than just daytime hours - the IRS specifically looks at where the child slept, not just spent time during the day. So even if your ex picks up the kids after school but they sleep at your house, that night counts toward your custody percentage.

Great question about Head of Household status with split custody! I went through this exact situation after my divorce two years ago. The key thing to understand is that Head of Household eligibility and dependency exemptions are actually two separate tests under IRS rules. For HoH status, what matters is physical custody - where your children actually sleep for more than half the nights in the year. The fact that you're splitting the dependency exemptions (one child each) doesn't disqualify you from HoH as long as at least one qualifying child lives with you more than 50% of the time. Since you mentioned having the kids "slightly more than 50% of the nights," you should qualify for Head of Household status. Just make sure to document this carefully - count the actual overnights, not just what your separation agreement says. I kept a simple calendar marking which nights each child was at my house, and it really helped when I was preparing my taxes. One thing to double-check: make sure your divorce is finalized by December 31st of the tax year you're filing for, since you need to be "considered unmarried" to qualify for HoH status. It sounds like your February 2023 finalization should cover you for the 2023 tax year. The tax savings from HoH versus Single filing status can be significant, so it's definitely worth getting this right!

I work as a tax preparer and see this confusion every single year during tax season! You're absolutely right to want clarity on this because it does matter for your tax planning. The rule is straightforward: W2 reporting follows when wages are actually PAID to you, not when they were earned. Since your December 31st pay period won't result in a paycheck until January 2025, those wages will appear on your 2025 W2, not your 2024 W2. This "cash basis" rule applies even if your employer has already calculated what they owe you or determined the tax withholdings. Until that money is actually available to you (via paycheck, direct deposit, etc.), it doesn't count for the current tax year. Your employer's vague "depends on our accounting system" response probably refers to their payroll processing cutoffs and year-end schedule. Most companies have specific deadlines for which pay periods make it onto each year's W2s. For your 2024 tax filing, you can proceed knowing those December wages won't be included. Just make sure to keep that final pay stub from December so you can verify it shows up correctly on your 2025 W2 when you receive it next year. This is also a good reminder to ask your payroll department about their year-end cutoff schedule for future reference!

I've been dealing with payroll for over 15 years and can absolutely confirm what everyone has said - it's 100% based on when you actually receive the payment, not the pay period dates. This is one of the most common questions I get from employees around year-end. Your employer's response about "depending on their accounting system" actually makes sense from a payroll perspective. What they're referring to is their year-end cutoff schedule - most companies establish specific deadlines for which payroll runs will be included in each tax year's W2 reporting. These cutoffs are usually set months in advance to ensure compliance with IRS deadlines for issuing W2s. Since your pay period ended 12/31 but the actual paycheck won't be processed until January 2025, those wages will definitely appear on your 2025 W2. The IRS is very clear that wages are reported in the tax year they're paid to the employee, regardless of when the work was performed. One tip for future years: ask your HR department for their annual payroll calendar, which should show their year-end processing cutoffs. This will help you plan better and avoid this uncertainty. Also, when you get your 2025 W2, double-check that your December earnings are included correctly by comparing against your final 2024 pay stub. This timing quirk happens to thousands of employees every year, so don't worry - your situation is completely normal and your employer should handle the reporting correctly!

Anybody know if there's any way around providing your SSN to Ticketmaster? I'm in the same situation - sold tickets for a $75 loss and now they want my tax info before releasing my money. I'm really uncomfortable giving them my full SSN.

I went through this exact same issue with Ticketmaster about 6 months ago. Yes, this is completely legitimate - they're required by law to collect tax information for any payments over $600 due to the American Rescue Plan Act changes that went into effect in 2022. A few important points: 1. You DO need to provide your SSN to get your money - there's no way around this unfortunately 2. Make sure you're filling out the form through Ticketmaster's official website or app, not through any email links 3. Since you sold at a loss ($285 → $220), you won't owe any taxes on this transaction 4. Keep all your documentation (original purchase receipt, resale confirmation, etc.) for your tax records The process took about a week for me after I submitted my tax info. I know it feels invasive, but unfortunately it's the new reality with these platforms. The good news is that this protects you too - you'll get proper documentation showing you sold at a loss, which can be helpful for your tax records. Just make absolutely sure you're dealing with the real Ticketmaster and not a phishing attempt. When in doubt, log into your account directly through their main website rather than clicking any links.

As a new community member here, I wanted to thank everyone for this incredibly thorough and helpful discussion! I just started my first job out of college and was completely baffled by all the codes on my paystub, especially FED MWT EE. Reading through all these explanations has been like taking a crash course in payroll deductions. It's so reassuring to know that Federal Withholding Tax Employee confusion is practically a rite of passage for new workers! I had no idea that this was essentially a pre-payment system for my federal income taxes, or that I could actually adjust the amount through my W-4. Like many others mentioned, I've been getting fairly large refunds (around $950 last year) and always thought that was great news. But learning that it's essentially an interest-free loan to the government while I'm trying to pay down student loans and build savings has been a real wake-up call. I'm definitely going to use the IRS Withholding Estimator this weekend and schedule a meeting with our HR team to review my current W-4 settings. Thanks to this community for creating such a welcoming space where newcomers can ask questions without feeling embarrassed about not knowing these "basics" that nobody really teaches you until you're already working!

As someone who just graduated and started my first full-time job last month, this entire thread has been absolutely invaluable! I was literally staring at my paystub yesterday trying to figure out what FED MWT EE meant, and finding this discussion feels like striking gold. It's incredible how much clearer everything becomes when people explain that it stands for Federal Withholding Tax Employee - essentially the federal income tax being withheld from each paycheck as a pre-payment toward my annual tax obligation. I had no idea this was something I could actually control through my W-4 form! Reading about everyone's experiences with large refunds being essentially interest-free loans to the government has been such an eye-opener. I got about $850 back this year and thought I was doing great, but now I realize that money could have been helping me tackle my student loans or build my emergency fund throughout the year instead of sitting with the IRS. I'm definitely planning to use the IRS Withholding Estimator this weekend and schedule time with our payroll team next week to review my W-4 settings. It's so reassuring to see that literally everyone goes through this same confusion when starting out - makes me feel much less silly for not understanding what seemed like it should be obvious! Thanks to this amazing community for creating such a welcoming space where newcomers can ask questions without embarrassment. This is exactly the kind of practical financial education I wish they had taught us in school!

I'm confused why no one's talking about Form 843 for relief from tax penalties? If you had no income and made an honest mistake with the Marketplace plan, couldn't you request abatement of the APTC repayment based on reasonable cause?

As someone who went through a similar situation as an F1 student, I want to emphasize a few key points that might help you: 1. **Double-check your filing status**: Since you mentioned being here about 3 years, make absolutely sure you qualify for the F1 student exemption from the substantial presence test. If you don't qualify for the exemption, you might actually be a resident alien for tax purposes, which would change everything about how you file and could make you eligible for repayment limitations. 2. **Payment options**: Don't stress too much about paying the full APTC amount immediately. The IRS offers payment plans (Form 9465) for taxpayers who can't pay their full liability at once. As a student with no income, they're usually understanding about installment agreements. 3. **Keep detailed records**: Since this is a complex situation involving international student status and APTC repayment, keep copies of everything - your 1095-A, 1040-NR, Form 8962, Form 8843, and any correspondence with the IRS. This will be crucial if they have questions later. 4. **Consider professional help**: While the online services mentioned seem helpful, you might also want to contact your school's international student services office. Many universities have tax preparation assistance specifically for international students, and they're familiar with these exact situations. The good news is that you caught this early and are being proactive about fixing it. That puts you in a much better position than if you had ignored it completely.