Not OP but I had a similar situation with equipment I sold. The service contract portion gets allocated separately as ordinary income, not as part of the capital transaction. At least that's how my accountant handled it.

Yeah actually I did have a service contract that transferred to the new owner with about 8 months left on it. I hadn't even thought about that part. I paid $3200 for a 3-year service plan originally.

Location, location, location. I put it in what I thought was a great spot near a lake where people go fishing and boating, but it turns out most people just bring their own ice in coolers. The property lease was expensive, electricity costs were higher than projected, and I had several expensive repairs in the first year. Competition from nearby gas stations with cheaper ice didn't help either. The ROI calculations from the manufacturer were... let's just say optimistic.

That's a fantastic idea! I hadn't thought about checking public records. Would the Secretary of State site definitely have the EIN though? I was under the impression that EINs aren't always public information.

The Secretary of State site won't always have the EIN directly listed, you're right about that. But it will have the company's official registered name, address, and usually the name of the registered agent or owner. Having the full legal entity name is often helpful when reporting on your taxes. With that information, you can also try searching the EDGAR database on the SEC website if it's a larger company, or sometimes even a Google search for "[Company Name] EIN" works because companies often put their EIN on various public documents. Local business licenses sometimes include this info too.

This is terrible advice. If your estimate is significantly lower than what the company reports, you'll get a CP2000 notice and potentially owe penalties and interest. Better to overestimate slightly than underreport.

That's a really good point I hadn't considered. Do you know if there's any downside to claiming Sweden if they still consider me a tax resident? Would I still have tax obligations to Sweden even though I'm now living in the US?

Yes, that's the potential catch - if Sweden still considers you a tax resident, you might have ongoing tax filing obligations there. Sweden, like many countries, taxes its residents on worldwide income. However, there's a tax treaty between the US and Sweden that prevents double taxation. The treaty typically assigns primary taxing rights to the country where you're physically performing work (the US in your case for your PhD stipend), but investment income like dividends can be more complicated. The treaty usually reduces withholding rates, but you might need to report the income in both countries. I'd recommend checking the Skatteverket (Swedish Tax Agency) website or contacting them directly about your specific situation to understand if and when your tax residency in Sweden officially ends.

Did you have any issues with your broker accepting the form with France instead of Germany? I'm worried my investment platform might question why my citizenship country doesn't match my residence country.

2 Does requesting those transcripts trigger any kind of audit or review? My cousin says anytime you contact the IRS directly you're putting yourself on their radar for an audit. Is that true?

17 Requesting your wage and income transcripts absolutely does not trigger an audit or special review. That's a common misconception. These transcripts are your right as a taxpayer and millions of people request them every year for perfectly routine reasons. The IRS selects returns for audit based on specific statistical formulas looking for outliers and unusual patterns, not because someone requested their own information. In fact, being proactive about your tax situation by requesting transcripts and filing accurately is more likely to help you stay off the audit radar.

1 Not sure what software he used, but that's a good point about the W-2 possibly being wrong. How would he even go about proving that though? 7-Eleven probably isn't going to just admit they made a mistake, especially 2 years later.

Good point! I'm in New York and got surprised last year when my state return didn't match the federal deductions. Do you know if there's a good resource that compares state vs federal depreciation rules?

I don't know of one comprehensive resource that covers all states, unfortunately. Each state has its own tax department website that usually outlines the differences between federal and state treatment of depreciation and Section 179. For New York specifically, they've partially decoupled from federal bonus depreciation rules but do follow the federal Section 179 limits with some modifications. Your best bet is to check the NY Department of Taxation and Finance website or consult with a tax professional who specializes in your state. I've found that state-specific tax forums can also be helpful for these kinds of questions.

What's the easiest way to track mileage? Do you use an app or just write it down?

I use MileIQ app and it's been a lifesaver. It automatically tracks all my drives and I just swipe right for business trips and left for personal. At the end of the year, I can export a detailed report for tax purposes. Before that, I tried keeping a paper log but always forgot to update it. The IRS can be really strict about mileage documentation during audits, so having an app that automatically creates timestamped records with starting and ending locations has given me peace of mind. Some other popular options are Everlance and Hurdlr - they all have free versions you can try.