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Something else to consider - if you discover an excess contribution, you can actually remove it (plus any earnings on that excess amount) before your tax filing deadline to avoid the 6% penalty entirely. If you've already filed your 2020 return, you might still be able to fix this by filing an amended return. I made an excess contribution to my Roth last year and was able to call my brokerage and specifically request a "return of excess contribution" for the specific tax year. They calculated the earnings on that amount and distributed both back to me. Had to report the earnings as income for the year I received the distribution, but avoided the 6% penalty.
Thanks for this tip! So if I understand correctly, I could still potentially avoid the penalty even now? My broker is Vanguard - would I just call them and ask for a "return of excess contribution" specifically for my 2020 contribution? Do you know if there's a time limit for doing this correction?
Yes, you would call Vanguard and specifically request a "return of excess contribution" for tax year 2020. Be very clear about which tax year you're correcting. There is a time limit - ideally you want to do this before the tax filing deadline for that year (including extensions). Since we're well past the 2020 deadline, you'll still owe the 6% penalty for 2020, but removing the excess now stops you from owing the penalty for subsequent years too. The excess contribution continues to be penalized 6% every year until you either remove it or "absorb" it by using up part of a future year's contribution limit.
Omar Fawaz
Just to clarify what everyone is saying - yes, you will owe the 6% penalty. The "including 2020 contributions made in 2021" language specifically means the IRS wants you to pretend the money was there on Dec 31, 2020, even though it physically wasn't. I had the exact same situation last year and I used FreeTaxUSA to file. Their software actually has a pretty good walkthrough for Form 5329. Much better than TurboTax which kept giving me errors.
I second FreeTaxUSA! TurboTax really struggles with Form 5329 and excess contributions. My tax preparer actually recommended I switch to FreeTaxUSA specifically for handling my IRA issues.
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7 Don't forget you can also file an extension! Form 4868 gives you until October 15 to file, though you still need to PAY what you estimate you owe by April 18. I'm a freelancer too and I often file extensions because I'm waiting on K-1 forms from investments. It gives me time to find the right tax pro rather than rushing with whoever has availability.
22 How do you estimate what you owe if you don't have time to do the calculations? That's the part that confuses me about extensions.
7 You make an educated guess based on last year's return and your current situation. The simplest method is to look at what you paid last year, then adjust up or down based on whether you earned more or less this year. You want to pay enough to avoid underpayment penalties. Another approach is to do a rough calculation using your 1099s and W-2s, estimating major deductions but not worrying about getting everything perfect. It's better to slightly overpay and get a refund later than underpay and face penalties. Just make sure to submit the payment with your extension form by April 18th.
11 I was in your EXACT situation 2 years ago and I just walked into H&R Block with no appointment. They assigned me someone on the spot and I filed that day. It was more expensive than I wanted ($380) but the peace of mind was worth it. Just bring ALL your docs and they'll handle it.
19 Did they actually save you money compared to TurboTax though? I've heard mixed things about H&R Block for anything complicated.
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Yara Assad
The W4 form is terribly designed - they should rename Step 3 to "Credits" instead of making it seem like it's only for dependents. I've been doing taxes for 10+ years and even I get confused by the new W4 layout sometimes. Another note: if your income changes significantly during the year, you'll want to redo this calculation. The $701 is based on your current income and projected earnings for the rest of the year. Also check if your second job withholds at the correct rate - multiple jobs often leads to underwithholding if not set up properly.
Thanks for mentioning this! My second job actually just increased my hours, so I'll probably be making about 25% more there than when I first did the W4 calculation. Should I just redo the entire IRS calculator or is there a simple adjustment I can make?
Yara Assad
ā¢Definitely redo the entire calculator with your updated income projections. There's no simple adjustment because the calculator is considering tax brackets, your whole annual income, and how much has already been withheld year-to-date. With a 25% increase at your second job, that could potentially push some of your income into a higher tax bracket, so you want the calculator to recompute everything. While you're at it, make sure both jobs have the correct W4 settings. For the highest-paying job, use the results from the calculator. For the second job, you might want to check the box in Step 2(c) or use the multiple jobs worksheet to ensure enough is being withheld there too.
Olivia Clark
When I got married I screwed this up and ended up owing $4,300 at tax time. The W4 calculator seems helpful but it assumes uniform income throughout the year. If you just got married and the calculator is telling you to put $701 in Step 3, that number is probably prorated for the remainder of the year. Next January, you should fill out a new W4 for the full year effect. Also, consider if you'll itemize deductions or take the standard deduction - this affects your withholding calculation too.
This happened to me too! That $701 sounds about right for adjusting withholding after marriage mid-year. Just don't forget to submit a new W4 in January like others said.
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Something important nobody has mentioned yet: even if you don't owe any federal taxes, you might want to file anyway because you could be eligible for the Earned Income Tax Credit (EITC) depending on your exact income and situation. This is a refundable credit meaning you can get money back even if you didn't have taxes withheld. The threshold for singles without children is lower, but still worth checking. There are also education credits if you're in school part-time. Don't just assume you shouldn't file because your income is low - sometimes that's exactly when you SHOULD file to claim refundable credits!
I actually am taking some community college classes! Would that qualify me for education credits even though my income is low? Also, what's the income range for that Earned Income Tax Credit thing you mentioned? This makes me think I definitely should file even though the tax place told me not to.
Yes, education expenses could qualify you for the American Opportunity Credit or the Lifetime Learning Credit! The American Opportunity Credit is partially refundable, meaning you could get up to $1,000 back even if you don't owe taxes. You need Form 1098-T from your school which shows your tuition payments. For the Earned Income Tax Credit, a single person with no qualifying children needs to earn less than about $17,640 in 2025, and be at least 25 years old (with some exceptions). Since you're 19, you might not qualify for EITC yet unless you meet one of the exceptions, but the education credits are definitely worth looking into. This is exactly why general advice like "don't bother filing" can sometimes cause people to miss out on money they deserve!
I'm a payroll specialist and just want to mention - this isn't technically an I-9 issue. The I-9 is for employment eligibility verification (citizenship/work authorization). What you're describing is a W-4 issue. The W-4 is the form that tells your employer how much federal tax to withhold. But yes, like others said, if you're making under the standard deduction ($13,850 for 2025), you won't owe federal income tax anyway. Just make sure to submit a new W-4 so they start withholding correctly going forward!
Sayid Hassan
ā¢Oh that makes sense why they were confused when I mentioned the I-9! I just knew it was some form with a letter and number lol. Is there a way I can check if my W-4 is filled out correctly before submitting a new one? I don't wanna mess it up again.
Yara Abboud
Guys I think there's an even easier solution to this. Most major brokerages provide a supplemental tax statement for RSUs that shows the correct cost basis info that might not be on the 1099-B. Check your documents section on your brokerage account! My company uses Fidelity and they give us a "Supplemental Information" PDF that lists all the RSU income already included on my W-2.
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PixelPioneer
ā¢I checked my E*TRADE account and couldn't find anything like that. Is this something I need to specifically request from them or from my employer?
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Yara Abboud
ā¢E*TRADE should have something similar, but it might be called something different like "Cost Basis Statement" or "Equity Awards Tax Information." Try looking in the Tax Documents section specifically. If you can't find it there, you might need to contact your company's stock admin team rather than E*TRADE directly. Sometimes the employer has to authorize the broker to provide that supplemental information. For anyone who can't find this document, an alternative is to look at your last December paystub or your W-2, find the total RSU income reported there, and match it to your vesting statements to calculate the proper basis yourself.
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Keisha Williams
I just want to add that this cost basis issue is super important to fix correctly. I messed this up two years ago by not adjusting the $0 basis on my 1099-B and ended up paying tax TWICE on about $8,000 of RSU income - once as income and again as capital gains. Had to file an amended return to get my money back!
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Paolo Rizzo
ā¢Did you have to pay penalties when you filed the amended return? I'm in the same boat and just realized I messed up last year's taxes.
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