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Another option worth considering: if you're over the income limits for both traditional IRA deductions AND direct Roth contributions, you might want to look into the "backdoor Roth IRA" strategy. Basically, you: 1. Make a non-deductible contribution to your traditional IRA (which you've already done) 2. Convert the traditional IRA to a Roth IRA The catch is that this works best if you don't have other traditional IRA assets because of the "pro-rata rule" - which means you can't just convert the non-deductible portion tax-free if you have other pre-tax IRA money. For your specific situation with the $6,800 currently in the account, you'd owe taxes on the $300 in earnings but not on the original $6,500 contribution (assuming you properly report it as non-deductible on Form 8606).
How long do you need to wait between making the non-deductible traditional IRA contribution and converting it to Roth? I've heard differing opinions on this, with some saying you need to wait a certain period of time.
There's actually no required waiting period between making a non-deductible traditional IRA contribution and converting it to a Roth IRA. Some people do the conversion almost immediately after the contribution clears in their traditional IRA. The confusion about waiting periods likely comes from concerns about the "step transaction doctrine," which is a tax concept where the IRS could potentially view related transactions as a single transaction if they're clearly pre-planned steps. However, the IRS has not been challenging backdoor Roth conversions on this basis, and many tax professionals now consider it a standard, accepted practice regardless of timing.
Don't forget about Form 8606! This is super important if you're doing non-deductible traditional IRA contributions or conversions. You need to file this form to report non-deductible contributions to traditional IRAs and to track your basis. If you don't file this form, you could end up paying taxes twice on the same money later when you withdraw or convert. The IRS won't track your non-deductible contributions for you!
I learned this the hard way! Missed filing 8606 for two years and had to submit amended returns. Such a headache. TurboTax didn't even prompt me about it when I entered my IRA info.
I think your calculations look right based on the numbers. I moved from an accountant to doing my own taxes last year and had a similar "sticker shock" moment. Here's a tip I wish someone had told me: whenever you have income that doesn't have taxes withheld (like your interest), you should plan to set aside about 25-30% of it for taxes, depending on your tax bracket. For next year, look into making quarterly estimated tax payments for that interest income. The IRS form is 1040-ES. It'll save you from having a big bill next April and might even save you from underpayment penalties if your total tax due is high enough.
Thanks for confirming! Quick question - how do the quarterly payments work? Do I just guess how much interest I'll earn for the year and divide by 4? And if I mess up the estimate, will I get penalized?
Quarterly payments are basically your best estimate divided into four payments. The IRS provides a worksheet with Form 1040-ES that helps you calculate the amount. You can base it on last year's interest if you expect similar amounts, or adjust as needed if you know it will be different. If you underestimate, you might face a small penalty, but only on the difference between what you should have paid and what you did pay. The good news is there's a "safe harbor" rule - if you pay at least 90% of this year's taxes or 100% of last year's tax liability through withholding and estimated payments, you generally won't face penalties even if you end up owing more.
One thing to consider - are you contributing to any retirement accounts? With your income level, putting money into a traditional 401k or IRA could reduce your taxable income and potentially lower your tax bill. For 2025, you can contribute up to $23,000 to a 401k if your employer offers one, or up to $7,000 to an IRA. Might be worth looking into for next year's taxes, especially since you have substantial interest income that's adding to your tax burden.
Not OP but I'm in a similar situation. If I max out my 401k at work, does the contribution have to be made before December 31st to count for that tax year? Or do I have until April 15th like with an IRA?
Don't forget to check if your state has any specific rental property tax requirements! Here in Oregon, we have additional forms for rental income. My accountant missed this my first year as a landlord and I had to file an amended return.
Do vacation rentals get taxed differently than long-term rentals? I'm thinking about putting my beach condo on Airbnb but heard the tax situation is way more complicated.
Vacation rentals absolutely have different tax implications! Short-term rentals (typically less than 30 days) are often subject to lodging taxes that long-term rentals aren't. You may need to collect and remit occupancy taxes similar to hotels. The bigger difference comes with how you report income and expenses. With significant personal use, you might need to allocate expenses between personal and rental use based on days. Also, if you actively manage a short-term rental with average stays under 7 days, it might be considered "active" rather than "passive" income, which affects how losses can be deducted. Some short-term rental owners even qualify as "real estate professionals" which opens up additional tax benefits.
I made a mistake on my rental property taxes last year and the IRS sent me a scary letter. Turns out I was depreciating my property over 39 years (commercial property schedule) instead of 27.5 years for residential. Double check everything!
11 Just to confirm what others have said - a tax year is always January through December, regardless of when you actually worked during that year. Your 2021 W-2s would cover any money you earned from January 1, 2021 through December 31, 2021. Another option nobody mentioned: If you still have your final paystub from November 2021, it might have your year-to-date earnings listed, which would include all your wages from January-November. Some financial aid offices will accept this as temporary proof while you're trying to get your official W-2s. Worth asking your financial aid office!
19 This is really good advice! I work in a college financial aid office, and we do sometimes accept last paystubs as temporary documentation especially in cases like this. We'd still need the official documents eventually, but it can buy you some time with deadlines.
11 Thanks for the additional info! I didn't even think about the paystub option. You're right that the year-to-date information would essentially show the same income information that would be on the W-2. I should have also mentioned that the employer is required by law to provide a replacement W-2, so being persistent with them is important. If they refuse, you can actually report them to the IRS using Form 4852 (substitute for W-2), which also puts some pressure on them to comply.
23 has anyone had luck with the irs phone number for getting wage info? ive been calling 800-829-1040 but keep getting disconnected. is there a better number specifically for w-2 issues??? this is so frustrating!!!
Everett Tutum
I made the same mistake a few years ago. One important thing to remember is that you'll need to account for the earnings on your excess contribution separately from the contribution itself. The earnings are considered taxable income in the year the distribution is made (which seems to be 2023 for you). When you get your 1099-R for 2023, it should break down how much was the excess contribution (not taxable) and how much was earnings (taxable). Make sure this matches what you expect!
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Peyton Clarke
ā¢Thanks for this info! Do you know if the 10% early withdrawal penalty applies to the earnings portion? I'm 35, so definitely not at retirement age yet. The earnings were pretty minimal (around $75) but I want to make sure I don't miss anything when filing for 2023.
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Everett Tutum
ā¢Yes, the 10% early withdrawal penalty does typically apply to the earnings portion if you're under 59½. So in your case, with approximately $75 in earnings, you'd owe regular income tax on that $75 plus an additional $7.50 as the 10% penalty. When you file your 2023 taxes, your tax software should walk you through this if you indicate that the distribution includes earnings from an excess contribution. Just make sure you enter the 1099-R information correctly and specify that it was a return of excess contributions from a prior year.
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Sunny Wang
Quick tip - if you use tax software like TurboTax or H&R Block, they usually have a specific section for handling returned excess contributions. Don't just enter the 1099-R as a normal distribution or you might end up paying taxes and penalties you don't owe!
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Hugh Intensity
ā¢Any recommendations for which tax software handles this situation the best? I've used FreeTaxUSA in the past but I'm not sure if they have good support for these IRA issues.
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