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I'm in a very similar situation - made about $180 from sports betting this year and was also wondering about reporting requirements. Reading through all these responses has been incredibly helpful! The key takeaway for me is that it's not just about the net profit ($150 in your case), but you need to report ALL your individual winning bets as income. So if you actually won $600 total but lost $450 to get to that $150 net, you're reporting $600 as gambling income. One thing I'd suggest is using the search function on your betting apps to filter by "winning bets" or "settled wins" - this made it much easier for me to calculate my total winnings versus trying to go through every single transaction. Most platforms like DraftKings and FanDuel have pretty good filtering tools in their transaction history sections. Also wanted to say good for you on recognizing when to step away! The fact that you're being proactive about the tax implications shows you're approaching this responsibly. The actual tax hit on amounts like ours really isn't that bad - probably less than what we'd spend on dinner out. Worth being compliant and having peace of mind.
Thanks for sharing your experience @Emma Thompson! That filtering tip for finding just the winning bets is really smart - I was dreading having to go through hundreds of individual transactions manually. I just checked my DraftKings app and you're right, they have a "Settled Bets" section where you can filter by wins only. This is going to make calculating my total winnings so much easier. I had no idea these features existed! It's reassuring to hear from someone else in a similar situation. The $180 vs $150 puts us in basically the same boat tax-wise. I'm definitely feeling more confident about handling this properly now that I understand the gross winnings vs net profit distinction. And you're absolutely right about the perspective - when you think about it as "less than dinner out" rather than some scary tax compliance issue, it really helps put things in the right frame of mind. Better to just handle it correctly and move on!
Marina, you're absolutely doing the right thing by asking about this upfront! As everyone has mentioned, all gambling winnings are technically taxable regardless of amount - even that $150. What I want to emphasize is something that might not be immediately obvious: when you file next year, you'll report your TOTAL winnings (not just the $150 net) as income on your tax return. So if you actually won $400 across various bets but had $250 in losses to end up with $150 net, you'd report the full $400 as gambling income. The losses can potentially be deducted if you itemize deductions, but with the standard deduction being $14,600 for single filers in 2024, most people with smaller gambling activity find it's simpler to just take the standard deduction and pay tax on the gross winnings. Since you're planning to quit while ahead (smart move!), make sure to download your complete betting history from whatever platforms you used before you close those accounts. You'll want records that show each bet date, amount wagered, and outcome. This documentation will be essential for accurate reporting. The good news is that for someone in your situation, the actual tax impact will probably be pretty modest - likely somewhere in the $30-60 range depending on your tax bracket. Definitely worth being compliant rather than worrying about it later!
This is such a helpful summary @Amara Oluwaseyi! I really appreciate how you broke down the gross winnings vs net profit concept - that's been the most confusing part for me as someone new to all this. Your point about downloading betting histories before closing accounts is especially important. I was planning to just delete my apps and move on, but I definitely need that documentation first. The $30-60 tax estimate also helps put this in perspective - it's really not as scary as I initially thought. One quick question: when you mention reporting the "full $400 as gambling income" in your example, does that go on a specific line of the tax return? I want to make sure I'm putting it in the right place when I file next year. Thanks again for taking the time to explain this so clearly. It's reassuring to know that being responsible about small amounts like this is manageable and straightforward once you understand the requirements!
@Mary Bates Great question! Gambling winnings typically go on Line 8b of Form 1040 under Other "Income. You" ll'write something like Gambling "winnings and" the total amount there. If you have significant gambling activity, you might also need to fill out Form W-2G if you received one from a casino or betting site, but for smaller amounts like yours, it s'usually just the Line 8b entry. When you re'preparing your return next year, most tax software TurboTax, (FreeTaxUSA, etc. will) walk you through this step-by-step. They typically ask something like Did "you have gambling winnings? and" then guide you to enter the amount in the correct spot. The key thing is just making sure you report the gross winnings amount not (the net ,)and keeping those detailed records we ve'all been talking about in case you ever need to substantiate the numbers. You ve'got this!
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I've been following this thread closely and it's been incredibly helpful! I'm in a similar situation with a 2019 amendment for unreported rental income of about $4,200. Based on all the experiences shared here, it sounds like I should expect to pay around $5,700-$5,900 total with penalties and interest (that 35-40% increase range everyone's mentioned). One question I haven't seen addressed - does anyone know if the type of unreported income affects the penalty calculation? I'm dealing with rental income that should have been reported on Schedule E, whereas most examples here seem to be 1099 situations. I'm assuming the penalties are calculated the same way regardless of the income source, but wanted to confirm before I call the automated line at 1-800-829-8815. Also, for those who successfully navigated this process, did you mail your amended return via certified mail or regular mail? I'm a bit paranoid about the IRS claiming they never received my payment, especially with such a large amount involved. Thanks to everyone who shared their stories - this thread has been a lifesaver for understanding what seemed like an impossible situation to calculate!
Great question about rental income, Liam! The type of unreported income shouldn't affect the penalty calculation at all - the IRS applies penalties and interest based on the total additional tax owed, regardless of whether it comes from 1099s, rental income, business income, or any other source. When you call the automated line at 1-800-829-8815, you'll just enter your total additional tax liability and the system will calculate penalties the same way. Your estimate of $5,700-$5,900 total sounds right on track based on what everyone else has shared for that 35-40% increase range on 2019 amendments. As for mailing, I'd definitely recommend certified mail with return receipt for peace of mind, especially with a payment that size. The extra few dollars for certified mail is worth it to have proof of delivery. Make sure to keep copies of everything - your amended return, the check, and the certified mail receipt. One tip from my own experience: consider also taking photos of your check and the envelope before mailing, just as additional documentation. It might seem overly cautious, but with amounts this large, having multiple forms of proof can save headaches later if any questions come up.
This thread has been incredibly comprehensive and helpful! As someone who's been dreading dealing with a similar 2019 amendment situation, seeing everyone's real-world experiences with that consistent 37-40% increase range has finally given me the confidence to stop procrastinating. I particularly appreciate how this evolved from PixelPrincess's original question into such a detailed guide. The automated IRS line at 1-800-829-8815 seems to be the clear consensus winner, and having a tax professional like Elin confirm this approach adds even more credibility. One thing I wanted to add that might help others: I noticed several people mentioned the daily compounding interest, and it really can't be overstated how quickly that adds up. I've been putting off my own 2019 amendment for about 6 months now, and based on the math people have shared here, my delay has probably cost me an additional $200-300 in interest. That's a painful but important lesson about not letting these things drag out. For anyone still on the fence about tackling their amendment - this thread proves it's totally manageable with the right approach. Call the automated line, pay the calculated amount, file your amendment, then pursue penalty abatement if you qualify. The peace of mind is worth it!
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Have you considered looking for a new job? Any company that messes up your pay and then drags their feet fixing it doesn't deserve your loyalty. Just sayin' 🤷♂️
This is definitely frustrating, but you're absolutely right to push back! Your employer made the mistake with your W-4, so they should fix it properly. Altering your W-2 could create tax complications for you down the road. I'd recommend being persistent - document everything in writing, reference the IRS guidelines others have mentioned, and don't accept "20-30 weeks" as reasonable. They have payroll systems that can handle corrections much faster than that. Keep escalating up the chain if needed - this is your hard-earned money we're talking about!
Exactly this! The 20-30 week timeline is completely unreasonable - they're probably hoping you'll just give up and accept the hassle. I've seen employers try to drag these things out when they know they're in the wrong. Stay firm on your position and don't let them make their mistake into your long-term problem!
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One important thing to watch for with multiple W2s - Social Security tax. Each employer withholds 6.2% of your wages for Social Security up to the annual wage limit ($147,000 for 2022). If your combined income from both jobs exceeded that limit, you may have overpaid Social Security tax that you can get back when filing.
Is this something tax software automatically catches? I made about $160k combined between my two jobs last year but I'm not sure if I got this credit.
Most major tax software (TurboTax, H&R Block, etc.) should catch this automatically when you enter multiple W2s. The software will calculate if you exceeded the Social Security wage base and add the excess as a credit on your return. If you're doing your taxes by hand, you'll need to calculate this yourself on your Form 1040. This is definitely one of those situations where software is worth it, since it's an easy thing to miss if you're doing it manually.
Just wantd to mention, when I had 2 w2s I just added the box 1 income from both, added the fed witholding together, and the state witholding together. Enter those on your 1040 and ur good to go! No need to complicate it imo.
This is incorrect advice! You cannot just add the totals from Box 1 and enter as a single amount. You need to enter each W2 separately in your tax return. There are multiple boxes on the W2 beyond just income and withholding that need to be reported individually.
Maya Patel
Has anyone actually tried using TurboTax for this situation? My partner and I have a similar setup (both W-2s plus I have freelance work) and I'm wondering if the software handles this clearly or if it's confusing.
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Aiden Rodríguez
•TurboTax handles this fine. I used it last year with a similar situation. It asks about all income sources for both spouses and puts everything on the right forms. You never have to manually decide about "one form vs two forms" - it just creates one joint return with all the right schedules.
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Raj Gupta
As someone who's been through this exact confusion, I can confirm what everyone else is saying - you only need ONE Form 1040 when filing married filing jointly, regardless of how many different income sources you and your wife have. Your freelance income will go on Schedule C (Profit or Loss from Business), and then the self-employment tax gets calculated on Schedule SE. The net earnings from self-employment and the deductible portion of your self-employment tax will flow to Schedule 1. Your W-2 income and your wife's W-2 income both get reported in the wages section of the main 1040. The person at work who told you that you need separate 1040s for self-employment income was definitely mistaken. That's never required for MFJ filers. The whole point of joint filing is that all income, deductions, and credits from both spouses get combined on a single return. Just make sure you keep good records of your freelance income and expenses for Schedule C. With $12,000 in freelance income, you'll likely owe some self-employment tax, so consider making quarterly estimated payments if you haven't been doing that already.
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CosmicCowboy
•This is really helpful! I'm in a similar boat with freelance income but wasn't sure about the quarterly estimated payments part. How do you figure out if you need to make those? Is there a threshold where it becomes required, or is it just recommended to avoid a big tax bill at the end of the year?
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