


Ask the community...
Something nobody mentioned yet - make sure you research the providers for whichever account you choose. I have my Solo 401k through Fidelity and it's been great - no setup fees or annual maintenance fees, and decent investment options. Some providers charge hefty admin fees, especially for Solo 401ks. Also, if you go with the Solo 401k route and your plan assets exceed $250k, you'll need to file Form 5500-EZ each year, which is an extra administrative task. Not a huge deal but something to be aware of.
Do you know if Vanguard's Solo 401k has similar fee structure to Fidelity? I've heard Vanguard has good low-cost index funds but wasn't sure about their 401k admin fees for small businesses.
Vanguard does have a similar fee structure with no setup or annual maintenance fees, and they definitely have excellent low-cost index funds. The main difference I found was that Fidelity allowed me to invest in a wider range of options including individual stocks within the Solo 401k, while Vanguard limited me to their funds. Both are solid choices though. The key is to avoid the providers that charge $200+ annual administration fees or have costly setup fees. Those can really eat into your returns over time, especially when you're just starting out with your retirement savings.
One thing to consider with a Solo 401k vs SEP IRA - if you think you might hire employees in the future, the Solo 401k rules get much more complicated once you have employees. With a SEP IRA, you'd have to contribute the same percentage for all eligible employees as you do for yourself. I started with a SEP IRA when I was solo, then had to switch everything when I hired my first employee. Wish I'd known that earlier!
That's a really good point I hadn't considered. I don't have immediate plans to hire employees, but it's definitely possible in the next 2-3 years. So if I understand correctly, once I hire employees, I'd need to either: 1. Convert my Solo 401k to a regular 401k with all the additional compliance requirements 2. Or with a SEP IRA, I'd need to contribute the same percentage for employees as I take for myself Is there a clear better option between those two scenarios?
Great question! Both scenarios have their challenges, but here's what I learned from my experience: With a SEP IRA, you're right that you'd need to contribute the same percentage for all eligible employees. So if you contribute 20% of your compensation, you'd need to contribute 20% for each employee too. This can get expensive fast, but the administrative burden is relatively light. For the Solo 401k conversion to a regular 401k, you're looking at significantly more compliance requirements - annual testing, Form 5500 filings, possible audit requirements, and much higher administrative costs. Most small businesses end up hiring a third-party administrator, which can cost several thousand dollars annually. In my case, I actually ended up switching from my SEP IRA to a SIMPLE IRA when I hired employees. It allowed me more flexibility - I could contribute up to $16,000 as an employee deferral (for 2023) plus up to 3% employer match, and employees aren't required to participate if they don't want to. The administrative burden was manageable and costs were reasonable. Might be worth considering that third option if you do end up hiring in the future!
I see your frustration, but the refund transfer option does serve a purpose for many people. Not everyone can afford to pay the tax preparation fees upfront, and some don't have bank accounts. For those folks, having the fees taken out of the refund is their best option, even with the slight delay. I've been on both sides - when I was younger and living paycheck to paycheck, that refund transfer was a lifesaver.
I work in banking operations and can confirm that MetaBank/Pathward is correct. What many people don't realize is that this intermediate step actually provides consumer protection - if there are any issues with your tax return or identity verification, the funds can be held and investigated before hitting your personal account. The 1-3 day delay is standard ACH processing time. Pro tip: if you're concerned about timing, you can usually see the refund hit the temporary MetaBank account before it transfers to yours by checking your H&R Block online account status page.
This is identity theft. You need to take immediate action: ⢠File a paper tax return with Form 14039 (Identity Theft Affidavit) ⢠Contact all three credit bureaus to place fraud alerts ⢠File a police report for documentation purposes ⢠Check your children's credit reports (yes, they have them) ⢠Consider credit freezes for your children ⢠Report to FTC at IdentityTheft.gov ⢠Keep detailed records of all communications The IRS will investigate both returns and determine which is legitimate. This process takes time but they will ultimately correct the situation. You'll still receive your proper refund amount with interest.
How does this compare to situations where an ex-spouse incorrectly claims children? Is the process the same, or is there a different approach when it's not identity theft but a dispute between parents?
I've been through this exact nightmare back in 2022. The paper filing part wasn't too bad, but getting through to the IRS was impossible. Took almost 9 months to resolve and get my refund. The police report was actually the most useful part - they didn't investigate but having that official document helped with the IRS.
I'm so sorry this happened to you! As someone who went through this exact situation two years ago, I want to emphasize a few things that really helped me get through it: First, don't panic - while it's incredibly stressful, the IRS does have systems in place to handle this and you WILL get your legitimate refund. The paper filing with Form 14039 is absolutely the right move, and make sure you send it certified mail so you have proof of delivery. One thing I wish someone had told me - start documenting EVERYTHING right now. Take photos of your children's birth certificates, school enrollment records, medical records, even grocery receipts that show you're providing for them. The more evidence you have that they live with you and you support them, the smoother the resolution process will be. Also, consider getting an Identity Protection PIN (IP PIN) for both yourself and your children once this is resolved. It's a 6-digit number that prevents anyone from filing a return using your SSN without that PIN. You can request it through the IRS website once your case is closed. Hang in there - it's a long process but you'll get through this!
As someone who's been through this many times, I can assure you this is normal. Here's what you need to know: ⢠Transcript is the official record and updates first ⢠WMR typically lags 1-3 days behind transcript updates ⢠846 code with a date is the most reliable indicator ⢠Most banks release funds either on or slightly before the official date ⢠This discrepancy is especially common during April processing I understand how important accurate financial planning is for a small business. The good news is you can confidently expect your refund on Friday based on what you're seeing. I hope this helps ease your mind a bit!
This is exactly what happened to me last year! My transcript showed the refund date but WMR was still stuck on "processing" for almost a week after. The transcript is definitely more reliable - it's pulling directly from the IRS's internal systems while WMR is just a public-facing tool that updates on its own schedule. Since you're a small business owner like me, I totally get needing to know exactly when that money will hit for cash flow planning. You can confidently plan on Friday based on your transcript. Just make sure to check if your bank processes deposits early (mine does) so you might even see it Thursday night!
Kelsey Hawkins
I use TurboTax and it lets you override the cost basis that's reported on the 1099-B. There's a specific section where you can enter the adjusted cost basis and it even asks why you're making the change. Makes it pretty straightforward.
0 coins
Dylan Fisher
ā¢H&R Block software has the same feature. When you're entering your 1099-B info, there's a checkbox that says something like "My cost basis is different than what's reported" and then you can enter the correct amount and choose the reason (wash sale, etc).
0 coins
Chloe Taylor
This is a really common issue that trips up a lot of people! The key thing to understand is that the supplemental information typically contains the most accurate cost basis after all adjustments have been made. Your broker might have made adjustments for things like wash sales, dividend reinvestments, or corporate actions that occurred after they initially reported to the IRS. In your case, you should use the $6,325 from the supplemental information. I know it seems counterintuitive to use a number that results in a higher tax bill, but using the correct adjusted basis is what the IRS expects. The difference could be due to wash sales if you bought and sold similar securities within 30 days of each other. When you file, most tax software will have an option to indicate that you're using an adjusted cost basis that differs from Box 1e. Just keep all your 1099-B documents and supplemental materials in case you need to reference them later. The IRS understands these adjustments happen and it's a normal part of investment tax reporting.
0 coins