I just went through this whole wash sale nightmare last week. One thing nobody mentioned is that some brokers report wash sales differently on their 1099-B forms. For example, my Schwab statement clearly marked the wash sale adjustment with code "W" and a separate column, but my E*TRADE statement had it buried in the footnotes!

Great point about the different brokerage formats! I've dealt with statements from several brokers and they all seem to handle wash sale reporting differently. Here's what I've learned: **Fidelity**: Look for Box 1g on the 1099-B - they clearly mark wash sale adjustments with a "W" code and show the disallowed loss amount. **Vanguard**: They include wash sale info in Box 1f (adjustment code) and provide detailed explanations in the supplemental information section. **Charles Schwab**: As you mentioned, they use code "W" and have a separate column for wash sale adjustments - probably the clearest format. **Robinhood**: This one's tricky - they often combine multiple transactions and the wash sale adjustments can be hard to track. Look for the "Wash Sale Loss Disallowed" line item. **E*TRADE**: Like you said, often buried in footnotes or shown as an adjustment to cost basis without clear labeling. The key is to look for any codes like "W" or "D" (for disallowed loss) and check both the main form and any supplemental statements. When in doubt, most brokers have customer service that can walk you through reading their specific 1099-B format. Don't feel bad about calling - these forms are genuinely confusing even for experienced investors!

The advice about estate distributions potentially losing IRA status is crucial - this is actually a common mistake executors make. If the IRA funds were distributed to the estate first, you're likely looking at fully taxable distributions for everyone. However, there's still hope! Some IRA custodians will work with you to establish inherited IRAs even after an estate distribution, especially if you can document that the intent was always to preserve the tax-advantaged status for beneficiaries. The key is acting quickly. For your non-citizen family members, once you get this sorted out, they'll follow the same rules as citizens regarding inherited IRAs. Your father will need annual RMDs plus the 10-year rule, while your sisters just need to empty their accounts within 10 years. Given your San Diego location and that 7.5% HELOC rate, paying off the debt might indeed be the smart move - especially with current market volatility. Just make sure to factor in the combined federal and California tax hit when calculating your net savings. I'd strongly recommend having the executor contact the IRA custodian immediately to see if this can be corrected before any individual distributions are made.

I'm dealing with a very similar situation right now with my late uncle's IRA, and I can share some insights from what I've learned working with both the executor and IRA custodian over the past few months. First, regarding the estate distribution issue - you absolutely need to act fast on this. In my case, we caught it just in time and the custodian (Fidelity) was willing to work with us to establish inherited IRAs even though the executor had initially requested estate distribution. The key was showing clear documentation that all beneficiaries intended to maintain the tax-advantaged status. For your non-citizen family members, I can confirm they'll be treated the same as citizens for inherited IRA purposes as long as they're U.S. tax residents (which green card holders are). Your father's situation with the RMDs plus 10-year rule is correct - it's called being an "eligible designated beneficiary" due to his age. One thing to consider for your California tax situation - if you're planning to pay off that HELOC, you might want to calculate whether taking partial distributions over 2-3 years would keep you in lower tax brackets. California's tax rates can really add up when combined with federal taxes on large distributions. Also, don't forget about potential estimated tax payments if you do take a lump sum - the IRS expects quarterly payments on large windfall income like this.

One thing I haven't seen mentioned yet is the importance of timing your tire purchase strategically. Since you're 90% business use, you can deduct 90% of the cost in the year you purchase them. If you're close to year-end and expecting higher income next year, you might want to buy the tires now to get the deduction in the current tax year. Also, make sure you're getting the best deal possible since you can only deduct what you actually spend. Check tire retailers for rebates, compare prices online vs in-store, and consider buying during sales events. Every dollar you save is still money in your pocket, but every dollar of the purchase price (times 90%) reduces your taxable income. Don't forget to keep the receipt and note the business use percentage and date of purchase in your records. The IRS will want to see documentation if they ever audit your vehicle expenses.

Great question! As others have mentioned, you can absolutely deduct 90% of your tire costs since that matches your business use percentage. The key thing to remember is that it doesn't matter when you originally bought the vehicle - what matters is your current business usage. Since this is your first year as a 1099 contractor, I'd strongly recommend calculating both the standard mileage method and actual expense method to see which gives you a better deduction. For tires specifically, they're considered maintenance expenses, so you can deduct the full 90% in the year you purchase them. One tip: if you're planning to buy tires soon anyway, consider the timing for tax purposes. If you're expecting higher income next year, purchasing them before December 31st would give you the deduction in the current tax year when it might be more valuable. Also, make sure you're keeping detailed mileage logs and all receipts. The IRS is pretty strict about vehicle expense documentation, especially for high business use percentages like yours. A mileage tracking app can be a lifesaver for this!

Something else to consider - if your medical expenses exceed 7.5% of your AGI but you don't have enough other deductions to make itemizing worthwhile, you might still be better off taking the standard deduction. Do the math both ways. Last year I had about $13,000 in medical expenses including mileage with an AGI of $85,000. That meant only expenses over $6,375 were deductible, so I could deduct about $6,625. But the standard deduction was higher than all my itemized deductions combined, so I ended up taking the standard deduction anyway.

Great question! Yes, you're absolutely right about being able to deduct medical travel miles. Just to add a few more details that might be helpful: Make sure you're tracking round trips to ALL medical-related destinations - not just doctor visits, but also trips to pick up medical equipment, attend physical therapy, visit labs for blood work, or even trips to pharmacies for prescription medications. One thing people often forget is that you can also deduct travel to accompany a dependent (like a child or elderly parent) to their medical appointments. So if you're driving your kid to the pediatrician or taking a parent to their specialist, those miles count too. Since you mentioned not tracking odometer readings, here's a tip for going forward: create a simple log with date, destination, purpose of trip, and miles. Even a note in your phone works. For past trips, your method of using appointment records + Google Maps is perfectly fine - just make sure your records clearly show the medical purpose of each trip. Also keep in mind that if you had any overnight stays required for medical treatment (like if you had to travel far for a specialist), you can deduct lodging costs up to $50 per night per person, plus meals if the trip was primarily for medical care.

I went through this exact same frustration last year! TurboTax's pricing strategy for 1095-A forms is absolutely ridiculous. Here are some solid free alternatives that actually work: **FreeTaxUSA** - Completely free for federal filing with no income limits, and they handle 1095-A forms and Premium Tax Credit calculations without any upgrade fees. Only charge is about $15 if you need to file a state return. **Cash App Taxes** - Totally free for both federal and state, including all marketplace insurance forms. No hidden fees or upgrade traps. **IRS Free File Program** - If your income is under $73,000, you can access several tax software partners through the IRS website that will handle your 1095-A for free. The key is to go directly through these services or the IRS Free File portal - don't get tricked by the "freemium" versions that hit you with surprise charges. Your 1095-A situation is actually pretty straightforward, so any of these should work perfectly without the $120 robbery that TurboTax is trying to pull on you!

I totally understand your frustration with TurboTax's pricing! I went through the exact same thing last year with my 1095-A form. Here are some genuinely free options that worked for me: **IRS Free File Program** - If your AGI is under $73,000, you can access completely free versions of tax software through IRS.gov that include 1095-A support. I used TaxAct through this program and it handled my Premium Tax Credit reconciliation without any extra charges. **FreeTaxUSA** - This is probably your best bet. They offer free federal filing with no income restrictions and fully support 1095-A forms and Form 8962 (Premium Tax Credit). The only potential cost is around $15 if you need to file a state return. **Cash App Taxes** - Completely free for both federal and state returns, and they handle marketplace insurance forms without any upgrade fees. The key is making sure you're accessing the truly free versions of these services, not the "freemium" versions that hit you with surprise charges. Your situation with the Maryland Marketplace 1095-A is actually pretty standard - you definitely shouldn't have to pay $120 for what amounts to basic tax form processing!