The $600 threshold is definitely the key here, and it sounds like you're on the right track with your understanding. Since you mentioned your uncle didn't have investments or rental properties, the main things to look out for would be interest earned on his bank accounts after his death, any final paychecks that came in after he passed, or dividends from any stocks he might have owned. One thing that catches a lot of people off guard is that even small amounts of interest can add up over time if the estate stays open for several months. If you're settling things quickly and the only income is minimal bank interest, you'll likely stay well under the $600 threshold. The EIN letter language is indeed standard - they send the same wording to everyone regardless of the actual filing requirements. It's meant to cover all situations, but the $600 gross income rule still applies to determine if you actually need to file Form 1041 for your specific situation.

I went through this exact same situation when my aunt passed away last year. The EIN letter really does make it sound mandatory, but you're absolutely correct about the $600 threshold still applying. In my case, the estate only generated about $85 in bank interest over the 8 months it took to settle everything, so no Form 1041 was needed. The key thing I learned is that "gross income" specifically refers to money the estate EARNED after death - not the value of assets that already existed. So in your uncle's case, his checking account balance, retirement funds, and truck value don't count toward the $600. Only new income like interest earned on those accounts after his passing would matter. If he didn't have investments generating dividends or rental properties, you'll probably stay well under the threshold. Keep track of any interest earned on the estate bank account though - that's usually the main source of income for simple estates like this. As long as it stays under $600 for the tax year, you can ignore that "must file" language in the EIN letter.

This is exactly the kind of question I wish I had asked when I first started working! You're absolutely on the right track thinking about maximizing both accounts. Just to reinforce what others have said - yes, you can definitely contribute the full $23k to your 401k AND $7k to your Roth IRA in the same year. At your $85k salary, you're well below the Roth IRA income limits, so no worries there. One thing I'd suggest is running the numbers on how much this will actually impact your take-home pay. Contributing $30k total annually means about $2,500 per month, which might be aggressive depending on your other expenses and financial goals. You might want to start with getting the full employer match on your 401k, then gradually increase both contributions as you get comfortable with the cash flow impact. Also, don't forget about emergency savings! While maximizing retirement contributions is awesome, make sure you have at least 3-6 months of expenses saved up first. You don't want to be in a position where you have to withdraw from retirement accounts early because of an unexpected expense. Great job thinking about this stuff early - your future self will definitely thank you!

Hey Luca! Congrats on starting to think seriously about retirement savings - you're definitely asking the right questions! Everyone here has given you solid advice, and yes, you can absolutely max out both accounts in the same year. The $23k 401k limit and $7k Roth IRA limit are completely separate. At $85k income, you're well within all the eligibility requirements. I'd echo what others have said about prioritizing the employer match first - that's literally free money you don't want to miss out on. Beyond that, here's my take on the strategy: 1. Contribute enough to get full employer match (sounds like 6% based on your comment) 2. Build a solid emergency fund if you don't have one yet (3-6 months expenses) 3. Max the Roth IRA ($7k) - better investment options and flexibility 4. Go back and max the 401k if you can afford it The key is finding a sustainable contribution level that doesn't stress your monthly budget. You can always increase contributions over time as your income grows or expenses decrease. Better to start with a reasonable amount you can stick with than to max everything out for a few months and then have to scale back. One practical tip: most payroll systems let you set 401k contributions as a percentage, so you might want to calculate what percentage of your gross pay gets you to your target annual contribution amount. Makes it easier to set and forget! You're starting young which is the biggest advantage you have. Even if you can't max both accounts immediately, consistent contributions over time will compound into serious wealth. Keep asking good questions like this!

Do you know the total amount of gifts your aunt gave throughout her lifetime? The lifetime exemption is pretty high (over $12 million), but if she was very wealthy and had already used up a lot of her exemption, it could affect the tax situation for her estate.

Since you mentioned your aunt was a retired teacher who was good with saving and investing, it's very unlikely she exceeded the lifetime gift and estate tax exemption. Even if she made occasional large gifts over the years, the current exemption is $13.61 million per person for 2024 (and will be even higher for 2025), so most people never come close to owing actual gift tax. As the executor, you'll want to look through her financial records to see if she ever filed Form 709 in previous years - that would tell you if she made other large gifts that used up part of her exemption. But honestly, with a $22,000 gift being notable enough for you to worry about, it sounds like she probably stayed well within the exemption limits. The main thing is just making sure you file that Form 709 for the year she made the gift to you, even if no tax is actually owed. It's more about proper documentation than owing money to the IRS.

Quick tip from someone who got audited: the IRS specifically flagged my high meal expenses compared to my business revenue. Now I follow the 5 W's rule - document Who, What, Where, When, and Why on every receipt. I snap a pic with my phone and use the notes feature to add this info right away.

I've been dealing with this exact same confusion as a freelance graphic designer! One thing that really helped me was creating a simple spreadsheet template for meal tracking. I include columns for date, amount, location, who I was with, business purpose, and a photo of the receipt. My accountant told me the biggest mistake people make is not being specific enough about the business purpose. Instead of writing "client meeting," I write "discussed Q1 marketing campaign with ABC Company - reviewed design concepts and timeline." The IRS wants to see that actual business was conducted, not just that you happened to eat with someone. Also learned the hard way that coffee meetings count too if you're discussing business! I was missing out on deducting all those Starbucks meetings with potential clients. Just make sure you're consistent with your documentation from day one.

Hey there! I totally understand your frustration - I've been in a similar spot before with an amended return. Here are a few additional options you might not have considered: If you have a CPA or tax preparer, they should have your return info on file and can tell you the refund amount over the phone. Even if you did it yourself, some tax software companies have customer service that can help you access your account remotely. Also, try checking your credit monitoring apps (like Credit Karma, if you use one) - they sometimes show tax refund information in their financial summaries. One more thing that saved me once: if you have a spouse or family member who was listed on the return, they might be able to access the Where's My Refund tool using their information instead of yours. Since amended returns take so long anyway, you could also just wait until you're back home to check. I know the uncertainty is stressful, but 3 weeks into the process means you've got at least 13 more weeks of waiting regardless. Sometimes the peace of mind isn't worth the hassle of jumping through all these hoops! Hope one of these options works for you - amended returns are such a pain to track! 🤞

I feel your frustration! I went through something similar last year when I was stuck overseas and needed to check my amended return status. Here's what ultimately worked for me: The IRS transcript method mentioned above is definitely your best bet, but if you can't get through their identity verification online, try calling the transcript request line at 1-800-908-9946. It's a different system than the main IRS line and sometimes has shorter wait times. Another option that saved me: if you bank with a major bank (Chase, Bank of America, etc.), their customer service can sometimes look up your previous year's IRS deposits, which gives you a ballpark estimate. I called my bank's 24-hour line and they were able to tell me my 2022 refund amount, which helped me guess within the right range. Also, don't overlook your state tax return if you filed one - sometimes the state portal will show your federal AGI or refund info, and their systems are usually more user-friendly than the IRS. Since you're only 3 weeks into the amended return process anyway, you've got plenty of time to figure this out. Amended returns are notorious for taking 16+ weeks, so even if you can't check the status right now, you're not missing out on getting your money any faster. The waiting game is just part of the amended return experience unfortunately! Good luck getting through all the bureaucratic maze! 🤞