That envelope you described with the DC PO Box address and "Immediate Response Requested" marking is definitely your SBTPG refund card! I got the exact same one about a month ago and had the same confusion. The "Member FDIC BANK" and "Do Not Bend" are standard for prepaid debit cards. Your refund money is already loaded on there - you just need to activate it online or by calling the number that'll be on the card. The "Immediate Response Requested" sounds scary but it just means "please activate this card when you get it" - nothing urgent. Activation took me about 5 minutes on their website and then I could access my full refund right away. Don't stress about it, this is totally normal for SBTPG!

That envelope is 100% your SBTPG refund card! I got the exact same one from that DC address (PO BOX 98285) with all those same markings - "Immediate Response Requested," "Do Not Bend," and "Member FDIC BANK." I was confused too at first because it looks so official and formal. The "Immediate Response Requested" just means you need to activate the card once you open it - not that there's any emergency or urgent issue. Your refund money should already be loaded on the card. Just open it up and follow the activation instructions inside (you can do it online or by phone). The whole process took me about 5 minutes and then I had full access to my refund. This is totally normal for SBTPG - they always send their prepaid debit cards in these official-looking envelopes. Don't stress about it, your money is sitting right there waiting for you to activate it! 💰

I'm going through the exact same thing right now! Reading through all these responses has been incredibly helpful - I had no idea there were so many nuances to consider beyond just "did I make money or not." What really stands out to me from this discussion is that filing seems to be a "better safe than sorry" situation. Even if you're not required to file with zero income, there are so many potential benefits (refundable credits, documentation for aid programs, getting back any withheld taxes) and basically no downside other than the time investment. I'm definitely going to try that IRS Free File tool that was mentioned. The idea that it walks you through everything and automatically calculates whether you need to file based on your specific situation sounds perfect for someone like me who's been overthinking this whole process. Thanks to everyone who shared their experiences - especially hearing about people who discovered they qualified for credits or refunds they never knew about even with no traditional income. That alone makes it worth spending an hour to file, even if I end up owing nothing and getting nothing back.

This thread has been incredibly thorough and helpful! As someone who's dealt with tax situations across different income levels, I want to add one more consideration that might be relevant to your situation. If you're planning to make income in 2025 and might owe taxes next year, filing a return for 2024 (even with zero income) can actually work in your favor. Here's why: if you end up owing taxes for 2025 and need to set up a payment plan with the IRS, having a filing history shows compliance and can make the process smoother. The IRS looks more favorably on taxpayers who have consistently filed returns, even in years when they weren't required to. Also, if you're thinking about starting any kind of business or side hustle in 2025, having that 2024 return on file establishes your taxpayer record and can be helpful when you need to prove your tax compliance for things like business loans or contracts. I'd echo what others have said about using the free resources available. The VITA program mentioned earlier is fantastic, and many libraries also offer free tax prep assistance during tax season. Don't let the fear of complexity stop you from potentially getting money back or establishing that important paper trail. The bottom line everyone's arrived at is solid: when you're unsure and the cost is just time, file. The potential benefits far outweigh the minimal effort involved, especially with all the free tools and assistance available.

One thing I haven't seen mentioned yet is the importance of getting proper documentation upfront. When working with ITIN contractors, make sure you have them complete Form W-9 with their ITIN clearly listed. This protects you if there are any questions later about proper reporting. Also, keep detailed records of the work relationship - contracts, invoices, proof of payment, communication showing they control how/when work gets done. The IRS loves documentation during audits, especially for contractor relationships that might seem questionable on the surface. I learned this the hard way when I got selected for a random audit last year. Having all my contractor documentation organized and readily available made the process much smoother than it could have been.

Something that really helped me navigate the ITIN contractor situation was understanding the backup withholding rules. If your contractor with an ITIN doesn't provide proper documentation or if there are issues with their taxpayer ID verification, you might be required to withhold 24% of payments for backup withholding. This is different from the treaty-based withholding that applies to foreign contractors. For ITIN holders who are US residents, backup withholding can kick in if the IRS notifies you that the ITIN is incorrect or if the contractor fails to provide their taxpayer ID number properly. Make sure to verify the ITIN format is correct (it should start with 9 and have specific number patterns) and keep records of your verification attempts. The IRS TIN Matching system can help verify ITINs for businesses, though it's not always real-time. Also worth noting - if you're paying an ITIN contractor who's a US resident more than $600 in a year, you absolutely need to issue that 1099-NEC by January 31st, just like with SSN contractors. The ITIN goes in the same box where you'd normally put an SSN.

Just to add some clarity on the session method - I had a similar situation with multiple sportsbooks last year and was initially overwhelmed by hundreds of individual transactions. What really helped was understanding that you can define a "session" however makes sense for your gambling pattern, as long as you're consistent. For online sports betting, I grouped mine by calendar day since I typically would place several bets throughout a day. Some people group by the time they log in and out of the app. The key is documenting your method and sticking to it. One important thing to note: even though you calculated a net profit of $5,400.66, you still need to report the GROSS winnings of $33,862.41 on your tax return. The $28,461.75 in losses can only offset this if you itemize deductions on Schedule A. Also, make sure you're not double-counting anything in your calculations. Sometimes deposits can get confusing if you're looking at account balance changes versus actual bet outcomes. The transaction log should clearly show "bet placed," "bet won," and "bet lost" which are the key data points for tax purposes. Keep those FanDuel records organized - if you ever get audited, having clean documentation of your session method will be crucial!

This is a really common confusion point that I see all the time! You're absolutely right to report the $5,400.66 as your net gambling income, but there's an important distinction in how the IRS wants you to report it. You'll actually need to report your TOTAL winnings of $33,862.41 as income on Form 1040 (line 8b for gambling winnings). Then, if you choose to itemize deductions on Schedule A, you can deduct your gambling losses of $28,461.75 (but only up to the amount of your winnings). Your $4,100 in deposits are NOT considered losses - they're just the money you transferred to play with, similar to exchanging cash for chips at a casino. The actual gambling losses are the $28,461.75 from bets you lost. So your tax impact depends on whether you itemize: - If you itemize: You report $33,862.41 in winnings and deduct $28,461.75 in losses, netting to taxable income of $5,400.66 - If you take the standard deduction: You report $33,862.41 in winnings with no offset, so you pay tax on the full amount Make sure to keep all your FanDuel transaction records well-organized by session as you've done - that documentation will be crucial if you're ever audited. The session method is perfectly valid and much more practical than tracking individual bets!

This thread has been incredibly enlightening! I've been struggling with the exact same confusion about my paycheck for the past few months. Like so many others here, I was convinced my employer was making calculation errors because my pension contributions were labeled as "pre-tax" but weren't reducing my FICA taxes. The explanation about different categories of pre-tax deductions finally made everything click. I had no idea that Section 125 cafeteria plan deductions (like health insurance and HSA contributions through payroll) get more favorable tax treatment than retirement contributions. This is definitely going to influence my benefits decisions going forward. What really resonates with me is the point about building a higher Social Security earnings record. While it's frustrating to pay more in FICA taxes now, at least those contributions are going toward my future benefits rather than just disappearing. It helps reframe the "extra" taxes as forced retirement savings. I'm planning to review all my benefit elections during the next open enrollment period to maximize those Section 125 deductions. The HSA payroll contribution strategy alone could save me hundreds in FICA taxes annually compared to direct contributions. Thanks to everyone who shared their experiences and expertise - this community has been way more helpful than my company's HR department! It's also reassuring to know from the payroll professional who commented that this confusion is extremely common. Makes me feel much less foolish about not understanding these tax distinctions sooner.

This entire discussion has been a game-changer for my understanding of payroll taxes! I've been in the same boat as Diego and so many others here - staring at my pay stub wondering why my "pre-tax" pension contributions weren't reducing ALL my taxes. What really opened my eyes was learning about the distinction between regular pre-tax deductions and Section 125 cafeteria plan deductions. I had no idea that my health insurance premiums were getting better tax treatment than my 401(k) contributions! This explains why some of my coworkers have been so enthusiastic about maxing out their HSA contributions through payroll. The explanation about building a higher Social Security earnings record helps me feel better about those extra FICA taxes too. Instead of seeing it as paying more than I should, I can think of it as investing in my future benefits. Still stings the current paycheck, but at least there's a long-term payoff. I'm definitely going to use this knowledge during my next benefits enrollment period. Switching my HSA contributions from direct payments to payroll deduction alone could save me several hundred dollars per year in FICA taxes. And now I understand why my benefits coordinator always emphasizes maximizing those "cafeteria plan" elections - they really are the premium version of pre-tax deductions. Thanks to everyone who shared their experiences and especially the payroll professional who confirmed this confusion is incredibly common. It's reassuring to know I'm not the only one who found these tax distinctions confusing!