Congratulations on your upcoming wedding! I went through a very similar situation two years ago and wanted to share what I learned. The month-by-month eligibility calculation that others have mentioned is absolutely correct, but there's one additional detail that might help you feel even more confident. When you file Form 8962, there's actually a "safe harbor" provision for people whose income changes due to marriage. If your combined income for the year (including the pre-marriage months) is still under 400% of the Federal Poverty Level, your repayment amount is capped even if you technically received more credits than you qualified for. Given that your individual income was $38K and your fiancé's is $72K, your combined annual income of around $110K should still be well under the 400% FPL threshold for a married couple (which is about $140K for 2024). This means even in a worst-case scenario, any repayment would be limited. Also, definitely take advantage of that employer insurance option starting in December. Most employer plans have better coverage anyway, and it eliminates any uncertainty about marketplace calculations for the rest of the year. Don't let tax stress dampen your wedding joy - you're going to be just fine!

I'm dealing with a very similar situation - getting married in December and have been receiving Premium Tax Credits all year. Reading through everyone's responses has been incredibly helpful, especially learning about the month-by-month eligibility calculation. One thing I wanted to add that might help others: make sure to keep detailed records of when you actually get married versus when you update various systems. I've been told by a tax preparer that the IRS goes by your actual marriage date for the calculations, not when you updated your marketplace account or employer benefits. Also, for anyone in this situation, I found it helpful to request a projected 1095-A from the marketplace before the end of the year. This shows you exactly how much in Premium Tax Credits you've received so far and helps you estimate what the impact will be for those final months as a married couple. The advice about maximizing 401k contributions for the last couple months is brilliant - I hadn't thought of that strategy but it makes perfect sense for lowering your MAGI during the married filing period. Thanks to everyone who shared their experiences here. It's so reassuring to know this is a common situation with clear solutions rather than the tax disaster I was imagining!

Has anyone ever tried arguing that a change in your personal involvement with the properties constitutes a material change? Like if you were actively managing all properties when grouped, but now have become passive with one or more of them?

I've been dealing with a similar ungrouping situation and wanted to share what I learned from my research and consultation with a tax professional. The key is really understanding that the IRS looks at whether the original economic rationale for grouping still exists. Beyond what others have mentioned, here are some additional "material changes" that might qualify: - **Debt structure changes**: If you refinanced one property with significantly different terms (like switching from commercial to residential mortgage, or adding/removing personal guarantees) - **Insurance changes**: Moving from a blanket policy covering all properties to separate policies can show they're no longer economically integrated - **Tenant profile shifts**: If one property went from long-term residential to short-term vacation rental, that's a fundamental business model change - **Legal structure modifications**: Changes in LLC operating agreements, management structures, or ownership percentages The documentation is crucial - you need to show the IRS that maintaining the grouping would be "clearly inappropriate" given the new circumstances, not just that ungrouping would save you taxes. One strategy I've seen work is preparing a detailed memo explaining how the properties functioned as an integrated economic unit originally, and how specific changes have disrupted that integration. This proactive documentation can be invaluable if the IRS ever questions your ungrouping decision. Have you considered whether any of these types of changes apply to your situation?

Make sure to double check your W-2s from those years! Box 1 (wages, tips, other compensation) would include any imputed income. If your employer won't give you an accurate breakdown, look at your December paystub for each year and multiply the per-paycheck imputed income by the number of pay periods. When I had this issue, my company refused to issue corrected W-2s, so I had to file Form 4852 (substitute for Form W-2) along with my 1040-X for each year. Total nightmare but got back around $2200.

This is a really common issue that many newly married couples face! As others have mentioned, you're absolutely right that imputed income should only apply to domestic partners, not legally married spouses. The IRS is clear that employer-provided health insurance for spouses is not taxable income. I'd suggest documenting everything before you approach HR again. Print out your pay stubs showing the imputed income, gather copies of your marriage certificate, and maybe even print out the relevant IRS guidance (Publication 15-B covers this). Sometimes having the official documentation in hand makes the conversation go more smoothly. One thing to watch out for - if your employer fixes this going forward but won't issue corrected W-2s for previous years, you'll definitely want to file those amended returns. The IRS typically allows you to amend returns for up to three years, so depending on when you got married in 2022, you might be able to recover taxes from both 2022 and 2023. Keep pushing on this - it's definitely worth the effort to get it corrected!

I'm dealing with this exact same frustration right now! Applied for my EIN for my small IT consulting business about 3 weeks ago and have been getting that dreaded "high call volume" message every single day. It's incredibly frustrating when you're trying to get your business paperwork in order and the government systems seem designed to block you at every turn. Reading through everyone's experiences here has been a huge help - I had no idea about the Business & Specialty Tax Line at 800-829-4933 or the early morning timing strategies. The success stories from people who got through at 7:01-7:02 AM give me real hope that there's actually a way to break through this phone system maze. I'm definitely going to try the early morning calling approach tomorrow with all my application details organized exactly like the successful callers described. Having backup options like faxing and the in-person TAC visits is reassuring too - it's good to know there are multiple paths to resolution. What strikes me most is how many applications get delayed due to classification errors or technical glitches that could probably be avoided with better system design. But for now, I'm just focused on getting my EIN so I can move forward with my business setup. Thanks to everyone for sharing real solutions instead of just venting - this community has been more helpful than hours of searching the IRS website!

I'm going through the exact same frustration! Applied for my EIN for a small freelance marketing business 4 weeks ago and have been stuck in that endless "high call volume" loop. It's maddening when you're trying to get your business legally set up and the system seems designed to keep you out. This thread has been incredibly helpful - I had no idea about the Business & Specialty Tax Line at 800-829-4933 or all these timing strategies. The detailed success stories from people like @Jamal Harris and @Nia Williams give me real hope that there's actually a way through this maze. I'm going to try the 7:01 AM calling approach tomorrow with all my details organized exactly like the successful cases described. The phrase "I'm calling to check the status of my EIN application that I submitted X weeks ago" seems to be key for getting straight to the right department without transfers. Also planning to double-check my original application for potential classification issues since so many people discovered errors that were causing delays. The backup options like faxing and visiting a local TAC office are great to know about too. It's frustrating that basic government services require this level of strategy, but I really appreciate everyone sharing what actually works instead of just complaining. This community has been more helpful than anything on the official IRS website!

I actually made a huge mistake with these classifications last year. I treated the sale of my business equipment as straight capital gains without considering the 1245 recapture rules. Ended up having to file an amended return and pay a bunch more tax plus interest. Don't be like me - make sure you understand how these work or get professional help. The difference in tax treatment can be significant!

The good news is that once you understand the basic framework, it becomes much clearer! Here's my simplified approach: Think of it as a two-step process: 1. First, determine if your property qualifies as Section 1231 property (business use, held over 1 year) 2. Then, figure out if it's 1245 (personal property like equipment) or 1250 (real property like buildings) for depreciation recapture For your equipment and commercial property situation: - Equipment = likely 1231 AND 1245 property - Commercial building = likely 1231 AND 1250 property - Land portion = just capital asset (no depreciation involved) The key insight is that 1231 gives you the framework for favorable tax treatment, while 1245/1250 determine how much of any gain gets "recaptured" as ordinary income due to depreciation you've already claimed. I'd recommend creating a simple spreadsheet listing each asset, its original cost, accumulated depreciation, and potential sale price. This will help you see exactly how the rules apply to your specific situation. And definitely don't rush through this - as others have mentioned, getting it wrong can be costly!