Anyone know if its different for people already on Medicare Part A (free from turning 65) but then later enroll in Part B? My husband has been on Part A for almost a year but still on my work insurance. Planning to put him on Part B when I retire next summer.

This is such a common confusion point! I went through something similar when my spouse started Medicare last year. One thing that helped me was creating a timeline showing exactly when each contribution was made versus the 6-month lookback period. For your situation with contributions continuing through September and the employer match in November, you'll definitely need to withdraw those as excess contributions. The key is to act quickly - contact your HSA administrator right away to request the withdrawal of any contributions made after July 1, 2024. Also, make sure to keep detailed records of all communications with your employer about stopping contributions. If they continued contributing after you requested them to stop, that documentation could be helpful if you need to demonstrate it wasn't intentional on your part. The IRS sometimes shows more leniency when employer errors are involved, though you'll still need to correct the excess contributions. Don't let this stress you out too much - it's fixable, and you have time to get it sorted before any major penalties kick in!

I just wanted to share my recent experience with a CP14 notice to help others who might be in the same boat. I received one last month for about $650 and was initially panicked about how to handle it properly. After reading through all the excellent advice in this thread, I decided to go with the online payment option. The process was exactly as everyone described: went to irs.gov/payments, selected "Pay Your Tax Bill," chose "Notice" as the payment reason (this distinction was crucial), selected my tax year, and entered the exact amount from the notice. I used the Direct Pay option from my bank account to avoid fees. The whole process took about 10 minutes, and I received an immediate confirmation number. What really put me at ease was that I could track the payment status through my IRS online account. One thing I'd add that I don't think was mentioned - if you're making the payment close to a weekend, be aware that the bank transfer might not process until the following business day, but the IRS still credits you with the payment date you submitted it online. This saved me from accumulating weekend interest charges. For anyone still hesitant about paying online versus mailing a check - the electronic option really is faster, cheaper, and gives you immediate confirmation. The peace of mind alone is worth it!

I wanted to add my perspective as someone who just went through this process last week with a CP14 notice for $725. I was initially overwhelmed by all the payment options on the IRS website, but this thread gave me the confidence to handle it online. The step-by-step process everyone outlined worked perfectly: irs.gov/payments → "Pay Your Tax Bill" → select "Notice" (not "Tax Return") → choose 2023 tax year → enter exact amount from CP14. I used Direct Pay from my bank account to avoid fees. One thing I'd emphasize is double-checking your bank account and routing numbers before submitting - I was so nervous that I triple-checked everything! The confirmation came through immediately, and I took screenshots of every page as backup documentation. What surprised me most was how quickly everything processed. I made the payment on a Tuesday morning, and by Thursday I could see my IRS account showing a zero balance. The interest stopped accumulating from the day I submitted the payment, which saved me money compared to mailing a check. For anyone still on the fence about paying online - it really is the most efficient option for CP14 notices. The confirmation number gives you immediate peace of mind, and the electronic processing is much faster than traditional mail payments.

I'm in a very similar situation with my daughter who's a junior living at home while attending state university full-time. After reading through all these experiences, I feel much more confident about using our 529 funds properly. One thing I wanted to share that might help others - I called my daughter's financial aid office directly to get clarification on their cost of attendance figures, and they were incredibly helpful. They not only confirmed the exact off-campus housing allowance ($12,900 for this academic year) but also explained that this amount is based on actual local rental and food costs in our area. The counselor even mentioned that many families use 529 funds this way for students living at home. I've started keeping a simple monthly log of expenses that benefit my daughter - things like her share of groceries, utilities, internet (which she uses heavily for research and online coursework), and even household supplies. I'm not getting crazy detailed, just reasonable documentation that shows real costs associated with supporting her college education at home. The peace of mind from reading everyone's experiences here is invaluable. It's clear that as long as you stay within the school's published allowance, keep basic records, and ensure your student is enrolled at least half-time, you're well within the IRS guidelines. Thanks to everyone who shared their stories - this thread should be required reading for any parent dealing with 529 funds and students living at home!

As someone who just went through this exact situation with my son who lived at home during his freshman year, I can definitely confirm what others have said here. The key is understanding that you CAN use 529 funds for living expenses even when your student lives at home - you just need to follow the right approach. What worked for me was downloading our college's official Cost of Attendance document which showed $11,800 for off-campus room and board. Even though my son wasn't paying rent to anyone else, the IRS recognizes that supporting a college student at home involves real costs. I kept simple records of household expenses that benefited him (his portion of utilities, groceries, internet for schoolwork, etc.) and made sure my total 529 withdrawals stayed within that published allowance. The documentation doesn't need to be complicated - I kept enrollment verification showing he was full-time, the school's cost of attendance figures, and basic household expense records. No formal rent agreements or artificial payment transfers needed. Just reasonable documentation that shows legitimate housing-related costs. One thing I'd definitely recommend: verify your student's enrollment status each semester before making withdrawals. The "at least half-time" requirement is crucial, and it can vary by term (especially summer sessions). Other than that, as long as you stay within your school's published off-campus allowance and keep basic records, you should be fine. The process is much more straightforward than I initially thought!

One other thing nobody's mentioned - check if your parents ever filed Form 5498-ESA. This form reports Coverdell ESA contributions for each year, and your parents should have received one for each year they contributed. If they kept their tax records, these forms would provide official documentation of the contribution amounts.

I went through this exact same headache two years ago with my own Coverdell ESA! The blank basis on the 1099-Q is so frustrating when you're trying to file. Here's what worked for me: I started by gathering every single statement I could find, then created a spreadsheet tracking all contributions chronologically. Don't forget to check for any contributions that might have come from grandparents or other relatives - those count toward your basis too. One thing that really helped was calling TD Ameritrade directly (not just emailing) and asking to speak with someone in their retirement/education account department. Even though they don't track basis, they sometimes have more detailed transaction histories than what shows up on your regular statements. They were able to pull up some older contribution records that I didn't have. Also, if your parents ever rolled money from one Coverdell to another (like when you transferred ownership), make sure you account for the full contribution history, not just what happened after the transfer. The good news is that once you figure out your basis, the tax software should handle the rest pretty smoothly. FreeTaxUSA is actually pretty good with education account distributions once you have the right numbers.

Something else to consider - make sure your brokerage is properly coding the account transfer. My custodial account was incorrectly processed as a regular transfer instead of an UTMA conversion when I turned 21, and it caused a bunch of reporting issues. The brokerage sent me a 1099 that made it look like I'd sold everything and rebought it, which would have created a huge tax bill. Had to get it fixed before filing my taxes that year. Double check all the paperwork when the transfer happens!

Has anyone dealt with partial transfers? My custodial account has some stocks that aren't doing great right now, and my dad suggested keeping those in the custodial account until they recover before transferring everything. Is that even allowed?