Has anyone actually RECEIVED their 1095-C yet??? I'm in the same boat as OP with missing Box 12 DD and I still haven't gotten my 1095-C. My employer keeps saying "they're in the mail" but it's been weeks.

Just wanted to add some clarity on the small employer aspect that Lincoln mentioned - this is actually really important for your situation! Since your company has under 50 employees, they're not subject to the ACA employer mandate, which means they're not required to offer coverage that meets the affordability and minimum value standards. This is huge for determining whether you need to repay your premium tax credits. Even if your employer did offer some kind of health insurance during those three months, it likely wouldn't qualify as "affordable coverage" under ACA rules unless it specifically met those strict federal standards (which most small employer plans don't). The fact that your HR person said you "missed enrollment" and had to wait also suggests their plan might not have been continuously available to you anyway. If coverage wasn't actually available during those months when you had ACA insurance, then there's no overlap issue at all. I'd suggest asking your employer two specific questions: 1) Was health insurance coverage available to me during [specific months]? and 2) Did that coverage meet ACA affordability and minimum value standards? Most small employers won't even know what those standards are, which is telling. Without proper documentation showing you had access to qualifying employer coverage during those months, you should be able to keep your premium tax credits.

This is a complex situation that requires careful planning to maximize your family's tax benefits. Based on what you've described, here are the key considerations: **For claiming your son as a dependent:** Since he's working part-time (about 14 hours weekly) and receiving minimal child support, his total income is likely well under the $4,800 threshold for 2024. If you're providing more than half his support (food, housing, etc.), you can claim him as a qualifying relative. **For your granddaughter:** This is where strategy becomes important. You have two main options: 1. **You claim both:** You get dependency exemptions for both, but miss out on EIC benefits since your income is likely too high. 2. **Split approach:** You claim your son as a dependent, but let him file his own return claiming your granddaughter. He could potentially receive significant EIC benefits (up to $3,995 for one child in 2024) plus the refundable portion of the Child Tax Credit. **My recommendation:** Run the numbers both ways. The "split" approach often works better financially for families in your situation because the EIC and Child Tax Credit benefits for lower-income filers can exceed the dependency exemption value for higher-income taxpayers. Also verify the custody timeline - since the divorce was finalized in November and he got primary custody, make sure your granddaughter lived with your household for more than half the year to avoid conflicts with the ex-wife's potential claim. Consider consulting a tax professional to run both scenarios with your actual numbers.

I just want to echo what others have said about running both scenarios with actual numbers. In my experience helping folks with similar multi-generational living situations, the "split" approach often wins by a significant margin. Here's a rough framework to help you think through it: **Scenario 1 (You claim both):** You get dependency exemptions but likely zero EIC due to income limits. Your granddaughter would also qualify you for the Child and Dependent Care Credit if you're paying for childcare while your son works. **Scenario 2 (Split approach):** Your son could potentially get up to $3,995 in EIC for one qualifying child, plus up to $1,500 in refundable Child Tax Credit. Even if his tax withholdings were minimal, he could see a substantial refund. The math usually favors the split approach by $2,000-4,000 for families in your income situation. Since your son has primary custody and they've lived with you since April, you should be on solid ground either way regarding IRS dependency tests. One practical tip: if you go the split route, make sure your son files early to "claim" your granddaughter first, avoiding any potential issues if the ex-wife tries to claim her too. The IRS generally awards the exemption to whoever files first, then sorts it out later if there's a conflict.

I went through this same confusion last year! The key thing to remember is that even though you received the 1099-PATR through your land loan relationship, you're still required to report it as taxable income. One thing that helped me was understanding that the bank issuing your 1099-PATR is likely structured as a cooperative or credit union, which is why they distribute these patronage dividends to customers. It's essentially their way of sharing profits with members. For your $175, you'll definitely want to report it properly. As others mentioned, it goes on Schedule 1 as "Other Income." In TurboTax, look for the "Less Common Income" section and select "Patronage Dividends" or "1099-PATR." The software will walk you through entering the payer information and amount. Don't stress too much about it - it's actually one of the simpler forms to deal with once you know where it goes!

I'm going through the exact same situation right now! I received a 1099-PATR from my farm credit association for a personal land purchase loan, and I was completely baffled about what to do with it. After reading through all these responses, I feel so much better knowing this is a common situation. I had no idea that many agricultural lenders are structured as cooperatives - that explains why I got that surprise dividend check last month that seemed to come out of nowhere. It sounds like the consensus is pretty clear: report it as "Other Income" on Schedule 1, and most tax software will have a specific section for 1099-PATR or patronage dividends under "Less Common Income" or similar. The fact that it's for a personal loan rather than business use actually makes it simpler to report. Thanks to everyone who shared their experiences - it's really helpful to know I'm not the only one who was confused by this form! Now I can stop procrastinating on my tax return and actually get it filed.

I've been using Varo for my tax refunds for the past two years and can share some real-world data points. In 2023, I received my refund on a Friday morning while my coworker who uses PNC Bank got hers the following Monday - so about 3 business days faster. This year, I got mine on Thursday and my neighbor with Bank of America is still waiting (as of yesterday). One thing I noticed that others haven't mentioned: Varo sends you an instant push notification the moment your deposit hits, which is actually really nice for peace of mind. Traditional banks often don't notify you until the next business day. **A few things to watch out for:** • Make sure your account has been open for at least 30 days before filing • Have some deposit history (even $25/month) to avoid potential fraud flags • Double-check your routing number - Varo's is different from what some tax software auto-fills The speed difference isn't huge, but if you're someone who needs that refund money quickly, those 2-3 days can make a real difference. Plus, no monthly fees which is always a bonus.

I've been using Varo for tax refunds for three years now and wanted to share my experience since I see a lot of mixed information here. **My Timeline Comparison:** - 2022: Varo vs my sister's Wells Fargo - I got mine 2 days earlier - 2023: Varo vs my coworker's Chase - 1 day earlier - 2024: Varo vs my neighbor's credit union - same day (surprisingly!) **What I've learned:** The speed advantage isn't as consistent as some claim. It really depends on when the IRS processes your specific return and sends out that batch. Sometimes online banks are faster, sometimes it's negligible. **Practical advice if you go with Varo:** 1. Open the account at least 6 weeks before filing 2. Set up regular small deposits ($25-50/month) to establish history 3. Verify your routing number in the app - don't rely on tax software auto-fill 4. Enable push notifications so you know immediately when it hits The biggest advantage I've found isn't actually speed - it's the immediate availability of funds with no holds, and their customer service is surprisingly good when you have questions about large deposits. Traditional banks sometimes put 24-48 hour holds on large refunds "for verification." If you're on the fence, it's worth trying, but don't expect miracles. The 1-2 day speed boost is nice but not life-changing unless you really need that money ASAP.

I've been following this discussion with great interest as I had a very similar situation a few months ago. What really helped me was understanding that the IRS focuses on the economic substance of your transactions rather than just the technical mechanics. In your case, you're doing exactly what you should do to preserve your tax loss - you sold the stock at a loss and you're letting your written call options expire naturally. This represents a complete exit from the position, which is the opposite of what triggers wash sale concerns. The fact that your calls are expiring this Friday actually works in your favor. Since the stock has dropped (making your calls likely to expire worthless), you'll have a clean conclusion to both sides of your position - the stock sale loss and the expired option obligation. One thing I learned from my tax advisor is that the IRS specifically looks for situations where taxpayers try to "have it both ways" - claiming a loss while maintaining similar exposure through derivatives. Your situation is clearly not that, since you're exiting entirely. You should feel confident claiming that $1,800 loss on your taxes. Just remember not to buy back into the same stock or purchase call options on it for at least 30 days after your original sale date to keep everything clean.

I'm glad I found this discussion! I'm in a somewhat similar situation but with a twist - I sold shares of a stock at a loss last week and I have both sold calls AND sold puts that expire next month. The puts are cash-secured puts that I sold before I owned the stock. From what I'm reading here, the sold calls shouldn't be an issue since I'm exiting the position entirely. But I'm wondering about the cash-secured puts I sold - if those get assigned and I have to buy the stock, would that trigger a wash sale on my original loss? It seems like the puts could potentially force me back into the stock within the 61-day window, which sounds like it might be problematic. Anyone dealt with a situation like this before?