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Has anyone used tax loss harvesting to offset gains from something like this? I've heard you can sell other investments at a loss to balance things out tax-wise.
This is a tough situation, but you're not alone - these kinds of app-triggered sales happen more often than you'd think. Unfortunately, as others have mentioned, you're still on the hook for the taxes even though it was accidental. Here's what I'd recommend doing immediately: 1. Document everything - screenshot the app settings, save any emails or notifications about the sale, and keep records of your original intent. While this won't help with taxes, it might be useful if you decide to file a complaint with the app provider. 2. Calculate your potential tax liability now so you can plan accordingly. If you have significant gains, you might want to set aside money for the tax bill. 3. Look for any loss positions in your portfolio that you could harvest before year-end to offset these gains. 4. Consider whether you want to repurchase immediately or wait to avoid potential wash sale complications if you have any loss positions. The silver lining is that when you do rebuy, your new cost basis will be the current purchase price, which could work in your favor if the stocks continue to appreciate long-term. It's an expensive lesson about reading the fine print on investment apps, but you'll get through this!
This is really helpful advice! I'm definitely going to start documenting everything right away. One question - when you mention calculating potential tax liability now, is there a simple way to estimate this? I'm worried I might be looking at a huge tax bill and want to start preparing mentally and financially for it. Also, should I contact the app company about this? I'm still pretty frustrated that there was no clear warning that deleting the tracker would trigger automatic sales. Seems like that should have been more obvious in their interface.
Great thread everyone! As someone who's been through partnership restructuring twice, I want to emphasize the timing aspect that's crucial for both sections. For IRC 704(c), the clock starts ticking the moment property with built-in gain/loss is contributed. You can't retroactively fix improper allocations - if you've been ignoring 704(c) requirements, you need to address it immediately going forward. The IRS can recast transactions if they find you've been shifting built-in gain between partners. For IRC 743(b), timing is about the 754 election. You can make it in the year of the transfer OR retroactively if you meet certain criteria, but waiting too long can cost your incoming partner thousands in unnecessary taxes. One practical tip: if you're bringing in a new partner next year, model out the tax impact with AND without the 754 election before they buy in. Sometimes the election benefits the new partner but creates administrative headaches for the partnership that aren't worth it. Other times (especially with appreciated assets), it's essential for fairness. Also consider getting a formal 704(c) allocation method documented in your partnership agreement BEFORE any new contributions. Don't leave it to default rules that might not work for your situation.
This is incredibly helpful timing advice! I'm the original poster and wasn't even thinking about the retroactive aspects. A quick follow-up question - when you mention modeling out the tax impact with and without the 754 election, are there any online calculators or tools that can help with this analysis? Our accountant quoted us $2,500 just to run the numbers, which seems steep for what should be a relatively straightforward calculation. Also, how complex is it to document the 704(c) allocation method in our partnership agreement? Can we add an amendment or do we need to completely rewrite the agreement?
@b7a4636cc7c3 Great questions! For modeling the 754 election impact, $2,500 does seem high for basic calculations. You might want to try taxr.ai that @cc198ccea12a mentioned earlier - it can analyze partnership scenarios and help you understand the financial impact of elections like 754. Even if it doesn't give you exact dollar figures, it should help you understand whether the election makes sense for your situation. For the 704(c) allocation method documentation, you typically can add it as an amendment to your existing partnership agreement rather than rewriting everything. The key is specifying which method you're choosing (traditional, curative, or remedial) and how it applies to current and future property contributions. Most partnership attorneys can draft this amendment for a few hundred dollars rather than thousands. One more timing tip since you're bringing in a new partner next year - try to get the 704(c) method documented BEFORE they join. If you wait until after, it might look like you're retroactively choosing a method that benefits certain partners, which could create issues if the IRS ever examines your partnership.
As someone who recently went through a similar partnership expansion, I'd strongly recommend getting professional help with these provisions - they're more interconnected than they initially appear. One thing that caught me off guard was how 704(c) and 743(b) can actually work together when you have both contributed property AND incoming partners. For example, if your family business has appreciated assets that were contributed years ago (triggering 704(c)), and now you're bringing in a new partner who's buying in at fair market value, that new partner could be getting hit with a double tax burden without proper planning. The new partner pays a premium price that reflects the appreciated assets, but without a 754 election and 743(b) adjustment, they'll still get allocated their share of the built-in gain when those assets are eventually sold. Meanwhile, the 704(c) allocations are supposed to prevent the original contributing partner from shifting their built-in gain to others. I'd suggest mapping out your partnership's asset basis versus fair market values before bringing in the new partner. If there are significant disparities, you'll want both the 704(c) tracking properly documented AND the 754 election in place. The interaction between these provisions can either create a fair outcome for everyone or lead to some partners getting seriously overtaxed. Also, don't forget that once you make the 754 election, it applies to ALL future transfers - including if any current partners eventually sell their interests. Consider the long-term implications beyond just your immediate new partner situation.
@21670ac52ea5 This is exactly the kind of comprehensive analysis I was hoping to see! Your point about the double tax burden is particularly eye-opening - I hadn't considered how our new partner could end up paying twice for the same appreciation. As a newcomer to partnership taxation, I'm realizing there are so many interconnected pieces that aren't obvious from reading the code sections in isolation. Your suggestion about mapping asset basis versus fair market values makes perfect sense. We definitely have some appreciated real estate and equipment that were contributed when we formed the partnership several years ago. One follow-up question: when you mention that the 754 election applies to ALL future transfers, does that include transfers between existing partners, or just new people coming in? We're a family business and might have some ownership shifts between family members over the next few years as the older generation starts to step back. Also, is there a way to revoke the 754 election later if we decide the administrative burden is too much, or are we truly locked in once we make it?
This is such a timely post for me! I was just selected to be on The Price is Right next month and I've been wondering about the tax implications. Reading through everyone's experiences here has been incredibly eye-opening. A couple of follow-up questions based on what I've learned: 1. For those who've been on game shows, do they typically give you any tax guidance during the taping process, or do they just hand you the 1099-MISC later and leave you to figure it out? 2. I'm seeing conflicting information about estimated quarterly taxes. If I win something substantial (like a car worth $30K+), will I need to make estimated tax payments for the current year, or can I just handle it all when I file my return? 3. Has anyone had success negotiating with the show about the fair market value they assign to prizes? Some of the values mentioned here seem pretty inflated compared to what you could actually buy the same items for. Thanks for sharing all your experiences - this thread is going to save me from making some expensive mistakes!
Welcome to the game show world! I can answer some of your questions from my experience: 1. Most shows provide minimal tax guidance during taping. They'll have you sign paperwork acknowledging the tax implications, but don't expect detailed advice. The 1099-MISC usually arrives in January with little explanation. I'd recommend bringing a list of tax questions to ask the production staff right after your taping. 2. Yes, if you win something substantial like a $30K car, you'll likely need to make estimated quarterly payments to avoid penalties. The IRS expects you to pay as you earn, not wait until April. I learned this the hard way and got hit with underpayment penalties. Consider making a payment for the quarter you win to be safe. 3. I've never heard of anyone successfully negotiating the fair market value after it's been set. The shows usually have appraisers determine these values, and they tend to use full retail prices rather than realistic market values. Your best bet is the cash negotiation that was mentioned earlier, but that has to happen before you accept the prizes. Good luck on your taping! The experience is amazing even with the tax complications. Just be prepared and maybe set aside 25-30% of your winnings' value immediately for taxes.
Just to add another perspective - I won on Jeopardy! two years ago and can confirm everything said here about game show winnings being treated as ordinary income, not gambling income. One thing I'd emphasize is to start setting money aside immediately if you win big prizes. I won $45,000 in cash and some smaller prizes, and even though they withheld taxes from the cash winnings, I still owed about $8,000 more when I filed. The withholding rate they use (usually 24%) often isn't enough if the winnings push you into a higher tax bracket. Also, for anyone going on shows in the future - ask about the "5-day rule" for California. If you're a non-resident who wins on a show filmed in CA, you might be able to avoid California state taxes if you leave the state within 5 days of winning. It's worth looking into depending on your situation and the value of what you win. The whole experience was incredible though, and honestly the taxes are just part of the deal. Better to win and pay taxes than not win at all!
This is really helpful information, especially about the California 5-day rule! I had no idea that was even a possibility. Just to clarify - does that mean if you're from out of state and win on a California-filmed show, you could potentially avoid owing California state taxes entirely just by leaving within 5 days? That could be a significant savings depending on the prize value. Also, your point about the 24% withholding not being enough is something I hadn't considered. I'm assuming that's because game show winnings get added on top of your regular income, which could bump you into the next tax bracket? Did you end up having to make estimated payments during the year, or were you able to just handle the extra amount owed when you filed your return? Thanks for sharing your Jeopardy! experience - it's great to hear from someone who actually went through this process successfully!
Yes, the California 5-day rule can potentially help you avoid California state taxes on game show winnings if you're a non-resident, but it's more nuanced than just leaving within 5 days. You need to establish that you weren't in California long enough to be considered a temporary resident for tax purposes. The rule generally applies if your total time in CA (including for the show) is less than 5 days in the tax year, but definitely consult a tax professional about this since the rules can be complex. You're exactly right about the withholding issue - game show winnings stack on top of your regular income, which often pushes people into higher tax brackets. In my case, my regular job plus the $45K from Jeopardy! bumped me from the 22% bracket into the 32% bracket for that portion of income. Since they only withheld at 24%, I was short. I didn't make estimated payments during the year (probably should have), so I just handled the balance when I filed. Fortunately I didn't get hit with underpayment penalties since my total withholding for the year was still over 90% of my tax liability, but that was cutting it close. If you win big, definitely consider making a quarterly payment to be safe!
Has anyone mentioned 83(b) elections yet? If these are early stage ISOs and still have a low spread between grant price and FMV, filing an 83(b) election can be huge for tax savings. But you have to do it within 30 days of exercise.
83(b) elections apply to restricted stock, not ISOs. ISOs already have their own special tax treatment. You might be thinking of early exercise of unvested options into restricted stock, which is when 83(b) would be relevant. But based on the original post, it sounds like we're dealing with vested ISOs from a company that already IPO'd, so 83(b) wouldn't apply here.
I'd strongly recommend consulting with a tax professional who specializes in equity compensation before making any decisions. ISOs can get incredibly complex, especially when you factor in AMT, state taxes, and the interaction with existing capital loss carryovers. A few additional considerations for your situation: 1. **State tax implications** - Some states don't have capital gains taxes but do tax ordinary income, which could affect your exercise-and-sell vs. hold strategy. 2. **Quarterly estimated taxes** - If you do exercise and sell, make sure you're prepared for the quarterly estimated tax payments. The large ordinary income hit could create underpayment penalties if you're not careful. 3. **Consider partial exercises** - Instead of exercising all options at once, you might benefit from spreading exercises across multiple tax years to manage your tax brackets and AMT exposure. Given that you have $20K in capital loss carryovers and are in a high tax bracket, the timing and structure of these transactions could save or cost you thousands of dollars. The difference between ordinary income treatment and capital gains treatment on $4,500 per 100 shares could be significant at your income level. Don't rush into anything just because you're in an open trading window - better to get professional advice and potentially wait for the next window than make a costly mistake.
Freya Nielsen
Maybe try talking to your parents first? I had the same issue and just sat down with mine and showed them my expenses vs what they paid for me. They genuinely thought they could still claim me and didn't realize I was providing most of my own support. The conversation was actually fine once I showed them how the rules worked!
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Omar Mahmoud
ā¢This! Communication is key. Most parents aren't trying to screw you over - they just don't understand the tax rules changed or that your situation is different now that you've graduated. Mine were claiming me out of habit because they'd done it for years.
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Sophia Bennett
I'm going through something similar right now! I'm 23 and graduated last spring, been working full-time since June. My parents also handle our family taxes and just assumed they could still claim me. What really helped me was actually calculating my expenses for the year - rent, groceries, car payments, insurance, etc. I was shocked to realize I was covering about 70% of my own costs! Once I showed my parents the breakdown, they understood they couldn't claim me anymore. One thing to consider - even if you were living at home or they were paying some expenses while you were in school (Jan-May), if your income from working full-time (June-Dec) covered more than half your total yearly support, then you provided more than half. Don't forget to include things like tuition payments, health insurance, phone bills, etc. in your calculations. Definitely have that conversation with your parents before anyone files. It's way easier to prevent the issue than deal with the IRS sorting it out later, which can take months and delay your refund.
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Teresa Boyd
ā¢This is really helpful advice! I'm actually in a very similar boat - just graduated last year and my parents are used to claiming me. The calculation approach sounds smart. Did you use any specific method to track all your expenses, or just go through bank statements? I'm worried I might miss something important when I'm trying to prove I provided more than half my support. Also, when you had that conversation with your parents, did you bring printed documentation or just explain it verbally?
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