Question - do I still need to pay into US Social Security if I'm paying into NZ's superannuation system? Feels like I'm double paying for retirement!

As someone who just went through this exact situation last year after moving to Auckland, I can definitely relate to the overwhelm! The key thing that helped me was getting organized early and understanding that yes, you absolutely still need to file US taxes. Since you worked in both countries during 2023, you'll need to gather documents from both employers - your final W-2 from the Boston company and whatever tax documents your NZ employer provides (they should give you an IR3 or similar). One thing I wish I'd known earlier: keep detailed records of your exact dates of travel and residence. The IRS is very specific about qualifying days for the Foreign Earned Income Exclusion, and having precise documentation makes everything smoother. Also, don't stress too much about the NZ tax year difference (April to March vs January to December). You'll report your 2023 calendar year income to the US, regardless of how NZ splits it across their tax years. The good news is that once you get through your first year of expat taxes, subsequent years become much more routine. You've got this!

One thing nobody's mentioned yet - if you're considering withdrawing from your Roth IRA because you need funds, make sure you've exhausted other options first. Retirement money should really be a last resort. Also, remember that while you can withdraw contributions anytime, if you take out earnings before age 59½ (with some exceptions), you'll pay taxes PLUS a 10% penalty on those earnings. And once you take money out, you can't put extra back in to "make up" for it beyond your annual contribution limits.

A trick I learned from my accountant - if you can't figure out the contribution vs earnings split from your records, look at your Form 5498s from previous years. The IRS gets these forms from your plan administrators showing your contributions each year. You can request wage and income transcripts from the IRS that include these forms going back several years. Might save you some headache if you can't get the info from Fidelity directly.

Has anyone else noticed that TaxACT seems to struggle with calculating QBI deductions correctly for partnerships? We had to manually override some of their calculations last year. Wondering if they've fixed this for the current tax season?

I can definitely confirm that you can file just a 1065 partnership return through TaxACT without doing your personal taxes through them. I've been doing this for our small real estate partnership for the past three years. You'll want to look specifically for their "TaxACT Business" software, not their personal tax version. The business edition includes Form 1065 and all the related schedules you'll need for rental properties, including depreciation schedules and K-1 generation for you and your brother-in-law. A few tips from my experience: - The business version does cost more than personal, but it's still reasonable compared to going to a CPA - You can absolutely e-file the 1065 - no need to print and mail - Their rental property depreciation module works pretty well for straightforward situations - Make sure to keep good records of your basis in each property, as you'll need this for the K-1s For a simple two-property partnership like yours, TaxACT Business should handle everything you need without any issues. Just be prepared to spend a bit more time learning the interface if you're used to their personal tax software - the business side has more complexity but it's still user-friendly overall.

Just wanted to mention that even though Box 12 codes are important, don't forget to look at your Box 13 too. If you're contributing to TSP, the "Retirement plan" box should be checked. This affects whether you can deduct traditional IRA contributions if you have those as well.

I went through this exact same confusion when I first started dealing with military W2s and TSP withdrawals. One thing that really helped me was creating a simple checklist to make sure I didn't miss anything: 1. **Box 12 codes** - Write down each code and amount, then look up what each one means 2. **1099-R from TSP** - This is separate from your W2 and shows your withdrawal details 3. **Box 13 retirement plan checkbox** - Make sure this aligns with your TSP participation 4. **Early withdrawal penalties** - Check if you qualify for any military exceptions The key thing to remember is that your Box 12 amount and your TSP withdrawal are two completely different things that get reported differently on your tax return. Box 12 shows contributions that were made, while the 1099-R shows money you took out. I'd also recommend keeping copies of all your military tax documents in one folder - you'll thank yourself later if you ever need to reference them for future tax years or if the IRS has questions.

Everyone keeps mentioning accountants, but I think you need a tax attorney for a situation this complex. I made the mistake of just using my regular CPA when I hadn't filed for 5 years, and we ended up with the IRS rejecting the voluntary disclosure and hitting me with serious penalties. An attorney can give you protection through attorney-client privilege that a CPA can't. Just my 2 cents after learning the hard way.

I was in a very similar situation - didn't file for 4 years with my consulting LLC. The key thing that helped me was getting organized BEFORE meeting with a tax professional. I spent weeks trying to reconstruct my financial records from old bank statements and whatever receipts I could find. One practical tip: if you used business credit cards or had dedicated business bank accounts, those statements will be your lifeline for reconstructing deductible expenses. Even without receipts, you can often identify legitimate business expenses from the merchant names and dates. Also, don't panic about the penalties. Yes, there will be some, but the IRS has programs like "first-time penalty abatement" that can help reduce them if you have a clean record otherwise. The fact that you're proactively addressing this before they contact you works heavily in your favor. For your income jump to $650k this year - make sure you're making quarterly estimated payments NOW if you haven't already. That's probably more important than the back years at this point since the current year liability will be substantial. Start gathering your records immediately and find a tax pro who specializes in unfiled returns. Don't let this drag on any longer - every month you wait adds more penalties and interest.