Just a heads up - make sure your employer's educational assistance program actually qualifies under Section 127! My company thought their program qualified, but turns out it didn't meet all the requirements. A qualified program needs a written plan document, can't favor highly compensated employees, can't give more than 5% of benefits to shareholders/owners, and some other requirements. If the program doesn't qualify, ALL of the educational assistance becomes taxable income. Worth double-checking with your HR department!

Great question about verifying your company's Section 127 program! You can start by asking HR for a copy of the written plan document - this is actually required for qualification. The plan should outline eligibility requirements, types of education covered, and how benefits are administered. Key things to look for: the plan can't discriminate in favor of highly compensated employees (those earning over $135,000 in 2024), no more than 5% of benefits can go to shareholders/owners, and it must be a separate written plan (not just mentioned in an employee handbook). If HR can't provide the plan document or seems unsure about these requirements, that's a red flag. You might want to ask your tax preparer to review the plan details, or consider getting clarification from the IRS directly about whether your specific situation qualifies for the exclusion. Better to find out now than during an audit later!

I can share my recent experience with Republic Bank tax refunds! I've had my refund direct deposited with them for the past 3 years and they're consistently one of the faster banks I've dealt with. This year my refund was scheduled for March 3rd and I received it at 11:47 AM that same day - I remember the exact time because I was anxiously checking my account all morning! From what I've observed, Republic seems to process IRS deposits in real-time once they receive the ACH transfer, rather than holding them until their standard posting times like some banks do. Given that your refund is scheduled for Friday the 21st, I'd plan on having access to the funds by Friday evening at the latest, but quite possibly earlier in the day. For your bill planning, I'd feel comfortable scheduling payments for Monday the 24th, but if you want to be extra conservative (especially with your trip coming up), Tuesday the 25th would give you plenty of buffer. One last tip - if you haven't already, download the Republic mobile app and turn on push notifications for deposits. That way you'll know the moment it hits without having to constantly check your balance. Good luck with your refund and enjoy your trip next month!

I've been banking with Republic for about 2 years now and can definitely weigh in on this! My experience has been very similar to what others have shared - Republic is consistently fast with tax refund processing. Last year my refund was scheduled for February 17th and I had it in my account by 2 PM that same day. This year it was even faster - scheduled for March 10th and available by 9:30 AM. One thing I'd add that hasn't been mentioned yet is that Republic seems to process weekend deposits differently than weekday ones. If your Friday deposit doesn't come through by end of business Friday, don't panic - they sometimes process weekend ACH transfers on Saturday morning. I've seen this happen with other government deposits. For your bill planning, I'd echo what others have said about scheduling for Monday or Tuesday to be safe. But honestly, based on everyone's experiences here, you'll most likely have your money Friday afternoon. Republic has been way more reliable than my old credit union which would hold refunds for "verification" even when there were no issues. Hope this helps with your planning, and have a great trip next month!

I'm in a similar boat as an 18-year-old trying to figure this stuff out! One thing that's helped me is understanding that even though you made a profit, you're probably way below the income threshold where you'd actually need to file taxes. The standard deduction for 2024 is $14,600, so unless you're making close to that from all sources combined (gig work + ticket sales + anything else), you likely don't need to file at all. That said, I'd definitely keep records of the transaction just in case. Save your original purchase receipt and the StubHub payment confirmation. If you do end up needing to file taxes later in the year because your gig work picks up, you'll want to have everything documented. The good news is that at our age, the IRS really isn't worried about small amounts like this. They're focused on people who are clearly avoiding taxes on substantial income. But it's smart that you're asking these questions now - understanding this stuff early will make your financial life so much easier as you get older!

As someone who's been helping people navigate these situations for years, I think you're getting great advice here! Just to add a practical perspective - since you're 18 and this is your first time dealing with tax questions, I'd recommend treating this as a learning opportunity even though the amount is small. The $44 profit you made is technically taxable income, but as others mentioned, you're likely well below the filing threshold if this is your main income for the year. However, I'd suggest keeping detailed records of both the purchase and sale (screenshots, PayPal confirmations, etc.) because good documentation habits will serve you incredibly well as you start earning more. One thing I'd add - if you continue doing gig work throughout the year, you might cross that $14,600 threshold and need to file. In that case, having all your income sources documented (including this ticket sale) will make the process much smoother. Also, don't feel bad about not knowing this stuff! The tax system is confusing, and most 18-year-olds haven't had to deal with it yet. You're being smart by asking questions now rather than figuring it out the hard way later. Consider this a good introduction to the world of tax responsibility!

Has anyone used TurboTax to file in this situation? Does it give you any problems if the name on the 1099 doesn't match your business name?

I can confirm what others are saying here - this is totally normal and nothing to stress about! As a sole proprietor myself, I've received 1099s in both my personal name and business name over the years, and they all get reported on the same Schedule C. The key thing to understand is that for sole proprietorships, you and your business are the same tax entity. The IRS computer systems match 1099s to your SSN, not the name on the form. So whether it says "John Smith" or "Smith Consulting Services," as long as your SSN is correct, you're good to go. I'd recommend just keeping good records showing that this income belongs to your business (like invoices, contracts, etc.) in case you ever get audited, but that's just standard good practice anyway. Report that $14,800 on your Schedule C along with all your other business income and you'll be fine. One less thing to worry about during tax season!

I can definitely relate to your frustration! I had almost the exact same situation happen to me last month when I ordered a new mattress while visiting my parents in New Hampshire but had it delivered to my apartment in Boston. Got hit with that same 6.25% MA sales tax and was initially annoyed thinking I could somehow avoid it. After doing some research (and honestly, reading through threads like this one), I learned that the delivery address is really what determines the tax rate - not where you physically place the order. It's called "destination-based sourcing" and it became the standard after a 2018 Supreme Court case called South Dakota v. Wayfair. What really surprised me was finding out that even if I had bought the mattress in person at a NH store and driven it back to Massachusetts myself, I would still technically owe Massachusetts "use tax" at the same rate on my state tax return. Most people (including me until recently) have no idea about that requirement! So having the retailer automatically collect the sales tax based on delivery address actually saves us from having to remember to self-report it later. I know that $300 stings - mine was about $180 - but unfortunately the company charged you correctly and there's no way to get it refunded. At least now we both understand why the system works this way!

This thread has been incredibly helpful! I'm dealing with a similar situation right now - I ordered some kitchen appliances while visiting my cousin in Oregon (no sales tax) but they're being shipped to my home in New Jersey. Based on all the explanations here, I should expect to pay NJ's 6.625% sales tax when they arrive, correct? The whole use tax concept really caught me off guard. I had absolutely no idea that if you buy something in a no-tax state and transport it home yourself, you're still legally obligated to report and pay your home state's tax rate on your return. That seems like such an obscure requirement that the vast majority of people would never know about! It actually makes me appreciate that retailers now automatically handle this based on delivery address - at least I don't have to worry about accidentally violating some tax law I was completely unaware of. What really resonates with me is the explanation about supporting the infrastructure in the state where you actually live and use your purchases. New Jersey will handle the delivery logistics, provide consumer protections if anything goes wrong, and I'll be using their utilities and services while operating the appliances. When you think about it that way, it makes perfect sense that they should receive the tax revenue. Thanks to everyone who shared their real experiences - learning from actual examples like these is so much more valuable than trying to decipher confusing government tax websites on your own!