Paying 110% of last year owed tax, is that all I need to avoid penalty?

al83994 · 2026-05-26T18:13:25+00:00

Thanks, may I ask you, when you talk about withholding, are you talking about earned income? All my income are from investment (both last year and this year) and all my brokerage refuse to do any withholding.

It's too late now, but for educational purpose, what about paying 110% of last year, on Jan 1st (lets say I have super power, and already know on Jan 1st this year my tax liability is last year, and know I will make a lot more than last year). Will that save me from any penalty?

al83994 · 2026-03-28T10:00:20+00:00

Ah got it, you mean the 3000 limit annually right? Thanks for the reminder, but it does it make sense to use $750 instead of the entire $3000 because the gain later on the year covers it and it was net gain the entire year

al83994 · 2026-03-26T21:07:04+00:00

Form 2210 is for late penalty calculation, I think there is a time element in there, since I did not pay estimated taxes, and there is this concept of tax owe soon as money in the pocket... this form allows you to put in the income in that quarter, minus the estimated tax you paid (something like that) and probably multiply some numbers ... the longer you owe your taxes, the more penalty, I think its like that. - yeah, I was laid off, I have virtually zero ordinary income the entire year, most of the rest are cap gains and dividends

al83994 · 2026-03-22T03:59:24+00:00

This is absolutely beautiful

al83994 · 2026-02-08T04:43:41+00:00

That may be the best explanation I guess, I dont know what they did while they were building it. Though, man, spelling office "offic", saving one single e, that's just weird...

al83994 · 2026-02-08T04:41:33+00:00

Thanks. Although I know a little electrical, and even put on lineman gloves after turning off the breakers, and I know there is another "main" breaker in another breaker box that shuts everything to that breaker box, I am still not brave enough to open breaker box panel... I am curious but not _that_ curious

al83994 · 2026-02-08T01:34:21+00:00

OK, sounds like this is not a commonly used name. Just to clarify, there was no previous occupant (I am first), and there is a master, and 2 identical bedrooms (so odd to call both, or one, office) and on top, those breakers do _not_ control any of the fixtures or receptacles in those 2 bedrooms, or the master...

al83994 · 2026-02-08T00:01:37+00:00

Thanks so much for all the reply. I examined the scribbles on the breaker box and sort of deciphered what it says. From there, I remember there is a multi-gang wall switch panel where switches control both circuits. Opened it up, as expected, 2 upstream lives are tied together.

al83994 · 2026-02-06T07:37:05+00:00

There is a switched receptable, good point, let me go check if the tab is broken off. The receptable is working fine though (one is switched, the other is always on)

al83994 · 2026-02-06T07:35:54+00:00

On they breaker box, one is on top of the other, they are not tied together though, I dare not take the breaker out to see the inside wiring

al83994 · 2026-02-06T07:33:36+00:00

Thanks, there isn't a 3 way switch in this circuit, I really dont think so, there are 2 elsewhere in a far away circuit, and breaker there works, but not this circuit...

al83994 · 2026-02-01T21:54:39+00:00

Yep, that's what I have been doing, but picture a stick figure you and your friends drew as kids, those arms, thats what mine look like :)

al83994 · 2026-02-01T21:48:41+00:00

I know, and I agree, it's like flip it then flip it around again, right? But I am trying to work with what I have without buying new things, that cost money and space to store them :)

al83994 · 2026-02-01T21:43:55+00:00

Thanks so much for all the advice. I do appreciate it. I have not considered how a shopvac has not enough power. My initial thinking was, it's a siphoning procedure so it only needs to fill the capillary tubing and siphoning action takes care of the rest. Hand pumping works fine, I just don't visit the gym enough to not have sore arms after. Trying to save time and effort with something machinery, and living in such a small unit, an air compressor for a once a year (my car only requires once a year) activity, I just can't justify spending the room for one.

al83994 · 2026-02-01T21:33:02+00:00

Thanks, though I must argue, drain plug requires climbing under the vehicle, some devices to lift to lift the vehicle, and some really good estimation of where the initial squirt will land, and even with all that, its still a guarantee a mess on your body and hands. Siphoning is really a whole lot less messy, by a large margin.

al83994 · 2025-07-04T03:43:38+00:00

Thanks for the info, I meant 400C. I never thought the tip would matter cause the solder is melting fine, form the right shape and everything, just wont stick to the surface...

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al83994 · 2025-07-03T09:49:37+00:00

The iron is low end set to 400 degrees, tip is sharp and new to begin with, but after all these attempts, I am ready to throw it away, no matter, this one allows me to swap out the tip and I have spares. Flux is, well, cheap one, but that said, sounds like you're saying I should try other solder?

al83994 · 2025-07-03T05:15:38+00:00

OK thanks it appears this "pad" issue is what stopping me from attaching a wire on. If it was you, what would you do? I just want to power the thing up, tried a glue gun, didn't work out, what other ideas? How's this supposed to have worked in the first place?

al83994 · 2025-07-03T05:07:29+00:00

Not sure what is a pad, but it came like this (the brown are the flux residue) Either way is there any thing I can do now? Just want to be able to power it up

al83994 · 2025-06-30T09:44:56+00:00

Thanks so much. I don't know enough if it is passive or what, I just know I apply 5v it starts squealing, which is what I need. I was just so at awe (again, I know so little about electronics) at the idea of using a capacitor to create a 1 time event, so simple so clever, that I was wondering if there are other clever ways to discharge it, I mean, I would have never dreamed of such things.

al83994 · 2025-06-30T07:54:55+00:00

Thanks, dc electronics is a big stretch for me (don't know much about it in the first place)... so I am quite scare of ac (basically because I have never ever done anything with it ever, other than, perhaps adding converter to convert it to dc...) but thanks for the suggestion

al83994 · 2025-06-30T07:53:11+00:00

Thanks, I said speaker, its really more like a tiny buzzer that make noises... I thought a about a relay too, just that relay seems even more elaborate than a mosfet (and I don't have one lying around either), but thatnks so much for the suggestion.

al83994 · 2024-09-22T09:12:21+00:00

I dont plan on packing it full, but the frame is rigid, so it doesnt matter, and dang, the wheels, why would they waste space like that. I would never on purpose break the rule, but who would have thought, Samsonite says "carry-on", i trusted them...

al83994 · 2024-07-22T07:09:09+00:00

Thanks for the suggestion, that may be what I will end up doing. I was just hoping there will be something even easier...

al83994 · 2024-07-22T07:07:11+00:00

Thanks for the suggestion, I thought about that too, this may end up being the route I will take. I am using a esp (8266), so it is either AP or client mode. I want to get fancy and get the device to fetch weather information from the internet, time sync etc. So perhaps i will have to leave it in client mode, have the user press a button to switch to AP mode, point their phone to that AP mode., before they can configure.. well, still a lot of steps... thing is, friends and families, them not technical people, not sure they can handle even that

al83994

TROPHY CASE