Why is everyone making this so complicated? Just check "Married Filing Jointly" on both W-4s and be done with it. If you're worried about underwithholding, just put an extra $100 per paycheck in the additional withholding line on the higher income spouse's W-4. That's what my wife and I do (I make $150k, she makes $65k) and we always get a small refund.

As someone who went through this exact situation last year, I'd recommend using the IRS Tax Withholding Estimator first before making any changes. My husband makes $140k and I make $82k, so very similar to your situation. What we learned is that the "married filing jointly" checkbox on both W-4s can actually cause overwithholding when both spouses work, because each employer's payroll system assumes it's withholding for your entire tax liability when it's really only responsible for a portion. The estimator told us to select "married filing jointly" on both forms but to add $75 per paycheck in additional withholding on my husband's W-4 (the higher earner) and $0 additional on mine. This ended up being perfect - we owed about $50 at tax time. The income gap itself isn't really the issue - it's more about making sure the total withholding from both jobs covers your combined tax liability correctly. Don't stress too much about it though - you can always adjust your W-4s mid-year if needed once you see how your first few paychecks look.

I've been dealing with IRS verification issues for my small business and wanted to share another option that worked for me. If you're self-employed or have business income, you can also try calling the Business & Specialty Tax Line at 800-829-4933. They have a dedicated identity verification process for business taxpayers that sometimes moves faster than the individual line. Also, a tip I learned from my tax preparer: if you're married filing jointly and your spouse hasn't been flagged for verification, sometimes they can call on behalf of the joint return. The IRS agent will verify the spouse's identity first, then ask them to put you on the phone for your verification questions. This helped us get through faster since my spouse wasn't stuck in the same verification loop I was. One more thing - make sure you're calling the right number for your specific situation. The 800-830-5084 number is specifically for identity protection cases, but if you're dealing with a different type of verification issue, there might be other specialized lines that are less congested.

I just went through this nightmare scenario last month and wanted to share what finally worked for me. Like you, I never received any of those verification letters (5071C, 5447C, etc.) and was stuck at the same screen asking for the 14-digit control number. Here's the step-by-step process that got me verified within a week: **Call Strategy**: Don't just call once - the 800-830-5084 line is slammed, but I found a pattern. Call exactly at 7:00 AM EST on Tuesday, Wednesday, or Thursday (Mondays are brutal, Fridays are hit-or-miss). I used the redial feature on my phone and got through on my 23rd attempt after about 45 minutes. **What They'll Ask**: The phone agent completely bypassed the letter requirement. They asked for: - Prior year AGI (have your old tax return ready) - Filing status and number of dependents - Current address and previous address if you moved - Last 4 of SSN and full DOB - Employer info from your W-2s - Some questions about your credit history **Timeline**: Phone verification took 25 minutes once I got through. They updated my account immediately and I was able to access my transcript online within 24 hours. The "resend letter" option is honestly a trap - you'll be waiting 3-4 weeks minimum based on what other people in this community have reported. The phone route is 100% your best bet right now. Good luck, and don't give up on those early morning calls!

Just went through this last month. The 507 code almost always means identity verification. In my case, they needed to verify I was really me because I filed from a different address than last year. I had to upload a copy of my driver's license and a utility bill through their ID verify site. Refund was released 9 days later. Don't stress too much - it's pretty routine, just annoying.

I'm glad to see this thread helped so many people resolve their 507 errors! For anyone still dealing with this issue, I wanted to add that it's also worth checking if you have any outstanding notices or requirements from the IRS before calling. Sometimes the 507 code can be triggered by missing forms like a Schedule C if you reported self-employment income, or if there's a mismatch between your federal and state filings. Also, if you're planning to move soon like the original poster, make sure to update your address with the IRS using Form 8822 after you move. This can help prevent similar identity verification issues in the future. The IRS gets suspicious when they see filing patterns that don't match their records, so keeping your address current is really important. Hope everyone gets their refunds sorted out quickly!

As someone who's been through a similar situation, I can't stress enough how valuable this thread has been! I had my sister stay with me for 8 months last year and paid $650/month for exclusive use of my guest bedroom and bathroom. Like many others here, I initially thought it was just family cost-sharing. After reading through all the audit experiences, especially Leo and Kingston's detailed accounts, I realized I needed to take the conservative approach. The IRS clearly focuses on the practical arrangement - exclusive space usage and regular monthly payments - rather than our relationships or intentions. I ended up calculating that her room/bathroom was about 17% of my total house square footage and reported the $5,200 as rental income. The proportional deductions (17% of mortgage interest, property taxes, utilities, insurance) offset about 68% of the additional tax liability, so my actual increase was only around $320. The documentation aspect that everyone mentioned was crucial - I kept all Venmo records, took photos of the exclusive space, and created a simple floor plan showing the square footage calculations. Having everything organized gave me complete confidence when filing. For anyone still on the fence: the peace of mind knowing you're fully compliant with IRS guidelines is absolutely worth the small additional cost. The audit protection alone makes it worthwhile, and the deductions make the financial impact much smaller than you'd expect!

I've been dealing with a nearly identical situation and this thread has been a lifesaver! My college friend stayed in my spare bedroom for 5 months last year and paid me $600/month. Like everyone else here, I initially thought it was just temporary cost-sharing between friends. But after reading through all the real audit experiences - especially Leo, Kingston, and CosmicCruiser's detailed stories - I'm completely convinced that reporting as rental income is the only safe approach. The consistency in how the IRS evaluates these situations is striking: they focus on exclusive space usage and regular payments, not our relationships or good intentions. I calculated that the bedroom/bathroom he used was about 175 sq ft out of my 1,150 sq ft house (roughly 15%). Following everyone's approach, I'll report the $3,000 as rental income and claim 15% of my mortgage interest, property taxes, utilities, and insurance as deductions. Based on the math shared here, this should offset most of the additional tax liability. What really sealed the deal for me was CosmicCruiser's point about audit protection - knowing I'm fully compliant gives me complete peace of mind. I'm keeping detailed Venmo records and taking photos of the space for documentation. Thanks to this amazing community for sharing such valuable real-world experiences! This discussion has been more helpful than any tax professional consultation I could have paid for.

Thanks for starting this discussion! I'm in a very similar boat - also making the switch from TurboTax this year after learning about their lobbying against free filing options. It's frustrating how they've been working against taxpayers' interests while charging us premium prices. I've been reading through everyone's experiences with the Pro version, and it sounds like the key factors are: 1) how comfortable you are researching tax questions yourself, 2) whether you have specific complex situations that need professional guidance, and 3) if the peace of mind is worth $45 to you. For my situation (also W-2 + investments + mortgage), I'm thinking I'll start with the free version like a few people suggested and upgrade mid-filing if I hit any roadblocks. The fact that you can upgrade partway through seems like the perfect way to test the waters without committing upfront. Has anyone compared FreeTaxUSA's basic software interface to TurboTax? I'm curious if the transition will be smooth or if there's a learning curve to expect.

I've been using FreeTaxUSA for 4 years now and upgraded to Pro twice when I needed it. Here's my take on whether it's worth the $45: **Pro is worth it if you have:** - Specific questions that basic tax resources can't answer - Anxiety about making mistakes (the audit support helps with peace of mind) - Complex situations like business income, rental properties, or unusual investment scenarios **You can probably skip Pro if:** - Your situation is straightforward (sounds like yours might be) - You're comfortable doing some research on IRS.gov or tax forums - You don't mind potentially upgrading later if questions come up The CPAs/EAs are legitimate professionals and generally responsive within 24 hours. Their advice tends to be conservative but accurate. Just know there are limits on how many distinct questions you can ask (usually around 5-6 different topics based on my experience). My recommendation: Start with the free version since your tax situation sounds relatively standard. FreeTaxUSA's base software handles W-2s, investment income, and mortgage interest very well. You can always upgrade mid-filing if you hit something confusing - the process is seamless and you don't lose any work. The $45 saved can always go toward next year's upgrade if you find you actually need the professional guidance.