I'm in a very similar situation with back taxes from 2019-2021 totaling around $38k that got transferred to CBE Group. One thing that really helped me understand my options was getting a free consultation with a tax attorney through my local bar association's referral service. The attorney explained that while CBE can't directly garnish wages like the IRS can, they will likely try to get you to agree to a payment plan that might be more than you can actually afford. If you can't make those payments, they'll send it back to the IRS who then has all their collection powers available. Given that you've been unemployed for a year, you should definitely look into Currently Not Collectible status before you start working again. The IRS considers your current financial situation, not your future earning potential. If you qualify for CNC status while unemployed, it could buy you time to get back on your feet financially before having to deal with payments or garnishments. Also, don't let CBE pressure you into a payment plan immediately. You have rights and options - take time to understand them all before committing to anything.

I've been dealing with a similar situation with CBE Group for the past 8 months, so I wanted to share what I've learned. First, you're right to be concerned about wage garnishment, but the good news is that CBE cannot directly garnish your wages like the IRS can. They would need to return your case to the IRS first. One thing that really helped me was understanding the timeline. CBE typically works accounts for about 2 years before potentially returning them to the IRS. During that time, they can only offer payment plans - they can't approve offers in compromise, currently not collectible status, or other collection alternatives. Since you've been unemployed for almost a year, I'd strongly recommend applying for Currently Not Collectible status directly with the IRS before you start working. You'll need to complete Form 433-F and provide documentation of your financial hardship. The key is to get this status while your income is still low, because once you start earning again, it becomes much harder to qualify. Also, keep detailed records of all communications with CBE. They're required to follow specific procedures, and if they don't, you can file complaints. Don't let them pressure you into a payment plan you can't sustain - that just sets you up for failure and eventual return to IRS enforcement actions. The most important thing is to stay proactive. Ignoring the situation only makes it worse and limits your options down the road.

This is such a timely post for me! I just had my first big casino win last month ($7,500 on a progressive slot) and was totally unprepared for the tax implications. The casino did withhold the 24% federal tax, but I had no idea that wasn't the end of it. What really caught me off guard was learning that ALL my gambling winnings for the year need to be reported, not just the ones where taxes were withheld. I had several smaller wins throughout the year that I completely forgot about until I started reading up on this stuff. Now I'm scrambling to piece together all my casino visits and trying to figure out what I actually won vs lost. The good news is that since my regular income is pretty modest, the additional gambling income won't push me into a higher bracket where I'd owe significantly more than what was already withheld. But lesson learned - next time I'm keeping much better records from day one!

Great breakdown from everyone here! As someone who learned this the hard way, I want to emphasize one crucial point that often gets overlooked: estimated quarterly payments. If your gambling winnings are substantial enough that the 24% withholding won't cover your total tax liability, you may need to make estimated tax payments to avoid underpayment penalties. This is especially important if gambling isn't your main source of income and you don't have other withholdings to cover the gap. The IRS expects you to pay taxes as you earn income throughout the year, not just when you file. So if you hit a big jackpot early in the year and know you'll owe more than what was withheld, consider making quarterly payments. The safe harbor rule is generally to pay 100% of last year's tax liability (or 110% if your prior year AGI was over $150k) to avoid penalties, but with gambling winnings throwing off your usual income, it's worth calculating what you actually owe. I learned this after winning big in February and then getting hit with underpayment penalties despite having taxes withheld at the casino. Now I always set aside extra money from any big wins to cover the additional tax liability and make quarterly payments if needed.

As someone who went through a similar situation last year, I can't stress enough how important it is to get this clarified immediately. My partner and I were also told by a tax preparer that we could "basically file together" and it turned out they meant we should coordinate our filings to maximize deductions (like one taking all charitable contributions, the other taking all business expenses), not actually file a joint return. The distinction is huge - coordinating your separate returns is smart tax planning, but filing a joint return while unmarried is illegal. I ended up calling the IRS taxpayer advocate service (877-777-4778) to get official clarification, and they were very clear about the rules. Given that you mentioned you're getting married in December, you might want to consider whether it makes sense to move up your wedding date if the tax savings are substantial. Being married by December 31st would allow you to file jointly for the entire 2024 tax year when you file next year. But for your current 2023 taxes, you definitely need to file as unmarried individuals. Please don't risk it - the penalties and interest on incorrect filings can be brutal, and it's not worth the stress of wondering if the IRS will catch it later.

Just wanted to add another perspective here as someone who's dealt with tax complications before. The fact that multiple tax professionals and IRS representatives have confirmed that unmarried couples cannot file jointly should definitely give you pause about your advisor's recommendation. One thing that hasn't been mentioned yet is that if you did file incorrectly and the IRS discovered it later, you'd not only face penalties and interest, but you'd also have to file amended returns for each incorrect year. This process can be time-consuming and expensive, especially if you need professional help to fix everything. Since you mentioned you're getting married in December, here's a thought: if the tax savings from joint filing would be significant, you might want to run the numbers on what a small courthouse wedding before December 31st would save you versus waiting until your planned wedding. Sometimes the math works out in favor of having a legal ceremony earlier and then having your celebration later. But for your current 2023 taxes that you extended, you absolutely need to file as single individuals. Don't let the potential savings tempt you into taking a risk that could cost you much more in the long run. The IRS has gotten much better at cross-referencing data, so the chances of this going unnoticed are pretty slim.

The withholding difference between Single and Head of Household can be significant! I switched last year and saw about $85 more per biweekly paycheck. One thing to keep in mind is that Head of Household has better standard deduction amounts too - for 2025 it's $22,200 compared to $14,600 for Single filers. This contributes to the lower withholding throughout the year. Also, don't forget to update your W-4 with HR as soon as possible if you decide to make the change. The sooner you do it, the sooner you'll start seeing the increased take-home pay. Just double-check that you meet all the HOH requirements first - the IRS is pretty strict about this filing status.

Great question! As others have mentioned, switching to Head of Household will definitely result in LESS withholding (meaning MORE take-home pay) compared to Single status. This happens because: 1. Head of Household has more favorable tax brackets - you pay lower rates at each income level 2. The standard deduction is much higher ($22,200 vs $14,600 for Single in 2025) 3. With three dependents, you'll benefit from Child Tax Credits being factored into your withholding At your $52,000 income level with three kids, you're looking at roughly $75-120 more per paycheck depending on your pay frequency. This should definitely help with those tight monthly budgets! Just make absolutely sure you qualify for HOH (sounds like you do based on your description) and update your W-4 properly. Fill out Step 3 carefully to account for all three dependents - this is crucial for getting the right withholding amount. The extra money in your paychecks throughout the year will be much more helpful than getting a big refund later!

Anyone have experience with NeatReceipts? My mom got me their scanner for Christmas but I haven't opened it yet. Worth using or should I return it and go with one of the apps people are mentioning?

I've been using a hybrid approach that works really well for me. I scan receipts with my phone using Adobe Scan (it's free and creates searchable PDFs), then save them to folders in Google Drive organized by year and category (medical, charitable donations, business expenses, etc.). The key is doing it immediately - I literally scan receipts while still in the store parking lot before I forget. Adobe Scan automatically crops and enhances the images so they're really clear. At the end of each month, I spend maybe 20 minutes going through the folder and making sure everything is categorized correctly. What I love about this system is that it's completely searchable. If I need to find that one medical receipt from March, I can just search "Dr. Smith" or the dollar amount and it pops right up. Plus everything backs up to the cloud automatically so I never lose anything. The whole setup cost me nothing since I already had Google Drive, and it takes way less time than trying to organize physical papers. Been doing this for three years now and tax time is actually stress-free!