Just sharing what worked for me in a similar situation. My payroll company issued two W-2s (original and corrected) but reported both to the IRS. 1. I gathered my final paystub for the year showing my actual total earnings 2. Used TurboTax to file using the CORRECT W-2 information only 3. Included a brief statement explaining the duplicate W-2 situation 4. Attached copies of both W-2s with the incorrect one clearly marked "DUPLICATE - DO NOT USE" 5. Also included a copy of my final paystub as proof of actual earnings I did get a letter from the IRS about 3 months later questioning the "missing income," but I just had to call and explain. Since I had already documented everything in my original filing, they resolved it pretty quickly. The key is keeping good records and being able to prove your actual income!

I went through this exact situation two years ago and it was definitely stressful at first, but it got resolved without any major issues. Here's what I learned: The IRS actually deals with duplicate W-2 reporting more often than you'd think, so don't panic about triggering an audit. The key is being proactive and documenting everything. I'd recommend calling the IRS taxpayer assistance line (1-800-829-1040) first to explain the situation and ask them to put a note in your file. When you call, have both W-2s ready and be clear about which one shows your actual correct income. They can flag your account so when their automated systems see the discrepancy, there's already an explanation on file. For your tax filing, use only the CORRECT W-2 (the $68,000 one) and keep detailed records of all your attempts to contact your former employer about fixing their mistake. Screenshot emails, keep notes of phone calls with dates and times, etc. If your former employer continues to be unresponsive, you might need to file Form 4852 (Substitute for Form W-2) along with whatever documentation you have of your actual wages - final paystub, bank deposit records, etc. The good news is that since you're reporting the higher income amount anyway, you're not trying to avoid paying taxes you owe, which makes the IRS much more willing to work with you on resolving the clerical error.

Congratulations on your upcoming wedding! You've gotten great advice here already. One additional tip - consider doing a "mock" tax return calculation for both filing jointly and separately before you actually get married. This will give you concrete numbers to work with. You can use tax software or even the IRS withholding calculator to estimate your 2025 tax liability under both scenarios using your projected combined income. This exercise will help you: 1. Determine the optimal filing status 2. Calculate exactly how much to adjust your W-4 withholdings after marriage 3. Plan for any quarterly estimated payments if needed Also, since you're getting married in August, you have a few months to adjust your withholdings for the remainder of the year. The IRS withholding calculator (on IRS.gov) is actually pretty good for married couples and will give you specific dollar amounts to withhold from each paycheck. One more thing - keep detailed records of any tax-related changes you make (W-4 updates, estimated payments, etc.) as this will make filing much smoother next year. Good luck with both the wedding and navigating your first year of married taxes!

Hey Isabella! Congratulations on your upcoming wedding! I went through this exact same situation two years ago and completely understand the anxiety around getting the tax stuff right. One thing that really helped me was using the IRS Tax Withholding Estimator (it's free on IRS.gov) about a month after we got married. You input both of your incomes, current withholdings, and marital status, and it calculates exactly how much you should be withholding for the rest of the year. It even generates the specific numbers to put on your W-4 forms. At your combined income level, you're definitely in marriage bonus territory rather than penalty territory. My husband and I had very similar incomes to you and your fiancée, and we ended up saving about $2,200 compared to filing single the year before. One practical tip: when you update your W-4s after the wedding, consider having the higher earner (your fiancée at $83k) claim "Married filing jointly" and you claim "Married but withhold at higher single rate" - this often provides better withholding accuracy for dual-income couples and helps avoid any surprises at tax time. The most important thing is not to stress too much about getting it perfect immediately. Even if your withholding is slightly off, you can always make a small estimated payment in January if needed. You've got plenty of time to adjust once you see how everything plays out in your paychecks after the wedding!

at least u got ur money! im still waiting on my federal from last year smh 🤡

This is actually pretty common with state tax systems! The refund processing and status tracking systems often aren't synced in real-time. Nebraska's system is known for having delays between when checks are issued and when their online portal reflects the updated status. Since you already have your physical check, you're all good - just deposit it normally. The online status will eventually catch up, sometimes taking weeks after you've already received and deposited your refund. No need to worry about any discrepancies here!

Don't forget to consider deductions once you have your ABN! As a content creator myself, I've found you can claim things like: - Portion of internet costs - Camera equipment - Editing software - Home office space (be careful with this one) - Computer hardware - External storage - Lighting equipment Just make sure to only claim the business percentage if you also use things personally, and keep ALL your receipts!

I just wanted to share my recent experience with the ABN application process as a content creator, since this thread has been so helpful! I do beauty and lifestyle content across YouTube, Instagram, and TikTok, and I was really struggling with the same questions everyone's mentioned here. What finally helped me get unstuck was calling the ABN helpline directly (using that Claimyr service someone mentioned - totally worth it to avoid the hold time!). The ATO representative walked me through the business activity classification and confirmed that "Creative Artists" was perfect for my multi-platform content creation work. One thing that surprised me was how quickly the approval came through - I submitted my application on a Wednesday morning and had my ABN by Friday afternoon. Much faster than I expected! For anyone still hesitating about whether they need an ABN - if you're already monetizing your content or planning to work with brands, definitely go for it. I had to turn down two collaboration opportunities while I was procrastinating on the application, which was frustrating. Having proper business registration opens up so many more professional opportunities. The tax benefits are real too - I'm now able to properly claim my ring light, backdrop, editing software subscriptions, and even the portion of my phone bill used for content creation. Makes a bigger difference than you'd think, especially when you're just starting out and every expense matters!

Random question but does anyone know if there's a time limit for employers to submit a corrected W2C? My situation is similar but from 2022 and I'm worried it might be too late to get them to fix it.

This is such a frustrating situation, but you're definitely on the right track! I went through something very similar when my company merged with another one mid-year and both entities ended up filing W2s for the same period. One thing that really helped me was creating a detailed timeline document that showed: - Exact dates of employment at the company - When the payroll system switch happened - Pay periods covered by each W2 - Bank deposit dates and amounts for each pay period This made it crystal clear to both my employer and the IRS exactly where the overlap occurred. I also kept screenshots of my online pay stubs from both systems showing the duplicate reporting. The key is having ironclad documentation. Since you have that email from HR telling everyone to only use the new W2, that's golden evidence. Make sure to include that with everything else when you respond to the CP2000. Don't let your employer's confusion derail you - sometimes it's easier to just go directly to the IRS with your evidence rather than trying to get a company to admit they made an error. The IRS deals with payroll system transition issues all the time and they'll know what to look for in your documentation.