Does anyone know if HSA contributions work the same way? My employee wants to contribute to her HSA through payroll and I'm not sure if I need to pay employer taxes on that portion.

This is such a common source of confusion for small business owners! I went through the exact same thing when I first started my business. The key thing to remember is that retirement contributions like 401k and SIMPLE IRA are "pre-tax" for income tax purposes, but they're still considered wages for FICA (Social Security and Medicare) purposes. So in your example with the $65,000 salary and $25,000 retirement contribution, you'll pay employer FICA taxes on the full $65,000. The employee's income tax withholding will be calculated on $40,000, but that doesn't affect your employer tax obligations. One tip: make sure your payroll system is set up correctly to handle these different tax treatments. I learned this the hard way when I had to file amended returns because my initial setup was wrong. It's worth double-checking with your payroll provider that they're calculating employer taxes on the pre-deduction amounts for retirement contributions. Hope this helps clarify things while you're waiting for your accountant to return!

One more tip: If u have an irs account online (irs.gov) you can access your tax transcripts which often show refund info before Where's My Refund updates. Look for a code 846 with a date - thats ur refund date! Just be warned the transcript is confusing af to read but there's lot of youtube videos explaining how to read it. Way better than refreshing WMR every 5 minutes lol.

Great thread! Just wanted to add another option for those still struggling to track their refunds. If you used Jackson Hewitt and opted for a refund advance or had fees deducted, your refund might be processed through Axos Bank (formerly Bank of Internet USA). You can check the status at their taxpayer portal: https://www.axosbank.com/Personal/Checking/Refund-Transfer Also, for anyone who used Liberty Tax, they typically use Republic Bank as well, same site that Aurora mentioned above. One thing I learned the hard way last year - if you're checking multiple clearing house sites and none of them have your info, that usually means your refund is going directly from the IRS to your bank without a third-party processor. In that case, the IRS tools and your bank are your best bet for tracking!

Just want to add a quick point - make sure you file your state tax return too if you worked in a state that collects income tax! People often forget this part. The camp was probably in a specific state that might have its own filing requirements separate from the federal return.

I work for a tax resolution firm and deal with these situations regularly. The good news is that your case is very straightforward and won't impact your ability to travel on ESTA. For a $160 tax liability from 2018, you're looking at roughly $300-400 total after penalties and interest - still very manageable. The key is getting this resolved proactively rather than waiting for the IRS to come after you (which honestly might never happen for such a small amount). Here's what I'd recommend: File Form 1040NR for 2018 as soon as possible. You'll need your W-2 from the camp, so definitely contact them or CCUSA first. If you can't get it, request Form 4506-T from the IRS to get a wage transcript. Most importantly - small tax debts like this are NOT immigration issues. The State Department and IRS are completely separate systems. I've never seen anyone denied entry over a resolved tax matter of this size. Just make sure you have documentation showing you've addressed it when you travel. The depression and financial hardship you mentioned might even qualify you for some penalty relief if you can document those circumstances. The IRS has "reasonable cause" provisions that can reduce penalties in situations like yours.

As a newcomer to tax preparation, I've been following this discussion closely and it's been incredibly enlightening! I just received my PTIN last month and had similar assumptions about it being a "universal license" for tax prep work. What's really eye-opening is how the compliance landscape varies so dramatically between states. The Texas restrictions on using "accountant" terminology, California's CTEC requirements, and the various state registration programs - none of this was covered in my PTIN application process or the basic tax prep courses I took. I'm particularly concerned about the remote preparation aspect since I was planning to help some college friends who now live in different states. Based on this discussion, it sounds like I need to research the regulations for each state where my potential clients reside, not just where I'm located. That's a much bigger undertaking than I anticipated. The resource recommendations have been invaluable - from the NASBA website to state CPA society guidance documents to the spreadsheet tracking approach. I'm definitely going to start with my home state this season and use the time to properly research expansion opportunities for next year. One question for the group: For those who've expanded to multiple states, how do you handle the ongoing compliance monitoring? With rule changes happening throughout the year, it seems like staying current across multiple jurisdictions could become a full-time job in itself. Do you rely on professional associations, legal services, or just manually check each state's updates?

As someone brand new to tax preparation who just got my PTIN this month, this entire discussion has been a real wake-up call! I had no idea that the state-by-state regulations were this complex when I started this journey. Reading through everyone's experiences, I'm realizing I was dangerously close to making some serious compliance mistakes. I was already drafting marketing materials that used terms like "accounting services" and "full-service accountant" - thank goodness I found this thread before launching anything! The advice about starting with your home state first really resonates with me. I was initially excited about the possibility of helping clients nationwide, but now I understand that would be setting myself up for failure. Better to build solid expertise and systems locally before expanding. I'm particularly grateful for the practical resources mentioned here - the NASBA website, state CPA society guidance documents, and especially the spreadsheet tracking approach. These seem like exactly the tools I need to navigate this properly. One thing I'm curious about: for those of you who've been through multiple tax seasons across different states, are there any common compliance mistakes you see new preparers making repeatedly? I want to make sure I'm not just avoiding the obvious pitfalls but also the subtle ones that might not be as apparent to someone just starting out. Thank you all for sharing your hard-earned knowledge - it's exactly the kind of real-world guidance that makes all the difference for newcomers like me!

I'm dealing with a very similar situation right now! My employer switched from QuickBooks to ADP halfway through last year and I got two W-2s that were nearly identical except for some withholding amounts. The key thing that helped me was realizing this isn't actually that uncommon - payroll companies often generate separate W-2s for different periods when there's a mid-year system change. However, you're absolutely right to be concerned about the different EINs and the Statutory Employee classification change. Here's what I'd recommend based on my experience: 1. **Call the employer ASAP** - Ask to speak directly with whoever manages payroll or the person who handled the system transition. Don't settle for "both are correct" - ask them to explain WHY both are needed. 2. **Focus on the EIN difference** - This is the biggest red flag. Same company should generally have the same EIN unless there was a legitimate corporate restructure. 3. **Question the Statutory Employee change** - This classification affects your tax liability significantly, so if it wasn't intentional, you need a corrected form. 4. **Don't file yet** - I made the mistake of filing with confusing W-2s once and had to amend later. It was a nightmare that delayed my refund by months. The good news is most employers want to fix these issues once they understand the problem. Document everything when you call and don't be afraid to escalate if the first person you talk to can't give you clear answers. You're being smart by catching this before filing!

This is a really common issue when employers switch payroll systems mid-year, so don't stress too much! The key red flag here is definitely the different EINs - that's not normal for the same employer and could cause problems with the IRS if not resolved. Before calling the employer, I'd suggest gathering all the documentation first: both W-2s, your boyfriend's final paystub from December (if he has it), and maybe even his last paystub from before the payroll system switch. This will help you verify if there's any double-counting of income. When you do call, ask specifically for the payroll manager or whoever handled the system transition. The questions others have suggested are spot-on: why are the EINs different, is the Statutory Employee classification intentional, and can they confirm the total wages are accurate for the full year. One thing I'd add - if they can't give you satisfactory answers or seem to be guessing, ask for the contact information of their payroll processing company (like ADP, Paychex, etc.). Sometimes the third-party processor can explain what happened better than the employer's internal staff. Don't file until this is resolved. I know it's frustrating to delay, but dealing with IRS notices or having to amend later is way more complicated than taking a few extra days to get correct documentation upfront. You're being smart by catching this early!