As someone who's dealt with this exact issue multiple times, I can confirm that a $140+ fraction of cents adjustment is definitely not normal and indicates a systematic error somewhere in your calculations. The good news is that you've already identified the root cause by finding the discrepancy in your February deposit ($58,435 vs $58,294.81). Here's what I'd recommend as your next steps: First, go through every single deposit on Schedule B and compare it to your actual EFTPS payment history - don't just spot check. Second, verify that your Schedule B is reporting tax LIABILITY by pay date, not deposit amounts or deposit dates. These are often confused. Third, if you have employees hitting the Social Security wage base ($160,200 for 2023), double-check that withholding stopped at exactly the right amount mid-quarter. The fraction of cents line should only account for rounding differences when you calculate tax liability per employee vs. the aggregate. Once you fix the Schedule B errors, that $140 should disappear almost entirely. Don't submit until you've tracked down every significant discrepancy - the IRS computers will flag unusual adjustments and it's much easier to fix now than deal with correspondence later.

I've been following this thread and wanted to add another potential cause I've encountered - check if your payroll system is handling state unemployment insurance (SUI) wage bases correctly. Some payroll systems incorrectly include SUI adjustments in federal tax calculations, especially when employees hit state-specific wage base limits that differ from federal limits. Also, if you're using a third-party payroll processor, they sometimes make "correcting" entries that don't get properly reflected in your 941 calculations. I'd recommend requesting a detailed payroll tax reconciliation report from them that shows exactly how they calculated each tax component for the quarter. One more thing - make sure you're not double-counting any year-end adjustments or corrections that might have carried over from Q4 of last year. Sometimes accounting departments make manual adjustments that create phantom discrepancies in subsequent quarters.

I completely understand your frustration - the waiting game with a procrastinating spouse on taxes is absolutely maddening, especially when you've been ready since February! Just to add to what others have said about the risks of filing separately then amending - the IRS computer systems don't handle filing status changes very smoothly. When you amend from MFS to MFJ, it often triggers manual review, which can delay your refund by months or even over a year. I've seen cases where people actually got their amended refund AFTER the next year's refund because of processing delays. One thing that might help right now - if your main goal is getting cash flow, have you considered asking your husband to at least gather his 1099s so you can estimate his income? You could file an extension with an estimated payment, then use a tax refund advance loan from a reputable tax prep company based on your portion of the expected joint refund. This gets you money now without the complications of changing filing status. The nuclear option is giving him an ultimatum with a specific date - like "we're going to a tax pro on [date] with whatever records you have, organized or not." Sometimes external accountability is what it takes to break the procrastination cycle.

I feel your pain so much - I went through this exact same nightmare last year! My husband's "filing system" was literally receipts stuffed in his glove compartment and random notebooks with illegible expense scribbles. Here's what I learned the hard way: filing separately then amending to joint later sounds simple in theory, but the IRS systems really aren't designed for it. When I tried this approach, my amended return got stuck in manual processing for 8 months because the computer couldn't reconcile why we suddenly qualified for credits we hadn't claimed initially. What finally worked for us was a combination approach - I made an appointment with a tax pro and told my husband "we're going Tuesday at 2pm, bring whatever records you have." Then I used one of those tax tools mentioned earlier (TaxR.ai) to at least get his bank statements organized beforehand so we weren't starting from complete chaos. The tax pro was able to work with his messy records and we actually discovered some deductions he would have missed entirely. Yes, it cost us $500, but we saved over $3,000 compared to what we would have lost filing separately, plus no amendment headaches. Sometimes you just have to take control of the situation instead of waiting for them to get their act together. Your sanity and financial well-being matter too!

I just called FreeTaxUSA support about this exact issue. They told me there's a way to handle multiple localities even though the interface makes it seem impossible. After you enter your W-2 with the first locality, save it and go back to your W-2 list. Then click on "Edit" for that W-2, and you should see an option at the bottom for "Add another local tax withholding." It's super easy to miss, but it's there!

Great to see this got resolved! For anyone else dealing with similar multi-city tax situations, I'd also recommend double-checking your final tax calculations before submitting. Even when you enter multiple localities correctly in FreeTaxUSA, sometimes the software doesn't automatically apply available credits for taxes paid to multiple jurisdictions. I learned this the hard way last year - I was entitled to a credit for paying duplicate local taxes but had to manually add it in the "Other Credits" section. Your city tax departments (if you can reach them) or a local tax preparer can help verify if you qualify for any credits to avoid overpaying. The multiple locality feature in FreeTaxUSA works well once you find it, but it's definitely one of those hidden features that should be more prominent in the interface!

Has anyone successfully gotten a private letter ruling for a missed 83b? I'm hearing different things about the cost and likelihood of success.

I'm sorry to hear about your situation - missing the 83b election deadline is unfortunately more common than you'd think, and the stress is completely understandable. As others have mentioned, the IRS is extremely strict about this 30-day window, and extensions are rarely granted. Here's what I'd focus on now that the election opportunity has passed: 1. **Tax planning is crucial** - Work with a tax professional to model out your tax liability as shares vest over the coming years. You'll need to make estimated quarterly payments to avoid underpayment penalties. 2. **Consider your exercise timing** - If these are stock options, you have some control over when you exercise and trigger the taxable event. Strategic timing around other tax events in your life could help. 3. **Look into tax-loss harvesting** - If you have other investments, realize some losses to offset the ordinary income you'll recognize from vesting equity. 4. **AMT planning** - Depending on your situation, Alternative Minimum Tax could be a factor. Make sure your tax advisor is calculating this properly. The silver lining is that while you'll pay more in taxes than if you'd filed the 83b, you're still benefiting from equity appreciation. Focus on what you can control now rather than dwelling on the missed opportunity.

Your employer is probably using the "aggregate method" for supplemental wages. There are two ways employers can calculate withholding on overtime/bonuses: 1. Flat rate method: A simple 22% flat withholding on supplemental wages 2. Aggregate method: They add the supplemental wages to your regular wages and calculate withholding as if the total was your regular paycheck, then subtract what was already withheld from your regular check The aggregate method almost always results in higher withholding because it makes the system think you're in a higher tax bracket. It's perfectly legal but super annoying. You'll get the extra money back when you file your taxes, but in the meantime, your employer is basically giving the government an interest-free loan with YOUR money. I'd talk to your payroll department and ask if they can use the flat rate method instead!

Isnt this a tax bracket thing? When u earn more in a pay period it gets taxed higher? My boss always said "don't work overtime cuz they take it all in taxes anyway" lol