Have you considered doing it yourself with tax software? I have 3 rental properties and 2 K1s and I use TurboTax Premier. It's like $100 and walks you through everything. Unless your situation is super unusual, it's pretty straightforward.

I'm dealing with a similar situation right now! Just got quoted $950 for my return which includes one rental property and a K1 from a partnership investment. What really helped me was asking the accountant to break down exactly what they'd be doing - turns out they include a consultation about tax planning for next year and will handle any IRS correspondence if issues come up. When I compared that to cheaper options, some were just basic preparation with no ongoing support. I ended up negotiating down to $800 by agreeing to have all my documents organized digitally beforehand. Maybe try asking your accountant what's included in that $1200 and see if there's any flexibility based on how prepared your paperwork is?

Ok this might sound dumb but I had a similar issue and realized I was looking at an outdated form. Double check you have the 2024 version of Form 8959? They made some changes to the Additional Medicare Tax calculation in recent years. Also check if ur tax software is up to date. TurboTax automatically updated for me mid-filing season last year cuz there was some correction to one of the forms.

I've been dealing with Form 8959 for several years now and you're not going crazy - there have definitely been some confusing aspects to the Additional Medicare Tax calculations. The most common issue I see is with Line 22 when people have income right around the threshold amounts. One thing that might help: make sure you're using the most current version of both the form and instructions. The IRS has made several revisions over the years, and sometimes the earlier versions had calculation errors or unclear guidance. For your situation with $275k income as a single filer, you should be calculating Additional Medicare Tax on the amount over $200k. If the worksheet is giving you a different result than what seems logical, try working backwards from the tax code itself - Section 1411 of the IRC is pretty clear about the 0.9% rate on income exceeding the threshold. Document your calculation method thoroughly regardless of which approach you take. If there really is an error in the form instructions, having clear documentation of your reasoning will protect you later.

Ugh, went thru this last yr and it was a PITA tbh. Sent my 2021 taxes in Feb, waited FOREVER (like 9 wks), then finally got the ok to file 2023. But here's what rly helped - I sent the old return CERTIFIED mail w/ tracking so I could prove when IRS got it. Also printed "PRIOR YEAR RETURN - PROCESS IMMEDIATELY" in red on the envelope. Dunno if that actually did anything but my tax guy recommended it lol. Also don't waste ur time calling the regular IRS # cause you'll just get the "high call volume" BS and get disconnected. If u need to check status, try calling right when they open at 7am EST or try the tax advocate line instead.

Just wanted to share my recent experience since I literally just went through this exact situation! I filed my missing 2023 return in early February and was stressed about the timeline too. Here's what happened: My 2023 return was processed after exactly 7 weeks (I could see it on my transcript), and then I e-filed my 2024 return the next day. The 2024 return processed in 19 days, so total timeline was about 9 weeks from start to finish. One thing that really helped was setting up an online IRS account so I could check my tax transcript directly instead of relying on "Where's My Refund" which doesn't always update promptly. The transcript will show a 150 code when your prior year return is fully processed - that's your green light to file the current year. Also, if you're really tight on finances and need to plan precisely, consider that the IRS typically releases refunds on Wednesdays and Fridays, so even if your 21-day processing period ends on a Monday, you might not see the deposit until Wednesday. Just something to factor into your timeline!

Something to consider: the tax law around this is covered in IRC section 119 and the related regulations. If the meals are provided for a "substantial noncompensatory business reason" (like security concerns you mentioned), they might actually qualify as fully non-taxable, even with the 80% discount structure. I'd suggest asking HR for their written policy on meal benefits taxation. Many non-profits haven't updated their policies to reflect recent tax court rulings that have been more favorable to employees in these situations. Having the actual policy in writing can help you identify if they're following outdated guidance.

This is a really thorough discussion! I'm dealing with a similar situation at my non-profit where they're valuing our subsidized meals way above what comparable food costs elsewhere. After reading through all these responses, I'm planning to: 1. Document local restaurant prices for similar meals (great suggestion from Carmella) 2. Request the written policy from HR using the specific IRC section 119 language Ellie mentioned 3. Calculate my actual additional tax burden to see if it's worth pursuing One question - for those who successfully got their organizations to change the policy, how long did the whole process typically take? I want to set realistic expectations before I start down this path. Also, did anyone face any pushback or retaliation for questioning the meal benefit taxation? Thanks for all the detailed advice - this community is incredibly helpful for navigating these complex tax situations!

Has anyone here actually had success with fixing midyear withholding problems? My withholding has been way off for similar reasons (spouse changed visa status) and I'm trying to figure out if I can adjust my W-4 for the last couple months of 2024 to compensate or if I should just make an estimated payment.

I went through this exact situation two years ago as an H1B holder married to someone on F1 OPT. Here's what worked for us: We made the Section 6013(g) election and filed jointly, which saved us about $2,800 compared to filing separately. The key thing to remember is that this election is binding for future years unless you revoke it, so make sure it makes sense long-term. For the underpayment issue, we made a large estimated tax payment in December to hit the safe harbor rule (paying at least 100% of prior year's tax liability). You can make estimated payments online through EFTPS or IRS Direct Pay right up until January 15th for the fourth quarter. One tip that our tax preparer shared: if you're making the 6013(g) election, make sure to keep good records of when you made this choice. The IRS statement you attach to your return should be clear about the election date. Also, double-check that your wife's employer is correctly not withholding FICA taxes - some payroll systems mess this up for F1 OPT workers. The mixed status situation gets easier once your wife hits the 5-year mark and becomes a resident for tax purposes naturally. Until then, the election is usually the way to go if there's no significant foreign income involved.