This thread has been incredibly helpful! I'm a tax newbie and was completely overwhelmed by all the Box 14 entries on my family's W-2s. The rule of thumb about most entries being informational (like health insurance and FSA contributions) versus the state-specific ones that actually matter (like SDI, SUI) really clarified things for me. I double-checked all our W-2s after reading through everyone's advice and found that most of our Box 14 entries were indeed just informational - employer health premiums and 401k contribution totals that were already reflected elsewhere. But I did catch one CA-SDI entry that I would have completely missed otherwise. It's frustrating that the IRS doesn't provide clearer guidance on this, especially since every employer seems to use Box 14 differently. Really appreciate everyone sharing their experiences - it saved me from either overthinking and entering everything unnecessarily, or underthinking and missing an actual deduction. This community is a lifesaver for confused taxpayers like me!

This has been such an enlightening thread! I'm working on my first year of self-filing after years of paying someone else to do my taxes, and Box 14 was honestly making me consider going back to a tax preparer. The breakdown everyone provided about informational vs. actionable entries is a game-changer. I was getting so frustrated trying to figure out where to input every single Box 14 item in my tax software, not realizing that most of them (like the employer health insurance contributions) don't actually need to go anywhere. I just went back through my W-2 with fresh eyes after reading all these responses. The "Health" entry that was stressing me out is definitely just my employer's premium contribution - informational only. But I did spot something labeled "NY-PFL" that I now realize might be New York Paid Family Leave and could potentially be deductible on my state return. It's really frustrating that there isn't clearer guidance from the IRS on this stuff. Box 14 feels like this mysterious catch-all that every employer uses differently, and we're all left to figure it out ourselves. Thank goodness for communities like this where people actually share practical advice instead of just telling you to "consult a tax professional" for every little question!

This is unfortunately more common than it should be, and you're right to be concerned about the lack of communication. Many CPAs do file automatic extensions as a protective measure, especially for clients with complex returns involving K-1s, but the professional standard should be to inform clients beforehand. The bigger issue here is the potential financial impact. Since you mentioned you paid your Q4 2023 estimated taxes late in April 2024, there's a good chance you might owe additional tax for 2023. If your CPA filed the extension without making an estimated payment and you end up owing money, you could face failure-to-pay penalties and interest from the original April 15 deadline. I'd recommend: 1) Contact your CPA immediately to clarify what they did and why, 2) Ask if they made any estimated payment with the extension, and 3) If not, calculate whether you owe additional tax and consider making a payment now to minimize penalties. This situation highlights why clear communication agreements with tax professionals are so important. You might want to establish upfront expectations about notifications for any filings made on your behalf.

I work as a tax preparer and want to address some of the concerns raised here. While it's true that many firms file automatic extensions for clients with complex returns (especially K-1 recipients), the lack of communication you experienced is definitely not acceptable professional practice. Here's what should have happened: Your CPA should have either 1) obtained written authorization to file extensions on your behalf as part of your engagement letter, or 2) contacted you before filing to explain why an extension was necessary and discuss any potential tax payment requirements. The fact that you found out by accident when trying to file your own extension suggests poor client communication protocols at that firm. This is particularly concerning because if you owe tax for 2023 and no estimated payment was made with the extension, you're now facing penalties and interest from April 15. I'd strongly recommend getting a copy of your engagement letter with this CPA to see what authorities you actually granted them. If extension filing wasn't explicitly covered, you may have grounds to hold them responsible for any penalties that result from their unauthorized filing. For immediate next steps: Check your 2023 tax liability estimate and consider making a payment ASAP if you think you'll owe money. The sooner you pay, the less penalty and interest will accumulate.

I'm experiencing the exact same issue! Filed my Maryland return on March 12th and it's been stuck on "being processed" for almost 3 weeks now. This is my second year filing in MD after moving from Virginia, where I always got my state refund within 5-7 days. I was getting really anxious thinking I made an error on my return, but reading all these comments is incredibly reassuring - it's clearly a widespread problem with Maryland's processing system this year. I called the comptroller's office yesterday and after waiting 40 minutes on hold, they confirmed what everyone else is hearing: no issues with returns, just major delays due to their new fraud detection measures. The agent said they're working through returns in filing date order but couldn't give me a specific timeline beyond "several more weeks." I also have some medical expenses I've been delaying, so I completely understand your frustration Grace. At least we know we're not alone in this and our returns will eventually process!

I'm experiencing the exact same delays! Filed my Maryland return on February 14th and it's been stuck in "being processed" for over 5 weeks now. This is my 8th year filing in MD and I've never seen anything like this - usually get my state refund within 6-10 days. I finally got through to the comptroller's office after multiple attempts and they confirmed it's purely a processing backlog issue, not a problem with my return. The agent said they've had to completely overhaul their fraud detection systems this year which is causing these massive delays for everyone. She mentioned they're working overtime to clear the backlog but couldn't give me a specific date. It's really frustrating because I've been putting off some important car repairs waiting for this refund. Reading everyone's comments here is actually really reassuring though - I was starting to panic that my return got flagged for audit or something worse. Hang in there Grace, sounds like we're all dealing with the same systemic issues with Maryland's processing this year!

Just wanted to add my experience for anyone else struggling with this! I had the exact same problem with FreeTaxUSA yesterday. The direct deposit section is indeed easy to miss because it's not part of the main tax interview flow. Here's exactly what I did to find it: After completing all the tax questions, I went to the main dashboard and clicked on "Review & File" in the left navigation menu. From there, I saw a section called "Refund Method" that I had completely overlooked before. That's where you can choose between paper check or direct deposit. The key thing is you have to complete ALL the tax preparation steps first - FreeTaxUSA won't show you the refund options until it calculates that you're actually getting a refund. Once you click on direct deposit, it asks for your routing number, account number, and account type (checking/savings). Don't panic if you've already started the filing process - you can always go back and update this before you actually submit to the IRS. Just make sure to double-check those bank numbers before hitting submit!

I just went through this exact same frustration last week! For anyone still having trouble, there's actually a really simple way to check if you've set up direct deposit correctly in FreeTaxUSA before you submit. After you've entered your bank info in the "Refund Method" section (which everyone above correctly identified), go back to your main summary page. Look for where it shows your refund amount - it should now display something like "Direct Deposit to Account ending in XXXX" instead of just showing the dollar amount. If you still see just the refund amount without any mention of direct deposit, that means you haven't completed that section yet. This little detail saved me from accidentally filing without direct deposit set up! Also, one more tip - if you have multiple bank accounts, I'd recommend using whichever one you use most frequently. That way you'll notice the deposit right away and can contact the IRS immediately if there are any issues. My refund came through in exactly 18 days this year using FreeTaxUSA with direct deposit.

This thread has been incredibly helpful! I was in a similar situation and was completely overthinking this. I had $9,500 in property taxes and $3,200 in state income taxes last year, so I was right at the $10,000 SALT cap with $2,700 of my state income taxes actually being deductible. When I got a $800 state tax refund this year, I initially panicked thinking the whole amount was taxable. But after reading through all these explanations, I realized that since only $2,700 of my state income taxes provided a federal benefit, and my refund was less than that amount, the full $800 refund is taxable income. The key insight for me was understanding that it's not about whether you hit the SALT cap or not - it's about which specific taxes within that cap actually gave you a federal deduction. In my case, both my property taxes AND a portion of my state income taxes fit under the $10k limit, so getting a refund on those state income taxes does create taxable income. Thanks everyone for breaking this down so clearly! The IRS worksheet suddenly makes a lot more sense now.

This is such a helpful discussion! I was completely confused about this same issue until I worked through it step by step. For Emma's original question with $28,500 itemized vs $25,100 standard deduction - the $1,200 state refund taxability really depends on the breakdown of that SALT deduction. If you can find your prior year Schedule A (line 5a for state income taxes and line 5b for property taxes), that will show you exactly what went into your $10k SALT cap. The formula is basically: Look at how much of your state income taxes actually fit under the SALT cap after accounting for property taxes. That's the maximum amount of any state refund that could be taxable. Then compare that to your overall itemized vs standard deduction benefit to see if you actually got a federal tax advantage. One thing I learned the hard way - keep good records of what types of state/local taxes you paid because you'll need those details when refunds come in the following year. The IRS forms don't always make it obvious how to trace this back, especially when you're dealing with estimated payments, withholding, and property tax installments all mixing together. It's definitely worth getting this right because the difference between reporting the full refund as taxable versus the correct partial amount can be significant on your tax bill!