quick tip: remember contribution deadline for 2025 tax year is April 15, 2026. u can contribute anytime from Jan 1 2025 up until then. make sure u specify which tax yr the contribution is for when u do it!!

This is such a helpful thread! I'm in a very similar situation - my husband earns around $145k and I'm a stay-at-home mom. I've been putting off opening an IRA because I was convinced we made too much money, but after reading all these responses, it sounds like I can still make a fully deductible contribution since we're well under that $230k threshold for spousal IRAs. One thing I'm wondering about - do I need to open the IRA account before making the contribution, or can I open it and contribute at the same time? Also, does it matter which bank or investment company I choose for the IRA, or are they all basically the same in terms of tax benefits? Thanks everyone for sharing your knowledge and experiences!

I'm so sorry you're going through this - it sounds incredibly frustrating and unfortunately all too common with these large tax relief companies. The pattern you're describing with Optima is exactly what consumer protection agencies have been warning about for years. A few things that might help: First, document everything - save all emails, contracts, and records of payments you made to them. If they promised specific results or timelines, make note of those too. This documentation will be crucial if you do pursue legal action. Second, you might want to contact your state's attorney general office and file a complaint. While individual complaints don't always result in immediate action, they do build a case file that can lead to investigations if enough people report similar experiences. For your actual tax problem, as others have mentioned, you likely have options available directly through the IRS that don't require expensive intermediaries. The IRS website has a lot of helpful information about payment plans, offers in compromise, and other relief programs. As for organizing legal action, you might want to reach out to consumer protection attorneys in your area who handle class action suits. Many will provide free consultations to evaluate whether you have a viable case. The fact that you and others are reporting such similar experiences suggests there might be grounds for action. Hang in there - you're not alone in this, and there are legitimate paths forward to resolve both your tax issues and potentially recover what you paid to Optima.

I'm really sorry to hear about your experience with Optima Tax Relief - unfortunately, you're definitely not alone. I've been working in tax resolution for several years now and I see the aftermath of these kinds of situations regularly. What you're describing is textbook behavior from many of the large, heavily-advertised tax relief companies. They make big promises upfront, collect substantial fees, and then do minimal work while stringing clients along with requests for more documentation or additional payments. The reality is that most tax resolution work involves fairly standard IRS procedures that don't require the "expert negotiation" these companies claim to provide. Payment plans, offers in compromise, and other relief options have specific IRS criteria that determine eligibility - it's not really about negotiation skills. For your immediate situation, I'd recommend contacting the IRS directly to understand what options are actually available to you. You can often accomplish more in a single phone call with an IRS agent than these companies do in months. The IRS website also has good information about legitimate relief programs. Regarding potential legal action, definitely document everything and consider filing complaints with your state attorney general and the FTC. Even if individual complaints don't immediately resolve your situation, they help build cases that can lead to broader investigations and enforcement actions. You're absolutely right that these companies need to be stopped - they target people who are already in vulnerable financial situations and make their problems worse. Thank you for sharing your story and warning others.

Here's my timeline from last week: Filed: Tuesday 3pm Preapproval: Tuesday 3:05pm Final approval: Thursday 9am Money on card: Friday morning Hope this helps!

Been through this process a few times and wanted to share what I've learned. The approval timeline really depends on a few key factors: 1) Day/time you file (weekends can add delay), 2) Your credit profile (they do check), and 3) How quickly IRS accepts your e-file. I've seen approvals as fast as 6 hours and as long as 72 hours. Since you filed yesterday and got preapproval, you're probably looking at approval by tomorrow evening at the latest. The anxiety is real when you need the money - hang in there! 🙏

Quick tip for OP: The IRS has a tax withholding estimator on their website that's been updated for 2025. It takes about 15 minutes to fill out but gives pretty accurate W4 instructions. Just google "IRS tax withholding estimator" and have your recent pay stubs ready. Way less stressful than guessing about that 2c box and finding out you were wrong next April!

This is such a common confusion! I went through the exact same thing when my spouse and I both got new jobs last year. Here's what I learned after talking to our HR department and doing some research: The Step 2c checkbox is basically the IRS acknowledging that the standard "married" withholding rate doesn't work well when both spouses have jobs. It's designed to prevent exactly the underwithholding situation you experienced in 2020. Here's the key thing: if you both have similar incomes, you should BOTH check the 2c box. I know it sounds counterintuitive, but that's what the IRS instructions actually say. The "only check if married filing jointly and both have jobs" applies to your situation as a couple - meaning this option exists specifically for dual-income married couples. When both of you check it, your employers will withhold at the higher single rate, which compensates for the fact that combining two "married" withholding amounts usually falls short of what you'll actually owe. We did this and went from owing $2,100 to getting a small refund of about $300. Much better than that heart attack feeling in April!

Has anyone considered the alternative minimum tax (AMT) implications when selling RSUs? I got absolutely destroyed last year because I didn't factor this in when executing my strategy.

One thing I learned the hard way is to also consider your overall income timing when deciding which RSU lots to sell. If you're expecting a bonus or other large income event later this year, it might make sense to realize those capital losses now to offset the higher tax bracket you'll be in. Conversely, if you're between jobs or expecting lower income next year, you might want to hold off on selling the loss lots until you're in a lower bracket where the deduction is more valuable. The $3,000 annual limit on deducting capital losses against ordinary income means timing can really matter for maximizing the tax benefit.