Has anyone successfully gotten their company to reverse course on this? My employer just sent an email saying our wellness reimbursmements ($750) are considered taxable income and thats "industry standard" but I'm seeing mixed info online.

I went through this exact same situation last year and it was incredibly frustrating! The key issue is that most companies don't properly structure their wellness programs to qualify for tax-free treatment under IRS rules. Here's what I learned: if your company's wellness program isn't formally documented as either a Section 105 medical reimbursement plan or doesn't meet the requirements for de minimis fringe benefits under Section 132, then yes, the reimbursements are taxable income. For your situation with $1,150, you have a few options: 1. Request documentation from HR about how their wellness program is officially structured 2. If they confirm it should be tax-free but was reported incorrectly, demand a corrected W-2 3. If they refuse, you can file Form 4852 with an amended return explaining the discrepancy The most important thing is to get everything in writing from your company about their wellness program structure. Don't let them brush you off with "that's just how it works" - they need to provide documentation of the actual tax treatment they're applying and why. I ended up having to file an amended return, but I got a refund of about $280 because my company had overcomplicated things. Document everything and don't give up!

Everyone is focusing on the cycle code but what's more important is if you have any 570/971 combo codes on your transcript. Those indicate a review or adjustment is happening. Can you check for those? If you don't have them and just have the cycle code with a 150, you should be good to go without any issues.

Carmen, based on what you've shared about having a cycle code 0902 with just a 150 code from 6/12 and no 570/971 codes, you're definitely in a good spot! The 0902 cycle typically processes on Thursdays, and since you don't have any hold codes, you should see your 846 refund code appear on your transcript within the next week or so. I'd recommend checking your transcript early Thursday mornings (around 6 AM EST) since that's when they usually update for the 09 cycles. Your refund should hit your account 1-3 days after the 846 code appears with your deposit date. You've been waiting long enough - hopefully this moves quickly for you now!

Just to add another perspective - I've been through this exact situation multiple times over the years. You definitely do NOT need to include your tax return when mailing Form 1040-V with your payment after e-filing. The IRS already has your return electronically, and the 1040-V voucher contains all the necessary information to match your payment to your account. One thing I'd emphasize is to make sure you sign the Form 1040-V - I've seen people forget this step! Also, if your payment is over $100,000, you actually need to use different procedures, but for most people the standard 1040-V process works perfectly. Don't stress about it - you're doing it right by just sending the voucher and check together!

For the payment deadline, the IRS generally considers your payment timely if it's postmarked by the tax deadline (April 15th for most people). So even though you e-filed before the deadline, as long as you mail your 1040-V payment with a postmark by April 15th, you should be fine. However, I'd recommend sending it as soon as possible to avoid any potential issues. If you're cutting it really close to the deadline, you might want to consider paying electronically instead through IRS Direct Pay or EFTPS to ensure it's processed on time. The key is the postmark date, not when the IRS actually receives it, but earlier is always better to avoid any complications!

Just wanted to add my perspective as someone who went through this exact situation last year. Since you're renting out your entire apartment while you're away for work travel, this is most likely Schedule E (rental income) rather than Schedule C (business income). The key test is whether you're providing "substantial services" to guests. Things like daily housekeeping, meals, or concierge services would push it toward Schedule C. But if you're just providing basic accommodations (clean space, linens, maybe some basic amenities), that's typically rental activity. For the TurboTax asset questions - you'll need to indicate that you don't own the property. Look for options like "rented property" or "subleased property" in the software. You won't have depreciation since you don't own the asset, but you can still deduct legitimate expenses like your portion of rent, utilities, cleaning supplies, and any furnishings you purchased specifically for guests. One important note: make sure your lease allows subletting! Even though you still have to report the income either way, violating your lease could create other problems with your landlord.

One thing that might help clarify your situation - the IRS has specific guidelines about what constitutes "substantial services" for Airbnb hosts. Generally, if you're just providing basic accommodations (furnished space, linens, basic amenities) without daily housekeeping, meals, or other hotel-like services, it's treated as rental income (Schedule E). Since you're renting out your entire place while traveling and not living there simultaneously, this strongly suggests Schedule E rather than Schedule C. The fact that you don't own the property actually makes this clearer - you're essentially subleasing temporarily. For the TurboTax questions about asset information, look for an option that says something like "I rent this property from someone else" or "Property not owned." You won't have purchase dates or depreciation, but you can still deduct legitimate expenses proportional to your rental activity. Make sure to keep good records of your rental days vs. total days in the year, as this percentage will determine how much of your rent, utilities, and other apartment-related expenses you can deduct. Also double-check that your lease permits subletting - while you still must report the income regardless, lease violations could create separate legal issues.

This entire thread has been absolutely incredible! As someone who was honestly pretty nervous about starting at H&R Block, reading all of your experiences and advice has completely shifted my perspective. I went from feeling like I was maybe taking a "lesser" path to realizing I'm actually making a really strategic career move. A few things that have really stuck with me from everyone's responses: - The emphasis on client communication skills being just as important as technical knowledge - this makes total sense given my food service background where customer interaction was everything - Creating reference materials and checklists to build confidence and avoid mistakes - The value of being honest about what I don't know rather than guessing - How this experience will give me practical advantages over classmates who only have classroom knowledge I'm especially grateful for the specific resource recommendations like the IRS Publications and tools like taxr.ai. Having concrete things to study and bookmark makes me feel much more prepared. To everyone who shared their career paths from H&R Block to more advanced positions - thank you for showing me that this really can be a launching pad rather than a dead end. And to those currently in tax prep, your practical day-to-day advice about handling difficult clients and managing the workload is invaluable. I'm starting my training in two weeks and I genuinely can't wait now. Thanks for welcoming me to the community and for all the wisdom. I promise to pay it forward by helping other newcomers once I have some experience under my belt!

Welcome to the tax community, Tyrone! As a former H&R Block manager who now runs my own practice, I can tell you that you're making an excellent decision. The training and experience you'll get there is genuinely valuable - don't let anyone tell you otherwise. A few manager-level insights that might help you succeed: - Your office will likely have daily huddles during peak season. Pay attention to these - they'll discuss common issues coming up, software updates, and which preparers are excelling at what. It's a great way to learn from everyone's experiences. - Most offices track quality scores along with speed metrics. Focus on accuracy first, speed will come naturally. A few extra minutes spent double-checking your work is always better than having to file amendments later. - Build relationships with your fellow preparers, not just management. The person sitting next to you who's been doing this for 5 years can teach you shortcuts and catch mistakes that might slip by. We all help each other during the busy times. - Don't take difficult clients personally. Some people are just stressed about money, and taxes bring out anxiety in everyone. A calm, professional response usually de-escalates situations quickly. The $22/hour is competitive for entry-level, and the real-world experience you'll gain is worth far more than the paycheck. By April, you'll have skills that will make you stand out in any accounting interview. You've got the right attitude - you're going to do great this season!