Adding to all the great advice here! I've been working in federal HR for the past decade and have helped place hundreds of people into IRS positions. A few things that might help with your decision: The IRS Counsel offices are often overlooked but offer incredible growth potential. Even without a law degree, you can work as a paralegal specialist or case technician supporting tax litigation. These roles often have faster promotion tracks because they're harder to fill, and the work is intellectually challenging - you're dealing with complex tax law cases that go to Tax Court. For someone with your finance background who wants something different, consider the Treasury Inspector General for Tax Administration (TIGTA). Technically separate from IRS but works closely with them investigating fraud, waste, and abuse. It's like being an internal affairs detective for the tax system. Great pay progression and really meaningful work. One practical tip: when you apply through USAJobs, don't just apply to one location. IRS has offices everywhere and some smaller locations have much less competition. You can always transfer later once you're in the system. The pension system (FERS) combined with TSP matching is honestly better than most private sector retirement packages, especially if you start young. Even if you only stay 10-15 years, you'll be much better positioned for retirement than your private sector peers.

As someone who's been considering a career transition into federal service, this thread has been incredibly eye-opening! I had no idea there were so many diverse opportunities within the IRS beyond the traditional revenue agent role that most people think of. The mention of Criminal Investigation as Special Agents particularly caught my attention - I never would have imagined the IRS had positions that involve carrying badges and investigating financial crimes. That sounds like it could be genuinely exciting work that combines financial expertise with law enforcement. I'm also really intrigued by what several people mentioned about the current hiring surge. It sounds like this might actually be an ideal time to apply given the expanded funding and growing divisions. The work-life balance and benefits package seem significantly better than what I'm seeing in private sector accounting firms right now. One question for those with IRS experience - how important is it to have a specific preference for which division you'd want to work in when applying? Or is it better to cast a wide net initially and then try to transfer internally once you understand the organization better? I'm torn between wanting to seem focused versus keeping my options open given all these interesting possibilities I'm just learning about. Thanks to everyone who's shared their experiences and insights - this has been more helpful than any official career guidance I've found!

Pro tip: Instead of constantly refreshing the SBTPG site, set up text alerts with your bank for deposits. Way less stressful! I've been through this rodeo a few times and learned the hard way that watching those trackers will drive you insane. 🤪 Also, if you're really concerned, try calling your bank directly and ask if they see any pending ACH deposits. Sometimes they can see it in their system before it posts to your account. Much more reliable than the SBTPG website!

This is such a relief to read! I'm in almost the exact same situation - filed 2/16 with DDD of 3/5, and I've been going crazy checking both the SBTPG website and my bank account multiple times a day. The SBTPG site still shows nothing, but now I'm definitely going to try calling their phone line to see if I get different information. As someone who's also navigating the US tax system for the first time, it's really helpful to know that this kind of system lag is normal and not a sign that something went wrong with my refund. Thanks for sharing your experience - it's made me feel so much less anxious about the whole process!

I just want to thank everyone who contributed to this thread - it's been incredibly valuable for those of us dealing with the Withholding Compliance Program. As someone who was also thrown into this program recently, I can relate to that initial panic and feeling of being overwhelmed by the IRS notice. What really stands out from reading all these responses is that this situation is much more manageable than it initially appears. The combination of strategies people have shared - from adjusting W-4 withholding and increasing estimated quarterly payments, to using tools like taxr.ai for planning, to even services like Claimyr for getting through to actual IRS agents - shows there are multiple paths forward. The psychological shift that Luis mentioned is so important too - viewing this as the IRS helping you stay compliant rather than punishing you. It's still stressful, but it's a temporary situation that you can definitely work through with the right approach. For anyone just finding this thread who's dealing with the Withholding Compliance Program: you're not alone, it's not permanent, and there are concrete steps you can take to resolve it. The advice shared here covers pretty much every angle from practical tax planning to navigating IRS communications. Take a deep breath and start with whatever approach feels most manageable for your situation!

As someone who's been through the Withholding Compliance Program myself, I wanted to add one more perspective that might help. The program can actually be a blessing in disguise for people with irregular income like freelancers and contractors. Before I got into the program, I was constantly stressed about whether I was setting aside enough for taxes. The forced structure of having to calculate and make proper payments actually helped me develop much better financial habits. Now, even though I'm out of the program, I still use the same systematic approach to tax planning. One thing I didn't see mentioned much in this thread is the importance of keeping your estimated payment vouchers and confirmation numbers organized. I created a simple spreadsheet tracking each quarterly payment with dates, amounts, and confirmation numbers. This saved me so much time when filing my return and proving compliance. Also, don't be afraid to make slightly higher estimated payments if you're unsure. Getting a small refund is infinitely better than owing again and staying in the program another year. I learned this the hard way - tried to calculate my payments down to the penny my first year and ended up $200 short, which kept me in the program longer than necessary. The silver lining is that once you're out, you'll have developed solid tax planning skills that will serve you well for years to come. Hang in there - it really does get easier!

This is such a complex area that really requires careful planning! One thing I haven't seen mentioned is that you might want to consider the step-up in basis implications too. If your dad adds you as JWROS to his brokerage account, when he passes away, only your half of the account gets a step-up in basis - his half doesn't because you already "owned" it. With the TOD approach that Nathaniel mentioned, the entire account value would get a step-up in basis when your dad passes, which could save you significant capital gains taxes later if the investments have appreciated substantially. Given the amounts involved ($178k savings + $290k brokerage), you're definitely looking at potential gift tax filing requirements with JWROS. I'd strongly recommend getting professional advice before making any changes - the combination of gift tax, estate planning, and potential Medicaid planning issues makes this too important to guess at.

As someone who just went through this exact situation with my elderly mother, I wanted to share what we learned after consulting with both a tax attorney and estate planning attorney. The key distinction everyone's mentioned about bank vs. brokerage accounts is absolutely correct, but there's another important consideration: the IRS has specific safe harbor provisions for joint accounts when they're established primarily for convenience and the original owner retains practical control. For bank accounts, if your father continues to be the primary user and you're only added for emergency access/convenience, the IRS is less likely to view this as a completed gift. However, you'd want to document this intent clearly - perhaps through a letter stating the purpose is convenience and emergency access only. For the brokerage account with $290k, I'd strongly echo the TOD recommendation others have made. We ended up doing this for my mom's investment accounts because it eliminated all the gift tax complications while still achieving our goals. One practical tip: before making any changes, consider having your dad speak with his financial advisor about setting up a limited power of attorney for the brokerage account specifically for management purposes. Many brokerages offer this option, and it gives you the ability to help manage investments without triggering any ownership transfer. The amounts you're dealing with ($468k total) definitely warrant professional consultation. The peace of mind alone is worth the cost when you're potentially looking at gift tax filings and all the downstream complications others have mentioned.

Watch out - I messed up my capital loss carryover a few years ago and it caused a huge headache. Make sure you're using Schedule D correctly. My mistake was that I had a carryover loss but also had some small gains in the new tax year, and I didn't realize the gains had to be offset by the carryover first before taking the $3K deduction. Also, tax software doesn't always handle carryovers well. TurboTax asked me to input my carryover amount but didn't explain where to find that number from my previous return. I guessed wrong and had to file an amended return later.

I've been through this exact situation and learned the hard way that documentation is absolutely critical. Here's what I wish I had known from the start: 1. Keep ALL your original trading records from the year you had the loss - not just the summary amounts. The IRS can ask for details on specific trades even years later during an audit. 2. Create a master file with your original Schedule D showing the $16K loss, and then add each subsequent year's Schedule D showing how you've applied the carryover. This creates a clear paper trail. 3. Don't rely solely on tax software to track carryovers. I use a simple Excel sheet with columns for: year, beginning carryover, current year gains/losses, amount used against ordinary income, and ending carryover balance. 4. The Capital Loss Carryover Worksheet mentioned by Lucas is key - complete it every year even if your software does the calculation. It's your backup documentation. One thing that surprised me: if you have ANY capital gains in future years, those gains must be offset by your carryover loss BEFORE you can take the $3K deduction against ordinary income. Many people miss this and incorrectly calculate their remaining carryover. The IRS doesn't track this for you, so being organized from day one will save you major headaches later!