That price seems high but not crazy depending on where you live. I'm in NYC and was quoted $3200 for a similar situation (W-2 plus freelance plus a rental condo). I ended up using H&R Block Premium and it handled everything fine. Just make sure to keep REALLY good records of your rental expenses and freelance costs. The software walks you through everything. The biggest issue with rental property is properly calculating depreciation and understanding what expenses can be deducted vs capitalized. If you research those topics specifically, the rest is pretty straightforward in most software packages.

That quote does seem excessive! I'm a tax preparer myself, and while rental property plus freelance income does add complexity, $2700 is on the very high end unless you have some unusual circumstances they didn't mention. Here's what I'd suggest: Get at least 2-3 more quotes from different types of tax professionals - CPAs, enrolled agents, and even some of the larger chains like H&R Block. Prices can vary wildly even for the same work. That said, given your comfort level with TurboTax in the past, you might be surprised how well the premium versions handle rental properties now. TurboTax Premier or H&R Block Premium can walk you through Schedule E for rental income and Schedule C for freelance work. The key is having organized records and taking your time. One middle-ground option: prepare your return using software first, then pay a CPA just to review it before filing. This usually costs $200-400 but gives you professional oversight without the full preparation fee. Many CPAs offer this service and it might give you peace of mind for your first year with the rental property.

I used to work as a paralegal at a tax firm. One thing to consider - ask if they can give you a cap on research hours or a flat fee package. Most tax attorneys will be willing to set some limits once they've had an initial consultation and understand the scope. Otherwise, those research hours can add up quickly! Maybe something like "After 5 hours of research, we'll reassess and give you an updated estimate before continuing.

As someone who went through a similar situation with international gift tax complications, I'd suggest getting a second opinion before committing to those rates. While $625/hr isn't completely unreasonable for specialized international tax work, the combination of high hourly rates plus $800 per form seems excessive. I ended up working with a US-based tax attorney via video calls who charged $350/hr and included form preparation in their hourly rate. The time zone difference was manageable, and I saved over $3,000 compared to local quotes. Many US practitioners are very experienced with expat gift tax situations and can work efficiently since they handle these cases regularly. Also consider asking for a detailed scope of work upfront. "Substantial research" can mean different things, and you want to know exactly what they're researching before the clock starts ticking at $625/hr.

I'm dealing with something very similar right now! My employer filed a W2C back in October, but when I called the IRS last week, they said they only see my original W2 from January. It's so frustrating because my employer keeps insisting they submitted everything correctly. Reading through these responses has been really helpful - I had no idea about the SSA wage transcript or that there could be delays between the SSA and IRS systems. I'm definitely going to try getting documentation from both agencies to compare what they each have on file. Has anyone had success with asking their employer for the SSA submission confirmation number? My HR department has been pretty vague about whether they actually have proof of submission, and I'm wondering if I should be more specific about what documentation I need from them. Also, for those who used the fax method - did you send it to a specific IRS fax number, or just the general correspondence address? I want to make sure I'm sending my documentation to the right place so it doesn't get lost in their system. Thanks everyone for sharing your experiences - it's reassuring to know I'm not the only one dealing with this kind of bureaucratic nightmare!

I went through this exact nightmare two years ago and what finally worked was being extremely persistent with documentation. The key breakthrough for me was requesting what's called a "CADE 2 transcript" from the IRS - this shows their real-time system data rather than the standard transcripts that might be outdated. When I compared the CADE 2 transcript with my SSA earnings record, it became crystal clear that the IRS system hadn't been updated with my W2C information even though SSA had it. I printed both documents, highlighted the discrepancies in bright yellow, and hand-delivered them to my local IRS Taxpayer Assistance Center rather than mailing or faxing. The local office was able to input a "manual correction" immediately while I waited, and they gave me a printout showing the adjustment had been made to my account. My refund was released within 10 days after that. The moral of the story: sometimes you need to physically show up with paperwork in hand. The local offices have more direct access to make immediate corrections than the phone representatives do. Call ahead to make an appointment and bring every single piece of documentation you have - original W2, W2C, pay stubs, employer letters, SSA transcript, everything. It's worth the trip to get it resolved once and for all.

I noticed nobody mentioned this yet - if your client's original refund was already in process when you filed the superseding return, there's a chance they'll actually receive two separate refunds: the original amount and then the additional amount later. I've seen this happen a few times with superseding returns filed close to but not immediately after the original. The IRS systems don't always catch the superseding return in time to stop the original refund processing, especially during busy filing season. Just a heads-up so you're not surprised if this happens!

This is really helpful information! I'm dealing with my first superseding return situation and was getting confused by the same refund calculation display issues. One thing I want to add for other newcomers like me - make sure you keep detailed documentation of both the original and superseding returns in your client files. I learned this the hard way when a client called me months later asking about their refund amount and I had to piece together what happened. Also, if you're using tax software that shows confusing displays like the OP mentioned, don't hesitate to call your software support line. Most of the major tax software companies have specific help documentation for superseding returns, and their support teams are usually pretty good at walking through the calculation logic to confirm everything is correct. Thanks everyone for sharing your experiences - this thread is going to save me a lot of stress this filing season!

The level of control you're describing absolutely screams employee misclassification. I've seen this exact setup countless times in sales organizations, and it's almost always about the company trying to save money at your expense. Here's the reality check: if they're scheduling your appointments, dictating your training, requiring meeting attendance, and controlling your work schedule, you're functionally an employee regardless of what they call you on paper. The IRS has a 20-factor test for this, and your situation fails multiple criteria for independent contractor status. Beyond the legal issues, let's talk numbers. You'll be paying an extra 7.65% in self-employment taxes (that's the employer's portion of Social Security/Medicare), you'll have no unemployment insurance protection, no workers' comp, and you'll need to make quarterly estimated tax payments. Plus, they can manipulate your income by controlling lead quality - that's not the "independence" that comes with legitimate contractor work. My advice? Use this as leverage. If you're desperate for income, tell them you'll accept the role but only if they increase the commission structure by at least 25-30% to offset your additional tax burden and lost protections. If they refuse, that tells you everything about how "generous" this opportunity really is. Document everything if you do take it temporarily, and keep job hunting. Companies that start the relationship by trying to screw you over rarely get better with time.

As someone who works in employment law, I want to emphasize that what you're describing is textbook worker misclassification. The IRS uses a three-factor test focusing on behavioral control, financial control, and relationship type - and your situation fails on all three counts. The most telling factor is behavioral control. When an employer dictates your schedule (6 days/week), controls your methods (specific sales processes), requires training attendance, and schedules your appointments, you're clearly an employee under IRS guidelines. True independent contractors have the freedom to determine how, when, and where they perform their work. I'd strongly recommend against taking this position unless they're willing to either: 1. Properly classify you as a W2 employee, OR 2. Increase compensation by at least 30% to offset your additional tax burden and lost protections Here's why the math matters: You'll pay an extra 7.65% in self-employment taxes, lose unemployment insurance (worth roughly $3,000-5,000 annually in protection), have no workers' comp coverage, and need to handle quarterly tax payments. That's before considering the lack of any benefits. If you absolutely need income immediately, document everything meticulously - emails about scheduling, training materials, meeting requirements. This evidence will be crucial if you later file Form SS-8 for an official classification determination. The positive reviews could be from people who don't realize they're being financially disadvantaged, or the small percentage of top performers who can make it work through very high earnings and aggressive expense deductions. Trust your instincts here - this arrangement benefits them far more than it benefits you.