I went through this exact same worry a few months ago! My wage and income transcript was completely blank for what felt like forever, and I kept checking it obsessively thinking something was wrong with my filing. But it turns out this is totally standard - the IRS has different processing timelines for different transcript types. Your wage and income transcript specifically depends on all the W-2s and 1099s being processed through their batch system, which doesn't typically finish until late May or early June. If your return has already been processed or you've received your refund, then the blank transcript is just a timing issue, not an error. The IRS processes your return based on what you reported, then separately processes all the employer/institution reports later. Don't stress about it - it'll populate eventually!

I experienced this same anxiety last year! My wage and income transcript stayed blank until the very end of May, even though I had filed in early February and received my refund in March. What really helped me understand was learning that the IRS uses two completely different databases - one for processing your actual tax return (which happens relatively quickly) and another for compiling all the wage/income documents that employers send in (which takes much longer). The blank transcript doesn't mean anything is wrong with your filing - it's just that the IRS hasn't finished processing all the W-2s and 1099s yet. If you've already gotten your refund or your account transcript shows your return was processed, you're totally fine. The wage transcript will eventually populate, usually sometime between late May and early June.

Great thread! I'm in a similar position with my freelance graphic design business. Made about $38k last year and have been doing my own taxes with TurboTax, but I know I'm probably missing deductions. One thing I learned the hard way - make sure whatever service you choose understands creative businesses. I tried H&R Block last year and the preparer had no clue about things like client entertainment expenses, portfolio development costs, or software subscriptions that are legitimate business expenses for creative work. For photography specifically, don't forget about travel expenses for shoots, backup equipment storage, and even things like professional development courses. A good tax person who knows your industry will catch these things that general preparers often miss.

I've been following this discussion and wanted to share my experience as a wedding photographer who went through a similar decision process last year. I was making around $55k and felt overwhelmed by all the tax advice out there. I ended up working with a local CPA who specializes in creative businesses, and it made a huge difference. She caught deductions I never would have thought of - things like the percentage of my car insurance that's deductible for travel to shoots, equipment insurance, even part of my cell phone bill since I use it for client communication. The key was finding someone who actually understands photography as a business. She knew about things like model release fees, location scouting expenses, and even the cost of maintaining a professional portfolio website. These industry-specific deductions added up to about $3,200 in additional write-offs compared to what I was doing on my own. For what it's worth, she told me that at my income level, an S-Corp election wouldn't save much on self-employment taxes yet, but definitely something to consider once I hit around $70-80k consistently. Much more affordable than the Tax Hive quotes I got, and the personal relationship means I can call with questions throughout the year.

Make sure you don't ignore the California W-2 even if it's wrong! California is super aggressive about collecting taxes and will automatically assume you owe them if they get a W-2 showing income there. I learned this the hard way when I moved from California to Texas and my employer messed up my final W-2. I had to file a non-resident California return showing zero California source income and include a written explanation. Such a pain!

This is definitely a frustrating situation, but you're right to be suspicious - this sounds like a clear payroll error. Since you worked entirely in New York during 2024, all your wages and withholdings should be reported on a single W-2 showing New York as your work state. The split you're seeing (federal withholdings on the CA form, state withholdings on the NY form) suggests their payroll system might still have outdated location codes from your 2022 internship. This is more common than you'd think, especially with companies that have offices in multiple states. I'd recommend calling your HR/payroll department first thing Monday morning. Be specific about what you need: a corrected W-2c that consolidates all your 2024 wages and withholdings under New York, since that's where you physically performed all work during the tax year. Don't file your return until this is fixed - it'll save you major headaches with both state tax agencies later. If HR gives you pushback or delays, you can always contact the IRS directly, but most employers will fix this pretty quickly once they understand the issue. Keep documentation of all your communications in case you need to reference them later.

I had this exact same panic attack situation two years ago! Here's what I learned from my bank rep after it was all over: most banks actually process incoming ACH deposits (like your paycheck) in a separate batch from outgoing ACH debits (like IRS payments), and they typically run deposits first in the early morning hours. The timing usually goes: 1) Incoming deposits process around 2-4 AM, 2) Account balances update, 3) Outgoing payments/debits process around 4-7 AM. This sequence is designed to minimize overdrafts for exactly the situation you're describing. That said, every bank is different, and some employers send payroll files later than others. The safest bet is definitely calling your bank TODAY to explain the situation. Most banks can put a temporary note on your account to ensure deposits are processed before any withdrawals on that specific date. Don't stress too much though - this timing conflict is way more common than you'd think, and banks have procedures to handle it. The fact that you're being proactive about it puts you in a much better position than someone who just hopes for the best!

I completely understand your stress about this timing issue! I went through something very similar last year and learned a few things that might help ease your anxiety. First, while the IRS typically initiates withdrawals early in the morning (usually between 2-6 AM), your bank's processing order can work in your favor. Most banks process incoming deposits (like your paycheck) before outgoing debits (like tax payments) during their daily batch processing. This means even if your employer doesn't deposit at midnight, there's still a good chance your direct deposit will hit before the IRS withdrawal is processed. That said, here's what I'd recommend doing immediately: 1. Call your bank's customer service line first thing tomorrow morning and explain the situation. Ask them to put a note on your account to prioritize your direct deposit before processing any withdrawals that day. Most banks will accommodate this request, especially when you mention it's to avoid an overdraft from a government payment. 2. If you're still worried, you can contact the IRS at 1-888-353-4537 to cancel the scheduled payment (you need at least 2 business days notice), then reschedule it for a safer date. 3. Check your account early on payment day and keep your bank's number handy - if you see any timing issues developing, call immediately as they can sometimes hold or reverse transactions for a few hours. Don't beat yourself up over this - it's a really common timing issue that banks deal with regularly. The fact that you're being proactive about it already puts you ahead of the game!

Just to add one more data point - I'm from Austria and was in the US on a J1 last year. I initially had the same problem with Shutterstock and Adobe Stock. After several rejections, I finally just used my Austrian address on Line 3 (my parents' house) and Austria on Line 9, and both were immediately accepted. Is it technically correct? Maybe not 100%, but multiple agency compliance departments told me this was their preferred approach for nonresident aliens temporarily in the US. The reality is these companies just want the form to be processable in their automated systems so they can pay you without IRS issues.

As someone who went through this exact situation with multiple stock agencies last year while on a J1 visa, I can confirm what others have said about using your home country address on both Line 3 and Line 9. The key insight that finally resolved my issues was understanding that "permanent residence address" for tax purposes isn't about where you're currently sleeping - it's about your established tax residence. Since you're in the US on a temporary visa and remain a tax resident of Germany under the treaty, your permanent residence address should reflect that. I ended up using my family's address in my home country for Line 3, which matched the country I claimed treaty benefits for in Line 9. Every agency accepted this approach immediately. The automated systems these companies use are looking for consistency between your claimed tax residence and the country you're seeking treaty benefits from. One practical tip: if you don't currently maintain your own residence back home, using a family member's address where you could realistically receive mail is generally acceptable. The IRS guidance focuses on having a legitimate address in your country of tax residence, not requiring you to personally lease property there while temporarily abroad.