Has anyone actually done the math on the new W-4? I feel like ever since they redesigned it in 2020 and removed allowances, it's impossible to get it right. My wife and I are both high earners and no matter what we do, we either owe thousands or get thousands back.

The IRS Withholding Estimator at irs.gov/W4App is honestly your best bet here. I was in almost the exact same situation - new job, way too much being withheld, and completely confused by the W-4 form. What I learned is that the problem isn't necessarily with your W-4 setup, but with how your employer's payroll system is calculating withholding. Many payroll systems use annualized calculations that assume you've been earning that salary all year, even if you just started. The Withholding Estimator will ask for your actual pay stubs and calculate exactly what should go in each section of your W-4. In my case, I needed to put a specific dollar amount in Step 4(b) for deductions to reduce my withholding to the right level. Also, don't forget that you can submit a new W-4 anytime during the year if your situation changes. You're not stuck with whatever you filled out on your first day. I've submitted three different W-4s this year as I fine-tuned my withholding. The key is being proactive about it - every paycheck you wait is more money going to an interest-free loan to the government like you mentioned.

Has anyone used any specific tax software that's good at handling unusual medical deductions like this? I have a similar situation with special medical equipment and I'm worried standard software won't handle it correctly.

I'm a tax professional who's dealt with similar situations before. The meal delivery service could potentially qualify as a medical expense, but you need to be very careful about how you calculate and document it. Here's what you need to establish: 1. Medical necessity - Get a letter from your doctor stating that the special diet was prescribed AND that you were temporarily unable to prepare food yourself due to your medical condition 2. Excess cost calculation - You can only deduct the amount that exceeds what you would have normally spent on food during that period 3. Proper documentation - Keep all receipts and medical records For your $1,950 total cost, you'd need to subtract what you would have spent on regular groceries during those 3 months. If you normally spend $300/month on food, you could potentially deduct $1,050 ($1,950 - $900). The key is that this isn't just about the special diet - it's the combination of the medical diet requirement AND your temporary inability to prepare food yourself that creates the medical necessity argument. Make sure your doctor's letter addresses both aspects clearly.

Just went through something similar and want to make sure you know that amended returns are MUCH slower to process. Mine took almost 16 weeks! The IRS says to allow up to 20 weeks for amended returns vs. the normal 21 days for regular returns. So if you're expecting additional refund money, don't count on seeing it anytime soon.

Don't beat yourself up too much about this - it's actually the tax preparer's responsibility to ensure all your documents are included. Since you mentioned you gave them all your paperwork, this is on Jackson Hewitt, not you. The silver lining is that with $2,200 in federal withholding on that missing W-2, you'll likely owe very little additional tax, if any. In fact, depending on your tax bracket, you might even get a bigger refund once you file the amendment! File Form 1040-X as soon as possible to get ahead of any IRS notices. And definitely contact Jackson Hewitt about covering any fees or penalties since this was their error. Most reputable tax prep companies will make it right when they mess up. Keep all your documentation showing you provided complete paperwork to them.

As someone who went through this process twice in the past two years, I can share that the 7-day mark is still well within the normal range. The IRS verification system operates on batch processing cycles, not real-time updates. Your verification likely processed correctly, but the transcript updates happen in scheduled waves. I found that checking daily at 5:30 AM actually increased my anxiety - the updates typically appear on Wednesday or Thursday mornings when they do their weekly batch processing. Since you're new to the US tax system, it's worth noting that this verification process is actually a security feature to protect taxpayers from identity theft. The wait is frustrating but normal. I'd suggest giving it until the 14-day mark before calling back, as that's when most cases resolve according to the IRS's own published timelines.

I went through this exact same situation last year as a new US resident! The uncertainty is definitely nerve-wracking when you're still learning how the IRS system works. From my experience and what I've observed in this community, the 7-14 day window is accurate for most cases, but it can extend to 21 days during busy periods. What helped me manage the anxiety was understanding that the IRS has multiple verification queues - some for simple returns, others for complex ones. Since you mentioned needing the refund for credit history purposes, I assume your return is relatively straightforward, which typically processes faster. One tip that worked for me: instead of checking daily at 5:30 AM, try checking on Thursday or Friday mornings only, since that's when most weekly batch updates occur. The daily checking just added stress without providing useful information. Also, since you're new to the US tax system, it might be worth calling the IRS taxpayer assistance line (1-877-777-4778) around day 10-12 just to confirm your verification was properly recorded in their system. Sometimes there can be technical glitches that delay processing, and it's better to catch those early rather than wait the full 21 days. Hang in there - the process works, it's just frustratingly opaque about timing!

One thing nobody mentioned yet is that Coverdell accounts give you WAY more investment options than 529 plans. With a 529, you're usually stuck with whatever investment options your state's plan offers (typically target-date funds and some index funds). With a Coverdell, you can invest in pretty much anything - individual stocks, ETFs, mutual funds, etc. This was a huge factor for me since I wanted more control.

Another consideration is that 529 plans can now be rolled over into Roth IRAs (as of 2024) - up to $35,000 lifetime limit. This is HUGE for flexibility if your kid doesn't use all the 529 funds for education. Coverdells don't have this option.