Just wanted to add - don't forget to check your state withholding too! I had a similar issue where federal taxes weren't being withheld properly, but I assumed my state taxes were fine. Turned out those were messed up too and I ended up owing to both federal AND state. Double check everything on your paystub!

This exact situation happened to me two years ago and I was absolutely panicking! Here's what I learned the hard way: First, you're right to be concerned - you'll likely owe money at tax time since no federal taxes were withheld. But it's not the end of the world if you act quickly. Submit a new W-4 to your employer IMMEDIATELY to start withholding federal taxes from your remaining paychecks this year. Second, use the IRS Tax Withholding Estimator to figure out roughly how much you'll owe. Once you know that number, consider making estimated tax payments before year-end to reduce the amount you'll owe when filing. A few things that helped me: I increased my federal withholding significantly for the last few months of the year (you can request additional amounts be withheld beyond the standard calculation). I also made sure to track any tax credits I might qualify for - they can really help offset what you owe. The most important thing is don't wait! Every paycheck that goes by without proper federal withholding just makes the problem worse. I ended up owing about $3,200 that year, but it would have been much worse if I hadn't caught it when I did.

Has anyone had this happen but with state taxes? I filed both my 2023 and 2024 MI state returns together but only got my 2024 refund. It's been 12 weeks now and nothing for 2023.

I'm dealing with something very similar right now! Filed my 2023 and 2024 returns together in March, got my 2024 refund within 3 weeks, but my 2023 return seems to have vanished. The "Where's My Refund" tool for 2023 gives me the same error message you're getting. What I've learned from calling around is that late-filed returns (like our 2023 taxes) go into a completely different processing queue that's mostly manual. They prioritize current year returns during tax season, so prior year returns can take 3-6 months to process. The automated tracking systems often don't work properly for these returns until they're fully processed. For penalties, if you owed money for 2023, you'll definitely get hit with late filing penalties (5% per month up to 25% max) plus interest from the original April 2024 due date. If you're getting a refund, they might still charge a late filing penalty but will just deduct it from your refund. My advice: try to create an account on IRS.gov to view your tax transcripts - this sometimes shows more info than the refund tracker. And honestly, don't stress too much about the lack of communication yet. It sounds like your return is just sitting in the manual processing queue, which is totally normal for late-filed returns.

Ugh, went thru this last yr and it was a PITA tbh. Sent my 2021 taxes in Feb, waited FOREVER (like 9 wks), then finally got the ok to file 2023. But here's what rly helped - I sent the old return CERTIFIED mail w/ tracking so I could prove when IRS got it. Also printed "PRIOR YEAR RETURN - PROCESS IMMEDIATELY" in red on the envelope. Dunno if that actually did anything but my tax guy recommended it lol. Also don't waste ur time calling the regular IRS # cause you'll just get the "high call volume" BS and get disconnected. If u need to check status, try calling right when they open at 7am EST or try the tax advocate line instead.

Just wanted to share my recent experience since I literally just went through this exact situation! I filed my missing 2023 return in early February and was stressed about the timeline too. Here's what happened: My 2023 return was processed after exactly 7 weeks (I could see it on my transcript), and then I e-filed my 2024 return the next day. The 2024 return processed in 19 days, so total timeline was about 9 weeks from start to finish. One thing that really helped was setting up an online IRS account so I could check my tax transcript directly instead of relying on "Where's My Refund" which doesn't always update promptly. The transcript will show a 150 code when your prior year return is fully processed - that's your green light to file the current year. Also, if you're really tight on finances and need to plan precisely, consider that the IRS typically releases refunds on Wednesdays and Fridays, so even if your 21-day processing period ends on a Monday, you might not see the deposit until Wednesday. Just something to factor into your timeline!

Ok this might sound dumb but I had a similar issue and realized I was looking at an outdated form. Double check you have the 2024 version of Form 8959? They made some changes to the Additional Medicare Tax calculation in recent years. Also check if ur tax software is up to date. TurboTax automatically updated for me mid-filing season last year cuz there was some correction to one of the forms.

I've been dealing with Form 8959 for several years now and you're not going crazy - there have definitely been some confusing aspects to the Additional Medicare Tax calculations. The most common issue I see is with Line 22 when people have income right around the threshold amounts. One thing that might help: make sure you're using the most current version of both the form and instructions. The IRS has made several revisions over the years, and sometimes the earlier versions had calculation errors or unclear guidance. For your situation with $275k income as a single filer, you should be calculating Additional Medicare Tax on the amount over $200k. If the worksheet is giving you a different result than what seems logical, try working backwards from the tax code itself - Section 1411 of the IRC is pretty clear about the 0.9% rate on income exceeding the threshold. Document your calculation method thoroughly regardless of which approach you take. If there really is an error in the form instructions, having clear documentation of your reasoning will protect you later.

Something to consider: the tax law around this is covered in IRC section 119 and the related regulations. If the meals are provided for a "substantial noncompensatory business reason" (like security concerns you mentioned), they might actually qualify as fully non-taxable, even with the 80% discount structure. I'd suggest asking HR for their written policy on meal benefits taxation. Many non-profits haven't updated their policies to reflect recent tax court rulings that have been more favorable to employees in these situations. Having the actual policy in writing can help you identify if they're following outdated guidance.

This is a really thorough discussion! I'm dealing with a similar situation at my non-profit where they're valuing our subsidized meals way above what comparable food costs elsewhere. After reading through all these responses, I'm planning to: 1. Document local restaurant prices for similar meals (great suggestion from Carmella) 2. Request the written policy from HR using the specific IRC section 119 language Ellie mentioned 3. Calculate my actual additional tax burden to see if it's worth pursuing One question - for those who successfully got their organizations to change the policy, how long did the whole process typically take? I want to set realistic expectations before I start down this path. Also, did anyone face any pushback or retaliation for questioning the meal benefit taxation? Thanks for all the detailed advice - this community is incredibly helpful for navigating these complex tax situations!