11 Has anyone noticed if the way TurboTax handles 403b contributions changed from last year? I swear last year it showed me somewhere that it was accounting for these pre-tax contributions, but this year I can't find any mention of it in the review screens.

Just to add another perspective - I work in payroll and can confirm that when we process 403b contributions, they're deducted from gross wages BEFORE we calculate the amounts that go in W-2 Box 1. So by the time your W-2 is generated, Box 1 already reflects your income after the 403b contribution has been subtracted. The Box 12b Code E is purely informational - it tells you and the IRS how much you contributed to your 403b during the year, but it doesn't need any additional tax treatment because the tax benefit was already applied when your employer calculated your taxable wages. TurboTax recognizes this and correctly doesn't make any further adjustments. If you want to double-check, add up all your Box 12 codes that represent pre-tax deductions (like Code E for 403b, Code W for HSA, etc.) and compare that to the difference between your final paystub's gross YTD wages and your W-2 Box 1. They should be pretty close, accounting for any other pre-tax deductions like health insurance premiums.

Anyone know how long ITINs are taking to process right now? I applied for my husband's back in January and still haven't heard anything. Getting worried since we need it for some property stuff.

I went through this exact same situation last year! You're absolutely fine to apply for your spouse's ITIN after already filing your return as Married Filing Separately. The IRS doesn't require you to have the ITIN before filing - in fact, many people do it in the order you did. Just a heads up though - make sure you have all the required original documents or certified copies from the issuing agency (not notarized copies). Since your spouse lives abroad, you'll probably want to use a Certifying Acceptance Agent or IRS office that can verify the documents so you don't have to mail originals internationally. One thing to keep in mind: once your spouse gets their ITIN, you'll have the option to file jointly next year, which could potentially save you money depending on your income levels. But for this year, you're all set with your current filing status. The ITIN application won't affect your already-submitted return at all.

I feel your pain so much - I went through this exact same nightmare last year! My husband's "filing system" was literally receipts stuffed in his glove compartment and random notebooks with illegible expense scribbles. Here's what I learned the hard way: filing separately then amending to joint later sounds simple in theory, but the IRS systems really aren't designed for it. When I tried this approach, my amended return got stuck in manual processing for 8 months because the computer couldn't reconcile why we suddenly qualified for credits we hadn't claimed initially. What finally worked for us was a combination approach - I made an appointment with a tax pro and told my husband "we're going Tuesday at 2pm, bring whatever records you have." Then I used one of those tax tools mentioned earlier (TaxR.ai) to at least get his bank statements organized beforehand so we weren't starting from complete chaos. The tax pro was able to work with his messy records and we actually discovered some deductions he would have missed entirely. Yes, it cost us $500, but we saved over $3,000 compared to what we would have lost filing separately, plus no amendment headaches. Sometimes you just have to take control of the situation instead of waiting for them to get their act together. Your sanity and financial well-being matter too!

I've been through this exact situation and completely understand the desperation to just get your refund! After reading through all these responses, I think the consensus is pretty clear - filing separately now with plans to amend later is going to create way more problems than it solves. The combination of losing valuable tax credits (like the Earned Income Credit and education credits), plus the nightmare of IRS processing delays when you amend from MFS to MFJ, just isn't worth it. Several people mentioned amendments getting stuck in manual review for 8+ months, which defeats the whole purpose of trying to get your money faster. Here's what I'd recommend based on everyone's experiences: 1. Give your husband a hard deadline - make an appointment with a tax professional for next week and tell him you're both going, organized or not 2. File an extension to buy time until October (you can estimate and pay any taxes owed) 3. Consider using one of those AI tools like TaxR.ai to quickly organize his bank statements before the appointment 4. If you absolutely need cash flow now, look into refund advance loans rather than risking the MFS/MFJ amendment mess Your 2019 refund situation shows this pattern will just repeat if you don't take control. Sometimes being the "bad guy" who forces action is better than being stuck in procrastination limbo indefinitely. You've got this!

Does anyone know if this same TurboTax issue happens with partial Roth conversions? I converted $4000 of my $7000 traditional IRA to Roth in 2022, and I'm worried TurboTax will miss it too.

I had this exact same problem with TurboTax and backdoor Roth conversions! What finally worked for me was going to the "Federal Taxes" tab, then "Wages & Income", and looking for "Retirement Plans and Social Security". From there, click "IRA, 401(k), Pension Plan Withdrawals (1099-R)" and manually enter your 1099-R forms. When TurboTax asks what you did with the money, select "I rolled it over to a Roth IRA" - this is the correct option for conversions. Make sure to answer "Yes" when it asks if you converted the entire traditional IRA balance, since you mentioned your account now has $0. The key thing people miss is that you ALSO need to complete Form 8606 to report your non-deductible contributions. In TurboTax, search for "8606" or look under "Federal Taxes" > "Deductions & Credits" > "Retirement & Investments" > "Nondeductible IRA Contributions". This form is what tells the IRS you already paid tax on your contributions, so you'll only owe tax on any earnings that occurred before conversion. Since this was your first backdoor Roth, make sure you filed Form 8606 in the year you made the non-deductible contribution to establish your basis. Without this, the IRS assumes your entire conversion is taxable!

I'm dealing with a very similar situation with my 5-year-old's "Pre-K Plus" program! Our school director initially gave me the same response - that the "academic portion" didn't qualify for DCFSA, only the "extended care" hours. What finally worked for me was printing out the exact language from IRS Publication 503 and highlighting the key phrase: "Expenses for a child in nursery school, preschool, or similar programs for children below the level of kindergarten are expenses for care." I also found IRS Revenue Ruling 2003-92 which specifically addresses this issue and confirms that educational content doesn't disqualify pre-K programs from DCFSA eligibility. The breakthrough came when I asked the school director to show me where in the IRS code it says "tuition" for pre-K programs is treated differently than "childcare." They couldn't find any such distinction because it doesn't exist. I ended up getting full documentation for our $18K program, and our FSA administrator (FSAFEDS) accepted it without question. The key was being persistent but professional, and having the actual tax code references ready. Don't give up - you're absolutely right about this and it's worth thousands in tax savings! If your school continues to resist, consider reaching out to other parents in the program. When multiple families raise the same concern, schools tend to take it more seriously and consult with their own tax advisors.

As a CPA who specializes in tax planning, I can confirm that you are absolutely correct in your interpretation of IRS Publication 503. The school's finance manager is making a fundamental error by distinguishing between "tuition" and "childcare" for pre-kindergarten programs. The IRS is very clear: ANY program below the level of kindergarten qualifies in its entirety for DCFSA purposes, regardless of how the provider categorizes or bills the services. The educational content, academic curriculum, or internal billing structure of the school is irrelevant to the tax treatment. I've helped dozens of families in similar situations, and the key is persistence with proper documentation. Here's what I recommend: 1. Request a meeting with the school director (not just finance staff) and bring printed copies of IRS Publication 503, specifically page 7 where it states programs "below the level of kindergarten are expenses for care." 2. Ask them to provide written documentation showing where in the tax code "tuition" for pre-K programs is treated differently than "childcare" - they won't be able to because no such distinction exists. 3. If they continue to resist, submit your expenses to your FSA administrator anyway with documentation showing it's a pre-K program. Many FSA administrators follow IRS guidelines regardless of school categorization. Don't let an incorrectly informed finance manager cost your family over $5,000 in legitimate tax benefits. The tax code is on your side here.