IRS

Pay nothing until a live IRS agent is on the phone with you.

Can't reach IRS? Claimyr calls for you, so you don't have to wait on hold.

$0 upfront. We only hold your card.
No live agent, no charge.

$9.99 is charged only once a live IRS agent is on the phone with you.

Using Claimyr will:

  • Connect you to a human agent at the IRS
  • Skip the long phone menu
  • Call the correct department
  • Redial until on hold
  • Forward a call to your phone with reduced hold time
  • Give you free callbacks if the IRS drops your call
Fox KTVUABC 7CBSSan Francisco Chronicle


Ask the community...

  • DO post questions about your issues.
  • DO answer questions and support each other.
  • DO post tips & tricks to help folks.
  • DO NOT post call problems here - there is a support tab at the top for that :)

Confused with different total tax amounts when comparing tax software calculations

I'm not super familiar with taxes but I thought it should be pretty straightforward for me since I'm just a single W2 employee. For the 2023 tax year, my Box 1 wages were $121,254. My interest income on my 1099-INT was $2,986. I used TurboTax and my total tax was calculated at $17,968. Since $17,199 was already withheld, I had to pay an extra $769. After that experience, I started having an additional $130 taken out for federal taxes each paycheck to avoid owing next time. Fast forward to this year (2024 tax filing), my Box 1 wages were $125,164, with $20,396 withheld for federal taxes in Box 2. My interest income on my 1099-INT was $2,427. I decided to try H&R Block since they had a sale going on. Their software calculated my total tax as $20,869 and said I still owed $473. This seemed off, so I went to the IRS website to estimate my taxes. According to their calculator, my AGI is $97,247 and I qualify for free filing. My total income is $127,591 and my taxable income is $110,239. The IRS calculated my total tax as $18,382. Since I already had $20,396 withheld, it showed I should get a refund of $2,014. Now I'm completely confused because we're talking about almost a $2,500 difference between H&R Block and the IRS calculator! My gut feeling is that the IRS calculator is correct and H&R Block made an error, since I earned slightly more this year so my taxes should be a bit higher than last year. That's what I was expecting. Would anyone experienced mind looking at these numbers to confirm? I can share all the details from my W2 if needed. Thanks!

Oliver Becker

โ€ข

This happened to me too!! I ended up downloading my return as a PDF from both H&R Block and TurboTax, then going through them line by line to find the differences. It took forever but I finally found that one software was interpreting my retirement contributions differently. One suggestion is to check if there's anything unusual about your W2 - any code in Box 12 that might be interpreted differently by different software?

0 coins

Natasha Petrova

โ€ข

This is solid advice! Line-by-line comparison is tedious but effective. I work in payroll and Box 12 codes cause the most confusion with tax software. Codes D, E, F, G, H and S all relate to different types of retirement contributions and sometimes software doesn't categorize them correctly.

0 coins

Sophia Russo

โ€ข

Based on your numbers, the IRS calculator result seems much more reasonable. A $2,500 difference between tax software is definitely not normal for a straightforward W2 + interest income situation. Here's what I'd suggest checking in H&R Block: 1. **Verify your AGI calculation** - With $125,164 in Box 1 wages plus $2,427 interest, but an AGI of only $97,247 on the IRS calculator, you're clearly getting substantial above-the-line deductions (likely your maxed 401k and HSA). Make sure H&R Block captured these correctly. 2. **Check Box 12 codes on your W2** - Look for codes like D (401k elective deferrals), W (HSA employer contributions), etc. Sometimes software misinterprets these. 3. **Review your tax bracket calculation** - With a taxable income around $110,239, most of your income should be taxed at 22%, not higher brackets. The math check: If your taxable income is $110,239, your federal tax should be roughly $18,289 (using 2024 brackets), which aligns much better with the IRS calculator than H&R Block's result. I'd recommend either going through H&R Block line-by-line to find the error, or trying a different tax software to get a third opinion. The IRS calculator is usually quite accurate for straightforward situations like yours.

0 coins

Tax topic 152 is actually a good sign! It means your return is being processed normally. The IRS is just moving slower than usual this year. My brother filed same day as you and just got his deposit yesterday, so yours might be coming soon!

0 coins

Liam McGuire

โ€ข

Hey Anna, I totally understand your frustration! I filed around the same time with TaxSlayer and was stuck on processing for weeks too. One thing that helped me was setting up text/email alerts through the IRS "Where's My Refund" tool so I didn't have to keep checking obsessively. Also, if you're having trouble accessing your transcript online, you can call 1-800-908-9946 to request it be mailed to you (takes 5-10 business days but at least you'll get the detailed info). Hang in there - based on what others are saying, it sounds like TaxSlayer returns are just taking longer this year but they are getting processed!

0 coins

AaliyahAli

โ€ข

One more thing to consider - this overlapping reporting is actually helping the IRS crack down on unreported income. A friend of mine who works as a tax preparer says they're specifically comparing 1099-K data against 1099-NEC/MISC to catch businesses that don't report all income. So while it seems annoying to us, it's actually part of their enforcement strategy. Make sure you report ALL income, whether it's on a form or not. The days of sliding under the radar with cash or direct payments are pretty much over now.

0 coins

Ellie Simpson

โ€ข

That makes sense. I've been wondering why they lowered the 1099-K threshold so dramatically. Feels like they're closing all the loopholes!

0 coins

JacksonHarris

โ€ข

This is exactly what I'm dealing with right now! I switched to a new payment processor mid-year and they're treating my direct bank transfers as "card transactions" on the 1099-K even though no cards were involved. It's so frustrating. One thing I learned from my accountant is that you should definitely NOT contact your clients to "fix" the 1099-NECs they already sent. Those are correct - they paid you for services and properly reported it. The issue is with the payment processor's classification, but trying to get them to change it now will likely just create more confusion. The reconciliation approach mentioned above is spot on. I'm creating a simple spreadsheet that shows: Date | Client Name | Amount | Reported on 1099-NEC | Also Reported on 1099-K. This way if the IRS ever questions it, I can clearly show that Payment A from Client X appears on both forms for the same transaction. Has anyone successfully gotten a payment processor to reclassify ACH transfers after the fact? I'm wondering if it's even worth the hassle or if I should just focus on proper documentation.

0 coins

I've been through this exact situation and want to share what worked for me. First, don't stress too much - as others mentioned, you don't need to attach the confirmation to your tax return. But here's a systematic approach I used to track down my missing 83B docs: 1. Check ALL your email accounts (personal, work, old accounts) for keywords like "83B", "election", "IRS acknowledgment", etc. Mine was buried in an automated email from our payroll system. 2. Contact your company's HR/legal team first - they often maintain records and it's the fastest route. 3. If that doesn't work, the IRS phone callback services mentioned here are legit and much better than sitting on hold for hours. 4. As a last resort, Form 4506 will get you an official copy, but it takes time and costs money. The key thing is that you filed it properly and on time. The IRS has records of this, and there are multiple ways to verify/document that you complied with the requirements. You're in better shape than you think!

0 coins

Jasmine Quinn

โ€ข

I went through something very similar last year and completely understand the panic! Here's what I learned: the IRS confirmation letter is really just for your peace of mind - it's not required for your tax filing. The important thing is that you filed the 83B election within the 30-day window, which it sounds like you did. What really helped me was creating a backup documentation trail. I reached out to my company's legal team (they had a copy), checked my email thoroughly using search terms like "83B" and "election" (found it in a forwarded email from HR), and also requested my own tax transcript from the IRS website which showed the election was properly recorded. Since you have until October with your extension, you have plenty of time to track this down through multiple channels. The suggestions here about using phone callback services or document scanning tools are solid if the basic approaches don't work. But honestly, just knowing you filed it correctly is the most important part - everything else is just documentation for your records.

0 coins

Nia Wilson

โ€ข

This is really helpful advice! I'm curious about the tax transcript you mentioned - can you access that online through the IRS website? I've never looked at one before but if it shows that my 83B election was recorded, that would give me a lot of peace of mind. Is it pretty straightforward to find that information on the transcript, or do you need to know what to look for?

0 coins

Grace Lee

โ€ข

Yes, you can access your tax transcript online through the IRS website at irs.gov - just look for "Get Your Tax Record" or "View Your Account Information." You'll need to verify your identity with personal info and they might send you a code by text or mail. However, I should clarify - the tax transcript typically shows your filed tax returns and some correspondence, but 83B elections are actually filed separately from your regular tax return, so it might not show up on a standard tax transcript. What you're looking for would be more in their correspondence records or miscellaneous filings. @Jasmine Quinn might have had a different experience or accessed a different type of record. The account transcript or record of account might be more comprehensive. Either way, it s'worth checking since it s'free and gives you insight into what the IRS has on file for you.

0 coins

Sofia Peรฑa

โ€ข

10 Have you considered just being upfront with your clients? If it's truly their money for projects, maybe notify them of the situation and return any unused funds. Then have them pay you in smaller increments as you complete portions of the work. This would protect their money (it would be in their accounts, not yours) and might actually strengthen your negotiating position with the IRS since you'd have clear ongoing income to support a payment plan.

0 coins

Sofia Peรฑa

โ€ข

18 This is actually solid advice. I was in a similar spot and worked with clients to restructure payment terms - breaking projects into smaller milestones with payments due upon completion of each phase. It protected their funds and gave me a predictable cash flow I could use to negotiate with the IRS.

0 coins

Isabella Santos

โ€ข

Based on my experience dealing with IRS collections, you're right to be concerned. Single-member LLCs offer limited protection against IRS levies for personal tax debt because they're treated as disregarded entities for federal tax purposes. However, there are some immediate steps you can take: 1. **Document everything** - Keep detailed records showing which funds belong to specific client projects. While this doesn't guarantee protection, it can help during negotiations. 2. **Consider a Collection Due Process (CDP) hearing** - If you receive a Final Notice of Intent to Levy, you have 30 days to request a CDP hearing, which can delay collection actions while you work out a payment plan. 3. **Explore Currently Not Collectible (CNC) status** - If you can demonstrate financial hardship, the IRS may temporarily suspend collection activities. 4. **Set up an installment agreement ASAP** - Even a small monthly payment can prevent levies while you get your finances in order. The key is being proactive. Don't wait for the levy to happen - contact the IRS now to discuss your options. The sooner you engage with them, the more likely you are to find a workable solution that protects your business operations. Also consider consulting with a tax attorney who specializes in IRS collections - they can review your specific situation and advise on the best strategy for your circumstances.

0 coins

Prev1...26832684268526862687...5645Next