I switched from H&R Block to TurboTax 2 years ago and my refund was actually higher with TurboTax! Not because TurboTax is "better" but because the software asked me some questions my tax preparer never did about my kids' school expenses and some job-related costs. If you're worried about missing something, just go slow and read all the questions carefully. Both H&R Block and TurboTax use the same tax laws - the difference is just in how thorough you are with providing information. One tip: Before you start, gather ALL your documents: W-2s, any 1099s, childcare receipts, any school costs, healthcare info. Having everything ready makes the process much smoother.

As someone who made the switch from H&R Block to TurboTax three years ago, I can tell you it was one of the best financial decisions I made. With your situation - married filing jointly, 4 dependents, straightforward W-2 income - you're actually in an ideal position for DIY software. Here's what I wish someone had told me before I switched: Your refund amount will be virtually identical between H&R Block and TurboTax because they're both following the same tax code. The real question is whether you're comfortable navigating the software yourself. For a family like yours, you'll mainly be dealing with the Child Tax Credit (up to $2,000 per child under 17), and possibly the Child and Dependent Care Credit if you pay for childcare. TurboTax is excellent at walking you through these family-related credits with simple yes/no questions. My advice? Try TurboTax's free estimation tool first. Input your basic info and see what refund estimate you get. If it's close to your usual $7,000, you'll know the software is capturing your situation correctly. You can always abandon the process if you're not comfortable. That $320 you're saving annually adds up - over 5 years, that's $1,600 back in your pocket for the same result.

I went through this exact same thing last year! Got the dreaded Form 9143 and had a mini panic attack thinking I'd messed up my taxes completely. Turns out I had signed with a purple gel pen (seemed like a good idea at the time, don't ask why 🤦‍♀️). The key things I learned: 1) Use only black or blue ink - no gel pens, no fancy colors, no pencil 2) Make sure your signature looks reasonably similar to previous years 3) Don't forget to date it if there's a date line 4) Send everything back that they returned to you, not just the signature page The good news is this is super common and totally fixable! I was worried about penalties too, but as long as you get it back to them promptly, your original filing date counts. Just make sure to use certified mail with tracking - learned that lesson from the comments above and it's totally worth the extra few dollars for peace of mind. You'll get through this! It's way more stressful than it needs to be, but it's really just a paperwork hiccup.

I'm dealing with a Form 9143 right now too! Reading through all these responses has been incredibly helpful and reassuring. I was convinced I had completely screwed up my taxes, but it sounds like this is actually pretty routine. My situation is a bit different - I think I might have used a Sharpie marker to sign mine (seemed bold and official at the time, but now I'm realizing that was probably a mistake). The ink was definitely black, but maybe too thick/bold for their scanners? One question for anyone who's been through this - about how long did it take to get confirmation that they received and processed your corrected return? I'm planning to send mine back with certified mail as suggested, but wondering what kind of timeline to expect before I hear back from them. Thanks everyone for sharing your experiences! This thread has saved me so much stress and confusion.

Guys im so confused about all this. if i want the money now instead of later do i still have to file taxes showing the EV purchase or is that the dealers problem now??? also does this affect other credits I might get like child tax credit??

This thread has been incredibly helpful! I'm in a similar situation where I was worried about my tax liability being too low to get the full benefit. Reading through everyone's experiences, it sounds like transferring to the dealer is definitely the way to go. One thing I want to add for future EV buyers - make sure you understand the income limits for the EV credit before you commit to the transfer. The credit phases out at certain income levels ($300k for joint filers, $150k for single), and if you're over those limits, you won't qualify for the credit at all, whether you transfer it or claim it yourself. Also, double-check that your specific EV model qualifies for the full $4,000 credit. Some vehicles only qualify for half the credit ($2,000) depending on where the battery components are sourced from. The dealer should know this, but it's worth verifying independently. Thanks to everyone who shared their experiences - this community is awesome for getting real-world advice on these complicated tax situations!

Does anyone know if the April 15th tax filing deadline is also the deadline for paying remaining taxes on 1099 income? Im confused if we are supposed to pay all remaining taxes by January 15th or if April 15th is ok too?

This is exactly the kind of situation where having good records really pays off! I'd recommend pulling together all your documents - your Q1-Q3 payment confirmations, your October 1099 income records, and your November-December pay stubs showing withholding amounts. Here's a practical approach: Calculate 25% of your total annual 1099 income (since that's roughly what your Q4 payment should cover). Then subtract what you already paid in Q1-Q3. Whatever's left is what you'd normally owe for Q4. Now check if your W-2 withholding in Nov-Dec exceeded what you'd typically owe on just those two months of W-2 income - that excess could cover your remaining Q4 obligation. The key thing to remember is that the IRS doesn't care how you structure your payments throughout the year, as long as you end up paying the right total amount by the time you file. So if your W-2 withholding "overpaid" for Nov-Dec and covers your October 1099 taxes, you're golden. When in doubt, making a small Q4 payment is usually the safer bet than risking underpayment penalties, especially since you'll get any overpayment back as a refund.

I went through this exact same situation about 6 months ago with a 12c letter requesting my W2. Here's what I learned that might help you: First, the 6-8 week timeline is actually pretty accurate if you respond quickly and completely. Mine took about 7 weeks from when I mailed my response to when I got my refund deposited. Definitely use certified mail like others mentioned - it's worth the extra cost for peace of mind. I was paranoid about them losing my documents too, so I also made sure to write my SSN and the letter reference number on every single page I sent. One thing that helped me was calling the IRS about 4 weeks after I sent my response to confirm they had received it and that it was being processed. Yes, it's a pain to get through to them, but it was worth it to know my case was moving forward. Also, keep checking the "Where's My Refund" tool regularly. Once they start processing your documentation, you'll see the status change from "still processing" to showing an actual refund date. That's when you know you're in the home stretch. Good luck with your refund! $3,800 is definitely worth the stress of dealing with this paperwork.

I'm dealing with a 12c letter right now too and this thread has been incredibly helpful! Just wanted to add one thing I learned from my tax preparer - if your W2 shows any corrections or amendments (like a W2c), make sure to include BOTH the original W2 and the corrected version when you respond. The IRS needs to see the complete paper trail to understand any discrepancies. I almost made the mistake of just sending the corrected W2c thinking that was all they needed, but my preparer caught it and said that could have delayed my case even further. Also, if you have multiple W2s from different employers, send copies of ALL of them even if the letter only mentions one specifically. Better to give them more information than they need rather than having to go through another round of correspondence. Hope this helps someone avoid the mistakes I almost made!