I'm just wondering - does anyone know if TurboTax handles these excess contribution 1099-Rs correctly? I tried entering mine last year and it seems like it didn't know what to do with the code combinations.

I went through almost the exact same situation last year! Had two 1099-Rs for excess contribution removals made on the same day - one with codes P and J, another with codes 8 and J. It's really confusing when you first see it. The key thing to understand is that they represent two different parts of the same transaction. The P code is for the principal (your original excess contribution) that gets backed out of your prior year return, while the 8 code is for any earnings that grew on that excess contribution while it sat in your account. Even though both were processed the same day, they have different tax treatments. For your 2022 amendment, you'll reduce your IRA contribution deduction by $5,432.34. For 2023, that $89.34 in earnings gets added to your income and you'll likely owe the 10% early withdrawal penalty on it too. One tip - when you're amending 2022, make sure you also check if you claimed any retirement savings credit (Form 8880) based on that contribution. You might need to recalculate that as well. The whole process is a pain, but once you understand the logic behind the different codes, it makes more sense.

Has anyone here used both services in different years and noticed a difference in how long it took to get your ACTUAL refund from the IRS afterward? I've heard rumors that going through H&R Block somehow slows down the processing compared to TurboTax, but that sounds like nonsense to me.

I went through a similar situation last year and ended up going with TurboTax for their $4000 advance. Since you mentioned you've been using TurboTax for years, that history definitely helps with approval. I had a credit score in the low 600s and still got approved for $3800 out of the maximum $4000. The key thing is making sure your expected refund is substantial enough - which sounds like it will be with three kids and the Child Tax Credit. They typically want to see your refund will be at least double the advance amount as a safety buffer. One tip: when you're going through their advance application, make sure all your income information is as accurate as possible. I noticed they cross-reference your W-2 data, and any discrepancies can slow down or complicate approval. The process was really quick for me - I completed my return, applied for the advance, and had approval within 2 hours. The money was in my account via direct deposit the next morning. The $120 prep fee was reasonable considering the convenience of getting money weeks before the IRS would have sent my refund. Given your situation with needing the money ASAP and your history with TurboTax, I'd say stick with them for the higher advance amount. Good luck with everything!

Not to make things more stressful, but you should also consider how this affects your financial aid for college! If your parents have been claiming you as a dependent, that probably affected your FAFSA and financial aid packages. Getting married changes your dependency status for financial aid purposes too, not just taxes. You'll be considered an independent student regardless of your age once you're married, which could significantly change your aid eligibility. Might want to check with your school's financial aid office about how this could impact any current or future aid.

The advice here is spot-on about the tax implications, but I wanted to add something from personal experience. When I got married during college, I was terrified about having "the conversation" with my parents too. What helped me was framing it around the practical tax issues first rather than the emotional aspects of not telling them about the marriage initially. I started by saying something like "I need to talk to you about our tax situation this year because there are some changes that affect whether you can claim me as a dependent." Then I explained the marriage and how it impacts taxes. It gave us a concrete problem to solve together rather than just focusing on why I hadn't told them sooner. Also, definitely talk to your school's financial aid office ASAP like Justin mentioned. Being married made me independent for FAFSA purposes, and I actually got more aid because they only looked at my and my spouse's low incomes instead of my parents' higher income. But you need to update your status properly to avoid any aid complications down the road.

Has anyone tried just going to a different Walmart? I had a similar issue with my PayPal prepaid card where one Walmart charged tax on the reload fee but another one 5 miles away didn't. Turns out it was just misconfigured at the first store. Maybe try reloading at different locations and see if the tax is consistent? Could save you a lot of hassle if it's just one store's mistake.

This is a frustrating situation that highlights how inconsistent retail tax systems can be. From what I've seen, the issue often comes down to how different prepaid products are classified in the merchant systems. One thing that might help is documenting exactly when this started happening with your Bluebird card. If Walmart recently changed how they categorize Bluebird reloads in their system, that could explain the sudden appearance of sales tax. Keep your receipts and note the dates - this pattern could be useful evidence if you need to pursue a refund. You might also want to check if the tax is being applied based on your location versus the card type. Some states have different rules for different types of financial services, and it's possible that Bluebird falls under a different classification than other prepaid cards in Texas tax code. The suggestions others made about contacting your state tax authority are solid. Texas Comptroller's office should be able to give you a definitive answer about whether reload fees should be taxed, and having that official confirmation will make any conversation with Walmart much more productive.

Has anyone here successfully claimed the child tax credit using just an ITIN for their kid? I heard some tax credits are restricted if your dependent doesn't have an SSN.

I went through this exact situation last year with my spouse and child during their green card process. You can absolutely claim your child as a dependent using an ITIN - don't wait for the SSN! A few things that helped me: First, apply for the ITIN as early as possible since it takes 7-11 weeks. You can file Form W-7 with your tax return. Second, keep detailed records of all support you're providing (housing, food, medical, etc.) since you'll need to prove you provide over half their support. For your hypothetical overseas scenario - yes, you could still claim them as dependents even if they were living abroad, as long as they meet the dependency tests and have ITINs. The key is that as a US service member, your family members can qualify as residents for tax purposes even when physically overseas. One gotcha I learned the hard way: with just an ITIN, your child qualifies for the Credit for Other Dependents ($500) rather than the full Child Tax Credit. Once they get their SSN, you can claim the full amount. But definitely don't miss out on claiming them altogether while waiting for the immigration process!