Just wanted to share that my company made a similar mistake with my withholding when I got married but kept filing as "single" (my spouse and I file separately). I didn't catch it for over a year! When I finally figured it out, I panicked and called a CPA who basically laughed and said this happens constantly. His advice was: 1) Fix it going forward immediately 2) Set aside some cash to cover what you'll owe for the current year 3) Don't stress about past years if you've already filed and settled up. The bigger issue is going to be this year since you're already 9 months in with incorrect withholding. The simplest fix is to immediately adjust your W-4 to have a specific additional amount taken out of each remaining paycheck. Your payroll department can help calculate this.

I work in payroll and see this exact situation probably 5-6 times a year. Your aunt is overreacting - you're not going to have wages garnished over this! Here's what actually happens: The IRS cares about your actual tax liability when you file your return, not what your employer withholds during the year. Since you've been filing as "single" (which is correct) and getting refunds, you've already squared up with the IRS for those past years. The real issue is 2023. You'll likely owe money when you file, but it's not going to be some catastrophic amount. At $80 per paycheck over 9 months (assuming biweekly pay), you're looking at maybe $2,000-2,500 in underwithholding for the year. That's manageable. Two immediate steps: 1) Use the IRS withholding calculator to figure out exactly how much extra to withhold for the rest of 2023, and 2) Start setting aside some money each month to cover what you'll owe when you file. The IRS has payment plans if you can't pay it all at once when you file. As long as you're not repeatedly owing large amounts year after year, they're pretty reasonable to work with. You're going to be fine!

its probably ur credit score. happened to my cousin last year and thats what it was

I work at a tax prep office and can confirm what Evelyn said - TurboTax definitely has early filing deadlines for advances, usually around mid-February. They also do income verification and look at your tax history with them. Even with good credit, if you had any issues with previous advances or filed late in prior years, that can disqualify you. It's frustrating because they don't always explain the criteria upfront!

Make sure to double check your W-2s from those years! Box 1 (wages, tips, other compensation) would include any imputed income. If your employer won't give you an accurate breakdown, look at your December paystub for each year and multiply the per-paycheck imputed income by the number of pay periods. When I had this issue, my company refused to issue corrected W-2s, so I had to file Form 4852 (substitute for Form W-2) along with my 1040-X for each year. Total nightmare but got back around $2200.

This is a really common issue that many newly married couples face! As others have mentioned, you're absolutely right that imputed income should only apply to domestic partners, not legally married spouses. The IRS is clear that employer-provided health insurance for spouses is not taxable income. I'd suggest documenting everything before you approach HR again. Print out your pay stubs showing the imputed income, gather copies of your marriage certificate, and maybe even print out the relevant IRS guidance (Publication 15-B covers this). Sometimes having the official documentation in hand makes the conversation go more smoothly. One thing to watch out for - if your employer fixes this going forward but won't issue corrected W-2s for previous years, you'll definitely want to file those amended returns. The IRS typically allows you to amend returns for up to three years, so depending on when you got married in 2022, you might be able to recover taxes from both 2022 and 2023. Keep pushing on this - it's definitely worth the effort to get it corrected!

Has anyone ever tried arguing that a change in your personal involvement with the properties constitutes a material change? Like if you were actively managing all properties when grouped, but now have become passive with one or more of them?

I've been dealing with a similar ungrouping situation and wanted to share what I learned from my research and consultation with a tax professional. The key is really understanding that the IRS looks at whether the original economic rationale for grouping still exists. Beyond what others have mentioned, here are some additional "material changes" that might qualify: - **Debt structure changes**: If you refinanced one property with significantly different terms (like switching from commercial to residential mortgage, or adding/removing personal guarantees) - **Insurance changes**: Moving from a blanket policy covering all properties to separate policies can show they're no longer economically integrated - **Tenant profile shifts**: If one property went from long-term residential to short-term vacation rental, that's a fundamental business model change - **Legal structure modifications**: Changes in LLC operating agreements, management structures, or ownership percentages The documentation is crucial - you need to show the IRS that maintaining the grouping would be "clearly inappropriate" given the new circumstances, not just that ungrouping would save you taxes. One strategy I've seen work is preparing a detailed memo explaining how the properties functioned as an integrated economic unit originally, and how specific changes have disrupted that integration. This proactive documentation can be invaluable if the IRS ever questions your ungrouping decision. Have you considered whether any of these types of changes apply to your situation?

I'm confused about job-related training deductions in general. Are they still deductible for employees after the tax law changes? I thought most job expenses went away unless you're self-employed?

Great point about the 1099 vs W-2 distinction! Since you mentioned you're a "security contractor," that suggests you might be getting 1099s rather than W-2s, which would make this deduction potentially viable on Schedule C as a business expense. However, even for contractors, the expense still needs to meet the "ordinary and necessary" test for your security business. The IRS looks at whether the expense is common and accepted in your trade, and whether it's helpful and appropriate for your business. If you are indeed a 1099 contractor, you'd want to document how the karate training specifically enhances your security services - maybe it allows you to take on higher-risk assignments, charge premium rates, or fulfill specific client requirements. Keep detailed records of how the skills directly apply to your contract work, not just general fitness or self-improvement. What's your employment classification? That'll determine whether this is even worth pursuing.