Something else to consider - Washington has no state income tax while Texas also has no state income tax. But sometimes states without income tax have higher withholding requirements for other things. Did you check if there were other state-specific deductions that might explain the difference? Maybe look at the full paystub breakdown.

The most likely explanation for your situation is a combination of the W-4 differences others mentioned plus the pay frequency issue. Moving from bi-weekly (Texas) to weekly (Washington) pay while also changing how you filled out your W-4 could easily create that 4x difference in withholding. Here's what probably happened: In Texas with 2 allowances on the old W-4 form, you were telling the system to withhold less. Then in Washington, you filled out the new W-4 as "Single" with no adjustments, AND the weekly pay frequency made the system think you were earning a higher annual salary than you actually were. The withholding system multiplies your weekly pay by 52 weeks to estimate your annual income, which might have pushed you into a higher projected tax bracket for withholding purposes. Combined with the more conservative withholding on the new W-4 form, this created the perfect storm for over-withholding. The good news is you'll likely get most of that extra withholding back as a refund when you file your taxes. For future jobs, make sure to fill out your W-4 carefully and consider using the IRS withholding calculator to get the right amount withheld.

Same issue here. Been locked out 3 days straight. Called them and was on hold for 2 hours just to get hung up on 🤮

I had the same problem last week! What worked for me was clearing my browser cache and cookies completely, then waiting the full 24 hours before trying again. Also make sure you're using the exact refund amount from line 35a of your 1040 form, not any estimated amount. The system is super picky about matching everything exactly.

Has anyone actually been audited by the IRS over a family loan with the wrong interest rate? I'm loaning my sister $30k and don't want to deal with all this AFR stuff but also don't want to get in trouble.

I went through this exact situation last year when I loaned my daughter $50,000 for her business. Here's what I learned from my tax attorney: For a 6-month loan, you definitely need the short-term AFR rate. Since you're getting paid back in one lump sum at the end, use the semi-annual compounding rate from the IRS Revenue Ruling published for the month you make the loan. The key thing everyone misses is that you MUST actually charge and collect the interest, not just put it on paper. I made the mistake of "forgiving" the interest at the end, and my CPA told me that could still trigger gift tax issues since I was essentially giving her the interest amount. Also, make sure your loan agreement includes a specific maturity date, not just "about 6 months." The IRS wants to see definite terms. I used a simple promissory note template but had it notarized just to be extra safe. One more tip: if your brother can't pay the full amount back at 6 months, don't just verbally extend it. You'll need to formally modify the loan agreement or it could look like you're just gifting money with extra steps.

Don't forget to check if the K-1s have any Section 199A(g) deductions as well, which is different from the regular QBI deduction. Some agricultural or horticultural partnerships include this, though it's less common with trading partnerships.

I just went through this exact situation with my brother's estate - he was also heavily into day trading through partnerships. After reading through all these responses, I want to add that you should also check if FreeTaxUSA is properly handling the QBI limitations for estates. Estates have different QBI rules than individual returns. The QBI deduction for estates is limited to the lesser of 20% of the qualified business income OR 20% of the estate's taxable income above the deduction for distributions to beneficiaries. This calculation can be tricky when you have multiple K-1s. Also, since your uncle passed in October, you're dealing with a short tax year which could affect how the QBI deduction is calculated. The software might not automatically adjust for this, so you may want to double-check the calculations manually or consult a tax professional who specializes in estate returns with partnership interests.

As an international student who went through similar confusion about crypto and tax obligations, I want to stress how important it is to get this right from the start. The arrangement your friend is proposing is absolutely not worth the risk - it could impact everything from your current F1 status to future visa applications and even permanent residency down the line. I made the mistake early on of not keeping detailed records of family support transfers, and it created headaches during tax season. Here's what I learned works best for legitimate family support: **For family crypto transfers:** - Have your parents include a memo/note with each transfer stating "educational support for [your name]" - Keep screenshots of the transaction details including wallet addresses - Document the USD value at time of transfer (you can use sites like CoinDesk for historical rates) - Save any exchange confirmations if converting to USD **Red flags to avoid:** - Any arrangement where unknown third parties send money to your account - Business-related transactions flowing through your personal accounts - Repeated patterns of money in/money out that could look like laundering The key difference between legitimate family support and problematic transactions is documentation and purpose. Family sending money for your education = normal and expected. Random people sending money for someone else's business = major red flag that could derail your entire immigration journey. Don't let anyone convince you this is "just temporary" or "no big deal." Your visa status and future in the US are too important to risk for someone else's convenience, no matter how much you trust them.

As someone who's worked with international students on tax compliance, I want to emphasize a crucial point that could save you from serious trouble: the IRS has been increasingly aggressive about pursuing "unreported income" cases, especially involving cryptocurrency and cash transactions. Even if money is just "passing through" your account, the IRS computer systems flag accounts with high transaction volumes that don't match reported income. This creates what's called a "lifestyle audit" situation where you have to prove the money wasn't yours - which is much harder than it sounds. For F1 students specifically, this gets even more complicated because you're limited in the types of income you can legally earn. If the IRS sees $50,000+ flowing through your account but you only reported $5,000 in on-campus wages, that's going to trigger an investigation regardless of your explanations. Your friend's arrangement is essentially asking you to become an unlicensed money transmitter, which is a federal crime. The people buying crypto through this setup are likely trying to avoid banking regulations or reporting requirements - that's why they can't use normal channels. For legitimate family support via crypto, keep it simple: direct transfers from your parents with clear documentation of the family relationship and educational purpose. Consider having them send a signed letter with each transfer stating "This is a gift from parents to child for educational expenses." The peace of mind from doing things correctly is worth any extra fees or complexity. Your education and future in the US are too valuable to risk for someone else's business scheme.