I had the exact same issue with H&R Block and almost paid for their expert help. First time I used them after switching from TurboTax. Does anyone know if TurboTax handles these box 12 codes better? Thinking about switching back.

This is such a common source of confusion! The key thing to understand is that when H&R Block (or any tax software) adjusts your refund after entering box 12 codes, it's usually preventing double-counting rather than adding new taxes. Most box 12 codes represent money that has already been handled elsewhere on your W-2. For example, if you have code D (401k contributions), that money was already excluded from your Box 1 wages, so it shouldn't be deducted again. When the software sees you've entered retirement contributions both in box 12 AND manually elsewhere, it corrects the error. The "informational only" designation is misleading - while some codes like DD (health insurance costs) truly don't affect your taxes, others like retirement contribution codes absolutely need to be entered correctly to avoid errors. The software isn't trying to reduce your refund maliciously; it's just making sure everything adds up properly according to tax law.

Next year im going with FreeTaxUSA... turbotax keeps adding random fees and their 'benefits' are useless if you have EIC

Same situation here! I also paid for the early access thinking it would help bypass the PATH Act delays. Turns out I basically paid extra to get my refund 5 days earlier... sometime after mid-February when PATH lifts anyway 🤦‍♀️ Definitely calling TurboTax tomorrow to see if I can get that fee refunded like Amina mentioned. Thanks for posting this - good to know I'm not the only one who got caught up in their misleading marketing!

Have you tried contacting your state's banking regulator or filing a CFPB complaint? I was stuck in a similar situation with my Roth IRA transfer and filed a complaint with the CFPB. Magically, my transfer was processed within a week after months of excuses. These banks hate regulatory attention and often have dedicated teams to address CFPB complaints quickly. Just be specific about the timeframes, communications, and excuses you've received. Include all the details about the three accounts and how they failed to disclose this information initially. The CFPB complaint process is easy and can be done online in about 15 minutes.

This is such a frustrating situation, but you have several good options to get unstuck! Based on what others have shared, I'd recommend trying the "direct rollover distribution" method that @Dmitry Popov mentioned. Having the check made out to "Decent Bank FBO Jamal Wilson, Roth IRA" is brilliant because it bypasses the rollover limitations while still letting you physically move the money. Since you now know you have three separate accounts, you could potentially do this for all three accounts simultaneously without violating any IRS rules, since they'd all be direct transfers rather than rollovers. Given how uncooperative your current bank has been (seriously, waiting 3 months to mention you have three accounts?!), I'd also strongly suggest filing that CFPB complaint as @Ava Garcia recommended. Banks typically have 15 days to respond to CFPB complaints, and it often gets you connected to someone who actually has the authority to resolve your issue. Document everything - dates, names, what each person told you, the runaround you've gotten. This kind of behavior from a financial institution handling retirement accounts is exactly what the CFPB exists to address. You shouldn't have to jump through hoops to move your own money between your own accounts!

Anyone else think the W-4 system is totally broken? Why do we have to figure this out ourselves? The government already knows how much we should be paying!

This is exactly what happened to us a few years ago! We learned the hard way that claiming the same child on both W-4s is a recipe for underwithholding. Here's what we did to fix it: 1. We had the higher earner (in your case, the $70K spouse) claim the child on their W-4 2. The lower earner ($45K spouse) should file a new W-4 with "Single or Married Filing Separately" checked in Step 1, even though you're married - this increases withholding 3. Consider adding extra withholding on one or both W-4s to be safe The income difference between you two isn't huge, but the higher earner claiming the child will still result in slightly better withholding accuracy. Most importantly, get those new W-4s submitted ASAP since you're already behind on withholding for this year. Pro tip: After you make the changes, check your next few pay stubs to make sure the withholding increased appropriately. You should see a noticeable bump in federal tax withheld from the higher earner's paycheck.

I'm surprised nobody mentioned that you might be able to access your W-2 electronically before the paper copy arrives! Many employers use payroll systems like ADP, Workday, or Paychex that let you login and download your W-2 in January, sometimes weeks before the paper copy arrives in the mail.

One thing that might help clarify the confusion - think of the W-4 as your "instruction sheet" to your employer about how much tax to take out of each paycheck, and the W-2 as your "year-end report card" showing what actually happened with your earnings and tax withholdings. Since you started that second job late in 2024, you'll want to pay attention to whether enough taxes were withheld from both jobs combined. Sometimes when you have multiple jobs, you might end up owing money at tax time if not enough was withheld overall. When you fill out your tax return with both W-2s, the software will calculate if you owe more or if you're getting a refund. Also, for next year (2025), you might want to update your W-4 forms at both jobs using the IRS's online withholding calculator to make sure the right amount of tax is being taken out when you have multiple income sources.