Ever wonder why these CTC issues seem to hit newly married couples harder? I did some digging when this happened to me. The system sometimes fails to properly link your previous filing status with your new joint return. My refund was held for a $4,200 alleged overpayment. After submitting verification documents and calling repeatedly, I discovered the IRS had my children's SSNs associated with my ex-spouse's account! Once corrected, my refund was released within 3 weeks. Could something similar be happening in your case?

This is such a frustrating situation, and I can totally relate to feeling blindsided by an unexpected offset! One thing I learned from my own experience is that the IRS sometimes processes these offsets automatically based on their computer matching systems, which can have errors or outdated information. Since you mentioned this is your first year filing jointly as newlyweds, I'd definitely recommend checking if there are any lingering issues from your previous individual returns that might be causing confusion in their system. Sometimes when filing status changes, the IRS computers don't immediately sync all the information properly. Beyond calling the Treasury Offset Program number that Miguel mentioned, I'd also suggest requesting a complete copy of your tax account transcript for both you and your spouse for the past 3 years. This will show you exactly what the IRS has on file and help identify any discrepancies. You can get these online at irs.gov or by calling 800-908-9946. Don't give up - you absolutely have rights here, and if you legitimately qualify for the CTC, you should be able to get this resolved. Just be prepared for it to take some time and persistence. Keep detailed records of every phone call, letter, and document you send. Good luck!

Has anyone heard when they might actually vote on this overtime tax exemption? I keep hearing about it but can't find any solid info on timeline.

I'm in a similar situation as a new graduate! One thing that helped me understand this better is that even under current law, overtime isn't actually "taxed more" - it's just withheld at a higher rate because your paycheck is bigger that week. When you file taxes, it all evens out based on your actual annual income. If you're worried about owing taxes, consider using the IRS withholding calculator on their website to see if you need to adjust your W-4. And definitely don't let tax confusion stop you from earning extra money through overtime - even with taxes, you're still keeping most of that extra pay. The key is understanding the difference between what's withheld from your paycheck versus what you actually owe in taxes at the end of the year.

Btw what tax software are yall using? I've been using the free version of turbotax but I think it might be missing some features.

Hey Aliyah! Welcome to the world of doing your own taxes - you're definitely not alone in feeling confused by all the different screens and options! Just to reinforce what others have said, the Federal carryover worksheet is 100% something you can skip as a first-time filer. It's basically TurboTax's way of asking "do you have any unfinished tax business from previous years?" Since you've never filed before, the answer is automatically no. One tip for navigating TurboTax as a first-timer: don't stress about every single screen or option they show you. The software is designed to cover every possible tax situation, so it'll present you with sections that might not apply to your simple W-2 situation. When in doubt, if you don't have the specific documents or situations they're asking about, you can usually skip those sections safely. You're doing great by being careful and asking questions! The fact that you're taking your time to understand each step will serve you well. Good luck with the rest of your return!

This is a clear violation of federal tax law. Your employer cannot legally withhold their portion of Social Security taxes from your wages - that's their responsibility to pay separately to the IRS. As someone who's dealt with payroll issues before, I'd recommend taking these steps: 1. Document everything - print copies of all your paystubs showing this incorrect withholding 2. Calculate the total amount you've been overcharged (it sounds like you're losing about $350/month if it's been going on for a while) 3. Present this to HR/payroll with a written request for correction and reimbursement If your company pushes back or claims this is "normal," that's a red flag. No legitimate payroll system should be set up this way. The employer's 6.2% is supposed to come out of their pocket, not yours. You might also want to check if other employees are experiencing the same issue - if this is a systemic problem with their payroll setup, it could affect everyone. Don't let them brush this off as a misunderstanding on your part - you're absolutely right that something is very wrong here.

This is absolutely not normal and your employer is breaking federal tax law. As a W-2 employee, you should only be paying 6.2% for Social Security tax - the employer is required to pay the matching 6.2% separately, not take it from your paycheck. The fact that your manager gave you a vague response about "employer contributions" and dismissed your concerns is really concerning. Either they don't understand basic payroll tax requirements or they're hoping you'll drop the issue. I'd strongly recommend bypassing your manager and going straight to HR or whoever handles payroll. Bring documentation showing the 12% deduction and ask them to explain exactly why they're withholding the employer portion from your wages. If they can't provide a legitimate explanation (and there really isn't one), demand immediate correction and reimbursement for all the excess withholding. This could be affecting other employees too, so don't let them make you feel like you're being difficult. You're protecting yourself and potentially your coworkers from illegal wage theft. If they refuse to fix it, you absolutely should contact the Department of Labor or IRS - employers take these agencies very seriously. Keep all your paystubs and document every conversation about this issue. You're entitled to get back every penny they've incorrectly withheld.

This reminds me of what happened to my sister and brother-in-law last year. Filed same day, same preparer, similar situations - his came in 10 days, hers took 6 weeks. Unlike your friends, they checked transcripts and discovered her return had been selected for random verification (no fault of hers). The IRS never sent any notification. The frustrating part is that sometimes there's absolutely nothing wrong with the return, but the IRS randomly selects a percentage for deeper review. In comparison, my parents who filed paper returns both got theirs in exactly the same timeframe. The electronic system isn't as consistent as the IRS claims.

This situation is actually pretty common with MFS returns. The IRS processes returns individually, not as household units, so even though they filed the same day, her return could have landed in a different processing queue or triggered different verification filters. The 5-day advance deposit her husband got is just a bank product - it doesn't speed up IRS processing, the bank is essentially giving him a short-term loan against his expected refund. A few things to consider: 1) Has she double-checked that her return was actually accepted by the IRS (not just submitted by TurboTax)? 2) Are there any differences in their returns - different credits claimed, income sources, etc.? 3) Has she received any mail from the IRS that might have gotten overlooked? If it's been more than 21 days since acceptance, she should definitely call the IRS. The transcript would really help here - it shows exactly what's happening behind the scenes. WMR is notoriously unreliable and often doesn't reflect the actual processing status. Sometimes there are simple holds that can be cleared with one phone call, but you won't know unless you check.