Has anyone actually calculated what the tax impact would be if you just filed with the W2 as-is? Like if they don't correct it in time and you have to file by the deadline? I'm in a similar situation but with healthcare FSA mixed with dependent care.

I went through this exact same issue two years ago! My employer also combined my dependent care FSA ($5k) with my transit benefits ($300) in Box 10, making it look like I exceeded the dependent care limit. Here's what I learned: definitely get the corrected W2 before filing. The IRS computers will automatically flag any Box 10 amount over $5k for dependent care, which could trigger correspondence or an audit later. Even though it's "just" $300, it's not worth the headache. When you contact HR again, be specific about what needs to be corrected. Ask them to issue a W-2c that shows only your actual dependent care FSA contribution ($5k) in Box 10, and make sure your transit benefit is properly reflected as a reduction in your Box 1 wages instead. Most payroll departments can turn around a W-2c in 1-2 weeks once they understand what needs to be fixed. Don't feel bad about pushing for this - it's their error and you have every right to accurate tax documents!

Goodwill Industries actually has a specific process for this! My sister worked there in 2023 and had the same issue. You need to contact their payroll department at the regional office, not your local store. Each Goodwill region operates somewhat independently. Google "Goodwill Industries [your city/region]" to find the regional headquarters contact info. Ask specifically for the payroll department. They were really helpful for my sister and even emailed a digital copy of her W2 while mailing the physical one to her updated address.

I went through this exact situation with Goodwill last year! Here's what worked for me: First, check if you still have access to their employee portal (if they had one). Many employees forget they can still log in to view tax documents even after leaving. If that doesn't work, definitely contact their regional HR/payroll office as others mentioned. Don't waste time going to your old store location - they typically can't help with W2 issues for former employees. One thing I learned: if you moved after leaving Goodwill, make sure to give them your current address. They're required to mail W2s to your last known address on file, which might be why you haven't received it yet. Also, keep your last paystub from them! It has all your year-to-date earnings and tax withholding information. If you absolutely can't get your W2 in time, you can use that paystub info to file Form 4852 (substitute W2) with your tax return. Just make sure your final paystub covers the full year you worked there. The IRS understands these situations happen and won't penalize you for filing late if you can show you made reasonable efforts to get your W2. Document your attempts to contact Goodwill - save emails, note phone calls, etc.

Anyone know if all this head of household stuff works the same in all states? My divorce is happening in Florida but my ex moved to Georgia with our daughter. Our agreement says we each get her 50% of the time but practically she's with me way more because of travel issues. Can I still claim HoH on federal taxes?

Just wanted to add another perspective on documentation - I went through a similar situation last year and found that maintaining a simple spreadsheet with dates worked really well for tracking custody. I included columns for pickup/dropoff times, who had the kids each night, and any deviations from our normal schedule. What really helped during my IRS review was that I also kept copies of things like: - School pickup/dropoff records (many schools track this) - Medical appointment records showing which parent took kids - Activity registrations and who transported them - Even grocery receipts showing kid-related purchases on specific dates The key thing I learned is that the IRS wants to see a pattern of actual physical custody, not just what's written in your divorce agreement. Since you mentioned having the kids "slightly more than 50%" of nights, make sure you can prove that specific percentage with real dates and documentation. Also, don't forget that overnights count more than just daytime hours - the IRS specifically looks at where the child slept, not just spent time during the day. So even if your ex picks up the kids after school but they sleep at your house, that night counts toward your custody percentage.

Don't forget to consider if it's even worth itemizing at all with the higher standard deduction now. With the $25,900 standard deduction for married filing jointly in 2022, unless your remaining mortgage interest (after business portion) plus other itemized deductions exceeds that amount, you might be better off just taking the standard deduction. For a $1.2M mortgage at current rates, if 15% goes to business, you might still be under the standard deduction threshold depending on your other itemized deductions. Do that math first before worrying about all the Schedule A complexities.

One thing nobody's mentioned - watch out for when you sell the house! If you've been claiming depreciation on the business portion of your home (which you should with the regular method), you'll have to recapture that depreciation when you sell. Also, the business portion won't be eligible for the capital gains exclusion ($500k for married filing jointly). That's something to consider when deciding between the regular and simplified methods. The simplified method doesn't claim depreciation, so you avoid these complications when selling.

FYI - Marcus and TurboTax work together fine, but one tip: the payment doesn't show as "pending" in your Marcus account right away which freaks some people out. When I did mine last year, it took about 24 hours before the pending transaction appeared in my account, but the money was already earmarked. Don't panic if you don't see it immediately!

I actually just went through this exact situation a few weeks ago! Used my Marcus account to pay both federal and state taxes through TurboTax and everything went smoothly. The key things that helped me avoid any issues: 1. Made sure I had sufficient funds well before the payment date (Marcus can be picky about available balance vs pending transactions) 2. Double-checked all my account info in TurboTax - routing number, account number, everything 3. Called Marcus beforehand to give them a heads up about the large outgoing payment (they noted it in my account) The whole process took about 3-4 business days from when I submitted through TurboTax to when it showed as processed on the IRS website. I got email confirmations from both TurboTax and Marcus, so you should have a good paper trail if anything goes wrong. Your friend might be thinking of older issues or different banks - Marcus has gotten much better with government payments over the past couple years. As long as you're under your transfer limits and have the funds available, you should be fine!