All of these responses are overcomplicating it. Just go to your payroll person and ask them to show you exactly how your withholding is calculated. It's literally their job to explain this stuff to you. If they can't explain it clearly, talk to their manager. This shouldn't be a mystery - payroll systems follow specific rules and formulas. someone in your company knows how it works. The $80 additional withholding definitely should be happening every single paycheck regardless of anything else. That part sounds like a straight up error.

I've been dealing with payroll issues for years and here's what I've learned - the inconsistent federal withholding is almost always due to one of three things: 1. **Annualized calculation method**: Some payroll systems project your annual income based on each individual paycheck. If you have a lower paycheck one period, the system thinks you'll earn less for the year and reduces withholding accordingly. 2. **Cumulative withholding**: Other systems use a cumulative approach where they look at your year-to-date earnings and withholding to determine if you're on track. This can cause wild swings from paycheck to paycheck. 3. **Supplemental wage treatment**: Any overtime, bonuses, or irregular pay might be getting treated as "supplemental wages" which have different withholding rules. The $80 additional withholding should absolutely be consistent every single pay period - that's a flat dollar amount that shouldn't vary based on your income level. If that's not happening, it's definitely a payroll error. My advice: Print out 3-4 months of pay stubs and highlight the inconsistencies. Take this to your payroll department and ask them to explain the specific calculation method they're using. Don't accept vague answers - they should be able to show you exactly why each paycheck is different.

Quick question - if they've already filed with the higher earner claiming both kids, how much of a headache is the amendment process? Is it something they can do themselves or should they hire a professional? I'm wondering because I might be in a similar situation.

This is a great example of why tax planning for unmarried couples can be so tricky! Based on your income levels, you're definitely right to reconsider your original filing strategy. With your $225K income, you're well into the Child Tax Credit phase-out territory. The credit reduces by $50 for every $1,000 over $200K, so at your income level, you'd only get about $750 per child instead of the full $2,000. Meanwhile, your girlfriend at $35K would get the full credit amount. But the benefits go beyond just the Child Tax Credit. Having your girlfriend claim the children would allow her to: - File as Head of Household (better tax rates and higher standard deduction) - Potentially qualify for Earned Income Credit with two children - Get the full Child Tax Credit for both kids The combination of these benefits typically results in significantly more tax savings for the household overall compared to the higher earner claiming them. Since you've already filed, yes, you can amend using Form 1040-X. Both of you would need to file amendments - you'd remove the dependents from your return, and she'd add them and change to Head of Household status. It's some paperwork, but given your income difference, the savings will likely be substantial enough to make it worthwhile. I'd recommend running the actual numbers both ways to see the exact difference, but in most cases like yours, having the lower-income parent claim the children saves the household significantly more in taxes.

I feel this meme in my soul! Anyone else have the stress dream where you're trying to file your taxes but the forms keep changing? Last night I dreamed I was filling out my 1040 and it morphed into a 1099-NEC, then into some form I've never seen before numbered "IRS-WTF" lol. Tax season is literally giving me nightmares now.

Oh man, this hits way too close to home! I'm dealing with the exact same situation right now with my adult stepson. He's 23, lived with us for 8 months last year, but made $5,200 from his part-time job. I spent hours calculating whether we provided more than half his support (spoiler alert: we did), only to get crushed by that gross income limit. The worst part? He was literally $500 over the threshold. It's like the tax code is designed to give you hope and then snatch it away at the last second. Your meme perfectly captures that "I thought I understood taxes but clearly I don't" feeling we all get this time of year!

Has anyone used TurboTax for handling RSUs? It's giving me fits and I've spent like 3 hours trying to figure out how to enter this correctly.

This is exactly the situation I'm dealing with right now! My company's HR department told me that the RSU income would be "handled automatically" but they didn't explain that the 1099-B would show zero cost basis. I was panicking thinking I owed taxes on the full sale amount. Just to clarify for anyone else reading - the key thing to remember is that when RSUs vest, you already pay ordinary income tax on their fair market value at that time (shown on your W-2). That fair market value becomes your cost basis for the shares. So when you sell, you only owe capital gains tax on any appreciation above that vesting-day value. The zero cost basis on the 1099-B is just because many brokers don't track the correct basis for employee stock compensation. Always keep those supplemental statements they send you - you'll need them every year you have stock sales!

According to Internal Revenue Manual 21.4.1.3, "State and federal tax processing systems operate independently with no verification requirements between jurisdictions." I've found that checking your federal transcript for TC 150 (return filed) followed by TC 846 (refund issued) is the most reliable method. Per IRS Publication 2043, verification notices are typically issued within 15-21 days of filing if required.

Hey Drake! I totally get the anxiety - waiting for that federal refund is stressful, especially after a tough business year. Just to echo what others have said, your state refund really doesn't indicate anything about your federal return status. They're completely separate systems with different timelines and requirements. Since your transcripts haven't updated yet, I'd recommend checking them again in a few days (they typically update on Wednesdays). If you're still not seeing any movement after 21 days from your acceptance date, that's when you might want to consider calling the IRS or using one of those callback services people mentioned. The fact that you got your state refund quickly is actually a good sign that your basic info is correct, but federal could still require verification for completely different reasons. Hang in there! 🤞