Has anyone successfully gotten their employer to reduce the withholding BEFORE paying the severance? I'm about to get laid off (they told us it's coming) and want to avoid this exact situation.

The withholding on your severance is unfortunately very typical. I went through this exact same shock when I was laid off 6 months ago - $42k severance with over $18k withheld. What's happening is your payroll system is treating that lump sum as if it's your new regular pay rate, so it's withholding taxes as if you suddenly make $444k annually instead of your actual salary. Here's what I learned: most of that overwithholding WILL come back to you as a refund when you file taxes, assuming your total annual income doesn't actually put you in those higher brackets. In my case, I got back about $11,500 of the $18k they took. One immediate thing you can try - contact your former employer's payroll department and ask if they can process an amended W-4 for any remaining severance payments. Some companies will do this if you haven't received the full amount yet. Also keep very detailed records of everything because you'll need to track this carefully for your tax filing. The cash flow hit is brutal when you're already dealing with job loss stress, but the IRS math will work itself out in your favor come tax time.

Based on my experience as a tax preparer, there's another option worth considering. If your refund hasn't been processed yet, you can file Form 8822 (Change of Address) with the IRS, which might help ensure your check goes to the right place. Additionally, you could file Form 3911 (Taxpayer Statement Regarding Refund) if it's been more than 6 weeks since your return was accepted. In previous tax seasons, I've seen clients successfully use this approach to resolve similar situations. The key is being proactive rather than just waiting for the IRS to figure things out on their end.

I actually just went through this exact same scenario a few months ago! My credit union closed unexpectedly right after I filed my return. What I learned is that you absolutely cannot update your direct deposit info once the return is filed - the IRS system is locked in at that point. When the deposit bounces back, they'll automatically mail you a paper check to your address on file, but here's the catch: it can take 6-10 weeks from the bounce date, not from when you originally expected your refund. I'd suggest setting up USPS informed delivery if you haven't already, and definitely double-check that your current address is on file with the IRS. Don't stress too much about visiting your old bank - there's really nothing they can do at this point since the account is closed. The waiting game is frustrating, but the check will eventually come!

Contact IRS directly. Use Form 4852. File by deadline. Use last paystub for estimates. Keep all communication records. Document all contact attempts. Take screenshots of emails. This happened to me. IRS was helpful. Employer eventually sent W-2. Had to amend return. Minor inconvenience. Better than penalties.

This is frustrating but totally fixable! Since you've already tried the direct approach multiple times, here's what I'd do in order: 1. **Check online first** - Log into any employee portals (ADP, Workday, etc.) you might still have access to. Sometimes W-2s are available electronically even when physical copies aren't sent. 2. **Call the IRS** - Don't wait until after Feb 28th like some suggest. You can actually call them now at 800-829-1040 since it's already past the Jan 31 deadline. They'll contact your employer directly. 3. **File with Form 4852** - If you can't get your W-2 in time, use your last paystub to estimate wages and withholding on Form 4852. This is completely legitimate and won't flag you for audit. 4. **Document everything** - Keep records of all your communication attempts with the employer. The IRS may ask for this. The good news is your employer can face penalties for not providing your W-2 on time, so once the IRS contacts them, they usually get moving pretty quickly. Don't let their delay mess up your filing deadline!

Just to clarify something others haven't mentioned - when the bank rejects the deposit, you might see a temporary hold or pending transaction in your Where's My Refund status. This doesn't mean there's a problem with your return, just that the system is processing the rejection and converting to a paper check. The status will update again once the check is scheduled to be mailed.

I've been through this exact situation twice now (2021 and 2023) and can confirm what others are saying. The process is actually pretty streamlined once you understand it: The bank rejection happens within 1-3 business days of the IRS sending the deposit. Then it takes about 10-14 days for the IRS system to process the rejection and generate a paper check. The check itself takes another 7-10 days to arrive by mail. One thing I learned the hard way - if you use a tax prep service like H&R Block or TurboTax, they sometimes use temporary accounts for direct deposits, which can complicate things. But in your case with a regular investment account, it should be straightforward. The Where's My Refund tool will show "refund sent" when they attempt the direct deposit, then change to "check mailed" once they convert it. Don't panic if you see the first status for a week or so - that's normal processing time. Pro tip: Sign up for USPS Informed Delivery so you can see when the check is actually coming to your mailbox. Makes the waiting much less stressful!

I wonder if a Donor-Advised Fund might help in your situation. Instead of donating directly to charities each year, you can contribute a larger amount to a DAF in a single tax year (getting the full deduction subject to AGI limits), then distribute the money to charities over several years. This is especially useful if you have a high-income year and want to "bunch" several years of charitable giving into one tax year to exceed the standard deduction threshold, then take the standard deduction in subsequent years.

For what it's worth, I went through a similar thought process last year when I owed about $12,000 in taxes. I was also hoping charitable donations could somehow eliminate my tax bill entirely, but after doing the research (and talking to my CPA), I learned it just doesn't work that way. What I ended up doing was spreading my charitable giving across multiple years using a strategy someone mentioned - bunching donations. In 2023, I made a large donation that pushed my itemized deductions well above the standard deduction. This year, I'm taking the standard deduction and making smaller charitable contributions. It's not as satisfying as the "pay charity instead of IRS" fantasy I had, but it does optimize the tax benefits over time. One thing that helped me was realizing that even though the tax savings aren't dollar-for-dollar, I'm still doing good while reducing my tax burden somewhat. The $8,500 you're considering donating would genuinely help hurricane victims while saving you roughly $2,000+ in taxes (depending on your exact bracket). That's still meaningful, even if it's not the full amount you were hoping for.