I actually tried this already but unfortunately the company I worked for in 2018 was bought out in 2020 and the new owner purged a lot of the old records. They told me they only kept the "legally required minimum" which apparently didn't include my 2018 W-2. Really frustrating since this would've been the easiest solution!

That's definitely frustrating! In that case, your next best option is to request a Wage and Income Transcript from the IRS, which will show all reported W-2 information. This is different from the Tax Return Transcript you tried to access online. You can request this specific transcript using Form 4506-T (check box 8 on the form). Even though the online system only goes back to 2020, the IRS can provide Wage and Income Transcripts going back 10 years when requested via mail or fax using this form. This would show exactly what was reported to them on your W-2, including state withholding information.

This is not entirely accurate. While the burden of proof does shift in certain circumstances, the general rule is that taxpayers bear the burden of proving their income, deductions, and credits. If the state is claiming you had income but paid no tax, they usually have some evidence of the income (like W-2 reporting) but are claiming you never filed or paid. The statute of limitations point is valid though - worth checking your state's specific rules.

This is excellent advice. I worked in banking for years, and many people don't realize that even after a bank fails, there are often residual assets that get distributed over time. How would someone check if there are any bankruptcy distributions still happening for a failed bank from a few years ago?

You can check a few different ways. First, contact your broker and ask if there are any bankruptcy proceedings or liquidation trusts associated with the stock. They usually have this information. Second, you can look up the bank's name plus "bankruptcy claims" or "shareholder recovery" online. Most failed banks will have information about any ongoing asset distribution processes. For larger bank failures, there are often dedicated websites set up by the administrators handling the liquidation. If the failure was FDIC-managed, you can also check the FDIC website as they typically publish information about the resolution status of banks they've taken over. Sometimes there are multiple phases of distribution that happen over several years.

I tried using TurboTax for a similar situation and it was a nightmare. The program kept asking me for information I didn't have and wouldn't let me proceed. I ended up having to use the desktop version of H&R Block software which handled it much better. It had specific fields for worthless securities and inheritance basis.

Is there any way to get the IRS to force Uber to send me a 1099-NEC instead of treating themselves as a payment processor? It seems like they're just trying to make things harder for drivers and save money on paperwork.

Not really. Companies have some flexibility in how they classify themselves within IRS guidelines. If Uber has determined they qualify as a payment processor under current regulations, the IRS typically wouldn't intervene unless there was clear evidence they don't meet the criteria. This classification issue has been debated for years in the gig economy. The upcoming 1099-K threshold reduction (now delayed to 2024) was partly intended to address this gap, ensuring more gig workers receive documentation regardless of how the platform classifies itself. For now, your best option is to maintain your own detailed records rather than trying to force Uber to change their classification.

TurboTax has an import feature that can pull info directly from Uber and Lyft even without a 1099. Made it really easy for me last year. Way better than manually entering everything!

Is Form 8822 really the right form for this? I thought that was just for address changes, not for correcting a name spelling error. Wouldn't I need to file an amendment (1040-X) instead?

You're absolutely right that Form 8822 is specifically for address changes, not name corrections. I apologize for the confusion. For a name correction, you generally wouldn't need to file an amendment (1040-X) just for a spelling error if the return was accepted and the first four characters match. If you want to create documentation of the correction, you could send a signed statement to the IRS explaining the error, including your taxpayer information, but most tax professionals would advise that this specific error is minor enough not to warrant additional paperwork.

What tax software did you use when this happened? I've noticed some programs have better error checking than others before submission.

This bucket analogy is super helpful - I've never thought about it that way before! So if we each make about $65k, we're definitely spilling into that 22% bucket when combined. Would checking that box in Step 2(c) on our W4s like someone mentioned above fix this issue completely, or would we still need to do some additional withholding?

If you both make around $65k, checking the box in Step 2(c) on both your W4s should fix most of the issue. That essentially tells your employers to withhold at the higher single rate, which accounts for having two similar incomes. For even more accuracy, I'd recommend running your numbers through the IRS Withholding Estimator online. Have your latest paystubs handy. The calculator will tell you exactly what to put on line 4(c) if any additional withholding is needed beyond checking that box. Some people find they need a little extra withholding even with the box checked, especially if you have other income sources or particular deductions.

This might be a dumb question, but does it matter if I'm paid biweekly and my husband is paid monthly? Do we both still just check that box on our W4s?