Has anyone used any of these online tax programs like TurboTax or H&R Block online? I've been thinking about just doing my taxes myself to avoid these kinds of issues with preparers, but I'm worried I'll miss deductions or make mistakes.

This is definitely not normal and I'd strongly advise against it. I'm a CPA and percentage-based fees tied to refund amounts are considered highly unethical in our profession. The National Association of Tax Professionals explicitly states that fees should be based on the complexity and time required for the work, not on the tax results. When a preparer's pay depends on maximizing your refund, they have a financial incentive to take aggressive positions that might not hold up under IRS scrutiny. I've seen clients get burned by this - they pay higher fees and then face audits because their preparer claimed questionable deductions to inflate the refund. A legitimate tax professional should charge a flat rate or hourly fee regardless of whether you owe money or get a refund. The fact that she's framing this as "aligning interests" is a red flag - a good preparer's interest should be preparing an accurate, compliant return, not maximizing your refund for their own benefit. I'd recommend shopping around for a new preparer who charges transparent, flat fees. Your $150 flat rate was actually quite reasonable for most returns.

One additional tip that might be helpful - you can actually verify that the IRS has your correct address on file by checking your online IRS account at irs.gov. If you create an account (or log into your existing one), you can view your tax records and see what address they currently have listed for you. This can give you peace of mind that your address update from your 2023 return was processed correctly. Also, since you mentioned being worried about correspondence related to your 2022 taxes, keep in mind that the IRS typically has three years from the filing date to audit or send notices about a return (with some exceptions). So if you filed your 2022 return on time in early 2023, you'd generally be looking at potential correspondence through early 2026. Having your address properly updated now should cover you for that entire period. If you do end up receiving any IRS mail at your old address (forwarded by USPS), that could be a sign that their system hasn't fully updated yet, and that would be a good time to file the Form 8822 just to be safe.

Great advice from everyone here! I just wanted to add that if you're still concerned about making sure the IRS has your correct address, you can also call their main customer service line at 1-800-829-1040 to verify. They can confirm what address they have on file for you over the phone. However, I'd recommend trying the online IRS account approach that Nina mentioned first, since it's much faster than waiting on hold. The phone line can be helpful as a backup if you can't access your online account for some reason. Also worth noting - if you do discover that your address isn't updated correctly, Form 8822 typically takes 4-6 weeks to process once submitted. So the sooner you file it (if needed), the better, especially since you mentioned being concerned about potential 2022 correspondence.

my sister used direct express last year took exactly 19 days hope this helps

I'm also waiting on my Direct Express refund! Filed on 1/6 and still showing "received" on WMR. The waiting game is brutal but from what I've read here and other forums, Direct Express follows the same timeline as regular DD. Just hang tight - you filed super early so you should be in one of the first waves. Keep checking your transcript too, sometimes it updates before WMR does.

Does anyone know if you can split the expenses? Like could I put $3000 in the FSA and claim $3000 for the tax credit (with my $12000 total daycare cost)? Would that be better than maxing out the FSA first?

@Andre Moreau - I was in almost the exact same situation last year! With one child and $12k in daycare costs, here's what I learned: Since you have one child, the dependent care tax credit is limited to $3,000 in expenses. If you put the full $5,000 in your FSA, you've already exceeded that $3,000 limit, so you won't be able to claim any tax credit. Here's what might work better for you: Put $3,000 in the FSA and keep $3,000 available for the tax credit. Whether this is optimal depends on your income level. The FSA saves you money at your marginal tax rate plus FICA (about 29.65% if you're in the 22% bracket), while the dependent care credit ranges from 20-35% based on income. If you're at higher income levels, the FSA might give you better savings. If you're at lower income levels, the credit percentage could be higher than your tax savings from the FSA. Given that you mentioned your husband makes more than you and you've had IRS issues before, I'd definitely recommend running the numbers both ways or consulting with a tax professional to make sure you're maximizing your benefit without any complications!

I know this is slightly off topic from the exemption card, but has anyone else noticed that some online retailers don't charge sales tax even when they're supposed to? Not complaining obviously, but wondering if this is legal or if they're just breaking the rules?

Just to add some context to all the great information here - I work in state tax compliance and wanted to clarify a few things about sales tax exemptions. The diplomatic cards mentioned earlier are indeed real and legitimate, but they're very specific to foreign diplomatic personnel under international treaties. For regular citizens, the most common legitimate exemptions are actually medical-related. Many states offer sales tax exemptions on prescription medications, medical devices, and sometimes even over-the-counter items if you have certain qualifying conditions. Some states also have exemptions for clothing under a certain dollar amount or during specific tax-free weekends. If you're curious about what exemptions you might qualify for, your state's Department of Revenue website usually has a comprehensive list. It's much more limited than what diplomats get, but there are legitimate ways to reduce your tax burden without needing special cards!