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.

Can you actually enforce something like that legally though? I thought tax benefits were separate from custody agreements?

You absolutely can include tax arrangements in your custody agreement, and the court can enforce it. Many parenting plans specifically address who claims the child in which years (alternating, always one parent, etc). If it's not in your custody order yet, you can still create a separate written agreement. While not as strong as a court order, it's still evidence of your agreement if there's a dispute later. Some parents even use a service like Our Family Wizard to document these agreements, which gives them more weight since the communication is timestamped and can't be altered later.

No, you can't split federal and state. Most states require your filing status and dependents to match your federal return. It would raise red flags if two different people claimed the same kid on federal vs state returns.

Is there a way to search within the PDFs themselves? I always struggle finding specific line references even when I have the right document.

Yes! Once you download the PDF, open it and use Ctrl+F (or Command+F on Mac) to search for keywords. For this specific example, you could search for "line 7" or "fuel tax" to jump right to the relevant section. Another trick I use is the IRS's Interactive Tax Assistant on their website. It's not perfect but can sometimes guide you to the right forms and instructions better than just browsing their site.

Thanks for this! You're right - I went back to my tax software and just clicked "No" on the question about fuel tax credits, and it stopped highlighting that section. I was overthinking it and assumed I needed to find some special instructions. Feeling pretty silly now lol.

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?

Have you noticed any difference between tax prep software? Like does using TurboTax vs H&R Block vs FreeTaxUSA change how fast the IRS processes things?

I haven't noticed any consistent difference in processing speed between tax software options. I've used TurboTax, H&R Block, and FreeTaxUSA over the years, and the refund timing seemed to depend much more on when I filed and what was on my return rather than which software I used. All the major tax software providers use the same electronic filing system to submit to the IRS, so once your return is accepted, the processing time should be the same regardless of which program you used to prepare it. The IRS doesn't prioritize returns based on which software was used.

Totally agree. And the really annoying thing is when it says "We cannot provide any information about your refund" and tells you to call, but then when you call they just tell you to check the website. It's a never-ending cycle of frustration!