Thanks for this explanation! I checked and my withholding in Box 2 was $15,980 and my total tax on Line 24 was $15,600, so the math does check out for the $380 refund. I guess I was just expecting more because I've always gotten bigger refunds before. Is it normal for the refund to vary this much from year to year? Last year I got back around $2,400.

The big difference between last year's $2,400 refund and this year's $380 is worth investigating. Something significant changed in either your withholding or your tax situation. Most likely explanations: 1) You updated your W-4 withholding form last year and it's now more accurate, 2) You had additional tax credits or deductions last year that you didn't have this year, or 3) Your income increased putting you in a higher tax bracket while your withholding didn't increase proportionally. I'd recommend comparing last year's return line by line with this year's to spot the differences.

Not a waste at all. I tried doing my own taxes for years and always stressed about making mistakes. My tax guy catches things I would miss and the peace of mind is worth every penny. Plus, he's available if I get any letters from the IRS.

I agree with you. I've been doing my own taxes for years with just W-2 income using FreeTaxUSA. It's like $15 for state filing and federal is free. The software walks you through everything and double-checks for errors. Plus you learn how taxes actually work instead of just handing everything over to someone else.

My employer is always late with W-2s. What happens if I don't get mine by the deadline? Can I file without it or am I just screwed?

If you don't receive your W-2 by January 31st, first contact your employer to request it. If you still don't receive it by mid-February, you can contact the IRS at 800-829-1040 with your employer's information, and they can help. As a last resort, you can file Form 4852 (Substitute for W-2) with your tax return, estimating your wages and withholding as accurately as possible using your final pay stub of the year. You don't have to delay filing, but you should try to get the actual W-2 first since it contains the exact information the IRS already has on file.

This! I got my W-2 electronically on January 15th this year through our payroll portal. Best part is you can just download the PDF and import it directly into most tax software. Saves tons of time compared to manual entry.

Even with guides, I always worry about missing something important. Does TurboTax actually guide you through the backdoor Roth process well? Which version do you need to handle this correctly?

TurboTax Premier handles backdoor Roth conversions well. The software will ask if you made contributions to a traditional IRA, and you indicate they were non-deductible. Later, it asks about conversions to Roth IRAs. Just make sure you have the exact dates and amounts for both transactions. The most important thing is understanding the concept beforehand so you recognize if something doesn't look right. The software generates Form 8606 automatically, but I always review it to ensure it shows the non-deductible contribution basis correctly. Many online guides show what the completed form should look like for comparison.

I had the exact opposite experience. Found a local CPA who specializes in small businesses and she found so many legitimate deductions I didn't know about. Sometimes it's worth paying more for actual expertise instead of the chains. Maybe try searching for someone who specifically works with your industry?

That's a really good point I hadn't considered. I think my company might have done something similar for the first week before the STD kicked in. How would I be able to tell the difference between the regular STD payment and the portion that came from my PTO?

You should be able to see it on your pay stubs from that period. Look for separate line items - there might be one for regular salary/PTO and another specifically labeled as disability or STD benefits. The best approach is to request a detailed breakdown from your payroll department. They can provide documentation showing exactly which payments came from which sources. This is important because they're potentially taxed differently. Your HR/Benefits team should also have documentation about how your specific STD plan integrates with your other paid leave benefits.

Is there a website or resource that breaks down the state-by-state rules for disability taxation? I'm in Pennsylvania and can't find clear info for my state.

I tried that approach but she's worried about the hassle of amending and possibly triggering an audit. Plus she already spent her refund so she's concerned she'd have to pay some back. How complicated was the amending process for your ex?

The amending process isn't that bad honestly. She just needed to file a 1040-X form which is basically just marking what changed from the original return. If she used tax software, most of them can help with amendments pretty easily. My ex was done in about 30 minutes. As for paying back refund money, yeah that could happen if her refund would be less without claiming your son. But waiting could be worse - if you both get audited later, she might have to pay back the refund PLUS penalties and interest. Might be worth running the numbers both ways to show her exactly what the difference would be.

What kind of documentation did they want? I'm in a similar situation but most of our bills are paid from a joint account so I'm not sure how I'd prove I contributed more.