Thanks for the suggestion. I tried accessing my transcript online but because I've been overseas so long, the verification system won't work for me (it needs a US phone number I've had for more than 2 years, which I don't have since moving back). I requested a mailed transcript but haven't received it yet. Seems like everything with the IRS requires workarounds when you've been an expat.

That's a common issue for expats! For the phone verification problem, you might want to use a family member's phone number temporarily if possible. Another option is to request your transcript by filing Form 4506-T instead of using the online system. For recently returned expats, sometimes the local Taxpayer Advocate Service can help navigate these authentication issues. They're separate from the regular IRS customer service and can sometimes cut through red tape when standard procedures don't work for your situation.

This is accurate - the payment method makes a huge difference. I work at a tax prep office and we've seen that international filers who used direct deposit had about 80% success rate getting stimulus automatically, while paper check people had endless problems.

The Fresh Start Program sounds promising but remember it's not a specific program you apply for directly - it's a collection of IRS initiatives with different eligibility requirements. A $200k debt might be harder to settle than an $85k one. Still worth exploring though.

That's a really good point I hadn't considered. This is in North Dakota where the beekeeping operation was based, though they also operated seasonally in California. I'll definitely look into state-specific programs. Has anyone here had experience specifically with North Dakota tax relief options?

Thanks for the detailed explanation. This is getting me really worried now. If he's been doing this for the full 9 years I've worked there, could I be in trouble with the IRS too? I've always just reported what was on my W-2.

You shouldn't face penalties if you've been reporting the income shown on your W-2s. The IRS generally recognizes that employees rely on these documents for their tax filing. The primary responsibility for accurate payroll reporting falls on the employer. However, now that you're aware of the issue, you should work with a tax professional to determine if amendments are needed for recent tax years. Most tax pros recommend focusing on the last three years, as that's typically how far back the IRS looks unless fraud is suspected. The good news is that if your reported income was higher than your actual income, you might be entitled to tax refunds for overpayment once the record is corrected.

Wow, I didn't even catch that math error. You're right - the numbers are even more off than I realized. I thought I was just missing out on pay for those phantom 47 hours, but it sounds like there might be issues with my actual hourly rate calculation too.

Exactly. Based on the numbers you provided, if your gross pay on your W-2 is $6,753 for 450 hours, that's only about $15/hour - not the $18 you mentioned. And if your take-home is $5,642, that's about 16.5% being withheld, which seems low for combined federal, state, and FICA taxes. I suspect your boss might be pocketing some of what should be your wages while also potentially underpaying the employer portion of taxes. This is unfortunately common in cash-heavy small businesses. Document everything moving forward - dates, times, amounts paid - and consider reporting this to your state's department of labor and the IRS whistleblower program.

This is really important info. My brother had an employer who "conveniently" never sent W-2s to employees who left mid-year. Turned out they weren't reporting all wages to avoid taxes. When several former employees filed using Form 4852, it triggered an IRS investigation.

I second this advice! I had to file with a 4852 last year and then got my W-2 three weeks later with slightly different numbers. I called the IRS and they said small differences weren't worth filing an amendment for, but never told me what "small" meant. Anyone know what the threshold is for needing to file an amendment?

There's no official threshold published by the IRS for when to file an amendment, but generally, tax professionals suggest amending if the difference affects your tax liability by more than $100 or changes any tax credits you claimed. The most important thing is whether the difference increases your tax liability - if you would owe more tax with the correct W-2 information, you should definitely file an amendment to avoid penalties and interest. If the difference would result in a larger refund for you, it's still worth amending to get that money back.

I used TurboTax last year for my crypto and it was ok for basic stuff, but got REALLY confusing with multiple platforms. Had to manually enter a ton of transactions. If you have more than like 10-15 trades, I'd recommend a specialized crypto tax software instead.

Thanks for sharing your experience! That's really helpful to know. I probably have about 25-30 transactions so I think I'll look into one of the specialized options mentioned in this thread instead of struggling with manual entry.

Thanks for the heads up. I definitely want to report everything correctly. Better to pay what I owe than deal with an audit. Seems like I need to get organized with all my transactions before filing.

No problem! And yeah, being organized is key. Since you used Cash App, you should be able to download your full transaction history as a CSV file. Save this along with any tax forms they provide. If they don't give you detailed enough info, you can always request your account history directly. Remember that crypto exchanges are increasingly reporting to the IRS directly, so your transactions are likely already on their radar. Being proactive and thorough in your reporting is definitely the way to go.