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Something to keep in mind with amended returns - make sure you're tracking your refund the right way. The regular "Where's My Refund" tool doesn't work for amendments. You need to use the "Where's My Amended Return" tool specifically. Also, if you filed your original return with direct deposit, don't assume your amended return refund will come the same way. They often send amended refunds as paper checks even if you previously got direct deposit. Learned this the hard way last year when I kept checking my bank account while the check sat in my mailbox for a week!
Thanks for mentioning this! I had no idea they might send a paper check instead. Do you know if there's any way to specifically request direct deposit for the amended return refund?
Unfortunately, there's no option to request direct deposit for amended return refunds specifically. The 1040-X form doesn't have a section for bank information like the regular 1040 does. The IRS defaults to paper checks for amendments as a security measure, since amendments are processed differently than original returns. Just keep an eye on your mail around the time they say it should be completed. The check will come in a standard government envelope that can easily be mistaken for junk mail if you're not careful!
Kelsey Chin
One tip I learned from my accountant - if you e-file your amendment, you can check the status online after about 3 weeks. But if you mail a paper amendment, you should wait at least 16 weeks before even trying to check the status. I mailed my amended return for 2022 last year (for a similar mortgage interest issue) and tried checking after 8 weeks - the system couldn't find any record of it. Nearly had a heart attack thinking it was lost! Called the IRS in a panic only to be told paper amendments don't even get entered into their electronic system until they're assigned to a processor, which can take 12+ weeks.
Norah Quay
ā¢E-filing amendments is definitely the way to go now. I did one last month and could see it in the system after just 9 days!
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Amara Nwosu
Just wanted to add for the original poster - don't forget that foreign interest may also be subject to the Foreign Tax Credit if your brother paid Australian tax on that interest income. Form 1116 would be used for that, which is another form entirely. It gets complicated fast with foreign income!
Yuki Sato
ā¢Thanks for mentioning this! Do you know if the Foreign Tax Credit is worth claiming for such a small amount ($65)? Is there a minimum threshold where it makes sense to bother with Form 1116?
Amara Nwosu
ā¢For just $65 of interest income, the Foreign Tax Credit might not be worth the additional paperwork. Form 1116 is pretty complex and time-consuming to complete correctly. As a general rule, I usually don't bother with Form 1116 unless the foreign tax paid is at least $300-400, given the time and complexity involved. However, there's no minimum threshold requirement - you can claim it for any amount. If your brother plans to have more significant foreign income in the future, it might be worth establishing the pattern now. It's really a judgment call based on how much Australian tax was actually paid on that interest and how much you value your time versus the small credit amount.
Something nobody has mentioned yet - if your brother's foreign financial accounts exceeded $10,000 at any point during the year, he'll need to file FinCEN Form 114 (FBAR) separately from his tax return. The penalties for not filing this are insanely high, like $10,000+ for non-willful violations.
Is that $10,000 per account or total across all foreign accounts? My parents have a few small accounts in Mexico but I'm not sure if they add up to that much.
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I've used both H&R Block and TurboTax, and honestly for simple returns they're basically the same service with different interfaces. The real difference comes with more complex situations. One thing nobody mentioned is that many credit unions and local banks offer their members completely free access to TurboTax or other premium tax software. Check with your bank before paying for anything! My credit union gives members free access to TurboTax Deluxe which would normally cost $60.
Do you know if there's any catch to these free bank offers? Do they try to upsell you to premium versions halfway through or something?
Nope, no catch with the bank offers I've used. You get the full version of whatever tier they offer (usually Deluxe or Premier). You access it through your banking portal, and it's fully functional without upsells for the federal return. Some banks only cover the federal filing and you'll pay extra for state returns, so check the details. Also, these deals usually apply to online versions, not desktop software. But still a huge savings - just requires being a member of that financial institution.
Honestly as a former tax preparer at one of those big chains, I'll tell you the secret - most of the people working at places like H&R Block during tax season are seasonal employees with minimal training. We literally took a 1-week course before handling people's taxes. The software does most of the work, and many of us were just data entry folks. For basic returns, you're way better off using software yourself or finding a year-round accountant who actually specializes in tax if your situation is complex.
Wow, that's kind of eye-opening and confirms what I suspected. I always wondered how much training the seasonal folks got. Do you think I'm better off with TurboTax then for a pretty basic return with just some basic investments?
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Have you considered filing quarterly estimated tax payments to cover the difference? That's what I did when I had a similar situation. It's not ideal since you're basically doing extra work to cover your employer's mistake, but it does prevent you from owing penalties. You just calculate approximately how much extra you need to pay each quarter and submit it using Form 1040-ES. The IRS doesn't care where the money comes from as long as they get it in time (either through withholding or estimated payments).
AstroAce
ā¢I hadn't thought about estimated payments! That might be a good backup plan if I can't get my employer to fix the withholding. Do you know if there's a minimum amount required for estimated payments? And what are the deadlines for those?
There's no minimum amount for estimated tax payments - you can pay whatever you need to make up the difference. The quarterly due dates are usually April 15, June 15, September 15, and January 15 of the following year (though they can shift slightly if those dates fall on weekends or holidays). Just be sure you're paying enough to meet one of the "safe harbor" provisions to avoid penalties: either 90% of this year's tax or 100% of last year's tax (110% if your AGI was over $150,000). I used the IRS Direct Pay system online which makes it pretty easy to submit payments, and you get immediate confirmation.
Amara Okafor
Can't you just submit a new W-4 with an extra withholding amount? That's what my aunt did when this happened to her. She just calculated how much she was short by the previous year, divided by her pay periods, and put that on line 4(c).
That works in theory, but some employers (like mine) seem to ignore even that. I explicitly put an additional $200 per paycheck on line 4(c) and they still somehow messed it up. It's like they're deliberately trying to cause tax problems!
Luca Ferrari
Has anyone tried using tax-loss harvesting in their investment accounts to offset some of the HYSA interest? I did this last year and was able to claim about $3k in losses against interest income.
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Nia Davis
ā¢That only works if you actually have investment losses to harvest though. In a year where the market is up, you might not have many losses to claim. Plus you need a taxable brokerage account, not just retirement accounts.
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Mateo Martinez
Something super simple that people overlook - you can just increase your W4 withholding by a specific dollar amount per paycheck to account for the HYSA interest. If you're earning $8k in interest that would be about $1760 in federal taxes at 22% bracket. Divide by your number of paychecks and have that extra amount withheld each time. Much simpler than moving money around!
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Freya Nielsen
ā¢That's actually really practical, thanks! I get paid twice a month, so I'd need to withhold about $73 extra per paycheck to cover the taxes on my HYSA interest. That seems totally doable.
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