Thanks for this suggestion! She does have a visa stamp in her passport. Are you saying we could use the visa number in place of an ITIN? I had no idea that was an option. Do you just enter the visa number where the tax form asks for the spouse's SSN/ITIN?

Not exactly - I should have been more clear. You can't use the visa number on the actual tax forms in place of an ITIN/SSN. What I meant was that for certain purposes (like opening bank accounts), sometimes the visa number can be used temporarily. For tax filing, you'd still need to follow one of these approaches: 1) Get the ITIN by submitting the W-7 with your return, 2) File as "married filing separately" now and amend later when you get the ITIN, or 3) File for an extension to give yourself more time to complete the ITIN process. Sorry for any confusion!

Did you need a professional translation service for the driver's license or just a certified translator? My wife has a Japanese driver's license but I'm not sure how to get it properly translated for the IRS.

This is super helpful! Do you think there are specific industry sectors or company types that tend to value tax expertise better than others? Are there particular red flags you look for when considering a new position?

Financial services (banking, insurance, investment firms) and large multinational tech companies typically pay the best for tax roles. They understand that good tax planning directly impacts their bottom line. Red flags include job descriptions requiring expertise in too many different tax areas (domestic, international, state/local, etc.) without appropriate compensation. Also beware of positions where you're the only tax person at the company - you'll end up doing everything from payroll tax to international structuring without support. Watch out for companies that treat tax as purely a compliance function rather than a strategic department. And always ask about technology investment - nothing worse than being stuck with Excel spreadsheets for complex tax work because leadership won't invest in proper tools.

This! I switched to a lower-paying role because my new company offers true flexibility (not just "flexible if you get your work done" which always means 60+ hour weeks anyway). Having actual control over my schedule and being able to work remotely most days has been life-changing for my mental health.

But isn't getting a big refund a good way to save? I know I'd probably just spend that extra money in each paycheck if I adjusted my withholding.

I totally understand that concern - many people do use tax refunds as a forced savings method. If you struggle with saving, you might want to try setting up automatic transfers on payday so the money goes directly to savings before you can spend it. The disadvantage of using tax refunds as savings is that you can't access YOUR money during emergencies throughout the year, which is exactly when many people end up taking out predatory refund advance loans or other high-interest debt. Having savings you control gives you more financial flexibility without paying those high fees.

I used one of those "no fee" advance services last year at a major tax chain. While technically there wasn't a specific "fee" for the advance itself, they charged me $395 for tax preparation for a very simple return that should have cost about $150. When I questioned it, they said the higher prep fee was "standard" but I'm pretty sure it was inflated to cover the "free" advance. Plus, they gave me the advance on their prepaid debit card which had all kinds of usage fees. I ended up paying about $30 in ATM and transaction fees before I used up the advance amount.

I heard some companies are still filing for those COVID credits retroactively? Is that true or am I too late for that now?

Yes, eligible employers can still claim the Employee Retention Credit retroactively by filing amended payroll tax returns (Form 941-X) for applicable quarters from 2020 and 2021. The statute of limitations gives you three years from the original filing date. However, be extremely careful with this. The IRS has flagged ERC claims as a high-audit area because of widespread abuse. Only claim it if you truly meet all the eligibility requirements about business disruption or revenue decline during the pandemic. Many businesses that started after the pandemic (like OP's) wouldn't qualify at all.

Great point! I'm using QuickBooks Online and I assumed it was categorizing everything correctly, but now I'll definitely check. Is there a specific expense category name I should look for to make sure my employer portions of FICA are being recorded properly?

Isn't the 1095-B also sometimes sent by employers? I got both B and C from my company this year and I'm confused about the difference.

You're right that the situation can sometimes be confusing. The 1095-B can come from different sources depending on your specific situation. While insurance companies commonly issue them, some self-insured employers will provide the 1095-B instead of the insurance company. If you received both B and C from your employer, it likely means your employer is self-insured. The C form shows what coverage was offered to you, while the B form confirms you actually had coverage and who was covered. They serve different reporting purposes but work together to document your health insurance situation.

In my experience with TurboTax, they just ask if you had health insurance coverage and for what months. I didn't have to enter any specific information from my 1095 forms. The forms are more for your reference to answer the coverage questions correctly.