Is there a way to check if my withholding is correct on my pay stubs? And what form do I need to file for those quarterly payments? This is all so confusing!

You can check your pay stub - it should show federal income tax withholding, Social Security, and Medicare. Compare several pay periods to see if the withholding is consistent. If it seems too low (less than 10% of your gross pay for federal taxes if you're single), you might need to adjust your W-4. For quarterly estimated taxes, you'll use Form 1040-ES. It's pretty straightforward - you estimate your total tax liability for the year, divide by 4, and make payments by the quarterly due dates (April 15, June 15, September 15, and January 15 of the following year). You can pay online through the IRS Direct Pay system. If your income is irregular, you can use the "annualized income" method that lets you pay as you earn rather than equal payments.

The Earned Income Credit usually requires you to have kids. I'm single with no kids and make about what OP makes, and I've never qualified. But definitely check for education credits if you took any classes!

That's really helpful advice about just doing a temporary adjustment for the rest of the year. Do you think I should do that additional withholding for both our W-4s or just mine? And do I need to change anything else on the form besides putting the extra amount on line 4c?

You could do it all on just one W-4 or split it between both - the IRS doesn't care as long as the total withholding is correct. If you're paid at similar frequencies, I'd just divide it evenly for simplicity. The easiest approach is to keep everything else the same on your current W-4s and just add the additional amount on line 4c. No need to change your filing status or check any additional boxes if the only issue is making up that $1k difference. Then in January, submit new W-4s removing that extra withholding amount.

I second the TurboTax W-4 calculator recommendation. The IRS calculator is too basic for complex situations. The TurboTax one asks more detailed questions and gives more precise recommendations.

Thanks for mentioning the other requirements! I've been so focused on the income limits I forgot about vehicle price caps. Do you know if the $25,000 limit is before or after any dealer add-ons and fees?

The $25,000 limit is based on the sales price of the vehicle itself, before taxes and fees. However, dealer add-ons that are included in the purchase price (like extended warranties sold by the dealer) would count toward that limit. Be careful about dealers who might try to structure the deal in ways that artificially lower the vehicle price while adding "mandatory" add-ons to get around the price cap. The IRS looks at the actual purchase price of the vehicle as reported on your sales documentation.

this isnt correct, i got the ev credit last year and still claim mileage. my tax guy said its fine cause the credit is for buying the car, deductions are for using it. totally different things.

Thanks for all these suggestions! We didn't think about checking his credit reports - doing that right now. Do you know if the IRS will require the police report even if they're the ones who made the mistake? And did your brother eventually get his refund?

The police report is a good idea regardless of where the error originated. When the IRS sees you've taken formal steps, they tend to prioritize the case more. Some IRS divisions won't process certain claims without it, so it's better to have it and not need it. My brother did eventually get his refund, but it took about 5 months total. The identity theft department issued him a new IP PIN to use for future tax filings as well, which adds an extra layer of security. Make sure your husband asks about getting an IP PIN once this is resolved - it's the best way to prevent similar issues in the future.

The congressional representative tip is gold! I had a similar issue and was getting nowhere for months. Called my rep's office, and their staff person had a direct line to someone with actual authority at the IRS. Problem solved in under a month after that.

Does the standard mileage rate usually work out better than tracking actual expenses? My car is pretty old and fuel efficient but I'm driving a TON for deliveries.

In my experience, standard mileage usually works out better for newer cars or fuel-efficient vehicles. I drive about 25,000 miles a year for deliveries in a 2018 Corolla, and the standard deduction gives me around $16,000+ in deductions which is way more than I'd get itemizing. For older vehicles that might need more repairs or gas guzzlers, tracking actual expenses could potentially be better. The key is to try calculating both ways for a month and see which gives you the bigger deduction. Just remember if you choose actual expenses in the first year, you're generally stuck with that method for the life of that vehicle.

This is actually a really good point. I worked in insurance for years and this arrangement could potentially void the insurance coverage entirely. Most policies require that the regular drivers be listed, and if there's a claim and they discover misrepresentation, they can deny everything.