I'm going through this exact situation right now! My H&R Block preparer somehow missed my earned income tax credit even though I clearly qualified, and when I brought it back to them, they acted like it was MY fault for not mentioning it. The whole experience has been infuriating. Reading through all these strategies has been incredibly eye-opening. I had no idea there were so many different angles to approach this from - I was just going to call and complain, but now I see I need to be way more strategic about it. The combination approach everyone's talking about makes so much sense. I'm planning to start with the taxr.ai analysis to get documentation of exactly what they missed, then hit them with complaints through multiple channels simultaneously. The credit card dispute idea is particularly brilliant - I never would have thought of that! One thing I'm wondering about is timing. How quickly should I move through these different complaint channels? Should I give H&R Block a chance to respond to each step before escalating, or is it better to file everything at once to maximize pressure? I don't want to seem unreasonable, but I also don't want to give them opportunities to stall or hope I'll just give up. Thanks to everyone who shared their experiences - this thread is like a masterclass in consumer advocacy!

I'm dealing with a very similar situation right now and this thread has been a lifesaver! H&R Block completely messed up my small business taxes - they missed several legitimate business expenses and somehow double-counted one of my 1099s, creating a nightmare with the IRS. What really resonates with me is how everyone emphasizes the importance of being systematic and persistent rather than just making angry phone calls. I was getting nowhere with their customer service until I started documenting everything and speaking their language about "preparation errors" and "professional negligence." I wanted to add one more resource that helped me: the IRS Taxpayer Advocate Service (TAS). If H&R Block's errors have created ongoing issues with the IRS that you can't resolve through normal channels, TAS can intervene on your behalf. They're particularly helpful when tax prep errors lead to collection issues or repeated IRS notices. You can reach them at 1-877-777-4778 or through their website. The key is showing that you've suffered or will suffer significant hardship due to the preparer's mistakes. In my case, H&R Block's errors triggered an IRS audit that was tying up my business finances for months. TAS helped expedite the resolution while I was simultaneously pursuing my complaint against H&R Block through the other channels mentioned here. Having TAS involved also seemed to make H&R Block take my complaint more seriously - I think they realized that federal intervention meant this wasn't just going to disappear quietly. They ended up covering all my additional accounting fees, IRS penalties, and even compensated me for lost business income during the audit period.

This is such a great thread for first-time student filers! I'm actually in a very similar boat - sophomore year, first time doing my own taxes, and had the exact same confusion about addresses. Reading through everyone's experiences has been incredibly helpful. Just wanted to add one thing that might be useful for other students - when I was researching this, I found out that consistency across your official documents really matters. Since my driver's license, bank account, and voter registration are all still at my parents' address, using that as my permanent address on my tax return makes everything align perfectly. It shows clear intent about where I consider my legal residence to be. The dependent status coordination that everyone keeps mentioning is SO important too. I just had that conversation with my parents last week and we confirmed they'll be claiming me since they're covering tuition and most of my living expenses. Really glad I checked instead of just assuming! One last tip - I set up a small filing system at my parents' house for all my tax documents (W-2, 1098-T, etc.) so everything important is in one place at my permanent address. Makes me feel way more organized and adult-like! 😄 Thanks to everyone who shared their experiences - this community is awesome for helping us navigate first-time filing anxiety!

This thread has been incredibly helpful! As another first-time student filer, I was having the exact same anxiety about the address situation. It's so reassuring to see that this is a common question and that the IRS totally understands student situations. I'm in a similar boat - junior year, first time filing on my own, campus job W-2 with my dorm address, but my parents' house is definitely still my permanent home. Reading through everyone's experiences has convinced me that using my parents' address is absolutely the right call, especially since that's where my driver's license, bank account, and voter registration are all still located. The dependent status coordination that literally everyone has mentioned seems crucial - I'm definitely having that conversation with my parents this weekend! They're still covering tuition and most living expenses, so I'm pretty sure they should be claiming me as a dependent. One thing I'm curious about - for those who had campus jobs like me, did you run into any issues with state taxes? My campus job is in a different state than my permanent address, so I'm wondering if I need to file in both states or if there are any special considerations for student workers. Thanks to everyone who shared their experiences - this community is amazing for helping nervous first-time filers like us! The fact that so many people have navigated this successfully makes it feel way less intimidating. 😊

I just went through a similar transfer with my wife's E*TRADE account last month. One thing I'd add is to make sure you understand how the cost basis will be reported going forward. Even though the transfer itself isn't taxable, the way gains and losses are calculated can get tricky if you have stocks with multiple purchase dates at different prices. What helped us was creating a spreadsheet before the transfer documenting all our positions, their original purchase dates, and cost basis. This became invaluable when we later needed to understand which lots to sell for tax optimization. E*TRADE's default cost basis method might not be the most tax-efficient for your situation, so you may want to specify FIFO, LIFO, or specific identification depending on your goals. Also, if you have any mutual funds in the account, double-check if there are any restrictions on transfers. Some funds have holding periods or transfer fees that could complicate things. We discovered one of our funds had a 90-day restriction that we weren't aware of initially.

One important aspect that hasn't been fully covered is the timing of when to notify the IRS about this change, if at all. While the transfer itself between spouses isn't a taxable event, you'll want to make sure your tax records are consistent. When you file your next joint return, any capital gains or losses from the account will be reported under your husband's SSN since he'll be the sole owner. This is perfectly fine and normal - the IRS expects this kind of documentation shift between spouses. Just make sure that if you have any carryover losses from previous years that haven't been used yet, you maintain good records showing they can still be applied against future gains from this account. Also, if you have any pending dividend payments or capital gain distributions scheduled from mutual funds in the account, those will be reported under your husband's SSN going forward. This shouldn't cause any issues, but it's good to be aware of it when preparing your taxes. The key is consistency in your record-keeping and making sure both of you understand what documentation you'll need come tax time.

Wow, this thread has been absolutely incredible! As someone who's been lurking on this community for a while, I'm amazed by how generous everyone has been with sharing their actual interview experiences and specific tips. I'm in a similar situation to the original poster - just got invited to do the HireVue interview for Intuit's seasonal tax preparer position and was feeling pretty nervous about it. Reading through all these detailed responses has been like getting a masterclass in interview preparation that you just can't find anywhere else. A few things that really resonated with me from everyone's advice: 1. The focus on explaining tax concepts in simple, everyday language rather than trying to sound like a tax expert. The analogies people shared (tax brackets as climbing stairs, standard deduction vs itemizing like business receipts) are brilliant and I'm definitely going to practice developing similar comparisons. 2. The technical setup advice is so practical - I never would have thought about testing my lighting and audio beforehand or keeping water nearby for dry mouth. These seem like small details but could make a huge difference in how the interview goes. 3. It's really encouraging to hear that they value customer service skills and communication ability just as much as technical tax knowledge. My background is in customer support for a software company, so I have experience explaining technical concepts to frustrated users, but I was worried about my limited tax preparation experience. I'm planning to spend this week practicing the STAR method for behavioral questions and working on those concise 2-minute responses while looking directly at the camera. The self-recording practice idea sounds terrifying but seems like it would be incredibly valuable for catching habits you don't realize you have. Thanks to everyone who took the time to share such detailed and helpful advice. This community support has transformed what felt like an intimidating unknown into something I actually feel prepared to tackle. I'll definitely come back to share how it goes - hopefully this thread can continue to help other people in similar situations!

This thread has been absolutely amazing to follow! As someone who just completed my Intuit HireVue interview yesterday, I wanted to share my experience while it's still fresh. The advice everyone shared here was spot-on. They asked me several of the exact questions that were mentioned - including the one about explaining standard vs itemized deductions and handling an upset customer scenario. Having practiced with the analogies suggested in this thread (I used the "climbing stairs" explanation for tax brackets) really helped me feel confident and natural in my responses. A couple of additional observations from my interview: 1. They had 6 questions total, each with 30 seconds to prepare and 2 minutes to respond. The timer is visible, which actually helped me pace myself better than I expected. 2. One question I hadn't seen mentioned was about working remotely and how I stay motivated without direct supervision. Good to be prepared for that one! 3. The platform automatically moves to the next question after your time is up, so don't worry about running over - it's not possible. The self-recording practice tip was a game-changer. I caught myself looking at my own image instead of the camera and was able to correct that before the real interview. Also practiced sitting up straight and keeping my hands visible but not distracting. Thank you to everyone who shared their experiences - this thread literally prepared me better than any interview guide could have. I'll update when I hear back about next steps!

Perfect! If your last paystub shows the year-to-date totals and you didn't work there after July, then those YTD numbers ARE your annual totals for 2024 from that employer. You can absolutely use those to file Form 4852 (Substitute for Form W-2). Just make sure your paystub shows: - Total wages (Box 1 on W2) - Federal income tax withheld (Box 2) - Social Security wages and tax (Boxes 3 & 4) - Medicare wages and tax (Boxes 5 & 6) - Any state taxes withheld Form 4852 is specifically designed for situations like yours where you can't get your W2 but have the wage information from other sources. The IRS accepts this all the time. Just attach a copy of that final paystub to your return as supporting documentation. You've got this - no need to grovel to your old boss!

Great to see this thread helping so many people! Just wanted to add one more tip that saved me time when I was in a similar situation - if you're using TurboTax like the original poster mentioned, they actually have a feature that walks you through filling out Form 4852 step by step. When you get to the W-2 entry section, there's an option for "I don't have my W-2" and it guides you through the substitute form process. It even has fields that match up exactly with what's on your final paystub, so you don't have to figure out which numbers go where. Since you already have your account set up with them and they have your employer information from last year, it should make the whole process pretty seamless. Just make sure to keep a copy of that final paystub for your records in case the IRS ever asks for documentation later.