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You should check if both W-2s are using the correct filing status and withholding allowances. Sometimes when you switch payroll systems, your W-4 information doesn't transfer correctly. I had this same issue last year when my company switched from ADP to Paychex. Make sure both payroll processors have the same W-4 information. Also, if you have any other income (investments, side gigs, etc.) that could be pushing you into a higher bracket too.
That's a good point, I hadn't thought about that! When we switched payroll systems, I don't think I filled out a new W-4 for the second one - they might have just used default withholding which would explain the issue. Do you think it's worth asking my HR department if I can see what withholding settings they had for me on both systems?
Absolutely ask your HR department! They should be able to tell you exactly what withholding instructions they had on file for each system. Default withholding typically assumes you're single with no dependents and only one job, which often results in underwithholding if that's not your situation. I'd recommend getting copies of both W-4s they have on file, then filling out a new one with the correct multiple job calculations. The IRS has a good tax withholding estimator on their website that can help you get it exactly right for your situation.
Has anyone else noticed that payroll systems are TERRIBLE at calculating withholding when you have multiple jobs or income sources? This is like the 3rd post I've seen about this same issue. The whole system seems designed to make people mess up and owe money.
It's not really that payroll systems are terrible - they're doing exactly what they're designed to do. The problem is they only know about the income they're processing. It's actually on us to tell our employers to withhold extra when we have multiple income sources.
That makes sense, but it still feels like the system is unnecessarily complicated. Like why can't the IRS just figure out how much I should be paying based on what I made last year and tell my employers? Seems like they deliberately make it confusing so people mess up and they collect penalties.
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Have you considered making an extra payment to your student loans if you have any? Interest on student loans is deductible up to $2,500 depending on your income, though with your household income you might be phased out of this deduction. Also, if either of you is self-employed or has any 1099 income, you could make business purchases you were planning for early 2024. New computer, office equipment, professional subscriptions, etc.
We don't have any student loans left fortunately, but my wife does have some consulting income on top of her regular job. That's a great idea about accelerating some business purchases - she was planning to upgrade her home office setup in January anyway. Is there a minimum amount of 1099 income needed to make this worthwhile?
There's no minimum threshold for 1099 income to take business deductions. As long as your wife's consulting work is a legitimate business activity (not just a hobby), she can deduct ordinary and necessary business expenses against that income. Since she was already planning the office upgrade, accelerating it into 2023 makes perfect sense. Just make sure the purchases are actually made and put into service before December 31st - ordering isn't enough, you need to receive and start using the items this year. Keep excellent records of the purchases and how they relate to her consulting work.
Has anyone mentioned charitable donations yet? With your income level, this could be a significant tax saver. If you normally give to charity, consider bunching multiple years of donations into 2023. You could also look into a donor-advised fund - you get the full tax deduction this year but can distribute the money to charities over future years.
Donor-advised funds are amazing for tax planning! We did this last year and it worked great. You can even donate appreciated stock directly to the fund and avoid capital gains taxes completely while still getting the full deduction.
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In my experience, reading the actual instructions for the specific form often helps. The IRS website has detailed explanations for each form, including 1099-R. Go to irs.gov, search for "1099-R instructions" and you'll find a complete guide to all those codes and calculations. The instructions explain each box and code in detail. Box 7 specifically shows the type of distribution, which determines how it's taxed. I found it super helpful when I had a distribution from my old employer's 401k.
I tried reading the instructions but that's actually what confused me more! They use so many technical terms that reference other technical terms. I felt like I was going in circles. Do you have any suggestions for making sense of all the cross-references in the instructions?
I totally get that feeling! The cross-references can make you feel like you're chasing your tail through an endless maze of tax jargon. What helped me was starting with the glossary section in Publication 17 (the main IRS tax guide) to understand the basic terminology first before diving into specific form instructions. Another approach that helped me was focusing only on the sections relevant to my specific situation and ignoring everything else. For distribution codes, the 1099-R instructions have a table that explains each code - print just that page and highlight only your specific code to avoid getting overwhelmed by all the other possibilities.
This might sound obvious but have you tried calling whoever issued the form to you? When I got a confusing 1099-R from my old employer's retirement plan, I called their benefits department and they explained exactly what the form meant and how the distribution was calculated. They deal with these questions all the time.
This is actually good advice. I was confused about a distribution code on my 1099-R last year and the plan administrator explained everything clearly. They even emailed me a breakdown of the calculation that I could reference when filing.
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Has anyone tried TaxSlayer? I hear it's cheaper than TurboTax but not sure if it's any better interface-wise.
TaxSlayer is ok but I found it confusing for itemized deductions. Kept getting different numbers than I expected and couldn't figure out why.
Thanks for the info! I'll probably try FreeTaxUSA based on all the recommendations here. The dated interface doesn't bother me as much as TurboTax's constant upselling. I appreciate the heads-up about the itemized deduction issues. I don't itemize anymore with the higher standard deduction, so hopefully that won't be a problem for me.
I switched to H&R Block Online last year from TurboTax and found it much more straightforward! It lets you jump directly to forms and has less upselling. Might be worth checking out too.
How much did you end up paying for H&R Block compared to TurboTax? And did you find it easier to navigate? My main frustration is just wanting to directly enter my forms without going through their "life changes" questionnaire every time.
I paid about $70 for H&R Block's Deluxe version compared to $120 I was paying for TurboTax. It was definitely easier to navigate - they have a "forms mode" that lets you go directly to specific forms without going through all the interview questions first. You can still use the interview mode if you want guidance, but it's completely optional. The interface feels less cluttered too, and I didn't get constant popups trying to upgrade me to more expensive versions.
Natasha Petrov
I see lots of people mentioning Form 8606, but nobody has clearly explained WHAT to enter on it. Here's exactly what you need to do: On Form 8606: - Part I is where you report your nondeductible contribution to the Traditional IRA - Line 1 would be your $6000 contribution - Lines 2-3 about basis would be zero if this is your first time - Complete the calculation through line 14 - Part II is for the conversion to Roth IRA - Line 16 would be your total distribution ($6002.15) - The calculations will show that only the $2.15 in earnings is taxable You should end up with line 18 showing just the small amount of earnings as taxable, NOT your entire contribution. This matches your 1099-R but tells the IRS that most of it was already taxed money.
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Ava Williams
•This is SUPER helpful, thank you! I've been trying to find these specific steps. One more question - do I also report the $6000 contribution somewhere else, or is Form 8606 the only place I need to show it?
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Natasha Petrov
•Form 8606 is the primary place to report the nondeductible Traditional IRA contribution. You don't claim a deduction for it elsewhere on your return. In TurboTax, you should still go through the IRA contribution section to indicate you made a Traditional IRA contribution, but when asked if you want to deduct it, select "No" (since you're over the income limit for deducting IRA contributions). This should then guide you to Form 8606.
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Connor O'Brien
Happened to me last year too! Just want to clarify something - the small earnings between contribution and conversion ($2.15 in your case) ARE actually taxable. You have to pay tax on that tiny bit of growth. But the original $6000 contribution is NOT taxable again as long as you document it properly with Form 8606. If you don't file Form 8606, the IRS has no way to know that you already paid tax on that money, which is why TurboTax is calculating additional tax on the full amount. The form establishes your "basis" (already-taxed amount) in the Traditional IRA.
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Amina Diallo
•This is why the backdoor Roth is so annoying! All this paperwork for a simple retirement contribution. Makes me wonder if it's even worth it. I make around the same as OP and I've just been investing in a taxable brokerage instead to avoid all these hoops.
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