I don't have any kids so I don't think I'd qualify for that child tax credit thing. And I'm pretty sure she used the standard deduction because I don't own a home or have many deductions to itemize. Could it be something about how the withholding was calculated on my two different W2s maybe? One job was Jan-July and the other was August-December.

The Earned Income Tax Credit (EITC) can actually be available to people without children too, though the income limit is lower than for those with kids. For 2024 filing (2023 taxes), a single filer without kids can qualify with income up to about $17,640, so you'd be over that limit. The two W2s could definitely be causing confusion. It's possible the TaxAct software isn't correctly accounting for the fact that you didn't work both jobs simultaneously for the full year. If the software is calculating as if you earned both incomes year-round, it might be wrongly assuming you had more withheld than you actually did. Tax preparers are good at catching these nuances with multiple income sources.

This happened to me too! I accidentally put my state withholding amount in the federal withholding box and it completely messed up my refund calculation. Definitely double check all the numbers.

That's really helpful, thank you! Do you know if they can help with responding to the notice too? Or just explaining what it means? My parents are really nervous about writing back to the IRS in English.

They can definitely help with responding to the notice too! VITA volunteers are trained to assist with the entire process - from explaining what the notice means to helping draft an appropriate response. They can even help gather the necessary documentation to support your parents' case. Many sites also have volunteers who speak multiple languages or can arrange for interpreters. Just call ahead to make sure they have someone who speaks your parents' language and to schedule an appointment. Bring the CP2000 notice and any related tax documents (like the original tax return and the 1099 from the delivery company).

This is so important! I work at a tax office and we see people every week who ignored notices thinking they would "go away" and end up with liens, levies, or wage garnishments. Even a simple "I'm working on gathering documentation and need more time" letter can prevent automatic assessments.

The home sale had about $120k in gains (bought for $180k, sold for $300k) and I did live there as my primary residence for 4 years before getting married. For investments, we mostly have basic ETFs and some company stock, nothing too complex. Based on this, do you still think TurboTax would handle it okay?

With a gain of $120k and having lived in the home for 4 years as your primary residence, you should qualify for the full capital gains exclusion, which means you likely won't owe any tax on the sale. TurboTax should handle this correctly as long as you answer the questions accurately about how long you lived in the home. For your investments, basic ETFs and company stock are typically straightforward for TurboTax to handle. The software will import all your 1099-B information and calculate gains/losses appropriately. Just make sure you have your cost basis information for any positions you sold during the year. Based on what you've described, I think you'd be fine continuing with TurboTax. If you want extra peace of mind, you could use one of the tools others mentioned to double-check your work, but I don't see anything in your situation that would require paying several hundred dollars for a professional.

I really like this idea of doing it yourself then having someone review it! Do most CPAs offer this type of service? Seems like it would be cheaper than having them do the whole return from scratch.

Did you have to pay penalties or just the additional tax? I'm worried because I think my preparer might have done this on my return last year.

Thanks for all the responses everyone! I'm going to call my tax preparer tomorrow to clarify what he meant. Based on all your comments, I'm pretty sure he was wrong or I misunderstood something. I'm definitely going with just the standard mileage deduction since I don't want to risk an audit. I appreciate the community's help so much, you probably saved me from a big headache down the road!

Do I still qualify for child tax credits if my income was around $80k total (including the contractor work)? I thought there were phaseouts.

Yes, you should still qualify. The Child Tax Credit begins to phase out at $200,000 for single filers and $400,000 for married filing jointly. With your total income around $80k, you're well below those thresholds, so you should be eligible for the full amount for each qualifying child. The Earned Income Credit has lower income limits, so you'd need to check those specifically based on your filing status and number of qualifying children. But the Child Tax Credit should definitely be available to you based on the income information you've shared.

What app do you use for mileage? I've been trying to keep track on a notepad but I always forget.

I use MileIQ and it's been a lifesaver. It automatically tracks all your drives and then you just swipe right for business or left for personal. Super easy and creates IRS-ready reports. Some people also like Everlance or Stride. Another tip: set calendar reminders for quarterly tax payments (April 15, June 15, September 15, and January 15). The IRS doesn't send reminders and it's easy to forget, especially that weird June one that's only two months after April!