Did you ever try requesting a different tax preparer when you realized the one assigned to you wasn't good? I wish I had thought of that when mine started missing things.

Yes, I actually did request a different preparer during my second year when things were going poorly. The process wasn't seamless - it took about a week to get reassigned and I had to be pretty firm about it. I called customer service directly rather than just messaging through the portal. The replacement preparer was definitely better, but by that point I was already behind schedule which added some stress. If you notice red flags early (slow responses, asking for documents you've already provided, basic tax knowledge mistakes), don't hesitate to request someone else immediately. The quality difference between preparers is night and day.

I used H&R Block's full service last year and it was marginally better than what OP described with TurboTax, but still not great. The communication was better but I still found a couple mistakes I had to point out. This year I switched to a local CPA and the difference in quality was obvious - worth the slightly higher cost.

I've been using FreeTaxUSA for the past couple years and doing it myself. WAY cheaper than TurboTax and pretty straightforward. It doesn't hold your hand quite as much but if you have a basic understanding of taxes it's fine. For what it's worth, I've never had an issue with my returns and I have a somewhat complicated situation with 1099 income and W2s.

But isn't traditional 401k better for high income earners? I thought the tax deferral now gives more benefit if you're in a high tax bracket.

It really depends on your expected retirement income and tax rates. If you believe tax rates will be higher when you retire or that you'll have significant retirement income, Roth can be advantageous even for high earners. Traditional 401k gives you immediate tax savings, which is definitely valuable for high income earners. But with Roth, all your growth is tax-free forever, and you're effectively able to contribute "more" since the contribution limits are effectively the same but Roth dollars are worth more (they're after-tax).

The IRS calculator is good but kinda confusing. I tried using it but got lost in all the different options and numbers. Ended up just asking our accountant.

Wait I thought the marriage penalty was eliminated with the Tax Cuts and Jobs Act? I've been telling all my friends who are getting married not to worry about it.

The Tax Cuts and Jobs Act reduced the marriage penalty for many taxpayers, but it didn't eliminate it completely. It's true that for many tax brackets, the MFJ threshold is now exactly double the single threshold, which helps. However, the marriage penalty still exists in several areas: the highest tax brackets still don't have exactly doubled thresholds, and many credits and deductions have phase-out ranges that aren't doubled for married couples. Examples include the student loan interest deduction, capital loss deductions, and certain credits that phase out based on AGI. Also, SALT deductions and AMT can still create marriage penalties for some taxpayers. So while it's less common now, couples with similar higher incomes, like the OP with $135k combined, can still experience some marriage penalty effects, especially if they have other specific deductions that phase out.

Oh that's a good point! I'm going to check our last few pay stubs from 2022 to see if the withholding actually changed after we submitted the new W-4s. And yes, I did have about $3,000 in freelance income that didn't have any withholding. I completely forgot about that! That might explain part of why we're owing.

Can I really qualify for EITC in years when I can't claim my daughter as a dependent? I thought those were directly connected. My income is around $52,000 if that matters.

With an income of $52,000, you wouldn't qualify for EITC without a qualifying child. For 2025, the income limit for EITC without children is much lower (around $17,000 for single filers). Contributing to retirement accounts is still your best bet. If you can max out a traditional 401k ($23,000 in 2025) or contribute to a traditional IRA ($7,000 in 2025), those contributions directly reduce your taxable income. Even putting in a few thousand dollars would substantially decrease your tax bill. Also, if your employer offers any pre-tax benefits like health insurance, FSA, or HSA contributions, those can further reduce your taxable income.

This is actually really smart advice. I do the same thing - have a different W-4 for years when I claim my kid vs when I don't. Saves me from owing a big amount in my "off" years.

Thank you for bringing this up. I'm worried about rocking the boat too much since I need this job right now. Is there a way to file these forms without my employer knowing it was me specifically? Or would they immediately know who reported them?

Unfortunately, the SS-8 process isn't anonymous. When you file Form SS-8, the IRS will contact your employer for their side of the story, so they'll know you initiated the process. Some people wait until they've found a new job before filing. If you're concerned about immediate retaliation but still want to address the issue, you could try having an honest conversation with your employer first. Sometimes misclassification happens due to ignorance rather than malice. You could share information about proper classification guidelines and express your concerns about the self-employment tax burden. Document this conversation in case you need it later as evidence of when you raised the issue.

I've been using H&R Block for years and they have something similar. The questions are pretty straightforward and it becomes really obvious when someone should be an employee vs contractor. With fixed hours, company equipment, and direct supervision, it's clear-cut employee territory.