Do they have the 2023 forms available still? And would they calculate if that forwarded refund from 2022 applies correctly? Thanks for this suggestion!

Yes, they definitely still have the 2023 forms available! Tax preparation websites typically keep forms for several years back for exactly this kind of situation. As for the forwarded refund from 2022, you'll need to enter that as a payment already made on your 2023 return. Most tax software has a section specifically for "payments and credits from prior years" or something similar. It should then calculate everything correctly, taking that forwarded amount into account when determining if you're owed a refund or still owe additional tax for 2023.

Totally agree! I did the same thing years ago and ended up with notices from the IRS for the next two years trying to straighten everything out. Just do each year separately and clearly mark the tax year on each return.

Thanks for the reminder! Do you think it's better to slightly overpay each quarter to be safe? And is there any penalty for overpaying?

I do think it's better to slightly overpay - I usually aim for about 5-10% over what I calculate. There's no penalty for overpaying, and you'll just get the excess back as part of your refund when you file. The only "downside" is that you're essentially giving the government an interest-free loan, but for me, the peace of mind is worth it. I've also found it helpful to set aside a consistent percentage of all income rather than trying to calculate exact amounts. For instance, I put away 30% of all payments I receive into a separate savings account designated just for taxes, then make my quarterly payments from there.

Most tax software doesn't handle penalty abatement requests very well. I tried using TurboTax for this last year and ended up having to call the IRS directly anyway. The software is great for filing but not so much for post-filing issues like penalties.

Thanks for this! I actually checked my social security card and it shows "Johnson-Smith" which matches my W-2 but not how I filed. Is it worth trying to correct this now or just waiting to see what happens with my refund? And should I be concerned about my state return too or just federal?

I'd recommend waiting to see what happens with your refund first. Since your e-file was accepted, there's a good chance it will process without issues, especially since the SSN is the primary matching factor. Regarding your state return, states generally follow similar procedures to the federal government for name matching, but they can be a bit more varied in how they handle discrepancies. If your federal return processes successfully, your state return will likely follow suit. If you do end up needing to amend your federal return, you would typically need to amend your state return as well to maintain consistency.

This is super good advice. I also hyphenated and made the mistake of using different variations (sometimes with just one last name, sometimes hyphenated in different orders). Took almost 5 months to get my refund sorted out! The IRS eventually sent me a letter asking for ID verification.

Where exactly do you find the AGI on the account transcript? I'm looking at mine and see the line 150 for total tax, but I don't see anything labeled as AGI. Is it under a different code?

You're right, it's not explicitly labeled as AGI on the transcript. Look for line item 150 (tax per return) first to orient yourself. Then look for the code 11701 which usually appears above that - it shows your "Adjusted Gross Income Per Return". The number next to that code is what you want to use. If you don't see code 11701, you may need to check for any transaction codes like 290 or 291 which indicate adjustments were made to your original return. These adjustments could be why your known AGI doesn't match what the IRS has on file.

This is the correct answer for my situation! I didn't need to file last year because I was a student with minimal income. Tried putting 0 as last year's AGI and my return was accepted immediately. Thanks for mentioning this!

Yes! We did this last year and it worked great. Donated to our usual charities plus prepaid some planned donations for this year. Itemized last year and will take standard deduction this year. Saved about $2,300 in taxes by concentrating deductions in one year instead of spreading them out.

That's a good point! Do you know if I can open an HSA myself as a contractor? My health insurance is a high-deductible plan but it's not through an employer since I'm self-employed.

Absolutely you can! That's actually one of the great things about HSAs - you don't need an employer to open one. As a self-employed person with a qualifying high-deductible health plan (HDHP), you can open an HSA through many banks, investment companies like Fidelity or Vanguard, or specialized HSA providers. Just make sure your health plan qualifies as an HDHP under IRS guidelines. For 2025, that means a minimum deductible of $1,600 for individual coverage or $3,200 for family coverage. The maximum 2025 contribution is $4,150 for individual coverage or $8,300 for family coverage, with an extra $1,000 catch-up contribution if you're 55 or older.