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I'm skeptical about any "no-fee" advance loan. According to IRS Publication 1345 guidelines, these products must disclose all charges, and typically the cost is embedded in preparation fees. Jackson Hewitt's Assisted Refund product with self-employment income triggers their Premium preparation tier, which increased from $249 to $319 for Tax Year 2024 filings. The "no-fee" advance is technically true, but you're paying significantly higher preparation fees to offset the underwriting risk.
According to the official Jackson Hewitt website (https://www.jacksonhewitt.com/offers/no-fee-refund-advance/), self-employment income doesn't automatically disqualify you, but it does impact approval odds. Their FAQ section specifically mentions that "mixed income sources may require additional verification." If you need a definitive answer, I'd recommend calling their customer service line at the number listed on their site. Based on community feedback here, many members with less than 30% self-employment income have successfully received advances, though sometimes at lower amounts than requested.
Last year when I was filing from Canada, I found that having my transcript was the most reliable way to check for potential offsets. I requested my Wage and Income transcript and Account transcript through the IRS website, which showed a previous offset from 2022. When I called the TOP line after seeing this, they confirmed the exact debt (old state taxes from Illinois). Having that information before filing helped me adjust my expectations and make financial plans accordingly.
I just went through this whole process last month! Called the Treasury Offset Program from Australia using Skype. According to the Debt Collection Improvement Act of 1996, they're required to tell you if your refund will be offset. The automated system told me I had a $1,200 debt from an old IRS penalty that I had completely forgotten about. Saved me from counting on money that wasn't coming. The whole call took less than 5 minutes once I figured out how to dial internationally.
Quick question. Are both W2s under the same SSN? Or did you get an ITIN for one job? This matters for matching. Some foreign income reporting has different rules. IRS Publication 525 covers this specifically. Timing also matters. When were these W2s issued exactly?
I was in a similar situation last year. Had three W2s and almost didn't report the smallest one. Decided to include it anyway. Good thing I did! My brother-in-law tried skipping a W2 in 2022. Got caught six months later. Paid original tax plus 20% accuracy penalty. Also had to pay interest from April 15th. The automated matching is incredibly thorough now. They even caught a $212 1099-MISC he forgot about. The peace of mind from filing completely accurately is worth the extra effort.
You might want to consider that refund advances often come with somewhat hidden costs that can potentially reduce your overall refund amount. In many cases, the convenience of getting money a few days earlier could cost you somewhere between $25-100 in fees, depending on the provider and amount. It might be worth exploring direct deposit options with the IRS instead, which typically process within about 21 days for most returns, though this timeframe can occasionally be longer during peak filing periods. I'm a bit concerned that switching tax platforms mid-season could potentially create verification issues that might actually delay your refund further.
Thank you for pointing this out! I was in a similar situation last year - needed money fast due to disability expenses. I skipped the advance and just filed with TaxAct which was cheaper than TurboTax. My refund came in 12 days which wasn't much longer than the advance would have taken anyway. Saved about $75 in hidden fees that I really needed for medications. Sometimes the "fast money" isn't worth it!
I'm not sure I fully agree with this... are we certain that all refund advances have fees? I've been looking into this carefully and some services advertise "no fee" advances, though I suppose there could be other costs built in somewhere. Has anyone actually confirmed getting a truly free advance recently?
Have you considered reaching out to the Volunteer Income Tax Assistance (VITA) program? They offer free tax preparation services for people with disabilities, and many locations now provide remote options due to COVID adaptations they've maintained. While they don't offer advances directly, they might be able to expedite your filing to get your refund faster. Do you qualify for any special credits related to your disability that might increase your refund amount? What's your timeline for needing the funds?
Dylan Wright
I had this exact issue last year. After researching extensively, I found that the 2020 redesign of the W-4 eliminated allowances completely. Now it uses a different calculation method. When I filled mine out, I mistakenly put my total household income in Step 1 instead of just my income from that job, which threw off all the calculations. Worth checking if you made a similar mistake.
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NebulaKnight
This is likely one of these issues: ⢠You checked "Exempt" on your W-4 ⢠Your income is below the threshold for federal withholding ⢠There was a payroll system error ⢠You claimed too many credits on Step 3 of your W-4 The new W-4 form is confusing compared to the old version. I'd recommend checking with payroll immediately to avoid a surprise tax bill next April.
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Aisha Ali
ā¢Thank you for breaking this down. I will check with payroll tomorrow. Will bring a new W-4 with me. This helps clarify the potential issues.
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