I had a very similar situation at my current job! What helped me was actually requesting my payroll department to show me exactly how they were calculating my withholding. It turned out they were using an older version of the withholding tables that didn't account for the 2017 tax law changes properly. Here's what I'd recommend: First, use the IRS withholding calculator online with your exact pay information to see what your withholding SHOULD be. Then compare that to what's actually being withheld. If there's a big difference, take both numbers to your HR/payroll department and ask them to verify their calculations. Also, since you mentioned your coworkers are having the same issue, this really does sound like a systemic problem with how your company is processing W-4s or which withholding tables they're using. You might want to bring this up as a group - sometimes companies are more responsive when multiple employees raise the same concern. The fact that this is happening to everyone suggests it's not just individual W-4 errors. In the meantime, I'd definitely recommend adding extra withholding on line 4(c) of your W-4 to cover the gap until the underlying issue gets resolved.

This is such a frustrating situation, and unfortunately it's more common than it should be! As a tax professional, I see this exact scenario all the time. The root cause is almost always the "Married Filing Jointly" withholding election combined with both spouses working. Here's what's happening: When you select "Married" on your W-4, the system calculates your withholding as if your income is the ONLY income in your household. It spreads your $68,000 across the full married tax brackets, resulting in much lower withholding than you actually need when combined with your spouse's income. The fact that your coworkers are experiencing the same issue suggests your company's payroll system is working correctly - it's just that most people don't understand how the married withholding tables work in dual-income households. Quick fixes you can implement immediately: 1. Submit a new W-4 and check the box in Step 2(c) for "Multiple Jobs" 2. OR select "Single or Married filing separately" instead of "Married filing jointly" (this withholds at the higher single rate) 3. Add additional withholding in Step 4(c) - I'd recommend starting with $150-200 per paycheck based on your income level The IRS withholding calculator at irs.gov is your best friend here - it will give you the exact additional amount you need. Don't wait until next year to fix this!

Hey Amara! I'm sorry to hear about your health issues this year. The good news is that you should definitely file - even with zero income, you can still get the refundable portion of the Child Tax Credit (called Additional Child Tax Credit or ACTC). For 2024, that's up to $1,600 per qualifying child. Since your son is 16, this is actually his last year to qualify (they have to be under 17), so don't miss out! I'd recommend using free filing software or checking out the VITA program someone mentioned for free help. You've got nothing to lose and potentially $1,600 to gain!

I'm so glad you found this thread helpful, Amara! As someone who works in community outreach, I see situations like yours frequently, and you're absolutely right to pursue this. The Additional Child Tax Credit is one of the most important safety net programs we have for families facing unexpected hardships. Just to reinforce what others have said - even though you had zero income due to health issues, you can still receive up to $1,600 through the ACTC for your 16-year-old son. Since he's aging out after this year (must be under 17), this is definitely your last chance to claim him. A couple of additional resources I'd recommend: • 211.org can help you find local VITA sites and other tax assistance programs • Many public libraries offer free tax prep help during filing season • If you qualify for Medicaid or food assistance, you're automatically eligible for free filing through the IRS Free File program The fact that so many people have shared similar success stories in this thread really shows how the system is supposed to work - providing support when families need it most. Don't let anyone make you feel like you don't "deserve" this credit. You're a parent who had to prioritize health and family, and that $1,600 refund is specifically designed for situations exactly like yours. Wishing you continued healing and hoping this refund helps ease some of the financial stress! 💙

Same thing happened to me last year! Jackson Hewitt denied my RAL even though I had been approved before. Turns out the IRS had put a hold on my return for income verification - had nothing to do with my credit. The tax prep places can't approve the loan if the IRS has any flags on your return, even if they don't tell you about it upfront. Try checking your account transcript on irs.gov to see if there are any indicators or codes that might explain what's going on. Sometimes there's stuff happening behind the scenes that the tax office doesn't even know about.

This is so frustrating! I'm going through the exact same thing with Jackson Hewitt - denied twice when I was approved easily last year. My refund is around $4,800 and I can't figure out what changed. Reading through these comments about IRS flags and income verification makes me think that's probably what's happening. Has anyone had luck calling Jackson Hewitt directly to ask why they're denying? Or is it really just a matter of waiting for the IRS to clear whatever review they're doing? I'm tempted to try that taxr.ai thing everyone's mentioning just to get some answers instead of being left in the dark.

Quick question - if I'm getting a refund (I'm like 99% sure based on my rough calculations), do I still need to file an extension? Or is the extension only necessary if you're going to owe money?

Just wanted to add one more thing that might help with your extension stress - you can actually amend your extension payment if you realize you underpaid! I found this out the hard way last year when I filed my 4868 and paid what I thought I owed, but then realized I had forgotten about some 1099 income a week later. I was panicking thinking I'd get hit with penalties, but it turns out you can make additional payments toward your current year taxes even after filing the extension. You can make additional payments online through EFTPS (Electronic Federal Tax Payment System) or by phone, and as long as the total of all your payments meets what you actually owe by the April deadline, you're good. Just make sure to specify it's for the current tax year when you make the payment. So even if you estimate conservatively and then realize you need to pay more, you're not stuck! This might give you some peace of mind as you're figuring out your numbers.

Remember that the IRS gets a copy of your 1099-R, so even if you correctly report the taxable amount on your return, their automated matching system might flag the discrepancy. I'd definitely include an explanation statement with your return if the form isn't corrected. Something like: "The amount reported as taxable on line X reflects the correct taxable portion of my Traditional 401k to Roth IRA conversion, despite the distributing institution incorrectly reporting $0 in box 2a of Form 1099-R. Multiple attempts to obtain a corrected form were unsuccessful.

I had this exact same issue with my 401k to Roth IRA conversion last year! The key thing to understand is that distribution code G with $0 in box 2a is actually pretty common, especially when the funds go directly from one institution to another. Here's what I learned after going through this headache: the distributing institution (your old 401k provider) often doesn't have enough information to determine the taxable amount, so they punt and put $0. This doesn't mean it's not taxable - it just means YOU need to figure out the correct amount. For most people doing a traditional 401k to Roth conversion, the entire amount is taxable unless you had after-tax contributions in your 401k (which is rare). You should report the full gross distribution amount as taxable income on your return. I'd suggest calling your old 401k provider one more time to ask for a corrected form, but if they won't budge, just report it correctly on your return. The IRS cares more about you reporting the right amount of income than matching exactly what's on a potentially incorrect form. Keep documentation of your attempts to get it corrected just in case. Don't let the software fool you into thinking this isn't taxable - override it and enter the correct amount!