Military moves can definitely trigger verification requests! The IRS computer systems flag returns with income from multiple states, especially when there's a mid-year address change. They want to make sure all the state tax withholdings and credits are properly allocated. When you get the letter, it'll likely ask for documentation showing the timeline of your PCS move - things like PCS orders, W-2s from each state, and possibly your military Leave and Earnings Statement (LES) showing the move dates. The good news is that military families usually have excellent documentation for these kinds of situations, so it should be straightforward once you know exactly what they need. Keep copies of your PCS orders handy - they're often the key document the IRS wants to see to verify the legitimacy of multi-state income during a military move.

I've been through this exact scenario twice in the past three years, and I completely understand the stress! The "we need more information" message is actually quite common - it's part of the IRS's enhanced fraud prevention measures they've implemented since 2021. From my experience, these letters typically fall into a few categories: income verification (especially if you had multiple W-2s or 1099s), dependent verification (Social Security numbers, birthdates, or custody documentation), or education credit verification (1098-T forms and proof of payment). One thing that really helped me was setting up an IRS online account at irs.gov if you haven't already. While it won't tell you specifically what they're asking for, you can verify they have your current address and monitor for any updates to your account. When the letter arrives, it will be very specific about what they need. In my first case, they wanted verification of my daughter's SSN because I had entered her name slightly differently than what appears on her Social Security card. Second time was education credit documentation. Both were resolved within 3-4 weeks of sending the requested documents. Your military background is actually an advantage here - you likely have better organization and documentation than most taxpayers. Just remember to send only what they specifically request via certified mail, and keep copies of everything. Try not to overthink it until you see what they're actually asking for!

Head of household vs single makes a HUGE difference in withholding. I made this exact mistake and owed $2200 last year. The new W4 is so confusing compared to the old one with allowances.

I went through something very similar when I moved states and started a new job. The combination of multiple W-2s and selecting Head of Household without properly accounting for your other income sources is definitely what caused your underwithholding issue. One thing that helped me was setting up quarterly estimated tax payments for situations like this. Since you know you'll likely owe again if you don't adjust your withholding, you could make estimated payments throughout 2025 to avoid penalties and the stress of owing a large amount at tax time. For your W-4 fix, I'd recommend using the IRS Withholding Estimator online rather than guessing. It will ask about all your jobs and give you specific amounts to withhold from each employer. Much more accurate than trying to figure out the multiple jobs worksheet manually. Also, keep in mind that owing $1,300 on multiple W-2s isn't necessarily a disaster - it just means your withholding was off. The goal is to get as close to zero as possible for next year so you're not giving the IRS an interest-free loan or scrambling to pay a big bill.

Here's what the 570 code typically means and what to expect: • It's an administrative hold while the IRS reviews something on your return • Common with filing status changes (like your new Head of Household status) • Usually resolves without taxpayer intervention in 2-4 weeks • May be accompanied by a 971 code indicating a notice is being sent • If a notice is sent, it will explain exactly what they need • The hold is often released automatically once verification is complete • Your cycle code on the transcript can give clues about when it might update The fact that you're newly divorced with a changed filing status is almost certainly what triggered this review.

I went through this exact same situation two years ago when I changed from married filing jointly to head of household after my divorce. The 570 code appeared on my transcript about 10 days after I filed, and I was stressed because I needed the refund for moving expenses. Mine resolved in exactly 28 days without me having to do anything - no letters, no phone calls, nothing. The IRS was just verifying my new filing status and dependent information. One day I checked my transcript and there was a 571 code (which means the hold was released) and my refund was deposited 5 days later. Since you filed on Feb 18 and it's now March, you're probably looking at early to mid-April for resolution based on typical timelines. The divorce/filing status change seems to be one of the more routine reasons for these holds.

Is your wife getting any special tax credits throughout the year? There's a way to adjust withholding for things like child tax credits, student loan interest, etc. Also, did she fill out the newest W4 form? The 2020 and newer forms don't use allowances anymore (no more 0, 1, 2, etc).

I work in payroll and can confirm that the "A" code on your wife's W2 definitely indicates Single filing status for withholding purposes, which explains the extremely low federal tax withholding. This is a common error when employees don't update their W-4 after getting married or when payroll systems aren't properly updated. Here's what you need to do immediately: 1. Have your wife submit a new W-4 form to HR/payroll ASAP to correct her filing status to Married for 2025 2. For your 2024 taxes, you'll likely owe additional tax when you file jointly - start calculating this now 3. Consider requesting additional withholding from your paychecks for the remainder of 2025 to avoid owing again next year The $190 withheld on roughly $36k income is dangerously low - you should expect to owe several thousand dollars when you file. I'd strongly recommend using tax software or consulting a professional to make sure you handle this correctly and avoid any penalties.

Another tip - make sure you're using good tax software this year that specifically prompts you about Form 8606. I used FreeTaxUSA last year and it actually stopped me during the process and specifically asked about backdoor Roth conversions, making it impossible to miss the form.

I went through almost the exact same situation last year! Like others have mentioned, the standalone Form 8606 submission under Rev. Proc. 2013-34 is definitely the way to go since your 1040 amounts were already correct. One thing I'd add is to make sure you send the forms via certified mail so you have proof of delivery. The IRS can be slow to process these standalone forms, and having that tracking information gives you peace of mind that they received it. Also, when you calculate this year's Form 8606, you'll want to carry forward the basis from last year's contributions. Since you contributed $6,500 each to traditional IRAs and then converted to Roth, your beginning basis for this year's Form 8606 should reflect those non-deductible contributions (assuming you had no other traditional IRA balances that would complicate the pro-rata calculation). The good news is that once you get caught up with last year's forms, the process becomes much more routine. I set a calendar reminder now to double-check for Form 8606 before I submit each year's return!