Check the master list of transcript codes on the IRS website. They explain what each one means

That "verification of non-filing" notice is actually pretty common when there's a processing delay or system glitch. It doesn't necessarily mean your return is lost - sometimes it just means it hasn't been fully processed into their system yet. The January 2022 date suggests this might be related to the massive backlog they had that year. I'd definitely try calling that number even though it's a pain, or you could try the online "Get My Payment" tool to see if there's any update on your refund status. Don't panic yet - this happens more often than you'd think!

One thing that really helped me understand AGI was realizing that it's basically your "adjusted" income that the IRS uses as a baseline for everything else. Once you have your AGI, that's when you can take either the standard deduction ($13,850 for single filers in 2024) or itemized deductions to get to your taxable income. So in your example with $235k gross income, let's say you have $15k in traditional 401k contributions and $3k in HSA contributions. Your AGI would be $235k - $15k - $3k = $217k. Then you'd subtract either the standard deduction or itemized deductions from that $217k to get your actual taxable income. The taxes withheld from your paycheck ($80k in your case) don't affect AGI at all - those are just prepayments that get compared to your final tax liability to determine if you owe more or get a refund.

Another common source of confusion I see is with educator expenses and moving expenses. If you're a teacher, you can deduct up to $300 in classroom supplies as an above-the-line deduction that reduces your AGI. But moving expenses are tricky - they only qualify as AGI adjustments if you're active duty military. Also worth noting that if you have student loan interest, you can deduct up to $2,500 per year as an AGI adjustment, but this phases out at higher income levels. For 2024, it starts phasing out at $75,000 AGI for single filers and completely phases out at $90,000. One last tip: if you're self-employed or have 1099 income, you can deduct half of your self-employment tax as an adjustment to income. This often gets overlooked but can be a significant AGI reduction for freelancers and contractors.

I'm surprised no one mentioned the actual mechanics of WHY the MFJ amount is less than your combined MFS amounts. It's because of how progressive tax brackets work. Say you each make $75k. Filing separately, each of you would have some money taxed at 10%, some at 12%, some at 22%, etc. based on the MFS brackets. But when you combine incomes for MFJ, the brackets are wider. So more of your combined $150k gets taxed at lower rates than when split between two MFS returns. It's like if you had two half-full glasses of water. If you pour them both into a bigger glass, the water level might be lower in the bigger glass because it has a wider base, even though it's the same amount of water. That's an oversimplified explanation, but that's the basic concept of why MFJ often results in lower total tax than MFS combined.

This is such a common confusion for newlyweds! I went through the exact same thing two years ago and it's frustrating how the tax software doesn't explain WHY the numbers change so dramatically. One thing that might help explain your specific situation: the difference in how your numbers changed versus your spouse's likely comes down to your withholding patterns throughout the year. When you were both single, your employers withheld taxes based on single filing status. But once married, if you both continued having taxes withheld as if you were single, one of you might have had "too much" withheld relative to your MFS liability while the other had "too little." The fact that your spouse owes the same amount whether filing single or MFS suggests their withholding was already insufficient for their tax liability. But your withholding as a single person was probably close to perfect for single status, which is why you were getting a refund. When you switch to MFS, you're now subject to different (less favorable) brackets and limitations, so that same withholding amount is no longer enough. For next year, definitely update both of your W-4s to reflect your married status. The IRS W-4 estimator on their website is actually pretty good for this, and it will help you avoid owing so much next year.

I just went through this exact situation last year and want to emphasize how important it is to get this right! FGTS absolutely needs to be reported on FBAR - I learned this the hard way after initially thinking it didn't count since it's not a traditional bank account. A couple of additional tips from my experience: 1. If you're having trouble getting your FGTS balance history, you can actually contact Caixa Econômica Federal directly through their international support. They were surprisingly helpful when I explained I needed the information for US tax compliance. 2. Don't forget that if you had any 13th salary deposits or other bonus payments that went into your FGTS, these could have pushed your balance higher at certain points during the year. 3. Keep detailed records of how you calculated the USD amounts - I created a simple spreadsheet showing the Brazilian Real amounts and the Treasury exchange rates I used for each reporting period. The penalties for getting FBAR wrong are no joke, so when in doubt, report it. I'd rather be overly cautious than face potential fines that could be thousands of dollars per unreported account.

Just wanted to add some clarity on a few technical points that might help others in similar situations with FGTS reporting: Regarding multiple FGTS accounts from different employers - you should report each account separately on your FBAR since they have different account numbers, even though they're all managed by Caixa. Each employment contract creates a distinct FGTS account linked to your PIS/PASEP number but with unique identifiers. For those struggling to get complete balance histories, there's actually a useful workaround: if you have your "Extrato do FGTS" (FGTS statement) from when you left Brazil, it typically shows not just the final balance but also the monthly deposit history for the past 12-24 months. This can help you reconstruct the peak balance periods. Also worth noting - if you had any FGTS withdrawals during the year for permitted reasons (like home purchase or serious illness), make sure to account for these when determining your maximum balance. The highest balance might have occurred before any withdrawal, not necessarily at year-end. One last tip: if you're using estimated amounts due to incomplete records, the IRS generally accepts reasonable estimates as long as you can document your methodology. Just keep detailed notes on how you calculated everything in case of future questions.

This is such a common issue! I went through the exact same thing last year when I took over our company's payroll and tax responsibilities. The previous manager had left no documentation about our TCC, and we were getting the same confusing "you already have a TCC assigned" letter. What ultimately worked for me was a combination of approaches mentioned here. First, I thoroughly searched our email archives going back 3-4 years using keywords like "TCC," "transmitter," "FIRE," and "electronic filing." I found our original TCC assignment buried in a confirmation email from 2020 that had been overlooked. However, if you can't find it in your records, the IRS phone route really is your best bet. I second the recommendation to call 866-455-7438 early in the morning - I had success around 7:15 AM on a Wednesday. Have your EIN, exact legal business name, business address, and any previous electronic filing dates ready before you call. One thing that helped speed up the verification process was having our most recent business tax return handy. They asked me to confirm some information from our latest Form 1120 to verify I was authorized to receive the TCC information. The whole process took about 15 minutes once I got an agent on the line, and they were able to email me confirmation of our TCC that same day. Don't let this hold up your filings - it's definitely solvable!

I've been following this thread closely since I'm dealing with a very similar TCC recovery situation. Based on all the excellent advice here, I wanted to share what I've learned from my research and add a few additional resources that might help. First, if you're going the direct IRS route, there's actually a dedicated fax line for TCC inquiries: 855-214-7519. Sometimes faxing your request with your EIN, business name, and contact information can be faster than phone calls, especially during peak tax season when phone lines are overwhelmed. Also, I discovered that if your company has ever filed Forms 1099 or W-2 electronically, your TCC should be referenced in the IRS acknowledgment files you received after successful submissions. These are usually saved as .ack files if you used software like QuickBooks or similar programs for payroll/1099 processing. One thing I haven't seen mentioned is checking with your business insurance agent or CPA firm's client portal systems. Many of them store copies of important tax documents and correspondence, including TCC assignment letters, as part of their client record-keeping. The email search approach mentioned by Leslie is definitely worth trying first - I found mine in an automated email from our payroll service that included the TCC in the footer information. Look for emails from any third-party services you've used for tax filing or payroll processing. Has anyone had experience with the fax option, or found their TCC through insurance/CPA document archives?