Filing first time as married with multiple jobs - do we have to report all W-2s?

Yes, you absolutely need to report all W-2s from all jobs. The IRS receives copies of these forms directly from employers, so they'll know if you don't include one. What's happening is pretty common for couples with multiple jobs. Your husband's employer wasn't withholding taxes because on a single part-time job paying $14k, the income might fall below mandatory withholding thresholds. But when combined with other income, that $14k becomes taxable at your household's highest marginal rate. Going forward, you might want to adjust withholdings on your primary job or have your husband complete a new W-4 for his part-time jobs requesting additional withholding. You could also make quarterly estimated tax payments to avoid this situation next year.

I was in a similar situation last year and got super frustrated trying to figure out all the deductions and credits I might qualify for. I ended up using https://taxr.ai and it was seriously a game-changer. The system analyzed our W-2s and other tax documents, then identified several credits we qualified for that I hadn't considered. It asked specific questions based on our situation and found that we qualified for education credits from some classes my wife had taken that completely offset what we would have owed. Might be worth checking out since it sounds like you're in a similar spot with multiple jobs and unexpected tax liability.

Just wanted to follow up and say I gave taxr.ai a try after seeing this thread. I was really skeptical but desperate since we were in almost the exact same situation as the original poster - multiple jobs and suddenly owing instead of getting a refund. The system found that we qualified for the Saver's Credit because of my 401k contributions, which I had no idea about. It also spotted an error in how my employer had classified some education reimbursement. Between those two things, we went from owing $650 to getting a $420 refund! Definitely worth checking out if you're in a similar situation.

If you're struggling with complex tax questions like this, you might need to talk directly with the IRS. My husband and I had a similar multi-job situation, and I spent WEEKS trying to get through to someone at the IRS to confirm we were filing correctly. Always busy signals or being on hold for hours only to get disconnected. Then I found https://claimyr.com and it completely changed the game. They have this system that holds your place in the IRS phone queue and calls you when an agent is about to answer. You can see it in action here: https://youtu.be/_kiP6q8DX5c I ended up talking with an IRS agent who confirmed we needed to file all W-2s (no way around that) but helped us identify some deductions we qualified for that significantly reduced what we owed. Saved us hundreds and the peace of mind was worth it.

Ok I have to admit I was completely wrong about Claimyr. After posting that skeptical comment, I decided to try calling the IRS myself about a similar multiple W-2 situation. Spent TWO DAYS trying to get through - either busy signals or disconnected after hours on hold. Finally gave in and tried Claimyr. Got a call back within an hour with an actual IRS agent on the line. The agent walked me through exactly what forms I needed and identified a credit related to my side gig that I had no idea about. Saved me around $900 in taxes I thought I was going to owe. Honestly mad I didn't just use it from the beginning instead of wasting two days on hold.

Just to offer another suggestion - have you looked into whether your husband qualifies as an independent contractor for that part-time job? If he's actually doing contractor work but they're treating him as an employee, you might be missing out on business expense deductions that could offset that income. Worth checking the IRS guidelines on employee vs contractor status.

I learned the hard way last year that you ALWAYS have to report all W-2s, even if no taxes were withheld. I tried leaving one off from a small job and got a nasty letter from the IRS a few months later with penalties and interest. Not worth the stress!

I completely understand your stress about this situation! As others have mentioned, you definitely need to report all W-2s - the IRS already has copies from the employers so leaving one out will cause bigger problems down the road. The good news is there are several strategies that might help reduce what you owe. First, double-check that you're claiming all available credits - things like the Earned Income Tax Credit, Child Tax Credit (if you have kids), or education credits if either of you took classes. You mentioned this is your first year filing married - make sure you're using the right filing status. Sometimes "Married Filing Separately" can be better than "Married Filing Jointly" depending on your income levels, though usually joint is better. Also consider making a traditional IRA contribution before the tax deadline - you can still contribute for the previous tax year and it directly reduces your taxable income. Even a small contribution might help bridge the gap between owing and breaking even. Don't panic! Owing $787 isn't the end of the world, and the IRS offers payment plans if you can't pay it all at once. Focus on making sure your withholdings are adjusted going forward so this doesn't happen again next year.