How to verify W-2 accuracy by adding up paystubs - Need help!

Thanks for the detailed response! I've been trying to reconcile everything but I'm still confused about something - when I add up all my gross pay from my paystubs, should I be subtracting the pre-tax deductions before comparing to Box 1? And what about the federal income tax withheld (Box 2)? That's really what I'm most concerned about - whether they withheld enough throughout the year.

Yes, you should subtract all pre-tax deductions from your gross pay before comparing to Box 1. Your gross pay minus pre-tax items like health insurance, 401k, FSA contributions, etc. should equal what's reported in Box 1. For Box 2 (federal income tax withheld), add up all the federal withholding amounts from each paystub throughout the year. This total should match Box 2 exactly. If there's a discrepancy here, that's definitely something to address with your payroll department. Insufficient withholding is often the culprit behind unexpected tax bills, especially with life changes like having a baby that might have affected your W-4 withholding status.

I'm intrigued but skeptical. How much does this service cost? And do they actually help you talk to your employer or just give you some generic report that you still have to figure out yourself? My HR department is notoriously difficult to deal with.

Does it work for more complex situations? I had a similar issue but with stock compensation that got really messy. My company paid me in RSUs but the withholding was completely wrong, and now I'm staring at a massive tax bill. Would something like this help with that kind of situation too?

The service has different pricing tiers depending on how complex your situation is, but it was definitely worth it compared to what I would have paid a tax professional for multiple hours of work. Yes, they actually provide specific language to use with your employer and explain the exact tax codes involved - not just generic advice. They even have templates for requesting a corrected W-2 that cite the relevant IRS regulations, which really helped when dealing with my stubborn HR department. They handle all kinds of income verification issues, including stock compensation and RSU withholding problems. They have specific expertise in equity compensation tax reporting issues and can identify incorrect withholding calculations. One of my colleagues used it specifically for RSU withholding issues last year and said it was incredibly helpful for explaining exactly how the withholding should have been calculated.

How does this even work? I've been trying to reach the IRS for weeks about an issue with my return from last year. Do they just have some secret phone number or something? Seems too good to be true.

Sounds like a scam. Why would I pay someone to call the IRS when I can just keep trying the official number myself? I doubt they have any special access the rest of us don't. And even if you get through, the IRS agents rarely give helpful info anyway - they just read from scripts.

It's not a secret phone number - they use a combination of technology and timing to navigate the IRS phone system when call volumes are manageable. They basically do the waiting and navigation for you, then connect you once they reach a human agent. It saved me literally hours of frustration. The value isn't just in getting through - it's avoiding the soul-crushing experience of waiting on hold for 2+ hours only to have the call dropped, which happened to me twice before trying this. The IRS is severely understaffed, especially during tax season, so getting through at all is a major challenge. I actually found the IRS agent I spoke with very knowledgeable and helpful - not just reading scripts. They walked me through exactly what forms I needed and the process for disputing incorrect W-2 information. Having that official guidance made all the difference when dealing with my stubborn employer.

You know what, I didn't update my W-4 after having the baby! I just assumed the child tax credit would be applied when filing, didn't realize I needed to adjust my withholding throughout the year. The bonus was both paid and repaid in the same tax year (2024), so it sounds like it should have been completely excluded from my W-2 rather than shown as a deduction?

Exactly right! The child tax credit is applied when filing, but updating your W-4 would have reduced your withholding throughout the year, giving you more in each paycheck instead of waiting for a refund. Many people prefer this approach rather than giving the government an interest-free loan. For the bonus that was paid and repaid in the same tax year, yes - it should have been completely excluded from your W-2 as if it never happened. It shouldn't appear as income and then be offset by a deduction. This could definitely be causing part of your tax issue. I'd suggest asking your payroll department specifically about this - whether they excluded the bonus amount completely from your taxable wages or if they included it in income and then added a deduction. The former is correct; the latter could be causing your tax problem.

This is great advice. Last year I had correct federal withholding but the state withholding column on my W-2 was completely wrong. Turns out my employer had been withholding for the wrong state for three months after I moved! Double-check everything, especially if you've had any life changes.