Is $600 for tax prep normal for a student with multiple jobs and state moves?

That price does seem a bit steep for your situation, though not entirely unreasonable. Multiple state returns do increase complexity, and early IRA withdrawals add another layer since there are potential penalties and exceptions to consider. For comparison, most basic student returns might cost $150-300, but add-ons start accumulating quickly. Each additional state usually adds $50-100, multiple W-2s might add $25-50 each, and the IRA withdrawal probably adds another $100-150 for the additional forms and calculations. You could definitely shop around. Many tax preparation services offer free consultations where they can give you a quote. Or you could try tax software - most can handle multi-state returns and IRA withdrawals. TurboTax, H&R Block, TaxSlayer, and others have options ranging from $40-120 for your situation, though you might need their "Deluxe" or "Premium" versions.

After reading your situation, I can totally relate. Last year I had a somewhat similar situation with working in multiple states and needing specialized tax help. I was overwhelmed trying to figure out the state tax reciprocity rules and all the forms. I ended up using this AI tax assistant at https://taxr.ai and it was honestly a game changer. It analyzed my documents, explained the multi-state situation in simple terms, and even helped me understand the exact forms needed for my situation. It walked me through some questions about my IRA withdrawal too and explained the exceptions to early withdrawal penalties I might qualify for. The best part was I could ask specific questions about my situation like "What forms do I need for working in two states?" and it would explain everything in normal human language instead of tax code gibberish.

Just wanted to follow up - I decided to try that taxr.ai thing after being skeptical. I uploaded my W-2s from both states and my 1099-R from an IRA withdrawal I had last year, and it immediately broke everything down in a way I could understand. It actually showed me that I qualified for an exception on the early withdrawal penalty because I used the money for qualified higher education expenses, which my previous tax guy never mentioned! It explained exactly which form to use and even showed me the specific line on Form 5329 where this exception gets reported. For the multi-state situation, it explained exactly how my income would be taxed in each state and what credits I could claim to avoid double taxation. Definitely saved me money and headaches compared to paying someone $600.

From my experience, the IRS is pretty much useless when you call with questions about multiple state returns or IRA exceptions. I spent HOURS on hold trying to get answers about a similar situation. I finally used https://claimyr.com after seeing it recommended here. They have this system where they wait on hold with the IRS for you and call you when an actual agent is on the line. You can see how it works in this demo: https://youtu.be/_kiP6q8DX5c When I finally got through to a real IRS person, they confirmed that my multi-state situation was actually pretty straightforward and gave me specific guidance on how to handle the partial year residency. They also clarified my questions about early withdrawal penalties.

I hate admitting when I'm wrong, but I need to follow up about that Claimyr service. After my skeptical comment, I decided to try it for my own tax questions about IRA withdrawals and multi-state income. Holy crap, it actually works! I got connected to an IRS agent in about 90 minutes (without having to stay on the phone myself). The agent clarified that I didn't need to file a separate state return for a state where I only worked temporarily for 3 weeks. They also confirmed exactly which exception code to use for my IRA withdrawal since I used it for medical expenses. That 15-minute conversation saved me at least $200 in tax prep fees and probably prevented me from filing unnecessary forms. Consider me converted from skeptic to believer!

Regardless of how you file, make sure you're keeping good documentation about your move date and establishing residency in your new state. This can matter a lot for state tax purposes. I had a similar situation moving from NY to FL mid-year, and the documentation of when I established my new residence saved me a bunch on NY state taxes since they're so high there. Also, if you had any moving expenses related to starting a new job, those used to be deductible but that's changed with the tax law updates.

$600 seems way too high! I'm also a student and used FreeTaxUSA last year - it handled my multi-state situation for less than $50 total (federal was free, and each state was like $15-20). The multiple W-2s don't actually add complexity - the software handles that easily. The IRA withdrawal might be trickier, but the premium software options walk you through it step by step with questions about why you took the withdrawal to see if you qualify for penalty exceptions.