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y'all really paying these places to borrow ur own money back lmaooo
not everyone can wait 3 months for irs to get their act together š¤·āāļø
fair point, my bad. we all in the same boat fr
Been there! Liberty Tax's advance approval usually comes within 24-72 hours, but definitely check your spam folder like others mentioned. Also make sure you have all required docs submitted - missing anything can delay the process. If it's been over 3 business days, definitely give your local office a call to check status.
Good advice! I'm in a similar situation right now - filed yesterday and applied for the advance. Fingers crossed it doesn't take too long. Did you end up getting approved when you went through this process?
Yes, I got approved after about 36 hours! Just make sure you uploaded clear photos of your ID and bank statements - that's usually what slows things down. The waiting is definitely nerve-wracking but hang in there @Mateo Sanchez!
I'm dealing with a similar situation right now! Just got quoted $950 for my return which includes one rental property and a K1 from a partnership investment. What really helped me was asking the accountant to break down exactly what they'd be doing - turns out they include a consultation about tax planning for next year and will handle any IRS correspondence if issues come up. When I compared that to cheaper options, some were just basic preparation with no ongoing support. I ended up negotiating down to $800 by agreeing to have all my documents organized digitally beforehand. Maybe try asking your accountant what's included in that $1200 and see if there's any flexibility based on how prepared your paperwork is?
That's a really smart approach asking for the breakdown! I never thought about negotiating based on how organized my documents are. Did they give you a checklist of what "organized digitally" meant to them? I'm pretty good with spreadsheets and scanning docs, so if I could save a few hundred bucks by doing the prep work myself, that seems like a win-win.
Shop around for sure! I had a similar experience last year - first accountant quoted me $1,400 for two rental properties and a K1, which seemed crazy high. I ended up finding someone who charged $750 for the exact same work and did a great job. The key thing I learned is that pricing varies wildly between tax preparers, even for identical situations. Some charge per form, others have flat rates for complexity levels, and some just seem to charge whatever they think they can get away with. I'd recommend getting at least 2-3 quotes and asking each one to explain their fee structure. Also ask about their specific experience with rental property taxes - you want someone who knows the ins and outs of depreciation, passive activity rules, etc. Don't just go with the cheapest, but definitely don't assume the most expensive is the best either.
This is exactly the kind of advice I needed to hear! I was starting to think maybe I just didn't understand tax preparation costs, but hearing that you found someone for $750 vs $1,400 for the same work makes me feel like I should definitely shop around more. Do you have any tips for evaluating whether a tax preparer actually knows rental property taxes well? I'm worried about ending up with someone cheap who might miss important deductions or make mistakes. What questions did you ask when you were getting those quotes?
Great question about HSA taxation! To put your mind at ease - your HSA contributions absolutely still reduce your AGI even when you take distributions. These are two completely separate transactions from a tax perspective. Your $675 dental distribution won't affect your AGI at all as long as it's for qualified medical expenses (which dental work definitely is). The "gross distribution" on your 1099-SA is just informational - it tells the IRS you took money out, but when you file your return, you'll indicate that it was for qualified medical expenses, making it completely tax-free. Just make sure to keep detailed records of your medical expenses in case of an audit. The IRS wants to see that your distributions don't exceed your qualified medical expenses for the year. Since you mentioned being over income limits for IRA contributions, you might also want to look into maximizing any employer 401(k) match if you haven't already, or consider if you have any self-employment income that could qualify you for additional retirement account contributions.
Just wanted to add one more reassuring point - the fact that you maxed out your HSA contributions specifically to lower your MAGI shows you're thinking about this correctly! The beauty of HSAs is that they're "triple tax advantaged": deductible contributions (lowers AGI), tax-free growth, and tax-free withdrawals for qualified medical expenses. Your $675 dental distribution is completely separate from your contribution benefits - you still get the full AGI reduction from what you put in. One tip for next year: consider paying medical expenses out of pocket when possible and leaving your HSA to grow. You can always reimburse yourself later (even years later) as long as you keep the receipts and the expense was incurred after your HSA was established. This lets your HSA function more like a retirement account while still giving you access to that money tax-free when needed. Sounds like you're handling everything perfectly - just keep those dental receipts and you're all set!
That's a really smart strategy about paying out of pocket when possible! I never thought about treating my HSA more like a long-term investment account. So just to make sure I understand - if I pay for dental work out of pocket today but keep the receipt, I could reimburse myself from my HSA in 10 years and it would still be tax-free? That seems almost too good to be true but would be an amazing way to let the HSA grow while keeping that "emergency medical fund" flexibility.
just update ur address when u file ur taxes, the w2 address is just where they mailed it. doesnt affect anything else. i moved 3 times last year lol and just used my current address when i filed. got my refund no problem!!!
The address on your W2 is just where your employer mailed the form - it doesn't determine where you file from or affect your tax liability. You should absolutely use your current address when filing your taxes, even if it doesn't match what's printed on the W2. Since you moved during 2024, you'll need to prorate your county taxes based on how long you lived in each location. Keep documentation of your move date (lease agreement, utility bills, etc.) in case you need to verify the timing later. The IRS deals with people moving all the time, so this won't raise any red flags. The key thing is that your tax obligation is based on where you actually lived during the tax year, not where your employer happened to send your W2. Using your current address is not only allowed but correct in your situation.
This is really helpful! I'm actually in a very similar situation - moved halfway through 2024 and my W2 has my old address. Quick question though - when you say "prorate your county taxes," do you mean I need to calculate exactly how many days I lived in each county? Or is it more like which county I lived in for the majority of the year? I'm worried about getting the math wrong and having issues later.
Nia Wilson
One more thing to consider - if your employer won't issue a W-2c quickly, you can also file your return with the original W-2 but attach an explanation that subtracts the incorrect imputed income. Use Form 8275 (Disclosure Statement) to explain the discrepancy. I did this last year while waiting for my corrected W-2, and my return was processed without any issues. Just make sure to clearly explain why you're reporting less income than what's on your W-2, and attach documentation (marriage certificate, notification to employer, etc.) to support your explanation.
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Mateo Martinez
ā¢This is good advice but be careful - the IRS automated matching system will likely flag your return for having a mismatch between what you reported and what's on your W-2. It doesn't always pick up on the Form 8275 explanation. That's why getting a W-2c is usually better if you can.
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Diego Rojas
This is such a frustrating situation, but you're definitely not alone! I went through something similar when my company's payroll system didn't properly update my marital status after I got married mid-year. One thing I'd add to the excellent advice already given - when you contact your HR/payroll department, ask them to provide you with a detailed breakdown showing exactly which pay periods included the imputed income. This will help you verify that the corrected W-2c only includes the proper amount (January through April in your case). Also, keep detailed records of all your communications with HR about this issue, including dates, who you spoke with, and what documentation you provided. If there are any delays or pushback, having this paper trail will be helpful if you need to escalate or if the IRS has any questions later. The good news is that once this gets sorted out, you should see a nice reduction in your tax liability since that $16.5k in incorrectly reported income was being taxed at your marginal rate. Hang in there - this is definitely fixable!
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GalacticGuardian
ā¢This is really helpful advice about keeping detailed records! I'm definitely going to ask HR for that breakdown of pay periods. One question though - since I submitted all the marriage paperwork within their 15-day window in April, shouldn't they have stopped the imputed income immediately? Or is there typically a delay in payroll systems processing these changes? I'm trying to figure out if there might be any legitimate reason for the delay beyond just a system error. Also, do you know if there are any penalties or interest charges I need to worry about if this causes me to underpay estimated taxes throughout the year? Since my reported income was artificially high, I might have been having too much withheld.
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