Is Publication 15 easy to understand for someone who isn't great with tax stuff? Or is there a simplified version somewhere? Also, what specific parts should I look at to check my withholdings?

Publication 15 isn't the most user-friendly document if you're not familiar with tax terminology, but the withholding tables are actually pretty straightforward. Look for the section called "Income Tax Withholding Tables" - there are separate tables for different pay periods (weekly, biweekly, monthly). The key sections to check are the Federal Income Tax tables, the Social Security tax rate (currently 6.2% on earnings up to a certain limit), and Medicare tax (1.45% on all earnings). For most people, verifying these three calculations will catch the majority of potential errors. If you have state income tax, you'll need to check your state's department of revenue website for those rates.

I work in HR for a large company that uses ADP. Most bigger companies finish processing W-2s around mid-January, but they often don't release them until closer to the January 31 deadline. Sometimes this is because they're still making final adjustments or quality checks. With ADP specifically, employees can usually get early access through their online portal before paper copies are mailed. Check if you have an ADP login - if so, your W-2 might be available electronically 1-2 weeks before the paper version is sent.

Thanks for the insider info! I do have an ADP login but never really use it except to download paystubs occasionally. I'll definitely check there in mid-January. Hopefully I can get a head start on filing since we're planning to use our refund for a down payment on a house!

I actually double-checked this. The points were definitely on the original 1098 that I provided to my CPA. I found my copy and it clearly shows the points in Box 6. I think it was just an oversight on their part.

In that case, they definitely should fix this for free. Since you have proof the information was provided to them correctly on the original 1098, this is 100% their responsibility to correct without charging you. Make sure to emphasize that when you talk to them. If they give you any pushback, consider finding a new CPA next year. Mistakes happen, but how they handle fixing those mistakes tells you a lot about their professionalism.

That's only if the amendment changes your AGI significantly enough to affect your premium tax credit calculation. Adding mortgage points as a deduction would likely lower AGI, which could actually increase potential premium tax credits rather than reduce them.

Do you know if they consider future earning potential? I'm in school right now with low income but will likely have higher income in a couple years. Would that affect my OIC chances?

Yes, they absolutely consider future earning potential, especially for younger taxpayers or those in educational programs. If you're in school for a high-earning profession, they may be less likely to accept a low offer since they anticipate your income will increase significantly. The IRS looks at your specific situation - age, education, profession, industry, employment history, and health status - to make reasonable projections about future income. If you're young, healthy, and gaining qualifications in a lucrative field, they'll factor that into their decision even if your current income is low.

Does applying for OIC extend that 10-year collection period? I'm wondering if I should just wait since my assessment was back in 2015.

Wait - I thought 1099-K was just another form of income reporting? Do I need to enter it differently than my 1099-NEC? I was planning to put both under self-employment income.

You do enter both under self-employment income, but the 1099-K works a little differently because it reports your gross transaction amount - meaning it includes the total paid by customers before the app takes their cut and before any expenses. With a 1099-NEC, the amount shown is generally what you actually received. But with 1099-K, you'll need to make sure you're accounting for platform fees, mileage, and other expenses to avoid being taxed on money you didn't actually get to keep. FreeTaxUSA has sections for all these expenses, you just need to make sure you enter them.

FreeTaxUSA doesn't have automatic import for expenses at all - you have to enter everything manually. That's one reason it's cheaper than TurboTax. If you want the automatic import features, you'll need to pay for the premium versions of the bigger tax software products.

Thanks for the advice. She's not a CPA, just has a PTIN. Is there still a state board that would handle complaints for non-CPA preparers? I'm in Illinois if that helps. Also, would filing these complaints potentially help me recover the payment, or are these just punitive measures?

In Illinois, tax preparers who aren't CPAs are regulated through the Illinois Department of Financial and Professional Regulation if they're registered. Even if they only have a PTIN, you can file a complaint with the Illinois Attorney General's Consumer Protection Division since this is essentially a consumer fraud issue. Filing these complaints might not directly get your money back, but they often create substantial motivation for the preparer to resolve the payment issue to avoid further regulatory scrutiny. Many preparers will settle once they realize formal complaints have been filed. These actions also create an official record of the dispute, which can strengthen your case if you do pursue payment through small claims court. The documentation from these complaints can serve as evidence of your good-faith attempts to resolve the situation.

Is there a time limit on how long they have to file these amended returns? Like if the original poster just sits on them while trying to get paid, could it cause problems for the businesses?