Do you know if VITA can handle returns from 2022? And would they help even now since it's not tax season? I'd definitely prefer having someone knowledgeable walk me through it step by step.

VITA can definitely handle 2022 returns. While many VITA sites operate primarily during the regular tax season (January through April), some locations offer year-round assistance specifically for prior year returns. Your best bet is to call your local library or search for "VITA tax sites" in your area to check availability. Even outside regular tax season, many VITA volunteers are willing to help with prior year returns because they understand situations like yours are common. Just be sure to bring all your documents (W-2s, identification, social security card) when you go. The service is completely free for basic returns, and they're specifically trained to help people who are filing for the first time or have simple tax situations.

Cash App Taxes (formerly Credit Karma Tax) is completely free for federal and state returns, but there's a catch for prior year returns. They typically only support the current tax year and maybe the year before. For 2022 returns in 2025, you'll probably need to use one of the IRS Free File options instead.

This is actually super helpful context I hadn't considered. Are there ways to mitigate these issues without marriage? Like through proper estate planning, etc? Or are some benefits (like Social Security) only available to legally married couples regardless of what legal documents we put in place?

Some benefits can be partially replicated through careful estate planning - wills, trusts, powers of attorney, healthcare directives, etc. However, certain benefits are ONLY available to legally married couples regardless of any legal documents: Social Security spousal and survivor benefits are only for married couples - this can be worth hundreds of thousands of dollars over a lifetime. Federal estate tax exemptions for spouses cannot be replicated for unmarried partners. Qualified retirement accounts (like 401ks) have spousal protections and inheritance advantages that don't apply to non-spouse beneficiaries. One workaround some clients use is "strategic marriage" - getting legally married for these benefits while maintaining separate finances if desired. Remember that marriage is ultimately a legal and financial contract with the government, separate from any religious or personal commitment.

With kids, the calculation often tilts more in favor of marriage. For unmarried parents, only one person can claim the child as a dependent and take the child tax credit (worth up to $2,000 per child). If married filing jointly, you get the full benefit regardless of which parent provides more support. Also important - the child and dependent care credit phases out at higher income levels, but the threshold is higher for married couples than singles. For 2025, the credit starts phasing out at $125,000 for all filing statuses, but the rate of phase-out is more favorable for married couples.

Would these kinds of changes typically be communicated to employees beforehand? My company did something similar and nobody told us anything until we all noticed smaller paychecks.

Ethically and professionally, yes - these changes should absolutely be communicated in advance. However, there's no legal requirement for employers to notify employees about changing how they structure compensation, as long as they're properly reporting everything on your W-2 and following tax laws. Some companies deliberately avoid announcing changes that will effectively reduce take-home pay because they know it will cause employee dissatisfaction. It's a short-sighted approach that usually backfires when everyone notices anyway and feels deliberately misled. If this happened without communication, it might not be illegal, but it's definitely a red flag about company culture and how they value transparency with employees.

I actually did! I printed out my paystubs from before and after the change, highlighted the differences, and requested a meeting with the managing partner. I explained that the increased withholding effectively canceled out my recent raise, and asked if they would consider a compensation adjustment to offset the change. They initially said no, but when three other employees made similar requests within the same week, they announced an across-the-board 3% "market adjustment" the following month. Sometimes they just need to realize that people are paying attention.

That's really helpful to know! I've been feeling so powerless about the whole situation. I'm going to gather my documentation and see if any colleagues want to approach management together. Strength in numbers makes sense in this situation. Did you have to get confrontational or was it more effective to just present the facts clearly and ask for a solution?

Do paper I-bonds still exist? I thought Treasury phased those out years ago. And if I get paper bonds through my tax refund, how would I convert them to electronic later?

Paper I-bonds do still exist, but ONLY through the tax refund process. It's the only way to get them since Treasury Direct otherwise went fully electronic. To convert paper bonds to electronic, you'd use the Treasury Direct "SmartExchange" feature after creating an account. You fill out a form with your paper bond information, mail the bonds to Treasury, and they add them to your electronic account. It takes a few weeks for processing, but then you can manage them online like any other Treasury Direct holdings. Some people actually prefer this method since the paper bonds can be held for safekeeping and don't require online account access until you're ready to redeem them.

The Taxpayer Advocate Service saved me too! But they're super backed up these days... took almost 2 months to get an appointment at my local office. Definitely worth trying though, just don't expect immediate help.

Thanks for the tip! Will I need any specific documentation from Fidelity if I make this IRA contribution now for last year? And should I reduce the contribution amount since we'll only get 10% back?

You don't need any special documentation from Fidelity for your tax return. When you make the contribution, just make sure you specify it's for the 2023 tax year. Fidelity will eventually send a Form 5498, but that usually comes after the tax filing deadline and isn't needed to claim the credit. As for reducing the contribution amount, I'd still recommend contributing the full amount to reach $2,000 total. Even though you're only getting 10% back as a direct credit ($200), remember that traditional IRA contributions also reduce your taxable income. So you're getting both the $200 credit AND the tax deduction on your contribution, which at your income level could save you another 22% or so in taxes on that money.

I amended last year for exactly this reason! It was a bit of paperwork but totally worth it in my case. Got back about $280 between the credit and the deduction on a $1,400 contribution. Just filed Form 1040-X with the corrected info and Form 8880 for the credit.

Thanks for sharing your experience! $280 back on $1,400 is pretty good. I think I'm gonna go ahead with the amendment. I hate leaving money on the table, even if it's just a couple hundred bucks.