To clarify an important point: your federal AGI (Adjusted Gross Income) affects your state taxes, but your state tax liability has zero impact on your federal obligation. If your tax software shows you owe federal taxes, that means your withholding and/or estimated tax payments were insufficient to cover your tax liability for the year. The calculation is: Total Tax Liability minus Total Payments (withholding + estimated payments) = Amount Due or Refund.

This is a common situation for military families! The key thing to remember is that federal and state taxes operate independently - you can absolutely owe federal while getting a state refund. Since you mentioned you're a military family, I'd suggest double-checking a few military-specific items: Are you claiming the correct state of legal residence (which might be different from where you're currently stationed)? Did you account for any combat pay exclusions if applicable? Also, for next year, consider using the IRS withholding calculator after any PCS moves or changes in duty status, as these can significantly impact your tax situation. The Military Spouses Residency Relief Act can be tricky to apply correctly, so it might be worth having a tax professional who specializes in military taxes review your return to ensure you're getting all the benefits you're entitled to.

Quick tip from someone who messed this up their first year: don't forget about tax credits too, which are different from the standard deduction! Education credits like the American Opportunity Credit or Lifetime Learning Credit can save you thousands if you're still paying for school. Also, if your employer offers a 401k, contributing to it will lower your taxable income even further. At $58k, if you put 5% into your 401k, that's about $2,900 less income that gets taxed.

Just wanted to add something that helped me when I was in a similar situation - don't stress too much about getting everything perfect your first year! The IRS withholding calculator on their website (irs.gov/w4app) is actually really helpful for figuring out how to fill out your W-4 form correctly. Since you're starting mid-year, you might want to be extra careful with your withholding. Sometimes when you start a job partway through the year, the payroll system assumes you'll be making that salary for the full year and doesn't withhold enough for your actual situation. The IRS calculator takes into account when you started working and helps you adjust accordingly. Also, keep all your tax documents organized from day one - your W-2, any 1098-T forms if you're claiming education credits, receipts for any work-related expenses, etc. Makes filing so much easier! And congratulations on the new job!

This is a classic case of employee misclassification that's unfortunately very common with new graduates. Your employer is essentially having their cake and eating it too - they get all the control and benefits of having an employee (set schedule, specific work methods, integrated into their operations) while avoiding the costs and responsibilities that come with properly classifying you. The smoking gun here is the W-4 and I-9 forms. There's literally no legitimate reason for a true independent contractor to complete these documents. The W-4 is specifically for tax withholding from employee paychecks, and the I-9 is for employment eligibility verification. Independent contractors use W-9 forms instead. Beyond the tax implications (you're paying an extra ~7.65% in self-employment taxes), you're also being denied other important protections: workers' compensation coverage, potential unemployment benefits, overtime pay requirements, and any employer-sponsored benefits they might offer to other employees. The late paychecks add another layer of potential violations. Most states have strict laws about when employees must be paid, and even independent contractors have contractual rights to timely payment. My recommendation: Start documenting everything now, but also consider filing a complaint with your state's Department of Labor about the late payments and potential misclassification. State agencies often move faster than the IRS and can investigate multiple violations simultaneously. You can also file Form SS-8 with the IRS for an official worker classification determination. Don't let them exploit your newcomer status - you have real legal rights here, and this is costing you significant money.

What you're experiencing is textbook employee misclassification, and it's costing you real money every month. The fact that you completed W-4 and I-9 forms is the biggest red flag - these are exclusively for employees, never independent contractors. Here's what's happening: you're currently paying both the employee AND employer portions of Social Security/Medicare taxes (15.3% total) when you should only be paying the employee portion (7.65%). Your employer is essentially transferring their tax burden to you while maintaining full control over your work. The IRS looks at three main factors for classification: behavioral control (they set your schedule and methods), financial control (they provide equipment and workspace), and the relationship type (you were hired for a "full-time position" with promised benefits). You clearly meet all the criteria for employee status. Beyond taxes, you're missing out on overtime pay (which is required for employees), workers' compensation coverage, and unemployment benefit eligibility. The late paychecks add another layer of potential state labor law violations. Document everything immediately - save job postings, interview communications, emails about your status, screenshots of that payroll system, and detailed records of hours worked. Then consider filing with both your state's Department of Labor (for the late payments and misclassification) and Form SS-8 with the IRS for an official status determination. Don't let them exploit your new graduate status - this practice is illegal and you have strong grounds to challenge it.

As someone who's been navigating retirement benefits for the past few years, I can confirm what others have said about the PSO deduction continuing after Medicare enrollment. The SECURE 2.0 Act provisions are pretty clear on this - Medicare eligibility doesn't disqualify you from the deduction. One thing I'd add that hasn't been mentioned much: consider looking into Health Savings Account (HSA) coordination if you have one. While you can't contribute to an HSA after enrolling in Medicare, you can still use existing HSA funds for qualified medical expenses. The PSO deduction covers your premiums, and HSA funds can cover deductibles, copays, and other out-of-pocket costs. Also, start shopping for Medicare supplement plans now, even though you're still a few years out. Prices and coverage options vary significantly between providers, and having a good understanding of what's available will help you make better decisions when the time comes. Some plans work better with pension direct-payment systems than others. The peace of mind from having this deduction continue through retirement is huge. It's one less financial worry during what can already be a stressful transition period.

I'm a retired firefighter who just went through this exact transition at 65, and I want to emphasize something that saved me from a potential mess: make sure your pension administrator understands they need to issue you a Form 1099-R that properly reflects the PSO health insurance premium payments. When I first enrolled in Medicare and switched my PSO deduction to cover my Medicare Supplement and Part D premiums, my pension office initially coded everything as regular pension distributions. This would have made it look like I was taking taxable income that should have been excluded under the PSO provision. I had to work with them to ensure the health insurance premiums were properly excluded from the taxable portion of my pension distribution on the 1099-R. The form should show the total distribution minus the health insurance premiums as the taxable amount. This might seem like a technical detail, but it's crucial for your tax return accuracy. Without the proper 1099-R coding, you could end up paying taxes on money that should be excluded under the PSO deduction, or worse, face complications if the IRS questions the discrepancy between your deduction claim and your pension distribution reporting. Most pension administrators aren't tax experts, so don't assume they'll get this right automatically. It's worth having a conversation with them about proper 1099-R preparation before you make the Medicare transition.

I just went through this exact same process last month! They told me 180 days at my appointment too, but I got my refund in exactly 63 days. I think what helped was checking my transcript every Friday (not daily - that'll drive you crazy) and watching for any code changes. One tip that really helped me stay sane during the wait: I set up direct deposit alerts with my bank so I'd know the moment anything hit my account. The "Where's My Refund" tool didn't update until 2 days AFTER I actually received my money, so don't rely on that as your main source of info. Also, since you mentioned you're a recent grad with moving expenses - totally get the financial stress. Maybe consider reaching out to your new employer's HR about any relocation assistance programs they might have? Some companies offer advance payments or loans for situations like this. Good luck, and try not to stress too much - based on everyone's experiences here, you'll likely see your money way before that 180-day mark!

I'm going through the exact same thing right now! Had my ID verification appointment last week and was also told 180 days. Reading all these responses is giving me so much hope - it sounds like most people are getting their refunds in 6-8 weeks despite the scary timeline they quote you. I'm definitely going to start checking my transcript weekly like some of you suggested instead of refreshing Where's My Refund every day (which has been driving me absolutely crazy). Does anyone know if there's a specific day of the week when transcripts typically update, or is it pretty random? Also really appreciated the advice about setting up bank alerts - that's going on my to-do list today. The waiting game is brutal when you're counting on that money!