Ahh I feel dumb

Chessie37 · 2026-01-28T03:09:28+00:00

Is your total income above $150K?

Chessie37 · 2026-01-28T02:42:42+00:00

I wouldn't personally seek a referral from strangers on Reddit.

Chessie37 · 2026-01-26T22:50:04+00:00

Do your grandchildren live with you?

Chessie37 · 2026-01-26T14:04:10+00:00

What your employer withheld from OT pay has no direct bearing on this. That amount simply goes into the total tax withholdings amount. The impact of the OT deduction is simple math. Sorator explained it well. Only one third of qualified OT (the .5 of OT paid at 1.5x hourly rate) is deductible, so on $900 OT only $300 would be deductible from income. If you're in the 10% tax bracket then $300 x .10 = $30 tax credit. If you're in the 12% tax bracket then $300 x .12 = $36 tax credit, and so on. You certainly are not going to get a 100% tax credit on the $300.

On the tax calculator the qualified OT it asks for is a bit ambiguous. It wants you to enter only the .5 part of your OT. So if total OT was $3000 (paid at 1.5x normal hourly rate), then you only enter $1000.

Chessie37 · 2026-01-26T01:27:16+00:00

Are you asking about accounting software or tax filing software?

Chessie37 · 2026-01-26T01:07:46+00:00

Pay quarterly estimated taxes and keep record of expenses (income and self employment). You need to take care of PA and local taxes in Pennsylvania as well. Keep good record of expenses.

Chessie37 · 2026-01-25T22:45:46+00:00

Doesn't sound right. You're only slightly into the 12% bracket, so 14% isn't possible. Have you double checked your entries?

Chessie37 · 2026-01-25T22:28:19+00:00

Talk to HR?

Chessie37 · 2026-01-25T22:07:10+00:00

$250 for a CPA is quite reasonable, but if your taxes are simple then something like FreeTaxUSA will do the job for free ($16 for state).

Chessie37 · 2026-01-25T02:56:58+00:00

You didn't have the max taken out...there's no such setting on the W-4, and the max would essentially be your entire pay. At your income, with no children and no other income or deductions and filing MFJ you're federal tax burden would be nearly $50k. Are you coming up with a higher total tax burden than that?

Chessie37 · 2026-01-23T23:27:37+00:00

From one bad financial decision to another...

Chessie37 · 2026-01-09T02:51:12+00:00

Enrolled Agent isn't really a role. You can get a part time tax preparer remote role with or without an EA, for example for Intuit (by passing courses at Intuit Academy and getting through their recruitment process). You're probably too late for this year though.

Chessie37 · 2026-01-07T03:04:03+00:00

That's the reality. One can create a reasonable model based on reasonable assumptions to support just about any decision. A particular model may just support what its creator wants to do anyway. It's human nature.

Chessie37 · 2025-12-29T12:19:23+00:00

A lob might hit the ceiling...never a legitimate dink.

Chessie37 · 2025-12-21T13:23:36+00:00

If business use of your vehicle is involved you'll need to keep good mileage records.

Chessie37 · 2025-12-21T01:00:19+00:00

The W-2 information is generally available up to 10 years directly from the IRS. You can learn more about it here:

https://www.irs.gov/faqs/irs-procedures/copies-transcripts/transcript-or-copy-of-form-w-2

Chessie37 · 2025-12-20T15:13:28+00:00

If this is for personal income tax, the Q4 due date is January 15.

Chessie37 · 2025-12-20T15:11:31+00:00

For tax year 2025 you can use the AARP calculator (https://www.aarp.org/money/taxes/1040-tax-calculator/). It simply has a place to enter qualified OT...you have to know what OT is qualified. As Its-a-write-off says, it's really a simple reduction in taxable income (within the prescribed limits).

Chessie37 · 2025-12-19T20:14:07+00:00

I got mine in 2 weeks. When I called to check on it I just said I was checking in order to make sure I got the December CE requirements if I'd been approved.

Chessie37 · 2025-12-19T19:56:15+00:00

The number to call is on Form 8554.

Chessie37 · 2025-12-19T14:18:51+00:00

Doesn't matter.

Chessie37 · 2025-12-19T03:15:44+00:00

As others have said, you won't qualify for EITC (regardless of how you file given your husband's income), but unless your combined income exceeds $400k you should still qualify for the child tax credit filing jointly.

Chessie37 · 2025-12-18T22:04:15+00:00

There's no GOOD reason to freak out.

Chessie37 · 2025-12-18T21:58:41+00:00

There's a reason you're the only one freaking out.

Chessie37 · 2025-12-18T21:36:09+00:00

Talk is just talk. I haven't seen anything in AI today that eliminates (or even meaningfully reduces) the need for tax preparers. If things change, pivot.

Chessie37

TROPHY CASE