I've used FreeTaxUSA for years, so I'm familiar with the process. We have a pretty simple tax situation. This year, though, we ended up owing taxes despite making less…

    Our only income is from two W-2 jobs. We have a condo loan. We have a single teenage dependent. We've always filed jointly.

    Line 1a:    104,828
    Line 1z:    104,828
    Line 9:     104,828
    Line 11a:   104,828 (AGI)
    
    Line 11b:   104,828 (AGI)
    Line 12e:    37,857
    Line 13b:     2,750 (add'tl deductions)
    Line 14:     40,607 
    Line 15:     64,221 (taxable income)
    Line 16:      7,230 (tax)
    Line 18:      7,230
    Line 19:      2,200 (CTC)
    Line 21:      2,200
    Line 24:      5,030 (total tax)
    Line 25d:     4,459 (tax payments)
    Line 37:        571 (tax paid minus tax payments)
    

    So the math is mathing. But what I'd love to know is why enough tax wasn't taken out.

    On my W-4, I claim myself (married, joint) and our kid. I make more, so that's why we did it on mine. My wife's W-4 is just herself (married, joint).

    For now, we've adjusted her W-4 to deduct an additional $50 each paycheck.

    Here are our W-2s (I know that state withholdings don't matter, but I'll provide for brevity):

    **Mine**
    
    Wages:          70,424.15 
    Fed tax:         4,333.00
    SS wages:       70,424.15
    SS tax:          4,366.30
    Medicare wages: 70,424.15
    Medicare tax:    1,021.15
    Box 12a, DD:    10,738.87
    Box 14:    WA PFML 504.23 
      WA Workers’ Comp 603.42 
                 WA CF 444.49
    
    **Hers**
    Wages:          34,404.11 
    Fed tax:           126.06 
    SS wages:       34,404.11 
    SS tax:          2,133.05 
    Medicare wages: 34,404.11 
    Medicare tax:      498.86 
    

    So… It looks like the withholding is the issue. As it should be. 6% of mine comes out, while 3% of hers comes out.

    I don't think mortgage matters, but here it is:

    FORM 1098
    
    Line 1:   30,017.59
    Line 2:  389,054.85
    Line 4:        0.00
    Line 5:    2,441.04
    

    Is the lesson to be learned here, "don't claim your actual tax situation"? Should we have her claim single on her W-4?

    Somehow we owed taxes. Could someone help me double check?
    byu/Remote_Bathroom_1486 intax



    Posted by Remote_Bathroom_1486

    3 Comments

    1. VerySeriousMan on

      Picking “married joint” on your w4 is telling your employer “my spouse does not work”. This results in too little being withheld when both spouses do work.

      Redo both of your w4s and pick “single” instead. You can still file a joint tax return, this will just make sure enough is withheld

    2. It’s because of your withholding. Change your withholding to atleast one of you single if not both. That way enough will come out.

    3. No-Mechanic-1778 on

      I made slightly more and paid $13k in fed taxes so idk how yours was 4.3k. That’s insane

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