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Returning Member
posted Feb 21, 2024 10:13:08 AM

Filed an amendment, now it says I owe my whole refund back?

I worked several jobs this past year (restaurant industry, which is notorious for abysmal management and poor work quality). One of my jobs, I only worked for 2-3 months, frequently had to correct them on my information and I still didn't receive my W-2 from them until two days ago because they still entered totally incorrect information.

 

My original return from both state and federal was 902, it was sent to my accounts already and I used it to get ahead on bills. I filed my amendment with this W-2, and it first said I would get an additional 45 back, but at the end says I owe 771? I called support and they didn't really know what to say either, I'm just confused how one W-2 for 2-3 months of work would make me owe over $700. I'm lucky to even make that in one paycheck, sometimes not even two. Could it be that my employer didn't fill out this W-2 or withhold taxes correctly?

0 5 1607
5 Replies
Expert Alumni
Feb 21, 2024 10:22:20 AM

To clarify, can you tell us the amount in Box 1 and Box 2 on the W-2?

The additional income could have also changed the amounts of your credit. 

 

Returning Member
Feb 21, 2024 10:29:22 AM

Box 1 is 3633.50, Box 2 is 32.15

Expert Alumni
Feb 21, 2024 10:39:59 AM

Again, very hard to say without seeing your entire return, but if you are in the 12% tax bracket, 3633.50 additional income would generate 436.00 additional tax, 22% tax bracket generates 799.00

The employer only withheld $32. 

 

You listed your total refund, not just the federal, so how much federal refund is part of the equation is not known.

 

Here is a link to the tax brackets which might make things clearer. 

Returning Member
Feb 21, 2024 10:41:18 AM

The original federal was 816

Expert Alumni
Feb 21, 2024 11:03:10 AM

One other plausible explanation is that your Earned Income Credit has decreased with the addition of the second W-2.

 

The Earned Income Tax credit (EITC) is a bell-shaped curve against income. The EITC rises with income until a certain level of income when it starts to decrease to reach 0 at the maximum level of income for the category.

 

As an example, please look at the EITC tables from page 27 of this IRS publication.