u/sandyjb5

Tax year 2025, my husband kept getting paid Disability benefits even though SS was contacted by phone and fax 6 times to please stop sending benefits as he went back to work after bad setback with his cancer. Even filled out all appropriate paperwork at time of return to work. In the end:

He was overpaid in 2025, and had taxes withheld from all checks at time of payments for 10 months.

They did not send letter till year 2026 stating he owed all the 2025 payments back INCLUDING taxes (again) on all of that income, even though he already paid the taxes in once. Said it was their policy.

So now we have paid (example) 4,000 in taxes to them twice, on the same income.

Questions:

1. They claim we will get a form in 2027 stating we paid all the money back including the taxes, but will we actually get all the taxes back? (we always get a federal refund from his normal income so we wouldn’t be in the hole federal wise)
2. Anything else to expect or report in the process when filing next year, or just inputing the 1 form SS should send us that the money was all paid back with the tax info as well will be enough? I don’t want to miss any extra steps or forms in filing with our situation and screw up our taxes.

With Other Brands, they mostly list them as 60,000 BTU Furnace, 80,000 BTU ect. So simple to find the right models.

I need a 60,000 BTU myself , but when looking at Rheem Furance Options I was thrown off.

On Rheem Model R96T page it let you choose 41, 55, 68 ,82, 95 ect BTU capacity, but it doesnt seem to line up with other Brands standard size charts like Goodman Amana ect...

Here is a photo of the model numbers and Charts for a Rheem:

96% Efficient 2 stage Multispeed Furance, so which is closest to the Normal 60,000 BTU options for other brands?

https://preview.redd.it/9d2jt5bg3j5h1.jpg?width=2004&format=pjpg&auto=webp&s=94d63c764b75053cfc5e308834bd763ccfc5999a

either looks over or under sized for overall heating Capacity compared to other brands 60K BTU furnaces.

Amana AD9T960603BN 96% 60000 BTU Furnace

2 Stage, But Multispeed ECM

Non-communicating Furnace

I understand these can technically work on a 1 stage thermostat.

I have also seen where these Amanas have some feature built right in the furnace that really controls everything called equipment controlled staging, 2 stage thermostat not needed/ does no good. Then I read to have better control of options and effiency, you should control it from a 2 Stage thermostat.

Then I see you need to see if your furnace control board even has a W2 terminal cause Amana removed the W2 terminal in some newer units to make it so equipment controlled is the only option.

Dont have the furance yet, but if anyone knows about these newest version of Amana, do online specs list if they will be wired with that W2 terminal?

If a 2 stage thermostat will work with this and allow me better control, I would prefer that option.

See wiring photo

https://preview.redd.it/22slc2n8aw3h1.jpg?width=1146&format=pjpg&auto=webp&s=f332215ffd83418707e3f4f1568163c56cff2200

HVAC Quotes (please read senerio at bottom)

 

Goodman AC GLXS3BN3010                      $5068

2.5 Ton  13.4 seer 2

Single Stage

10 yr parts and compressor warranty

1 year Labor warranty

_______________________________________

 

Goodman Furnace GD9S960603BN              $3599

Single Stage   96% efficiency   60000 Btu

HE Multispeed Blower

Lifetime heat exchanger warranty

10 year parts

1 year labor warranty

 

Goodman Furnace GD9T960603BN              $5490

2 Stage   96%   60000 BTU

HE Multispeed Blower

Lifetime Heat Exchanger

10 yr parts

5 year labor

 

Goodman Furnace                                       $6380

2 Stage 96% 60000 BTU

Variable Blower

Lifetime Heat exchanger

10 year parts

10 year labor

 

Got trane quotes too- then learned parts are even more expensive and sometimes not available. And they only offered 1 year labor no matter what the model of furnace.

 

I’m more asking what makes more sense in my scenario. Getting rid of 20 year old Goodman AC, and 24 year old Lennox Furnace. Had single stage units for both. They worked just fine for my setup.

Spending the money now for 2 stage and variable isn’t really the issue, but due to my husbands very serious health diagnosis, there is a good chance down the road I will have to deal with the expenses of repairs on my own. That is the concern when it comes to choosing HVAc equipment.

 

It don’t understand why the labor warranty on the single stage is only 1 year, when there are less things to break on it.

Then the 2 stage have a 5 for year for multispeed and 10 labor warranty for variable speed version, with even more expensive things that can break.

On the other hand, in my last situation 2 blower motors went out in year 13 and 16. Labor warranty didn’t matter at that point, and thank god those bills were only around 450 to replace the blower. Ironically Those labor warranty’s didn’t help.

 Questions:

1**.The Single stage seems to have an HE Multispeed Blower, but so does one of the 2 stage furnace options**. So does that mean I am facing the same expense on a blower motor replacement anyway for both those two options?

2. Do the 2 stage version also have other expensive parts on them that may need replacing like extra computer boards, or any other parts not found on stage 1 I should be aware of? Especially when out of warranty?

3. One quote paired the single stage AC that does NOT communicate with the Comfortbridge technology, but the 2 stage furnace did. Does that represent issues when it comes to missing out on diagnostic or other options/ features on thermostat? Is this a bad idea?

4. One HVAC guy said 2 stage are worthless unless you have zoned house anyway. That got my attention casue never heard that before.

 

I would truly appreciate some sound advice regarding my specific concerns.

1970s Ranch home, new double pane windows, good attic insulation.

Calc tests done to confirm the need for 2.5 ton and 60000 btu.

Had a quote done today with a couple different options for new Central Air and Furnace. I tried taking notes, but many questions came to mind after he left, as I don't quite understand some of these options and what they mean.

1. Single Stage vs Dual Stage? I think dual runs at lower capacity, and for longer? more expensive to fix?
2. One option said "9 speed blower motor", not sure what kind that is?
3. One option said "Variable blower motor". Does this mean it will run constantly? And if so is there a way to make it not run constantly? I read other comments saying their electricity bill went up letting it run all the time even on lower capacity. I don't want my electric bill to go up. Nor do I want to hear it running all the time. Also parts are super expensive to repair?

I think single and dual stage vs the type of blower motor are confusing me as I feel like Dual stage and Variable motor are the two things that both make it run all the time?

So what if you have a Single stage Furnace with Variable blower? It still runs all the time?

I'm sorry if these are odd questions, I'm just trying to understand what is best for our needs. Live in Ohio 1700 sq foot ranch.

I had an HVAC guy out here talking about replacing my central air unit. The evaporator coil for that central air sits in the garage underneath our furnace. He said, in order to get a new central air and evaporator coil, the furnace would have to be ripped out as well. And I might as well replace the furnace, too

Is it physically impossible to replace an ac coil thats under a furnace without removing the whole furnace?