I work in a university bursar's office (not at your school) and I can tell you that your school's stance is unusual but not unheard of. One workaround that sometimes helps: check any financial documents you received from them - sometimes the EIN appears on receipts, financial aid award letters, or even in the footer of official correspondence. Also, try calling and specifically asking for the "accounts payable" or "vendor relations" department instead of student services. These departments often have the EIN readily available since other businesses need it for their own tax purposes when paying the school.

I went through this exact same headache last year with my online certification program! Here's what ultimately worked for me after trying everything else mentioned here: First, I did find success with the IRS Tax Exempt Organization Search that Omar mentioned - but you have to try different variations of the school name. My school went by an abbreviated name with students but was registered under their full legal name with "LLC" at the end. If that doesn't work, there's another angle: check if your school is accredited by a recognized accrediting body. You can often find their EIN through the accreditor's database or the Department of Education's database of accredited institutions. One thing to keep in mind - even if you use the zeros method that others mentioned, make sure you're claiming the right credit or deduction. At $14,500 in tuition and depending on your income, the Lifetime Learning Credit could save you up to $2,000, which is probably better than the tuition deduction. The American Opportunity Tax Credit unfortunately doesn't apply to graduate programs. Also, keep detailed records of everything - not just payment receipts but also your enrollment verification, course syllabi, and any communication with the school about their refusal to provide the EIN. This documentation will be crucial if the IRS has any questions later.

I might be an outlier, but my experience with a 520/971 code combination last year was relatively quick. I filed on January 28th, got those codes by February 10th, and still received my refund on February 27th. It seems that sometimes these reviews are just procedural checks that don't necessarily take the full 45 days. I'm not saying this will be your experience, of course, as each case is different, but I thought sharing a positive outcome might help ease your mind a bit.

I'm going through the exact same thing right now! Got my 520 code on 02/28/2025 and 971 code on 03/05/2025. Like you, I'm stressed about the timing because I have some major expenses coming up. What's really frustrating is that I've filed basically the same return for the past 4 years - same job, same deductions, just minor changes in income. The only difference this year is I claimed the Child Tax Credit for my 2-year-old for the first time. Reading through everyone's experiences here is actually making me feel a bit better though. It sounds like most people are getting their refunds in the 3-4 week range rather than the full 45 days. I'm going to try calling this week to see if they can give me any specifics about what they're reviewing. Fingers crossed we both get good news soon!

Just as an FYI - if you use the annualized income method (Form 2210), make sure you keep REALLY good documentation. I did this last year after a big stock sale in Q2 and got a penalty notice anyway because the IRS initially processes everything assuming equal payments. Had to call and explain the situation.

Thanks everyone for the detailed responses! This is incredibly helpful. I've been stressing about this since the sale went through in January. Based on what you've all shared, it sounds like I have two main options: 1. Split the payments equally across four quarters (~$65k each for federal, plus the Washington state portion) 2. Use the annualized income installment method since all my gains happened in Q1 I'm leaning toward the annualized method since it seems more accurate for my situation, but I'm definitely going to keep detailed documentation as @StarGazer101 mentioned. One follow-up question - for the Washington state capital gains tax that @Yara mentioned ($73,500 on the amount over $250k), do they follow the same quarterly schedule as federal? And can I use the annualized method for state taxes too? Also going to check out both taxr.ai and potentially use Claimyr to get official IRS confirmation. With amounts this large, I'd rather be 100% certain I'm doing everything correctly. Better safe than sorry!

I was in a very similar situation last year, but with a much smaller refund than most people here (only about $600). Even with that small amount, the waiting and uncertainty was incredibly stressful. What helped me was setting up a payment plan for my medical bills while waiting for the refund. Many medical providers will work with you if you explain the situation - I was able to make a small down payment and then pay the rest when my refund finally arrived. Much less stressful than watching WMR every day! My return was in limbo for about 5 weeks total before suddenly processing and depositing. No explanation for the delay was ever provided.

I completely understand your frustration - this waiting period is incredibly stressful, especially when you have important expenses coming up. Based on what you've described, your situation sounds very typical of what many filers are experiencing this year. The disappearance of Tax Topic 152 after 21 days often indicates your return is moving between processing stages rather than indicating a problem. A few things that might help while you wait: • Try checking your transcript early in the morning (around 6 AM) when the system updates • Consider reaching out to your medical provider about payment plan options - many are understanding about tax refund delays • Document your filing date and acceptance confirmation in case you need to reference it later The "still processing" message is unfortunately the IRS's default response when returns are in the verification queue. Since you filed on 2/17 and it's now been over 21 days, you could try calling the IRS, though as others mentioned, wait times are brutal right now. Hang in there - based on the experiences shared here, it seems like most people in similar situations eventually get their refunds processed, it just takes longer than the advertised 21 days.

I think most people misunderstand REPS. The key issue is "material participation" in rental activities. Being a realtor counts for the 750 hours but NOT for material participation in your rentals. The exception is if you make a grouping election as others mentioned. Your CPA should know this but many don't understand real estate tax rules well. Just FYI - I got audited on this exact issue in 2023. The IRS was looking specifically at REPS claims. Make sure you have a detailed time log showing hours for EACH activity. After-the-fact estimates won't cut it in an audit.

Based on my experience dealing with REPS qualifications, your tax preparer may be being overly conservative. As a full-time realtor, you likely already meet the first two REPS requirements (750+ hours and 50%+ of working time in real estate). The critical piece is making the grouping election to treat all your rental activities as one activity. This election is made by attaching a statement to your tax return - there's no specific IRS form for it. The statement should clearly indicate you're electing to group all rental real estate activities under IRC Section 469(c)(7)(A). With this election, you can combine your time spent on the 3 self-managed properties with time spent overseeing the other 15 properties (reviewing reports, making decisions, communicating with property managers, etc.) to meet the material participation test. I'd recommend getting a second opinion from a CPA who specializes in real estate taxation. Many general tax preparers aren't familiar with the nuances of REPS, especially the grouping election strategy. The potential tax savings make it worth exploring further. Also, start keeping detailed time logs NOW for 2025 - document every hour spent on rental activities, no matter how small. This contemporaneous documentation is crucial if you're ever audited.