Just wanted to add another data point - I'm also military (stationed at Joint Base Lewis-McChord) and got my paper check last year. WMR showed March 8th, and it arrived March 14th - exactly 6 days later. One thing I learned is that if you're in temporary lodging on base, make sure the front desk knows you're expecting an important piece of mail. They sometimes hold government checks separately from regular mail for security reasons. Also, if you haven't already, definitely sign up for USPS Informed Delivery like others mentioned - it saved me from worrying every day about whether it was coming!

As someone who's worked in military family financial counseling, I can confirm what everyone else is saying - the WMR date is definitely the mailing date, not delivery. For military families in transition like yours, I always recommend planning for 7-10 business days after the WMR date, especially if you're between duty stations. A few additional tips: 1) If you're using a temporary address, double-check that it's exactly how you listed it on your return, 2) Contact the finance office at your current base - they sometimes have experience with mail delays specific to your location, and 3) Keep your old address mail forwarding active until you're settled at your new duty station. The IRS is pretty good about getting checks out on the date shown, but military mail routing can add extra time. Good luck with your move and hopefully that check arrives with time to spare for your budgeting needs!

As a government employee who has worked with tax policy implementation, I can confirm what several people have mentioned about the assessment requirement. The key distinction is between when a tax is legally imposed versus when you choose to pay it. The IRS has been pretty clear since the Tax Cuts and Jobs Act that prepaying future tax years doesn't accelerate the deduction. You can only deduct property taxes in the year they become a legal obligation - meaning the taxing authority has completed their assessment process and determined what you actually owe. What gets confusing is that different jurisdictions have different processes. Some counties assess quarterly, others annually. Some send "estimated" bills that later get finalized, while others send final assessments upfront. The timing of when YOU can deduct depends on when THEY complete their official assessment. The practical advice about calling your county assessor is spot-on. They can tell you exactly when taxes are considered "assessed" in your jurisdiction. Don't rely on when bills are mailed - ask specifically about when the assessment becomes legally binding. And yes, definitely check the SALT cap first! With the $10,000 limit, many homeowners hit that ceiling regardless of timing strategies. Combined with the higher standard deduction, fewer people benefit from itemizing these days anyway.

This has been such an informative discussion! As someone who's been dealing with this exact confusion, I really appreciate everyone sharing their experiences and expertise. What strikes me most is how much the rules vary by jurisdiction - it seems like the key is understanding your specific county's assessment process rather than trying to apply general rules. The distinction between "estimated" and "assessed" taxes appears to be crucial, and it's clearly something that trips up a lot of homeowners. I'm also grateful for the reality check about the SALT cap and standard deduction. It's easy to get caught up in optimization strategies without first checking if they'll actually provide any benefit. For many of us, especially in higher-tax states, these timing strategies may not matter at all under current tax law. The various tools and services mentioned here (taxr.ai for document analysis, Claimyr for reaching the IRS) sound like they could save a lot of time and confusion. It's frustrating that such basic tax questions can be so difficult to get answered through normal channels. I think the best takeaway is: 1) Call your county assessor to understand their specific assessment timeline, 2) Check if you'll hit the SALT cap anyway, 3) Verify you'll exceed the standard deduction threshold, and 4) Only then worry about prepayment timing strategies. Thanks to everyone who contributed their knowledge - this kind of community sharing is invaluable for navigating our complex tax system!

Mortgage loan officer here. This happens all the time with loans that are sold shortly after closing. If you paid less than $600 in prepaid interest at closing, the credit union isn't technically required to send a 1098, but they should if you request one. Call the credit union's mortgage department (not just a branch) and ask to speak with someone about getting a 1098 for closing interest. Have your loan number and closing date handy. Explain the situation politely and most places will generate one for you. If they refuse, you can still deduct it without the form, but having the official 1098 makes filing easier and reduces audit risk.

Great to see this got resolved! For anyone else in a similar situation, it's worth noting that prepaid interest at closing is treated differently than regular monthly mortgage interest payments. It's considered "points" or prepaid interest and is fully deductible in the year you pay it (unlike refinancing points which sometimes have to be spread over the life of the loan). Also, if you're in this situation in the future, don't wait until tax season to sort it out. As soon as you get your 1098 from the new servicer and notice the prepaid interest is missing, contact the original lender right away. They're more likely to help when the loan transfer is still fresh in everyone's memory rather than months later during busy tax season. The key takeaway is that you're entitled to deduct that prepaid interest regardless of whether you get a 1098 for it - just make sure you have proper documentation from your closing.

I've been lurking on this thread for a while dealing with my own Error Code 101 nightmare, and I'm amazed at how many different root causes everyone has discovered! This has been like a masterclass in EIN application troubleshooting. After reading through all these solutions, I want to add one more potential cause that I discovered through trial and error: address formatting issues. I was getting Error 101 consistently even after trying the browser fixes, checking for old applications, and verifying my SSN records were clean. Turns out the problem was that I was entering my address exactly as it appears on my driver's license, which includes "Apt 4B" in the address line. But apparently the IRS system is very picky about how apartment/unit numbers are formatted. When I changed it from "123 Main St Apt 4B" to "123 Main St #4B" (using the pound symbol instead of "Apt"), the application finally went through. The IRS agent I eventually spoke with mentioned that their system has specific formatting requirements for addresses, especially for apartments, suites, and PO boxes. She said using abbreviations like "Apt," "Suite," or "Unit" sometimes causes validation errors, but symbols like "#" or "Ste" work better. Just another thing to add to the growing checklist of potential Error 101 causes! It's crazy how many tiny details can trip up this system. Thanks to everyone who contributed to this thread - you've created an incredible troubleshooting resource!

Wow, this thread has become an incredible resource for troubleshooting Error Code 101! As someone who just successfully got my EIN after dealing with this same error for almost two weeks, I wanted to add my experience to help others. In my case, it was actually a combination of issues. First, I had the address formatting problem that Mateusius mentioned - I was using "Unit 12" instead of "#12" which was causing validation errors. But even after fixing that, I was still getting Error 101. The second issue was that I had accidentally selected the wrong state in the "principal business location" field. I live right on the border between two states and put my mailing address state instead of where my business is actually physically located. The IRS system apparently cross-references multiple pieces of information for consistency, and this mismatch was triggering the error. What finally helped me figure this out was keeping a detailed log of each attempt (as Carmen suggested earlier) and changing only ONE thing at a time. When I fixed the address formatting but still got the error, I knew to look for other inconsistencies in my application. For anyone still struggling: I'd recommend creating a checklist based on all the solutions in this thread and working through them systematically. Also, print out your application before submitting so you can review every single field for potential formatting or consistency issues. Sometimes a fresh pair of eyes can spot mistakes you've been overlooking! This community has been incredibly helpful - thank you all for sharing your experiences and solutions!

Based on my experience, that TurboTax email is usually a good sign but timing can vary quite a bit. I got the same notification last year and my direct deposit came through exactly 6 business days later. The key thing is that this email typically means the IRS has processed and approved your refund, so you're past the biggest hurdle. Since you mentioned the WMR tool is still showing "processing," that's actually pretty normal - those tools often lag behind the actual status. Your best bet is to check your IRS account transcript online if you haven't already. It'll show you the real-time status and any specific codes that indicate exactly where your refund stands. For your home repairs timeline, I'd plan for anywhere from 5-10 business days from when you got that email, assuming direct deposit and no issues with your return. If there are any complications, the transcript will show them clearly. Good luck with the repairs!

I went through this exact same situation last month! Got the TurboTax email on a Wednesday saying my refund was approved and sent, but like you, the WMR tool was still showing "processing" which had me really confused. My refund actually hit my bank account the following Tuesday - so about 4 business days after that email. I think the key thing to remember is that TurboTax and the IRS systems don't always sync up perfectly, so there can be some lag in what the different tools are showing you. Since you're planning home repairs and need to know the timing, I'd suggest checking your bank account daily and maybe plan for somewhere between 3-7 business days from when you got that email (assuming you did direct deposit). The transcript checking that others mentioned is definitely the most accurate way to see what's really happening, but in my experience, once you get that TurboTax notification, the money usually follows pretty quickly. Hope this helps ease some of the stress while you wait! Home repairs are expensive enough without having to wonder when the money will actually show up.