I'm going through this exact same situation right now! My transcript shows code 846 with a refund issue date of 3 days ago, but still nothing in my account. Called my credit union thinking it was on their end, but they confirmed no pending deposits from the IRS or anyone else. Then I found out about SBTPG being the middleman since I had TurboTax deduct their fees from my refund. It's so frustrating that they don't make this clear upfront - I had no idea my refund would go through a third party that could delay it for days. Next year I'm definitely paying the prep fees upfront to avoid this whole mess. Has anyone had success getting SBTPG to expedite for urgent situations like medical bills?

This is exactly why I switched to FreeTaxUSA after dealing with SBTPG delays for 3 years straight. Even when you pay their prep fees upfront instead of deducting from refund, you still get professional-level software at a fraction of TurboTax's cost. My refunds now come directly from the IRS in 1-2 days instead of waiting a week for SBTPG to "process" my own money. The difference is night and day - last year my direct IRS deposit hit on a Wednesday morning, while my friend who used TurboTax with fee deduction didn't get hers until the following Monday. It's worth the small upfront cost to avoid these middleman delays, especially when you have urgent expenses like medical bills.

Miguel, I went through something very similar with my consulting business! Got a CP134B for a tax period two years before I even had an EIN. It's absolutely terrifying when you first see that amount, but this is definitely resolvable. The most important thing is to act quickly but don't panic. Here's my step-by-step approach that worked: 1. **Verify it's real** - Check that all the formatting, letterhead, and contact info matches official IRS standards 2. **Document everything** - Gather your EIN letter, business formation docs, anything showing your 2025 start date 3. **Respond in writing within 30 days** - Send a certified letter disputing the notice and explaining your business timeline 4. **Call the number on the notice** - The wait is brutal, but phone resolution is often faster than mail When I called, the agent immediately saw the date discrepancy and put a hold on collections while I submitted my documentation. Took about 6 weeks total to get it completely resolved and removed from my records. The key thing to remember is that you're not actually responsible for taxes from a period when your business didn't exist. This is just a clerical error that needs to be corrected with proper documentation. You've got all the proof you need to show when your photography business actually started. Stay calm, respond promptly, and keep detailed records of every interaction. This will be resolved in your favor!

Miguel, I can completely relate to that panic feeling! I got hit with a CP134B notice last year for $1,800 for a tax period when my landscaping business was just an idea in my head. Absolutely terrifying at first glance. Here's what I learned from my experience: these mix-ups happen more frequently than you'd think, especially with newer EINs or when there are similar business names/addresses in the system. The IRS computer systems sometimes cross-wire records, but the good news is they're usually pretty good about fixing legitimate errors once you provide the right documentation. My advice would be to act fast but stay organized: 1. **Call the number on the notice immediately** - I know everyone says the wait times are horrible, but I actually got through in about 45 minutes when I called at 7:30 AM on a Wednesday. The agent was super helpful and immediately saw the date issue. 2. **Create a clear timeline document** - I made a simple one-page timeline showing when my business was actually formed versus the tax period in question. Made it crystal clear that there was no way I could owe taxes for a business that didn't exist. 3. **Send everything certified mail** - Include your timeline, EIN letter, business formation docs, and a cover letter explaining the situation. Reference the notice number and keep copies of everything. The whole thing took about 5 weeks to resolve completely. They not only cancelled the notice but also put a note in my file to prevent similar mix-ups in the future. You've got this - it's just a paperwork error that will get sorted out once they see your documentation!

I can add another positive data point here! Filed on February 3rd and got my refund deposited on February 15th - 12 days total. I was honestly shocked at how fast it was. My return had a few potentially complicating factors too: W-2 income, some cryptocurrency transactions that I was worried might flag for review, and the Lifetime Learning Credit. But everything went through smoothly without any delays. One thing I learned from a tax preparer friend: the IRS has apparently invested heavily in updating their processing systems over the past couple years, which is why we're seeing these much faster turnarounds compared to the nightmare processing times in 2023-2024. They're able to automatically process a lot more returns without human review now. For your car repair situation, I'd echo what others said about getting quotes lined up. But based on everything I'm seeing here, you should be getting your refund well within the next couple weeks. The consistency of these 12-15 day processing times people are reporting is really encouraging!

Just wanted to chime in with some reassurance based on what I'm seeing here! The processing times for 2025 are definitely much better than previous years. Most people are reporting 12-15 day turnarounds for e-filed returns with direct deposit, which is fantastic compared to the 6+ week waits we dealt with in 2024. Since you e-filed last week, you should hopefully see your refund within the next 1-2 weeks based on these timelines. The IRS has really stepped up their game with system improvements, and even more complex returns with multiple income sources or credits are processing smoothly. For your car repair situation, I'd definitely recommend getting a quote now so you know what you're working with financially. Most auto shops are understanding about tax refund timing, and some might even offer payment plans if needed. Keep checking the "Where's My Refund?" tool daily (it updates overnight), and make sure you have your exact refund amount, filing status, and SSN ready when you check. The tool is pretty picky about having all the details match perfectly. Based on all the positive experiences shared here, you should be in good shape! The consistency of these fast processing times is really encouraging for anyone filing this season.

Just to add another perspective - I had a similar situation where I was receiving regular Venmo payments from my roommates for shared expenses (rent, utilities, groceries) totaling about $15,000 over the year. I was initially worried about tax implications too. What helped me was keeping a simple spreadsheet tracking what each payment was for, along with the original receipts or bills. This way I had clear documentation that these weren't income-generating activities, just cost-sharing among friends. The Venmo transaction notes are helpful, but having the underlying documentation (like the actual rent bill or utility statement) gives you even stronger proof that these were legitimate reimbursements. The peace of mind is worth the small effort of organizing your records. Plus, if you ever do get questioned, you'll have everything ready to show these were just friends helping each other out financially, not unreported income.

This is such a common worry that I see all the time! You're absolutely right not to stress about this - friend-to-friend reimbursements like what you're describing are definitely not taxable income. The IRS distinguishes between actual income (where you're making money) and reimbursements (where you're just getting back money you already spent). The fact that your transactions are marked as "friends" and have clear notes like "car help" and "paying you back" actually works in your favor. These notes serve as documentation that these aren't business transactions or income-generating activities. Even though the total amount seems large at $10,500, remember that this isn't new money coming to you - it's just your own money being returned after you helped your friend out. You didn't profit from these transactions, so there's no taxable event. Keep those Venmo records with the transaction notes as backup documentation, but you shouldn't need to report any of this as income on your taxes. The new payment app reporting rules are really targeting people who are running businesses through these platforms and not reporting that income, not friends helping each other out financially.

I'm literally living this nightmare right now! Been on hold since 4:45pm about my tax refund status, got transferred around 6:20pm, and it's now 8:35pm. Reading through everyone's experiences has been such a sanity-saver - I had absolutely no idea about the federal policy requiring IRS agents to clear their queues even after the 7pm closing time! As someone completely new to IRS calls, I was genuinely convinced I was just listening to hold music while everyone went home for dinner. But learning that transfers actually put you in a specific department queue rather than general hold totally explains why I'm still connected despite it being way past official hours. All the tips about having your SSN, DOB, and that line 24 amount from your tax return ready have been incredibly valuable - I just grabbed my documents and have everything written down. It's absolutely mind-blowing that getting basic tax help requires this kind of endurance test, but seeing so many success stories from people who waited until 8:30-9pm is giving me the motivation to see this through. At this point I've invested nearly 4 hours into this call. Starting over tomorrow would probably mean going through this exact same torture all over again. From what everyone's sharing, the evening agents are supposedly more experienced and efficient since they're not dealing with the constant influx of new calls. Thanks to this amazing community for all the encouragement and shared wisdom - for anyone else currently trapped in their own IRS hold marathon, we're probably closer to the finish line than we think! 💪

I'm going through this exact same nightmare right now! Been on hold since around 5:45pm about my tax transcript issues, got transferred at 7:15pm, and it's now almost 9:30pm. Reading through all these experiences has been absolutely crucial for keeping me sane - I had no idea about the federal policy requiring agents to work through their entire queue even after closing hours! As someone who's never had to deal with IRS calls before, I was genuinely starting to think I was just listening to elevator music while everyone went home. But learning that being transferred puts you in a specialized department queue (not the general hold system) completely explains why I'm still connected despite it being way past the 7pm cutoff. The community tips about having your SSN, DOB, and that line 24 amount ready have been invaluable - I just grabbed my tax return and wrote down all the key numbers. It's absolutely wild that something as basic as getting tax help requires this level of mental endurance, but seeing so many success stories from people who waited until 8:45-9:15pm is giving me the strength to push through. At this point I've invested nearly 4 hours into this call. Hanging up now would mean starting this entire nightmare from scratch tomorrow, probably with the same wait times. From what everyone's sharing, these evening agents are supposedly the most experienced and can resolve complex issues efficiently since they're not juggling constant new calls. Thanks to this incredible community for all the encouragement and shared knowledge - for anyone else currently suffering through their own IRS hold marathon, we're probably in the final stretch! The fact that so many others have successfully made it through these brutal sessions gives me hope. Let's all hang in there! 💪