I went through this exact same situation last year and it's so stressful! That "Action Required" message is misleading because like everyone else said, there's literally no action you can take until they send you something in the mail (if they even do). In my case, I waited about 6 weeks with that same message and never got any letter. Finally got through to someone at the IRS who told me they were just doing a routine income verification and my refund was released the next week. The whole thing was basically automated - no actual issue with my return. My advice: definitely check your transcript on IRS.gov if you can get logged in (the verification process is a pain but worth it). If you can't wait and really need the money, try one of those callback services people mentioned or keep trying the IRS phone line early in the morning. But honestly, most of these reviews resolve themselves within 45-60 days even without doing anything. The worst part is how they word it like YOU need to do something when really they're just telling you to sit tight. Super poor communication on their part. Hang in there - your refund will come through!

I'm dealing with the exact same situation right now! Filed about a month ago and just saw that "Action Required" message pop up yesterday. It's so confusing because like you said, there's literally no action listed for me to take. From what I'm reading in these comments, it sounds like this is pretty normal when they're doing some kind of review, but man the wording is terrible. Why say "Action Required" when they really mean "we're reviewing your stuff, just wait"? I'm also filing Head of Household with dependents so maybe that's what triggered it for both of us. Really hoping we don't have to wait months like some people are mentioning here. The financial stress of not knowing when (or if) that money is coming is real. Thanks for posting about this - at least now I know I'm not alone in this limbo!

Not directly related to your immediate question but since you're just starting a new job after a gap: remember that your 2024 withholding might seem wrong all year because the system assumes you've been making that $22/hour since January. If you've been unemployed most of the year, you might end up having too MUCH withheld relative to what you'll actually owe. Just something to keep in mind when you're looking at your paychecks after fixing the current $0 withholding issue.

This is a really common issue with the redesigned W4! The good news is that it's likely fixable. Since you only filled out steps 1 and 5, the payroll system is making assumptions about your tax situation that might not be accurate for your specific pay schedule and start date. Here's what I'd recommend: Wait for your next full two-week paycheck to see if withholding appears once the system has better data about your actual earning pattern. If there's still no FITW on that check, you'll need to submit a new W4 with an additional withholding amount in Step 4(c). A quick calculation: At $22/hour for 40 hours/week, you're looking at about $45,760 annually. Even with the standard deduction, you'd owe roughly $3,900-4,200 in federal taxes for the year. If you end up needing to add extra withholding, putting around $80-85 per paycheck in Step 4(c) should get you close to the right amount. Don't panic though - catching this early means you have plenty of time to correct it before tax season!

Has anyone here dealt with getting an appraisal for a property value from 14 years ago? I'm in a similar situation and the county tax assessments from that time seem way under market value. Do I need to hire a specialized appraiser who can determine what it was worth back then?

This is exactly the type of complex basis calculation that trips up so many people with inherited property. Just to add one more important consideration - make sure you also factor in any depreciation that may have been claimed on the property during the life estate period. If the second wife ever rented out the property or used any portion of it for business purposes during her life estate, any depreciation claimed would reduce the basis for the remaindermen. This is something people often overlook, but it can significantly impact your capital gains calculation. Also, since you mentioned the property values increased dramatically in your area, you might want to document the local market conditions and any major developments that occurred between 2009 and 2023. While it won't change your basis calculation, having this context can be helpful if the IRS ever questions why there's such a large difference between your basis and the sale price. The good news is that with proper documentation of the 2009 FMV and any qualifying improvements made afterward, you should have a solid foundation for your tax return.

This has been such an eye-opening discussion! I'm in a very similar boat - making about $85k and consistently getting $2,800-3,200 refunds each year. I never really thought about it as giving the government an interest-free loan until reading through these comments. I'm definitely going to try the approach of putting the standard deduction amount ($14,600 for 2024) in Step 4(b) of my W-4. That seems like the most straightforward solution for someone like me with a single job and no itemized deductions. Quick question for the group - if I make this change now in late 2024, will it cause any issues with my withholding being too low for the remainder of the year? Should I calculate a prorated amount based on remaining pay periods, or is it safe to use the full annual standard deduction amount even if I'm making the change partway through the year? Thanks to everyone for sharing their experiences - this community is incredibly helpful for navigating these tax complexities!

This thread has been incredibly helpful! I'm dealing with a similar overwithholding situation - making about $102k and getting back around $4,200 each year. One thing I wanted to add for anyone considering these adjustments: make sure to factor in any life changes that might happen during the year. I made the mistake last year of adjusting my withholding in March, then got married in September and completely forgot to update my W-4 again. Even though my spouse and I file separately, the change in filing status affected my tax situation. Also, for those mentioning the IRS Withholding Estimator - I found it works much better if you have your most recent pay stub and last year's tax return handy when you use it. The tool asks for pretty specific information about year-to-date earnings and withholdings. One last tip: if your employer uses a payroll service like ADP or Paychex, you can often submit W-4 changes online through their employee portal, which tends to process faster than paper forms through HR.

I went through almost the exact same situation last year and completely understand your panic! The zero withholding issue with the new W4 form caught so many people off guard. Here's what most likely happened: When the IRS redesigned the W4 form, they eliminated the old "allowances" system that we were all used to. The new form is supposed to be "simpler" but honestly, it's confusing as hell if you don't understand how each step affects your withholding. For your situation (HOH with 3 kids), here's the quickest fix: **Step 1:** Personal info + select Head of Household filing status **Step 2:** Leave blank unless you or your spouse have multiple jobs **Step 3:** This is critical - enter $6,000 (that's $2,000 × 3 kids for the Child Tax Credit) **Step 4:** Add extra withholding to catch up. Since you've had zero withholding for 4+ months, I'd suggest adding at least $150-200 per paycheck here The most common mistake people make is either accidentally checking "Exempt" in Step 4(c) or leaving Step 3 completely blank when they have dependents. Both can result in zero or minimal withholding. Get this to your HR department TODAY and double-check your next pay stub to make sure federal tax is actually being withheld. Don't let this drag on any longer - you're already behind for 2025!

I feel your pain on this! The zero withholding issue is surprisingly common with the redesigned W4. Based on your situation (HOH with 3 kids), here's what you need to do immediately: **Fill out a new W4 correctly:** - Step 1: Mark Head of Household - Step 2: Leave blank (unless you have multiple jobs or working spouse) - Step 3: Enter $6,000 ($2,000 × 3 qualifying children under 17) - Step 4(c): Add extra withholding for catch-up - I'd suggest $200-250 per paycheck since you're already 4+ months behind **Most likely what went wrong:** You either accidentally checked the "Exempt" box in Step 4(c), or left Step 3 blank when you have dependents. Both can result in zero federal withholding. **Action items:** 1. Submit new W4 to HR today 2. Verify on your next pay stub that federal tax is actually being withheld 3. Consider making a quarterly estimated payment if you're significantly behind The good news is this is totally fixable! Just don't wait any longer - every paycheck with zero withholding is digging the hole deeper for next year's tax bill. Once you get caught up over the next few months, you can submit another W4 to reduce the extra withholding so you don't overwithhold for the rest of the year.