I completely understand your stress - I went through this exact same process two years ago and the waiting was absolutely agonizing! The good news is that your status change to "In Process" is actually a huge milestone that means you're in the final stretch. Based on my experience and what I've seen from other preparers, once you hit "In Process" status, you're typically looking at 1-3 weeks for final approval. The IRS has been pretty consistent with these timelines even with all the backlogs they're dealing with. Since you submitted in early January and it's now mid-February, your timing is actually pretty good. I've seen people who submitted in December just getting their approvals now, so you should be coming up soon. My biggest piece of advice: use this waiting time to get absolutely everything else ready. Configure your tax software completely, set up your client intake processes, create your document checklists, and maybe even start gathering documents from existing clients. When that approval hits (and it will!), you want to be ready to start e-filing immediately rather than spending another week getting organized. Also, check your e-Services portal first thing in the morning - I found updates typically happened between 8-10 AM EST. The relief when you finally see "Approved" is incredible, and you'll be so glad you used the waiting time productively! You're much closer than it feels right now - hang in there!

I can totally relate to your frustration! I submitted my EFIN application on January 18th and just hit "In Process" status three days ago, so I'm right there with you in this nerve-wracking waiting period. The sanitization delay is so aggravating - my fingerprints showed delivered January 22nd but weren't logged as received until February 5th. It's like they're processing mail in slow motion! But based on all the helpful timelines people have shared here, it sounds like we're both looking at approval in the next 2-3 weeks. One thing that's really helped my sanity is adopting the morning check routine that others mentioned - I look at the e-Services portal once around 9 AM with my coffee, then force myself to forget about it for the rest of the day. The constant refreshing was making me crazy and definitely not speeding anything up! I'm using this waiting time to get my Drake software fully configured and all my client intake forms finalized. That way when our approvals come through, we can start filing immediately instead of scrambling to get organized. The preparation actually makes me feel more productive than just staring at the status page. You're definitely not alone in this stress - from reading all these experiences, it seems like January submissions are pretty much all tracking for early March approvals. We're in the home stretch now!

Maybe consider getting married if you wanna save on taxes lol. My partner and I did the math and filing jointly saved us almost $3,200 compared to both filing single. Not saying get married just for taxes but... it's definitely a perk 😂

Thanks everyone for the detailed responses! This really clears things up - I was definitely confused about the HOH requirements. Sounds like I'll stick with filing single since my girlfriend doesn't meet the qualifying dependent criteria. @Zoe Gonzalez - I'm definitely interested in those energy credits you mentioned. I actually replaced my HVAC system and added some insulation last year, so I'll look into whether those qualify. Do you know if there's a specific form I need to file for the energy credits, or does it just get added to the standard return? Also appreciate all the tool recommendations - might give one of them a try to make sure I'm not missing any deductions. Better to get it right the first time than deal with amendments later!

I went through this exact same situation last year with my $3,100 refund check! Initially I was really frustrated because I needed those funds for a car repair, but after calling my bank and doing some research, I learned this is completely standard procedure. The 7-day hold on your amount is actually pretty reasonable - some banks can hold Treasury checks for up to 10 business days, especially for customers with shorter banking histories. What really helped me was asking for a written timeline showing exactly when the funds would be available. My bank was able to provide a receipt with the specific date and time, which made planning so much easier. I also discovered that since I had multiple accounts with them (checking, savings, and a credit card), I qualified for their "preferred customer" status, though they still couldn't expedite the Treasury verification process. One tip that saved me stress: I called on day 4 of the hold just to confirm everything was processing normally, and they could actually see the verification status in their system, which was really reassuring. The funds were released exactly when they promised, and now I know what to expect if this happens again. Definitely consider switching to direct deposit for next year - I made that change and it's been so much more convenient. Electronic transfers from the IRS typically clear in 1-2 days with no holds, and you don't have to worry about checks getting lost in the mail. This whole experience taught me a lot about banking regulations I never knew existed!

I'm currently dealing with this exact same situation! Just deposited my $2,950 refund check this morning and my credit union placed a 7-day hold on it. I was honestly getting pretty anxious about it since this has never happened to me before with previous refund checks, but reading through all these detailed explanations about Regulation CC and Treasury verification processes has been incredibly helpful and reassuring. What really stands out to me is learning that this isn't just arbitrary bank policy - it's actually a federally regulated fraud prevention process that protects everyone involved. The insight from banking professionals in this thread explaining the electronic verification system that Treasury checks have to go through makes perfect sense, even though it's frustrating to wait. I'm definitely going to call tomorrow to ask for written confirmation of the exact release date like so many people have recommended. Since I've been with my credit union for about 5 years and have multiple accounts with them, I'm hoping that might give me some standing when I speak with a manager, though it sounds like Treasury verification timelines are pretty fixed regardless of customer status. Adding my voice to the consensus here about switching to direct deposit next year - after learning how much faster and more reliable electronic transfers are compared to paper checks, I can't believe I've been dealing with this manual process for so long! The 1-2 day processing time sounds so much better than this 7-day waiting period. Thanks to everyone who shared their experiences and expertise - this community really helped turn what felt like a worrying situation into something completely understandable!

Has anyone used the IRS Free File program for back tax returns? My husband is in a similar situation (hasn't filed for 3 years) but we're really tight on money right now.

For your mom's situation with multiple unfiled years, I'd strongly recommend starting with the most recent year (2024) and working backward. The IRS has a general policy of getting taxpayers current first before addressing prior years. Given her income sources - Social Security, pension, and investment income - she likely had filing requirements for most of those years. The threshold for filing when you have Social Security income is much lower than the standard deduction amount. One important thing to consider: if she was due refunds for any of those years, she can still claim them for 2021-2023, but refunds for 2020 are past the 3-year statute of limitations. This could actually work in her favor financially. I'd suggest gathering all her tax documents first (SSA-1099, 1099-R for pension, 1099-DIV/INT for investments) for each year. The IRS can provide wage and income transcripts if she's missing any documents. For someone her age with these income types, working with a tax professional who specializes in unfiled returns would be worth the investment. They can help navigate penalty abatement options and ensure everything is filed correctly the first time.

Great thread everyone! As someone who went through a similar LLC partner buyout situation last year, I wanted to add a few practical tips that helped me navigate the process: First, don't underestimate the importance of getting your partnership agreement updated ASAP to reflect the new ownership percentages. This document will be crucial for your tax filings and any future business decisions. Second, consider whether you want to make the Section 754 election that was mentioned earlier. In our case, we consulted with a CPA who ran the numbers and showed us it would save about $3,000 annually in taxes due to higher depreciation deductions. The election has to be made with your return for the year of the buyout, so you can't go back and do it later. Finally, make sure you're clear on how to handle the departing partner's guaranteed payments (if any) and their share of partnership liabilities. These details can get messy if not properly documented during the buyout process. One more thing - keep detailed records of all payments made to the departing partner. The IRS may want to see proof that the payments were properly characterized (capital distribution vs. payment for services, etc.). This becomes especially important if the amounts are significant. Good luck with your filing! The partnership tax rules are complex but definitely manageable with proper planning.

Great question about the Section 754 election timing! You have until the due date of your partnership return (including extensions) to make the election, so you don't need to decide right now. However, I'd recommend running the numbers sooner rather than later since it affects how you'll handle the rest of your tax planning. Regarding guaranteed payments - those are payments made to partners for services or use of capital that are determined without regard to partnership income. The money advances you mentioned against future distributions wouldn't typically be guaranteed payments since they were tied to distributions rather than services. Those would more likely be treated as draws against the partner's capital account. However, if your departing partner performed any services for the LLC and received compensation that wasn't tied to profit-sharing (like a fixed monthly payment for managing operations), those would be guaranteed payments and need to be reported differently. For your checklist, also make sure to: - Update your EIN information with the IRS if required - Notify your bank about ownership changes - Review any business licenses that might need updating with new ownership info - Check if you need to file amended returns for any prior years if the buyout revealed errors in previous allocations The fact that you're being so thorough with documentation will serve you well if you ever get questioned about the transaction!