I've been tracking 846 code timing patterns for the past few years and can confirm that your 04/29 Monday date is actually in an excellent position for early release! The IRS typically initiates ACH transfers 2-3 business days before the official date, which means they'll likely send yours on 04/25 (Thursday) or 04/26 (Friday). Credit unions are definitely your best bet for early deposits - I consistently receive mine 24-48 hours before the 846 date with my local CU, while colleagues banking with Chase or Wells Fargo get theirs exactly on the official date. For your quarterly estimated tax coordination, here's what I'd recommend: • Call your credit union Monday morning and ask specifically about their "federal tax refund ACH deposit policy" • Set up mobile/email alerts starting 04/25 to get notified immediately when the deposit hits • Plan conservatively around 04/29 but realistically expect funds by 04/27-04/28 • Keep your backup funding method ready for the quarterly payment deadline The weekend actually works in your favor here - many credit unions process federal deposits over weekends and post them Sunday evening or early Monday morning. The 846 code is really the IRS saying "we'll send this no later than 04/29" rather than "it will definitely arrive on 04/29." Your choice of a local credit union over a major bank puts you in the best possible position for this timing to work out favorably for your quarterly planning!

I've been dealing with code 846 timing for about 6 years now and wanted to add some specific insights that might help with your quarterly planning situation. Your 04/29 Monday date is actually positioned very favorably - I've consistently seen Monday 846 dates result in early deposits because the IRS typically submits the ACH file to the Federal Reserve on Thursday/Friday (04/25-04/26 in your case). Since you're with a local credit union, you're already in the best possible position. Over my years of tracking this, I've noticed credit unions release federal tax refunds within 24-48 hours of receiving them, while major banks almost always hold until the exact 846 date. For your quarterly estimated tax planning, here's what has worked consistently for me: • Call your credit union this week and ask about their "federal tax refund ACH processing policy" - use that specific terminology • Set up account alerts starting 04/25 so you're notified immediately when any deposit activity occurs • Realistically expect funds to be available 04/27-04/28, but plan conservatively for 04/29 • Keep your backup funding ready for the quarterly deadline just in case The weekend processing actually works in your favor - most credit unions run batch processing over weekends and often post federal deposits by Sunday evening. I've received mine as early as Saturday afternoon in some cases. Remember, the 846 code is essentially the IRS saying "payment will be sent no later than this date" rather than a guaranteed arrival date. Your credit union choice and the Monday timing give you excellent odds for early availability that should work well with your quarterly payment coordination!

Carmen, you're getting fantastic advice in this thread! As a tax professional who works with a lot of gig workers, I wanted to add a few points that might help clarify some things: First, regarding the 1099-NEC form - Uber will send you this if you earned $600 or more, but it's also sent to the IRS. So even if yours gets lost in the mail, the IRS already knows about your income. You can always access it through your Uber driver portal too. One thing I haven't seen mentioned is the potential for the Additional Medicare Tax if your total income (W-2 plus gig work) exceeds certain thresholds. For most drivers this won't apply, but it's worth knowing about if you have other significant income. Also, keep in mind that business meal expenses while you're working (like grabbing a quick bite between deliveries) can be 50% deductible. Just make sure to note that it was during work hours and keep the receipt. Finally, if you're ever audited (which is rare), the IRS typically focuses on whether your deductions are "ordinary and necessary" for your business. Everything everyone's suggested here - mileage, phone bills, delivery bags, etc. - clearly passes that test for delivery drivers. You're absolutely on the right track by getting organized now. The key is consistency in your record-keeping, and it sounds like you're committed to doing this properly!

Carmen, wow - this thread has become such an incredible resource! As someone who just started with delivery driving myself about 3 months ago, I can't tell you how reassuring it is to see all this detailed advice in one place. I wanted to share something that's been working really well for me that combines several suggestions from this thread: I use Stride for mileage tracking (free and automatic), have a dedicated business checking account like Miguel suggested, and take photos of every receipt immediately with my phone camera. But here's my addition - I also send myself a quick voice memo at the end of each delivery shift summarizing any cash expenses or unusual situations. It takes 30 seconds but has been super helpful when reviewing my records. The point about self-employment tax being separate from income tax was a real eye-opener for me too. I had been setting aside about 20% thinking that would cover everything, but after reading Millie's explanation about the additional 15.3%, I immediately bumped that up to 28% just to be safe. One question for the tax pros in this thread - I've been tracking my mileage religiously, but I'm wondering about the "commute" from my house to my first delivery. I know regular commuting isn't deductible, but if I turn on the delivery app at home and drive to a hotspot area, does that count as business mileage from the start? Or only once I actually get my first order? Thanks to everyone who's shared their knowledge here. This community is amazing! 🙏

Look for tax professionals who are Enrolled Agents (EAs) or CPAs with specific experience in international/territorial tax matters. EAs are licensed by the IRS and tend to have deep knowledge of complex tax situations like this. You can search the IRS directory for EAs in your area. When interviewing potential tax pros, ask specifically about their experience with Form 5074, territorial income allocation, and the bona fide resident test. A good practitioner should be able to explain the key differences between how territorial income is treated versus foreign income, and should understand concepts like source rules for territorial wages. You might also consider reaching out to tax professionals who serve military families, as they often deal with territorial assignments and have experience with these forms. The National Association of Enrolled Agents (NAEA) website has a "find a professional" feature where you can filter by specialties. One red flag: if a tax professional suggests e-filing your return or seems unfamiliar with why Form 5074 requires paper filing, that's a sign they may not have enough experience with territorial tax issues to handle your parents' situation properly.

I've been following this thread as someone who dealt with a similar multi-territory situation a few years back. One thing I'd strongly recommend is getting copies of your parents' 2022 tax returns if they filed separately for Guam and US income that year. This will help establish the pattern of how their income was previously allocated and could be crucial for the IRS if they have questions about the 2023 filing. Also, since your mother was a Guam resident since early 2021, she may have already been filing Guam returns for 2021 and 2022. If so, make sure you're consistent with how you treat her residency status in 2023 - the IRS doesn't like to see sudden changes in territorial tax treatment without clear documentation of why the change occurred. For the W-2GU with zero withholding, this is actually pretty normal for Guam employers, especially if your parents qualified for certain territorial tax benefits. Don't let that concern you too much, but do make sure to report it accurately on both the 1040 and Form 5074. One last tip - when you paper file with Form 5074, send it certified mail with return receipt requested. These returns sometimes get lost in processing, and having proof of delivery can save you months of headaches later if the IRS claims they never received it.

I've been following this discussion as another consultant in a similar situation, and wanted to share a perspective that might help with your decision-making process. One thing I don't see mentioned enough is the timing flexibility you have with FEIE elections. Unlike QBI which is calculated automatically based on your qualified business income, FEIE requires an annual election on Form 2555. This means you can actually adjust your strategy year by year based on your income levels and business growth. For example, if you're at $142k this year, you might choose a hybrid approach with partial FEIE and substantial QBI. But if your business grows to $180k+ next year and you start hitting SSTB limitations, you could pivot to maximizing FEIE instead. This flexibility is valuable for consultants whose income can fluctuate significantly. Another consideration specific to your Portugal situation - since you mentioned all clients are US-based, you might want to track any potential future diversification into European clients. If you start serving Portuguese or EU companies, that could affect both your "effectively connected" status for US purposes and your NHR eligibility in Portugal. For immediate next steps, I'd recommend creating a simple decision matrix comparing total tax burden (US + Portuguese + SE taxes) across different FEIE/QBI scenarios. Include a column for "documentation complexity" too - sometimes the administrative burden of supporting more aggressive positions isn't worth marginal tax savings. The consensus here is solid: you should qualify for QBI, the hybrid approach likely optimizes your tax burden, and professional guidance is worth the investment at your income level.

This thread has been incredibly helpful - thank you everyone for sharing your real-world experiences! As someone who's been wrestling with this exact QBI/FEIE question, the consensus seems clear: my US-client consulting business should qualify for QBI even while living abroad, and the hybrid approach (partial FEIE + larger QBI portion) is worth serious consideration. What I'm taking away from all these insights: 1. The "effectively connected" test focuses on economic substance (serving US market) not physical location 2. At $142k income, modeling different FEIE/QBI splits could yield better tax savings than just maxing out FEIE 3. SE taxes remain constant regardless of strategy, making QBI deduction more attractive 4. Marketing consulting likely falls under SSTB but I'm well below the phase-out thresholds 5. Portugal's NHR status adds another layer that could favor minimizing FEIE to maximize QBI I'm definitely going to create that decision matrix someone mentioned, comparing total tax burden across different scenarios while factoring in documentation complexity. The flexibility to adjust strategy year by year as my business grows is also reassuring. For anyone else in similar situations, this discussion really highlights the value of professional guidance for expat tax optimization. The interaction between US tax benefits, foreign exclusions, and local tax treaties creates opportunities that aren't obvious without careful analysis. Thanks again for all the detailed insights - this community is amazing for navigating these complex expat tax situations!

I'm in a similar situation and this thread has been incredibly helpful! Filed on March 20th and got the 570 code on April 1st, so I'm about 2 weeks in. Like many of you mentioned, the uncertainty around timing is the most frustrating part when you're trying to make financial decisions. What I've learned from reading everyone's experiences is that calling the IRS around the 3-4 week mark seems to be the sweet spot for getting useful information about what's causing the hold. I'm also keeping an eye out for any 971 codes that might indicate a notice is coming. The range of timelines here (9 days to 60+ days) shows just how unpredictable this process can be, but it's reassuring to see that most people do eventually get their 571 release codes. Planning to be patient for another week or two before making that dreaded phone call to the IRS. Thanks for creating this discussion - it's been a lifesaver for my stress levels! 🙏

I'm right there with you! Filed on March 12th and got the 570 code on March 26th, so I'm hitting the 3-week mark now. The investment liquidity planning stress is so real - I've got some quarterly moves I need to make and this uncertainty is throwing everything off. What's been helpful from reading all these experiences is seeing that most people get resolution somewhere in the 2-6 week range, even though the variation is pretty wide. I haven't received any notices either, which seems to be common based on other comments here. I'm planning to call the IRS next week if there's no movement - seems like the 3-4 week mark is when you can actually get useful information from them about what's causing the hold. This thread has been a lifesaver for my sanity though! It's crazy how the IRS doesn't give you any heads up about how common these holds are or what to expect timeline-wise. Fingers crossed we all see some 571 codes soon! 🤞