Did the company that ran the class provide any kind of detailed receipt that breaks down the cost? Sometimes these business courses on cruises will actually itemize what portion covers materials, instruction, meals during sessions, etc. If they did that, you might be able to deduct more than just the base cost.

I went through something very similar last year with a continuing education course on a cruise. Here's what I learned after consulting with my CPA and getting through to the IRS: The $850 course fee is definitely deductible as a business education expense on Schedule C, assuming it directly relates to skills needed in your current business. Keep that certificate and any course materials as documentation. However, since you mentioned it was a Caribbean cruise, the vessel was almost certainly foreign-flagged, which means the cruise costs themselves (the $1,875 fare plus $450 in fees) are not deductible under IRC Section 274(h). This applies even though the course was the primary reason for your trip. One thing to watch out for - make sure you can demonstrate that this course maintains or improves skills for your existing business, not training you for a new line of work. The IRS can be picky about that distinction. Also, don't try to get creative with allocating cruise costs based on time spent in class - with foreign vessels, those costs are simply excluded regardless of the business purpose. Your best approach is to claim the clean $850 deduction and have solid documentation ready. It's a legitimate business expense that shouldn't raise any red flags.

I'm so sorry you're dealing with this frustrating situation! I went through something very similar last year and that "processing delayed beyond normal timeframe" message with the question marks is basically the IRS's way of saying "we're working on it but we're not going to tell you what's actually happening." A few things that helped me figure out what was going on: 1. **Get your transcript** - This is crucial. The Where's My Refund tool is pretty useless, but your transcript will show specific codes that indicate what's actually happening. Look for codes like 570 (hold), 971 (notice issued), or 846 (refund date). 2. **Common delay causes** for straightforward returns like yours: • Math errors they're correcting • W2/1099 income verification • Random compliance reviews • Processing backlogs 3. **The transcript verification issue** - If you can't get through their online verification, try calling early in the morning or consider requesting transcripts by mail (though that takes longer). Tax Topic 152 is just their generic reference for refund information - it doesn't indicate anything specific about your situation unfortunately. Since you filed in April and it's been this long, there's likely a specific issue that needs resolution rather than just normal processing delays. The fact that you claimed Child Tax Credit could be part of it, as they do additional verification on refundable credits. I know the uncertainty is incredibly stressful, but most of these situations do eventually resolve. Hang in there and definitely try to get that transcript - it's your best shot at understanding what's really happening!

I'm going through the exact same nightmare right now! Filed my 2023 return in late March and have been stuck with that "processing delayed beyond normal timeframe" message for over 2 months. The question marks on all three status bars are so demoralizing - it feels like the IRS is actively trying to keep us in the dark about our own money. After reading through everyone's experiences here, I'm definitely going to try to access my transcript to decode those mysterious codes. It sounds like that's where the real information is hiding, even though the codes are apparently written in some kind of tax hieroglyphics that normal humans can't understand. I'm also seriously considering trying one of those callback services like Claimyr that multiple people mentioned. The fact that so many have had actual success getting through to agents and resolving their issues makes it seem worth the cost. The regular IRS phone system is completely broken - I've called probably 40+ times and never gotten past the automated maze. What's really frustrating is that my return was super straightforward too - just W2 income, standard deduction, and child tax credit. Nothing that should trigger months of delays and cryptic messages. The complete lack of transparency is honestly insulting. We shouldn't have to become amateur detectives just to understand what's happening with our own tax returns. Really hoping we all get some movement on our refunds soon. This whole experience has been incredibly stressful and the uncertainty is brutal. The IRS system desperately needs an overhaul! 😤

I'm going through something very similar with my late spouse's final return - it's been 8 months now and I'm at my wit's end. This thread has been incredibly eye-opening about resources I didn't know existed. One thing I wanted to add that might help others: when I finally got through to someone knowledgeable at the IRS, they mentioned that deceased taxpayer returns often get additional scrutiny if there are any discrepancies with third-party reporting (W-2s, 1099s, etc.). In my case, my spouse's former employer issued a corrected W-2 after the original filing, which apparently flagged the return for manual review. The specialist told me that these manual reviews are taking 8-12 months right now due to staffing shortages in their deceased taxpayer department. She also mentioned that many delays happen because required forms like the 1310 (claiming refund for deceased taxpayer) have small errors that cause the entire return to be rejected back to manual processing. I'm definitely going to try the congressional representative route based on all the success stories here. It's maddening that you have to become a detective just to figure out why your return is stuck, but having this roadmap gives me hope after months of feeling completely helpless. Thank you to everyone who shared their experiences - this is invaluable information that should honestly be provided by the IRS upfront instead of making people suffer through months of generic responses.

I'm really sorry you're going through this frustrating situation. After reading through everyone's experiences here, I'm dealing with something similar with my uncle's estate - it's been 6 months now and I feel like I've been banging my head against a wall. What strikes me most about this thread is how many people found success once they got connected to the right departments and had specific information about what was actually wrong. The pattern seems to be: regular IRS customer service gives you generic "wait longer" responses, but the specialized Deceased Taxpayer Unit can actually tell you what's causing the delay. I'm definitely going to try calling the executor hotline (866-699-4083) tomorrow and specifically ask for the Deceased Taxpayer Unit. I had no idea this existed - I've been calling the regular number and getting nowhere for months. The congressional representative approach also sounds promising based on all the success stories here. It's frustrating that we have to become experts in IRS bureaucracy just to get basic service, but at least now there's a clear roadmap thanks to everyone sharing their experiences. One thing I'm wondering - for those who got resolution through their congressional rep, how long did it typically take from your initial contact to getting actual movement on your case? I want to set realistic expectations as I go into this process. Thank you to everyone who shared detailed experiences. This thread should honestly be stickied as a resource guide for anyone dealing with deceased taxpayer returns!

Ive seen this happen alot lately. The IRS is backed up worse than ever this year smh

That message is totally normal! It just means your return has moved from the initial received stage into actual processing. The bars on WMR often disappear when this happens - it's not a sign of any problems. Processing times can vary a lot this year, but most returns are getting processed within 21 days. Just keep checking periodically and you should see it update to approved soon!

Don't forget about reporting requirements! While the transfer itself might not be taxable beyond potential currency gains, you may need to file an FBAR (FinCEN Form 114) if your foreign accounts exceeded $10,000 total at any point during the year. I learned this the hard way after moving money between my Canadian and US accounts. The penalties for not filing an FBAR can be severe even if you don't owe any taxes. There's also Form 8938 if your foreign assets exceed certain thresholds, but that typically applies to residents, not someone on a J-1 visa. Since you were on a J-1 and never a US resident for tax purposes, your reporting requirements might be different, but it's worth checking just to be safe.

Just went through this exact situation last month when transferring funds from my US account back to Australia after finishing my F-1 OPT period. Here's what I discovered: The transfer itself is NOT taxable - you're just moving your own money between accounts. However, you do need to be aware of potential foreign exchange gains/losses. Since you earned the money at one exchange rate and are transferring at potentially a different rate, any gain could technically be taxable income. For your J-1 situation specifically, since you were never a US resident for tax purposes, your obligations are more limited than someone who was a resident. But you should still document the original exchange rates when you earned the money versus when you transfer it. One thing that caught me off guard - make sure to check if you need to file an FBAR. Even though you're not a US resident, if your UK account (or combination of foreign accounts) exceeded $10,000 at any point during the tax year, you might still have FBAR filing requirements. The rules can be tricky for non-residents with US source income. I'd recommend keeping detailed records of when you earned the money, the exchange rates at that time, and the rates when you transfer. That way you're covered if there are any questions later.