This whole thread has been eye-opening and frankly infuriating. I'm a newcomer here but have been dealing with SBTPG delays myself - they told me my check was mailed March 15th and it's now been over a month with nothing. Reading about Catrice's situation with her children really breaks my heart. It's unconscionable that SBTPG continues to lie about mail dates while families are facing homelessness. This isn't just poor customer service - it's actively harmful to people in crisis situations. I want to echo what others have said about filing complaints with state attorney generals and the CFPB. I just submitted complaints to both after reading Sophia's post. Even if individual complaints don't immediately solve our personal situations, creating a paper trail of SBTPG's deceptive practices might prevent other families from going through this nightmare next tax season. For anyone still waiting, I also set up USPS informed delivery yesterday based on recommendations here. It's free and at least gives you real information instead of SBTPG's lies. To Catrice and anyone else in emergency situations - this community clearly cares about you and wants to help however we can. Please keep us updated and don't hesitate to ask if you need more resources or support. You shouldn't have to face this alone. 🙏

As a newcomer to this community, I'm absolutely appalled by what I'm reading about SBTPG's practices this tax season. The systematic lying about mail dates while people like Catrice are facing homelessness with children is beyond unacceptable - it's genuinely harmful. I've been lurking and researching SBTPG issues after my own delayed refund, but seeing the pattern of deception documented in this thread has motivated me to speak up. They told me my check was mailed April 5th, and like everyone else here, nothing has appeared in my informed delivery. What strikes me most is how this community has come together to share resources and support each other when SBTPG has failed so spectacularly. The recommendations for informed delivery, filing complaints with state AGs and the CFPB, and services like taxr.ai and Claimyr have been invaluable for someone new to dealing with this. I'm committed to documenting every false date SBTPG gives me and filing formal complaints. If enough of us create that paper trail of their deceptive practices, maybe we can prevent future families from enduring what people are going through now. To those in emergency situations - please know that even newcomers like me are advocating for accountability and hoping for quick resolutions to your crises. No family should face homelessness because a company lies about basic service delivery. This community's compassion gives me hope that we can push for real change.

The self-employment tax point is crucial - thanks for bringing that up! For anyone calculating their quarterly payments, don't forget that SE tax is calculated on 92.35% of your net self-employment income (after business deductions). So if you made $5,650 in freelance income like the original poster, you'd pay SE tax on about $5,217. Also worth noting that you can deduct half of your self-employment tax as an adjustment to income, which reduces your regular income tax burden slightly. It's not a huge amount, but every bit helps when you're trying to figure out your quarterly payment amounts. The combination of regular income tax AND self-employment tax is why that $1,000 threshold gets hit pretty quickly with freelance work, even at relatively modest income levels.

Just wanted to add another perspective on this - I'm a freelance audio engineer who went through the exact same confusion about quarterly payments. What really helped me was understanding the safe harbor rule: if you pay at least 100% of last year's total tax liability through withholding and/or quarterly payments, you won't face penalties even if you end up owing more when you file. So for your situation, look at your total tax from last year's return. If your day job withholding plus any quarterly payments you make this year add up to at least that amount, you're protected from penalties. This gives you some breathing room while you figure out the exact amounts. Also, since you're in the music industry like me, don't forget you can deduct a lot of business expenses - equipment, software, home studio space, travel to gigs, etc. These deductions reduce your net self-employment income, which lowers both your regular income tax and self-employment tax. Keep good records of everything!

I'm so glad you finally got a refund date after that exhausting 4-month wait! Your situation hits close to home - we're also a military family and just went through almost the identical timeline. Filed in January, moved twice during the year, and didn't see movement until May. The uncertainty is absolutely the worst part because you start wondering if your return got lost in the system or if something went wrong. What I learned from going through this is that military returns with PCS moves basically get treated like complex business returns - they require manual review for moving expenses, cross-state verification, and coordination between different tax agencies. It's frustrating that the IRS doesn't communicate this timeline upfront, but once you understand the process, the wait makes more sense (even if it's still maddening). The good news is that DD dates are extremely reliable once posted - I've been following military tax forums for months and rarely see those dates change. You've survived the hardest part, and your refund should hit right on schedule!

I completely understand your frustration! As a newcomer to this community but someone who's dealt with IRS delays before, I can say that while 4 months feels absolutely endless, it's unfortunately not unusual for complex returns this year. Reading through all these responses from experienced military families has been so educational - I had no idea that PCS moves essentially turn your return into something that needs manual review and cross-state verification. That context really helps explain the timeline, even though it doesn't make the waiting any less stressful! The consensus here seems to be that once you have that DD date, you can actually trust it, which is honestly the most reassuring thing I've heard about dealing with the IRS in a long time. Hang in there - it sounds like you're finally at the finish line after what's been an incredibly frustrating journey!

Have you considered that Michigan might actually be one of the faster states for refund processing? I've lived in several states, and Michigan typically processes within 2-3 weeks, while some states take 6-8 weeks or longer. Are you checking the Michigan Treasury website's "Check My Income Tax Information" tool? That's more accurate than the general status line. And did you e-file or paper file? Paper returns take significantly longer - could add 4-6 additional weeks to processing. Michigan's direct deposit system usually works efficiently, but they batch process payments on specific days of the week, which might explain why some people get them early while others wait until the exact date.

As someone who's been through this waiting game many times, I can share that Michigan really does march to its own drummer when it comes to refund timing! In my experience, there's usually a 3-7 day gap after my federal DDD before the state deposit hits. What I've learned is that Michigan processes refunds in batches - they don't send them out every single day like the federal system does. So even if your refund is approved, it might sit in their system waiting for the next batch release day (usually Wednesdays and Fridays from what I've observed). The "Where's My Refund" tool on Michigan's Treasury site is your best friend here - it'll show you if there are any holds or if it's just in the normal processing queue. Don't panic if it takes a bit longer than federal; Michigan's system is thorough but reliable once it gets moving!

I work at a local library and we often help people with genealogy research that involves finding old records. A few additional resources that might help: 1. The National Archives (NARA) sometimes has employment records from federal agencies or contractors that worked on government projects in the 1970s. If your father worked for any federal agency or major defense contractor, they might have personnel records. 2. Many universities keep alumni records going back decades. If your father attended any college or university during that time period, their registrar's office might have enrollment records showing his address. 3. Old phone directories are often archived at local libraries and historical societies. These can show residence addresses by year and are sometimes available online through sites like Ancestry.com. 4. If your father served in the military at any point, his DD-214 discharge papers or military personnel records might reference his civilian address during the 1970s. The combination of Social Security earnings records plus one of these other sources usually provides sufficient proof of residency for most applications. Good luck with your search!

Just wanted to add another resource that helped me in a similar situation - old bank records! If your father had a checking or savings account during that time period, some banks (especially credit unions) keep customer records going back decades. I was able to get statements from a credit union that showed my mother's address and regular deposits from 1976-1978, which proved both residency and employment. You'll need to contact the bank directly and may need to provide a death certificate or power of attorney if you're requesting records for someone else. Some banks charge a fee for historical records research, but it's usually much less expensive than some of the specialized services mentioned here. Also, don't overlook old insurance records - homeowner's, renter's, or auto insurance policies from that era would definitely establish residency. If you know what insurance company your dad used, their records department might be able to help.