Just wanted to add my experience here! I was in almost the exact same situation last year - worked at a retail job for literally 4 days before I realized it wasn't for me. Got a W-2 for about $160 with around $15 withheld. I was super confused about whether I needed to file, but after reading through similar discussions and talking to my older sister who's an accountant, I decided to go ahead and file using the IRS Free File program. The whole process took maybe 20 minutes and was way less intimidating than I expected. What really convinced me was thinking about it this way - that $15 was money I earned during those 4 miserable days of work. Why should the government get to keep it just because I didn't work there long enough? Plus, like others have mentioned, having an official tax return filed makes things cleaner if you ever need to prove your income for loans, FAFSA, or other financial purposes. The refund hit my bank account in about 2 weeks and honestly, it felt pretty good to get that money back! Definitely worth the small time investment.

I just want to echo what everyone else has said - you should definitely file to get your $12 back! I was in a similar situation a few years ago and kept putting it off because the amount seemed so small. One thing I'll add that hasn't been mentioned much is that filing this simple return is actually great practice for when your tax situation gets more complicated later. When you start having multiple jobs, student loan interest deductions, or other complications, you'll already be familiar with the basic process. Also, keeping good tax records from the start is a really good habit. Even though this is just a tiny W-2, having it officially filed and documented could be helpful down the road if you ever need to show employment history or income verification for anything. I've had to provide tax returns for apartment applications, loan applications, and other situations where having that paper trail was useful. The IRS Free File really is the way to go for your situation - completely free and straightforward for a single W-2. You've got nothing to lose except 20 minutes of your time, and $12 to gain!

I'm dealing with this exact same issue! Filed my Michigan return on February 14th and have been getting that frustrating "information not found" error ever since, even though I received the acceptance email. It's been over 3 weeks now and I'm starting to worry something went wrong. The timing couldn't be worse since I really need that refund for some unexpected car repairs. Has anyone who experienced this actually gotten their refund despite the status checker never working? I'm wondering if I should just wait it out or if there's something I need to do proactively. The uncertainty is killing me! 😰

I'm in the same exact situation as you! Filed my Michigan return on February 28th and have been getting that "information not found" error for weeks now despite getting the acceptance confirmation. It's so stressful when you're counting on that money for important expenses like your home repairs! Reading through all these comments is actually really reassuring though - it sounds like Michigan's lookup system is just broken this year but people are still getting their refunds. I'm definitely going to try that early morning checking trick that Anna mentioned, and maybe call that automated line at 517-636-4486. From what everyone's saying, it seems like the refunds are still processing normally even when the status checker doesn't work. Anna got hers in 19 days, and several people mentioned the money showed up before the status ever updated online. I know it doesn't make the waiting any less nerve-wracking, but at least we're not alone in this! Hoping both of us see our refunds soon! 🤞

Just went through this same situation! Had my 810 freeze for about 3 months and got the 811 code about 10 days ago. From what I've seen in this community and my own research, you're typically looking at 1-3 weeks after the 811 for your 846 DDD to appear. The 811 means the IRS completed their review and released the freeze, so you're definitely in the home stretch now! I've been checking my transcript every Friday morning when they usually update. The anticipation is killing me too but at least we know we're past the hardest part. Fingers crossed we both see those 846 codes soon! 🤞

I'm in a very similar situation! Just got my 811 code last Friday after being stuck with an 810 freeze since February. It's been such a long and stressful journey, but seeing all these success stories gives me hope that the 846 is finally coming soon. From what everyone's sharing, it sounds like 1-3 weeks after the 811 is pretty standard, with most people seeing it around the 2 week mark. I've already joined the Friday morning transcript checking club 😅 The waiting after getting the 811 almost feels harder because you KNOW you're so close! Thanks to everyone sharing their timelines - it really helps to know we're not going through this alone. Fingers crossed we all see those beautiful 846 codes soon! 🤞✨

This is a great question that a lot of freelancers wonder about! The bottom line is that cashing checks at the issuing bank versus depositing them in your own account makes absolutely no difference for tax purposes. The IRS tracks income based on who paid you and why, not how you converted the check to cash. Here's what actually matters: if you're doing legitimate freelance work and getting paid over $600 from any single client during the year, they're required to send you a 1099-NEC and report that payment to the IRS. Even if no 1099 is issued (for payments under $600), you're still legally required to report ALL income on your tax return. The good news is that as a freelancer, you can deduct legitimate business expenses like equipment, supplies, home office space, etc. to reduce your taxable income. I'd recommend setting aside 25-30% of each payment for taxes and keeping detailed records of your income and expenses. Don't risk tax evasion charges by trying to hide income - it's just not worth it when there are legal ways to minimize your tax burden through proper deductions and planning.

Great question Emma! I'm also relatively new to freelance work and had similar confusion about this. From what I've learned through research and talking to other freelancers, the method of cashing checks definitely doesn't change your tax obligations. What helped me understand this better is thinking about it from the payer's perspective - if a business pays you $1000 for freelance work, they're going to report that as a business expense regardless of whether you deposit the check, cash it at their bank, or frame it and hang it on your wall. The IRS can match their reported expenses against your reported income. I'd echo what others have said about setting aside money for taxes. I use a simple system where I immediately transfer 30% of any freelance payment to a separate "tax savings" account. It's painful at first, but it saves you from scrambling come tax time. Also, definitely keep track of all your business expenses! Things like your laptop, software subscriptions, even a portion of your home internet can often be deducted. Just make sure everything you deduct is legitimate and well-documented. Better to be conservative and sleep well at night than to get aggressive and worry about audits.

I'm going through this exact nightmare right now too! Just got my second 60-day letter yesterday after filing in March, and I'm honestly at my wit's end. The "Where's My Refund" tool has been completely useless - showing "still processing" for 8 months with zero actual information. This entire thread has been such a revelation though! I had absolutely no clue about downloading tax transcripts or any of these AI analysis tools everyone's mentioning. It's honestly infuriating that the IRS has all this detailed tracking information about our returns but chooses to keep us completely in the dark with these vague form letters. The worst part is definitely the anxiety of not knowing what's happening. I've been losing sleep wondering if I made some catastrophic mistake or if I'm being audited, when it sounds like most of these delays are just routine verification issues that got backed up in their system. I'm going to download my transcript tonight and try those analysis tools people recommended. After 8 months of being stuck in limbo, I just need to know SOMETHING concrete about what's actually causing this delay. It's ridiculous that we have to discover these resources through Reddit instead of the IRS making them easily accessible! Thanks to everyone who shared their experiences and solutions here. Knowing I'm not alone in this bureaucratic nightmare is both comforting and maddening at the same time.

I'm going through this exact same situation right now and this thread has been absolutely invaluable! Just received my second 60-day letter this week after filing in February, and like everyone else here, I've been stuck with that completely useless "Where's My Refund" tool showing nothing but "still processing" for months. What really gets me is how the IRS clearly has all this detailed information about what's happening with our returns (based on all these transcript codes people are discussing), but they deliberately keep us in the dark with these vague, anxiety-inducing form letters. The not knowing is honestly worse than the actual delay - I've been losing sleep wondering if I made some major error or if there's something seriously wrong with my return. I had absolutely no idea about downloading tax transcripts from the IRS website until reading through these comments. It's honestly shocking that such a valuable resource isn't more prominently featured or explained anywhere on their official site. After 9 months of being completely in the dark, I'm definitely going to download my transcript tonight and try those AI analysis tools people have mentioned. Thanks to everyone who shared their experiences and solutions here. It's both comforting to know this is such a widespread issue and infuriating that we all have to figure out these workarounds ourselves instead of getting proper communication from the IRS. At least now I have concrete steps to take instead of just waiting helplessly for the next 60-day letter!