I actually did pass using primarily IRS publications, though I'll admit it wasn't easy! The key was creating a structured approach rather than just reading them cover to cover. What worked for me was printing out the content outlines Connor mentioned, then mapping specific sections of each publication to the exam topics. I'd read a section, then immediately try to explain it in my own words or create examples. This helped combat the dense language issue. I also joined a few Facebook groups for EA candidates where people would post questions about confusing sections - that community discussion really helped clarify difficult concepts. The IRS pubs definitely aren't written as study guides, but they contain all the information you need if you're willing to put in the extra work to organize it properly. That said, if budget allows, the commercial programs are definitely more efficient. But for those who want to go the free route like the OP, it's absolutely doable with the right strategy and a lot of patience!

As someone who just passed all three parts of the SEE using primarily IRS publications, I can definitely confirm it's possible! Here's the system I developed that made it manageable: I created a three-column spreadsheet for each exam part: Column 1 listed the exam topics from the Prometric content outline, Column 2 identified which IRS publications covered each topic, and Column 3 tracked my study progress with specific page ranges or sections. For the dense language issue, I found that reading each section twice helped - first for general understanding, then again while taking detailed notes in plain English. I also created my own "cheat sheets" summarizing key rules, exceptions, and thresholds for easy review. One tip that really helped: I set up practice scenarios for myself. After reading about a tax concept, I'd create fake taxpayer situations and work through them step by step. This made the abstract rules much more concrete. The IRS's own Interactive Tax Assistant tool was also surprisingly helpful for checking my understanding of complex scenarios - it's free and walks you through decision trees for many tax situations covered on the exam. Total study time was about 6 months (10-15 hours per week), but I felt very well prepared by exam day. The key is being systematic about it rather than just randomly reading publications!

I'm a former banking operations specialist, and there may be some additional factors at play here. Chase, like most large banks, typically processes ACH transfers in batches, usually around 2-3 times per day. If the IRS transmission occurred after the final batch on 3/19, it would likely be processed the following business day. Additionally, there could possibly be a security hold if this is a new account, if the amount is significantly larger than previous deposits, or if there have been recent account changes. These holds are generally 2-3 business days but can extend to 5 business days in some circumstances.

I'm dealing with this exact same situation right now! My DDD was 3/19 with Chase and I'm still waiting too. After reading all these responses, I called Chase this morning using the advice from @Lucy Taylor about calling the direct deposit department specifically. The rep told me they can see a "processing deposit" from the Treasury that should post within 24-48 hours. She said it's been in their system since 3/20 but got flagged for their standard tax refund verification process. Apparently this is happening to a lot of Chase customers with DDDs from 3/19. Really frustrating that they don't show these as pending in online banking! I'll update once it hits my account.

Your dad's situation is definitely fixable, but time is critical here. I agree with the advice to apply for Social Security immediately - don't wait for the tax situation to be resolved first. The SSA can work with his earnings record that employers have been reporting all these years. For the tax side, start by requesting wage and income transcripts from the IRS for all the unfiled years. You can do this online at irs.gov or by calling them (though as others mentioned, getting through can be challenging). These transcripts will show what income was reported by his employers and any taxes withheld. Since he had taxes withheld from his paychecks, he likely doesn't owe anything and may even be due refunds for some years. The key is getting those last 6 years filed to bring him into compliance. Given the complexity and the urgency with his health situation, I'd strongly recommend working with a tax professional who has experience with unfiled returns - they can streamline the process and help avoid costly mistakes. The most important thing is to take action now rather than letting this drag on any longer. Both his Social Security benefits and potential tax refunds are time-sensitive.

I went through almost the exact same situation with my father-in-law two years ago. He hadn't filed in about 18 years and was panicking about Social Security eligibility. Here's what we learned that might help: First, definitely start the Social Security application ASAP as others have mentioned - the earnings record from employers is what matters most for benefits, not tax filings. We were amazed to discover his full work history was already in their system from employer reporting. For the IRS side, we found out that since taxes were withheld from his paychecks the whole time, he actually qualified for what's called "substitute for return" status for many years where the IRS basically filed simplified returns on his behalf. This meant he wasn't in as much trouble as we feared. The real breakthrough came when we got his wage and income transcripts for all the missing years. It showed that for 4 of the years, he was actually owed refunds totaling over $3,200 (though we could only claim the ones from the last 3 years). We ended up only needing to file the last 6 years to get him current, and the whole process took about 3 months working with a tax professional who specialized in unfiled returns. The key was getting started immediately - don't let fear of the IRS paralyze you into waiting longer. Your dad's health situation makes this urgent, but it's absolutely manageable. The government actually wants people to get caught up and claim their benefits!

This has been such an educational thread to follow! As someone who just started a new job last month and is still figuring out my payroll system, I'm definitely bookmarking this for future reference. The systematic approach everyone has outlined here is really helpful - checking filing status, allowances, additional withholding amounts, pay period configuration, and even asking about migration checklists. It's amazing how many different variables can affect withholding calculations that most of us never think about. I'm particularly grateful for the HR perspective about this being a common issue during system migrations. It makes me feel more prepared to advocate for myself if I ever run into similar problems. The point about potentially multiple employees being affected by the same systematic error is also really valuable to know - it could help speed up resolution if you can frame it as a broader system issue rather than just an individual problem. Thanks to everyone who shared their experiences and expertise! This community really is incredibly helpful for navigating these confusing payroll and tax situations.

This entire discussion has been incredibly eye-opening! I had no idea there were so many potential pitfalls during payroll system migrations. As someone who's never experienced this kind of transition before, I'm really grateful for all the detailed troubleshooting steps everyone has shared. The systematic checklist that's emerged from this thread is gold: filing status, allowances/exemptions, additional withholding amounts, pay period configuration, and asking HR about migration processes. I'm definitely saving this for future reference in case my company ever switches systems. It's also really encouraging to see how helpful this community is - from the HR professional's perspective to people sharing their personal experiences with tools like taxr.ai and Claimyr. The collaborative problem-solving approach here is exactly what makes online communities valuable. @ac68532f8d25 I hope your HR meeting goes smoothly tomorrow! With all the specific issues you've identified and the great questions everyone has suggested, it sounds like you're well-prepared to get everything sorted out. Please update us on how it goes - I'm sure others would benefit from hearing about the resolution process too.

I went through this exact same situation two years ago and can confirm that you're not out of luck! The IRS does allow late filing of Form 3115 for 475(f) elections under certain circumstances. The key is that you made a good faith effort by filing the election statement with your return. You'll want to file Form 3115 with your 2024 return and include a detailed reasonable cause statement explaining why you missed the original deadline. Reference Revenue Procedure 2022-14 for automatic consent procedures. Make sure to emphasize that you properly made the election statement and are correcting the oversight as soon as you discovered it. The good news is that if accepted, you won't need to amend prior returns - the Form 3115 handles the accounting method change adjustments through Section 481(a). I'd recommend getting professional help to ensure everything is done correctly, but you definitely still have options to salvage your MTM election.

I went through a very similar situation last year and want to reassure you that it's not hopeless! I made my 475(f) election with my 2022 return but completely missed the Form 3115 requirement. I didn't discover this until I was preparing my 2023 taxes. I ended up filing Form 3115 with my 2023 return under the automatic consent procedures in Rev. Proc. 2022-14. The key was including a comprehensive reasonable cause statement that explained I had made the election in good faith but was unaware of the additional Form 3115 requirement. I emphasized that I was correcting the oversight immediately upon discovery. The IRS accepted my late filing without any issues. The Section 481(a) adjustment wasn't as scary as I thought it would be - it actually worked in my favor since I had some unrealized losses that reduced my taxable income for that year. My advice: don't panic, but do act quickly. File the Form 3115 with your 2024 return, include a detailed reasonable cause statement, and reference the appropriate revenue procedure. If your trading situation is complex, consider getting professional help, but many people have successfully resolved this exact issue. The IRS is generally reasonable when you show good faith effort to comply.