ugh been trying to report my tax guy for doing exactly this for THREE WEEKS but can't get through to the IRS. anyone know a secret number or best time to call??

This is such an important warning! I've seen way too many people get taken advantage of by these predatory tax preparers. Here are some red flags everyone should watch out for: • They promise you a bigger refund than other preparers • They ask you to sign blank forms or won't let you review before filing • They charge based on your refund amount rather than complexity of return • They don't have a permanent office location (working out of temporary locations) • They won't provide you with copies of your completed return • They guarantee specific refund amounts before reviewing your documents Always ask for a written fee agreement upfront and make sure your refund goes directly to YOUR bank account. If something feels off, trust your gut and find someone else. Your tax refund is YOUR money - don't let scammers take what belongs to you!

Did you have any credits like EIC or CTC? Those usually take longer to process and get more scrutiny.

EIC claims definitely get extra scrutiny and can add weeks to processing time. The good news is once you see those 571/290/971 codes, it usually means they've finished their review and you're in the final stages. Based on your transcript showing movement on 12-10-2024 with the 570 code still there, I'd expect to see an 846 code (refund issued) within the next 1-2 weeks. The -$42 balance is actually your refund amount after interest calculations. Keep checking your transcript updates on Thursdays/Fridays - that's when they typically post new cycles.

When I was handling my dad's estate last year, I was also confused about the Section 645 election. My biggest mistake was not considering the state tax implications - just the federal ones. Depending on your state, the rules for estate and trust taxation can vary wildly, and sometimes making the federal 645 election has unintended consequences at the state level. In my case, our state didn't recognize the election, which meant we still had to file separate state returns even though we filed a combined federal return! Make sure to check your state's rules before deciding. This caught me completely off guard and created a lot of unnecessary complexity.

I went through this exact situation with my grandmother's estate about 8 months ago. The Section 645 election ended up being a lifesaver for us, but there are definitely some nuances to consider beyond what's been mentioned. One thing that really helped me was understanding the "qualified revocable trust" requirements. Not all trusts qualify - it has to be a trust that was revocable immediately before death and becomes irrevocable upon death. Most living trusts meet this, but it's worth double-checking your specific trust language. Also, regarding the $1,800 attorney fee - that's actually pretty reasonable if they're handling the entire election process including state considerations. When I priced it out, most attorneys in my area were quoting $2,000-$2,500 for the same work. The complexity really depends on how many different types of assets you have and whether there are any beneficiary distributions planned during the election period. One unexpected benefit we discovered was that the election made it much easier to handle the investment accounts. Instead of having to track income and gains separately between the estate and trust accounts, everything flowed through one return, which simplified our recordkeeping significantly. My advice would be to run the numbers both ways - with and without the election - especially if you're planning any major asset sales or distributions in the next year or two. The tax savings can be substantial in the right circumstances.

I've used HR Block with Pathward for three years straight. When I paid fees upfront, money arrived exactly on my DDD. When I did fees from refund, always took 2 extra days. Last year my DDD was Wednesday and money showed up Friday morning at 4am. This year I had a Monday DDD (4/29) and got my deposit Wednesday (5/1) around noon. The system is consistent - just slow. They're not holding your money on purpose, just standard banking processing time.

Same boat here! Filed with HR Block, paid fees from refund, DDD is 5/16 (Thursday). Based on everyone's experiences, I'm expecting my deposit to hit Monday or Tuesday next week. The 1-2 business day delay seems pretty standard when you go the fee-from-refund route. For your PCS timing, I'd plan on having the money by Friday 5/17 at the latest. Next time I'm definitely paying fees upfront to avoid this waiting game - the convenience fee isn't worth the stress when you need funds for a move!

One thing nobody mentioned - depending on the amount of the settlement, you might actually be able to go to your bank and see if they'll still honor the check even though it's expired. I had a $250 insurance check that was about 3 months past the "void after 90 days" date, and my credit union still deposited it. Might be worth trying before going through the hassle of getting it reissued!

Don't forget to actually look at what kind of 1099 form they sent you! If it's a 1099-MISC (box 3 for other income) you report it differently than if it's a 1099-NEC. Also check if any attorney fees were subtracted before they calculated your portion - sometimes these settlement 1099s report the gross amount even if you only received a portion after legal fees.