This exact issue affected 247,000 taxpayers last year according to a report I read. The solution is specific: you need to contact the Marketplace at exactly 1-800-318-2596 and request a review of your account. Tell them you need a "coverage absence verification letter" which confirms you never had a 1095-A because you never had Marketplace coverage. I had to wait 42 minutes on hold, but once I got through, they emailed me the letter in 3 business days. This matters because without resolving it, your refund will be held and you could face a delay of 6-8 weeks.

Had this prob last yr. Tax software was the culprit. Somewhere in the healthcare section I checked wrong box saying I had ACA coverage when I only had employer ins. Double check ur answers in the healthcare section. Bet you'll find where u accidentally indicated Marketplace coverage. NBD to fix - just gotta find the right screen and correct it. FWIW the 1095-C is what employers send, 1095-A is what Marketplace sends, and 1095-B is what some insurers send. Totally diff forms for diff purposes.

Think of a government shutdown like a snowstorm hitting government services - some roads stay open (essential services) while others close temporarily. Compared to the 2019 shutdown, SNAP benefits now have better contingency plans. Back then, many recipients got February benefits in January with no clear guidance. For taxes, it's similar to how banks operate during holidays - certain automated processes continue while customer service is limited. If you're expecting a refund, electronic filing and direct deposit is like taking the express lane during a traffic jam - still your best option even during a shutdown.

Can someone clarify something about SNAP during shutdowns? If benefits get issued early like last time, do we still get the next month's benefits on schedule or is there a gap? And doesn't the IRS technically operate on user fees rather than appropriated funds anyway? Why would they even shut down?

I've helped several people with this issue. Here's a step-by-step approach that works consistently: Step 1: Go to the "Federal" section in TurboTax Step 2: Select "Refund & Amount Owed" Step 3: Choose "Refund Method" Step 4: Select "Direct Deposit" Step 5: Look for "Edit" or "Change" button near the pre-filled account info Step 6: Select "Use a different account" Step 7: Enter new banking information Step 8: During final review, verify the last 4 digits of the account number I'm cautious about suggesting this, but if all else fails and you've already filed with incorrect banking info, you can contact the IRS directly to request a trace on the refund if it goes to the wrong account.

I made a terrible mistake last year with this exact issue! I thought I had updated my direct deposit info, but I missed clicking the final "Save" button after entering the new account details. My $3,400 refund went to my ex-spouse's account instead! 😱 It was a nightmare trying to get it back. Now I take screenshots of every confirmation page and double-check everything before submitting. TurboTax's interface can be really confusing with how it saves (or doesn't save) your banking changes. I'm so grateful for all the detailed advice in this thread - wish I had seen something like this last year!

Tried this exact thing w/ my 16yo last year. Big mistake. IRS sent a letter about 2 months later asking about the missing W-2. Apparently they get copies of ALL W-2s issued with her SSN and their system automatically flags the discrepancy. Had to file an amended return, pay the difference plus interest. Tbh the $45 we tried to save ended up costing us more in the long run. Not worth the hassle.

Here's a specific example. My daughter. Age 17. Two jobs last year. Made $4,800 total. Under filing threshold. We included both W-2s. IRS has automated matching system. They know about both jobs. They will send notice if one is missing. Could trigger audit. Not worth the risk. Better to file correctly. Teach good habits now. She can use the refund for college savings. Tax compliance is important life skill.

Isn't it interesting how tax law evolves over time? The health insurance mandate was once a major financial consideration, and now it's essentially moot at the federal level. The previous commenter raises a valid point about additional scrutiny, but that's typically only if you received advance premium tax credits through the Marketplace and need to reconcile Form 8962. For a straightforward employment change with no Marketplace involvement, wouldn't you agree the process is much simpler? You simply report accurately and move forward without federal penalty concerns. The system is designed to collect the information while removing the financial burden that previously existed.

Unlike a missed 1099 or unreported income, which can trigger serious penalties, a health insurance gap is much less concerning these days. I've prepared hundreds of returns with coverage gaps since 2019, and none have faced federal penalties. It's nothing like the 2014-2018 period when penalties could run into thousands of dollars. Still, document everything carefully - if you're in California or Massachusetts, the state implications are real and can be substantial compared to other tax adjustments.

According to IRS Publication 5344, e-filed returns go through a multi-stage verification process before appearing in the transcript database. The IRS states that "taxpayers should allow up to 7 days after acceptance for return information to populate in internal systems." This is completely normal, especially during peak filing season. The delay between acceptance and transcript visibility is built into their workflow.

Most of us have been through this waiting game. The community consensus is that you shouldn't worry about transcript availability for at least a week after acceptance. If you're really concerned about your refund timing, you might want to sign up for direct deposit if you haven't already - it's typically 5-7 days faster than paper checks. Also, checking the transcripts daily won't make them process any faster, though we all do it anyway!

Have you considered what might happen if they file separately instead of jointly? Would that change the enforcement approach? And what about situations where the non-custodial parent is self-employed but doesn't report all income? Sometimes these collection methods rely too heavily on people operating within the system properly.

According to the Office of Child Support Enforcement website (acf.hhs.gov/css), another option to consider is requesting a case review through your state's child support agency. Many states have implemented enhanced collection methods beyond tax refund interception, including passport denial for debts over $2,500, credit bureau reporting, and property liens. The OCSE Federal Parent Locator Service might also help identify other income sources. Have you checked if your state has an online portal where you can track enforcement actions?

FWIW, I've done the SBTPG thing twice now. It's def both credit and refund based. They do a soft pull (doesn't hurt ur score) and look at ur expected refund amt. IME, they approved me for about 40% of my expected refund. My credit isn't amazing (mid-600s) but not terrible either. The bigger advance ($7k) is gonna require better credit than the smaller advances. If u usually qualify for the $4k one with TT or HRB, you're prob in an ok position, but no guarantees.

According to SBTPG's terms and conditions under section 4.3(b) of their Refund Advance Agreement, approval is "subject to underwriting criteria including but not limited to verification of tax refund claim and credit evaluation." I went through this process this January and can confirm they do evaluate both. My refund was projected at $12,400, and I was approved for a $5,000 advance with a credit score of 710. Would like someone to confirm if this is typical or if I should have qualified for more?

I've seen this happen before when someone has been a victim of identity theft without realizing it. Back in 2021, my sister had her return rejected for the same reason, and it turned out someone had tried to file a fraudulent return using her information earlier that year. The IRS had automatically assigned her an IP PIN but the notification letter got lost in the mail. You might want to check your credit reports just to be safe. I'm a bit worried that this could be more than just a system glitch, especially with the timing of your spouse's passing creating changes in your tax situation. The IRS sometimes flags returns with significant changes from previous years.

According to IRS Publication 5367, when a taxpayer experiences a change in dependent claiming status due to death, the IRS system is programmed to provide additional security measures. Per Internal Revenue Code §6109(i), the Identity Protection PIN program is one such measure. I successfully resolved this exact issue for a client last month. After contacting the IRS Identity Verification department, they confirmed this was an automatic security feature. They removed the PIN requirement immediately, and my client's resubmitted return was processed within 72 hours. Their refund was direct deposited exactly 21 days after the accepted resubmission date. The key is getting through to the correct department - specifically request to speak with Identity Verification when you call, not general tax assistance.

Think of it like ordering pizza online - the restaurant app might say "preparing your order" while the delivery app still shows nothing. Same pizza, different systems! 🍕 The IRS and TurboTax don't share the same database. TurboTax is essentially saying "we've sent your tax return to the IRS" while the IRS is still updating their systems. This is completely normal and happens to millions of filers every year. The IRS processing systems are notorious for taking time to reflect current status.

You might want to check your TurboTax account for an actual acceptance email or notification. In my experience, TurboTax will update from "pending" to "accepted" within exactly 24-48 hours if everything goes smoothly. Then WMR typically updates 24 hours after that. If it's been more than 72 hours since filing and you still see "pending" in TurboTax (not just WMR showing nothing), I'd suggest calling TurboTax directly at their support line to verify if there were any transmission issues.