Something nobody's mentioned yet - the parent who claims the child also gets to file as Head of Household (if they qualify otherwise), which is a better filing status than Single. Plus that parent might qualify for Earned Income Credit and Child Tax Credit. We're talking potentially thousands of dollars difference. If your ex files first and wrongly claims your child, you'll have to paper file, and it can take 6+ months to get your refund while the IRS sorts it out. Document EVERYTHING - school records showing your address, medical appointments you took the child to, daycare receipts, etc. Calendar entries and text messages discussing the schedule can help too.

Quick tip: if you receive any government assistance or benefits for your child (Medicaid, CHIP, food benefits, etc.), those records are GOLD for proving your case. The agencies that approve those benefits already verified your child lives with you. Also, Form 8332 was mentioned earlier - that's actually how you as the custodial parent can ALLOW the non-custodial parent to claim the child. If you never signed this form, and your child lives with you most of the time, you have the right to claim the child. Your ex filing first is just going to create headaches for both of you.

I had a very similar experience with Charles Schwab after rolling over my 403(b). The key thing that worked for me was being persistent and asking to speak with the "document services" or "tax reporting" department specifically, not general customer service. When you call Fidelity, try this approach: immediately when the automated system starts, say "tax documents" or "1099" - many companies have voice recognition that will route you to the right department. If that doesn't work, keep saying "representative" until you get transferred. Also, gather any documentation you have from the rollover process before calling - confirmation emails, statements showing the transfer, anything with your old account number on it. Even if you can't log in anymore, having that account number can help them locate your records faster. One more tip: if the first representative can't help, politely ask to speak with a supervisor. Sometimes the front-line reps don't have access to closed account records, but supervisors or specialized departments do. Don't give up after the first "no" - you're legally entitled to those tax documents!

Just wanted to add one more option that saved me when I had this exact situation with Vanguard a couple years ago: If you still have access to your old work email (even if you've left the company), search for any emails from Fidelity about the rollover. Sometimes they send electronic delivery notifications or account closure confirmations that include a link to access tax documents online. Also, check if Fidelity has a "former participant" portal specifically for people with closed 401k accounts. Many plan administrators maintain these separate systems exactly for situations like this where you need historical documents but no longer have an active account. If all else fails and you're running up against the tax deadline, you can file your return and indicate that you're expecting a 1099-R form (most tax software has an option for missing documents). Then you can file an amended return once you get the form. Not ideal, but it prevents you from missing the filing deadline while you sort this out.

As someone who's been dealing with contractor payments for both personal and business purposes for several years, I wanted to chime in with a practical tip that might help others avoid confusion down the road. I've found it really helpful to keep completely separate records for personal home work versus any business-related contractor expenses. Even though you don't need 1099s for personal work, having clear documentation can still be valuable for insurance claims, home sale records, or if you ever convert part of your home to business use. For your current situation with the plumber, electrician, and drywall work on your personal residence, you're definitely in the clear - no 1099s needed regardless of the amounts. But if you ever decide to rent out a room, start a home business, or buy rental properties, you'll want to start collecting W-9s from contractors right away. The $600 threshold applies per contractor per year, so it adds up quickly when you're paying for business-related work. One last thing - if any of these contractors ever ask YOU for a 1099, that's actually a red flag that they might not understand the rules themselves. Personal homeowners don't issue 1099s to contractors for personal work, period.

As a new homeowner who just joined this community, I want to thank everyone for this incredibly detailed discussion! I was actually in a very similar situation recently - hired a contractor for some bathroom renovations that cost over $800 and was panicking about whether I needed to issue a 1099. Reading through all these responses has been so educational. The key distinction between personal vs. business expenses is something I completely missed before. It makes total sense that regular homeowners doing personal home improvements don't have the same reporting obligations as business owners or rental property investors. I especially appreciate the practical advice about keeping good records even for personal work, and the tip about contractors asking for 1099s being a potential red flag. It's reassuring to know that for my personal home renovations, I can focus on the actual work rather than worrying about tax paperwork I don't actually need to do. This community has been incredibly helpful for understanding these nuances - definitely bookmarking this thread for future reference!

Michigan resident here! I've been filing in this state for about 8 years now and can confirm what others are saying - Michigan is consistently slower than federal. Even in "normal" years (pre-pandemic), I'd typically see 2-3 weeks for state versus 7-10 days for federal. What you're experiencing is actually pretty typical. Michigan's Department of Treasury processes returns in waves rather than continuously, and they have some additional verification steps that can add time. Your federal refund coming in 3 days is honestly exceptional - the IRS has really stepped up their game with electronic processing. One thing I've noticed is that Michigan tends to be more thorough with their review process, which can be frustrating but also means fewer issues down the road. I'd recommend checking their "Where's My Refund" tool on michigan.gov/treasury every few days for updates, but don't stress unless you hit the 6-week mark without any movement. The good news is that once Michigan approves your refund, the direct deposit usually hits within 2-3 business days. Hang in there - this timing difference is totally normal for Michigan!

I've been filing taxes for over a decade and this federal vs. state timing difference has become much more pronounced in recent years. The IRS really revolutionized their processing with the modernization initiatives they launched around 2019-2020. They moved to almost real-time processing for straightforward e-filed returns, which is why you're seeing those 3-day turnarounds. States, on the other hand, are all over the map. Some have kept pace with technology updates, others are still running on systems from the early 2000s. Michigan falls somewhere in the middle - not the slowest, but definitely not cutting-edge either. Your experience is completely normal. I always tell people to expect 2-4 weeks for Michigan state refunds and consider anything faster a pleasant surprise. The federal speed has actually made state processing seem slower by comparison, even though state timing hasn't really changed much over the years. Don't worry - your refund will come!

To all those having trouble reaching a human at IRS. I just ran across this video that gave me a shortcut to reach a human. Hope it helps! https://youtu.be/_kiP6q8DX5c

I went through the exact same thing last year! The message you're seeing is totally normal when you have a state tax offset. Here's what's happening: BFS (Bureau of Fiscal Service) has to coordinate with your state's tax department to process the payment, which adds extra time. The system won't show amounts until that process is complete because they need to calculate exactly how much goes to the state versus what you get to keep. In my case, it took about 10-12 business days from when I got that message until I received the remainder of my refund. The key thing is that your refund WAS approved - it's just being held up in the offset processing pipeline. You should get a letter from BFS within a week or two explaining exactly how much was taken and where it went. Hang in there, the waiting is the worst part!