OMG I literally just fixed this exact problem yesterday! I was SO frustrated!! 😤 What worked for me was completely counterintuitive - I had to enter my address in ALL CAPS exactly as it appeared on my last paper mail from the IRS (not how I entered it on my return). For some reason, their system treated "123 Main St Apt 4" and "123 MAIN ST APT 4" as completely different addresses. I was ready to throw my computer out the window after the fifth try, but the all-caps version finally worked. Check any physical mail you've received from them and copy the address format exactly!

I had this same issue just last week and it was driving me absolutely crazy! After trying everything mentioned here, what finally worked was logging out completely, clearing my browser cache, and then logging back in with a fresh session. Apparently the IRS website sometimes gets "stuck" on your previous failed attempts and keeps rejecting the same address even when you've corrected it. Also, make sure you're not using any browser extensions that might auto-fill or modify form data - I had to disable my password manager's auto-fill feature because it was adding extra spaces or formatting that the IRS system didn't like. The whole process is incredibly frustrating but hang in there!

Would it help if the aunt amended her return to Married Filing Jointly? Seems like that would be better tax-wise even if her husband hasn't filed yet.

This is such a frustrating situation, and unfortunately your aunt is caught in one of the harshest tax traps for Social Security recipients. The 85% taxation rate she's experiencing is correct for her filing status. What many people don't realize is that the Married Filing Separately rules for Social Security taxation are deliberately punitive when spouses live together. The IRS designed it this way to discourage married couples from filing separately just to game the system. Given that your aunt only lived with her husband for 21 days, it might seem unfair, but the IRS rule is black and white - ANY cohabitation during the tax year triggers the harsh MFS treatment. Even if they had lived together for just one day in 2023, the same rule would apply. For next year's planning, your aunt and her husband should seriously consider filing jointly. Based on the income you mentioned, they'd likely save significant money on taxes, especially regarding the Social Security taxation. The combined income thresholds for MFJ are much more generous - they wouldn't hit the 85% SS taxation rate until their combined income exceeds $44,000. If her husband continues to refuse joint filing, your aunt might want to consult with a tax professional about whether there are any other strategies available, though the options are quite limited given the MFS rules.

Has anyone considered the vehicle aspect of this? You might be able to deduct some of the truck purchase if you can legitimately allocate a portion to business use during that period. Keep track of total miles driven for rental work vs. personal during your ownership.

Based on my experience with rental property taxes, you're on the right track with most of your thinking. Since the primary purpose of your trip was personal (visiting family), you cannot deduct the transportation costs to and from the destination. However, you can definitely deduct: 1. All repair supplies and materials purchased for the rental 2. Mileage between your parents' house and the rental property during those 5 work days (use current IRS standard mileage rate) 3. Any tools or equipment purchased specifically for the rental work The truck purchase isn't deductible since you stated it won't be used for future business activities - it's essentially a personal vehicle purchase that happened to coincide with your rental work. One important tip: Keep detailed records of your work days at the rental. Document what repairs you did each day, take before/after photos, and save all receipts. If questioned, you'll need to prove the business nature of those specific expenses. Also, since you mentioned the property is normally managed by a company, make sure to coordinate with them about these repairs for your records. The management company might have documentation that supports the necessity of the work you performed.

I tried claiming real estate professional status a couple years ago and got audited. The IRS was primarily focused on my time logs. They wanted DETAILED records - not just "4 hours on Property A" but exactly what I did during those 4 hours. Just a warning to document everything meticulously!

Based on your description, you have a strong case for qualifying as an active real estate investor! Managing 2 properties full-time with a third on the way, handling all tenant interactions, maintenance, and repairs yourself definitely sounds like material participation. However, I'd strongly recommend getting professional guidance before claiming real estate professional status on your taxes. The IRS scrutinizes these claims heavily, especially when there are significant losses being deducted against high W2 income like your spouse's $145k. A few key things to focus on: 1. **Start tracking your hours NOW** - Use a detailed daily log with specific activities, not just "worked on rental property." The IRS wants contemporaneous records. 2. **Document everything** - Save all receipts, emails with tenants, repair invoices, travel logs to properties, even time spent researching markets or looking for new properties. 3. **Understand the income limitations** - At $145k household income, you're in the phaseout range for the $25k passive loss allowance, but qualifying as a real estate professional removes these limitations entirely. 4. **Consider the grouping election** - As mentioned by others, this can be crucial for meeting material participation requirements across multiple properties. Given the potential tax savings and audit risk, consulting with a CPA who specializes in real estate taxation would be a wise investment. They can help you structure your activities and documentation to maximize your chances of qualifying while minimizing audit risk.

Try checking your transcript if you can access it. It might show if there's an issue with your refund that's not showing up on the IL website. I was in a similar situation and taxr.ai helped me decode what was actually happening with my refund when the state website was useless. Turns out there was a review flag on my account that was causing the delay. https://taxr.ai

I'm dealing with the exact same issue! Filed my Illinois taxes in early March using Cash App direct deposit and it's been showing "refund issued" for weeks now with nothing in my account. Reading through all these responses, it sounds like Illinois has major issues with payment apps this year. I'm definitely going to call the IL Department of Revenue tomorrow to see if my deposit failed. Thanks everyone for sharing your experiences - at least now I know I'm not alone in this! Next year I'm definitely going back to my regular bank account. These payment apps just aren't worth the hassle for tax refunds.