I just completed my ID.me verification yesterday (March 6th), so I'm really early in the process but this thread has been incredibly informative! It's reassuring to see so many recent success stories with people getting their refunds within 3-4 weeks. I had no idea about checking the transcript for the TC 971 code - I just logged in and can see it's there with Action Code 111, which gives me confidence that the verification actually worked. The WMR tool is showing the usual "still processing" message, but based on everyone's experiences here, it sounds like that's pretty normal and the transcript is much more reliable. I'm trying to stay patient since I'm literally day 1, but it's so helpful to have realistic expectations from people who've actually been through this recently. Thanks to everyone for sharing your timelines and tips!

Just completed my ID.me verification this morning (March 7th), so I'm at day zero but this entire thread has been a goldmine of information! It's amazing how much more helpful real experiences are compared to the vague timelines on the IRS website. I immediately checked my transcript after reading all your comments and can confirm I have the TC 971 with Action Code 111 - such a relief to know the verification actually processed correctly. Based on everyone's shared timelines here, it looks like I'm looking at roughly 2-4 weeks which is actually much better than I was expecting. The WMR tool is predictably showing "still processing" but I'm not even going to bother checking that daily since you've all confirmed the transcript is where the real updates happen. Thanks for creating such a helpful resource for those of us going through this process - it really takes the anxiety out of the unknown!

I've been following this discussion and wanted to share a resource that helped me with a similar FBAR situation involving partial account numbers. The IRS Publication 4261 (FBAR Reference Guide) specifically addresses scenarios where complete account information isn't available despite reasonable efforts to obtain it. The publication confirms what many of you have mentioned - using partial account numbers followed by "XX" or "unknown" is acceptable when you can document your attempts to get complete information. What I found particularly helpful was their guidance on what constitutes "reasonable effort" - phone calls, written requests, and checking available records all qualify. For anyone still working through this, I'd also suggest checking if your bank offers account verification letters. Some international banks will provide official letters confirming account details for tax reporting purposes, even when they won't give the same information over the phone. Worth asking specifically for a "tax compliance verification letter" when you contact them. The key takeaway from both the official guidance and everyone's experiences here is clear: document your efforts, use the partial number format for missing information, and file your amendment promptly. The IRS recognizes that foreign banks sometimes have security policies that make complete account information difficult to obtain.

I just want to thank everyone who contributed to this thread - this has been incredibly comprehensive and helpful! As someone new to FBAR compliance issues, I was initially overwhelmed by the complexity, but this discussion has really broken everything down into manageable steps. The consensus seems clear: use the partial account number with "XX" format, document all attempts to obtain complete information, and file the amendment promptly. What I found most valuable were all the creative suggestions for finding complete account numbers - checking old welcome emails, tax software files, money transfer records, and even mobile banking app cache data. I'm particularly grateful for the mention of IRS Publication 4261 and the "tax compliance verification letter" option. Having official guidance that confirms these approaches are acceptable makes the whole process much less stressful. For anyone else dealing with similar FBAR issues involving partial account information, this thread is a goldmine of practical solutions and reassurance that the IRS recognizes the challenges of dealing with foreign banks' security policies. The key really is showing good faith effort and maintaining thorough documentation.

One thing nobody's mentioned yet - you can actually calculate exactly how much should be withheld using the worksheets in Publication 15-T from the IRS. It's a bit complicated, but it shows the exact formulas employers use to calculate your FITWH. For 2025, they've updated some of the withholding calculations, so what seems like "extra" withholding might actually be correct based on the new tables. The standard deduction and tax brackets have been adjusted for inflation.

As someone who's been through this exact situation, I'd recommend taking a systematic approach. First, definitely check with HR to see your actual W-4 form - sometimes there are transcription errors where payroll enters the wrong amount from what you wrote. Second, don't panic about the money already withheld - it's not lost, just prepaid to the IRS. You'll get it back when you file your return. Third, before making any changes, consider your overall tax situation. If you're single with one job and no other income, you probably don't need extra withholding. But if you have a working spouse, side income, or expect to owe taxes from other sources, that extra withholding might actually be protecting you from penalties. The IRS Withholding Calculator is free and pretty accurate if you want to double-check what your withholding should be. Just have your most recent paystub handy when you use it.

This is such a comprehensive and valuable analysis! As someone who's completely new to understanding transcript codes, I've been frantically searching for explanations of what these numbers actually mean, and your systematic observations are incredibly helpful. I'm currently experiencing the 570/971 codes that both appeared on April 5th with matching dates, so based on your pattern analysis, I'm cautiously optimistic about seeing an 846 code around April 12th. What gives me confidence in this timeline is reading through all the comments where people confirm they experienced the exact progression you described. The cycle code information has been a revelation too - mine ends in 02, so I'll focus my checking on Mondays instead of obsessively refreshing daily and getting frustrated when nothing changes. It's amazing how much anxiety this reduces when you understand there's actually a logical system behind these cryptic codes. What really strikes me is how much more reliable this community knowledge is compared to official IRS resources. I spent hours on their website trying to decode these codes and only found vague "your return is being processed" messages with no real timeline or explanation. The detailed patterns documented here by actual taxpayers give me realistic expectations instead of just endless uncertainty. Thank you for taking the time to share your observations and create such a valuable resource. This thread should be required reading for anyone trying to navigate IRS processing - it's exactly what newcomers like me need to understand what's actually happening with our returns instead of just worrying in the dark!

This is absolutely fascinating analysis that I wish I had found weeks ago! I'm currently sitting with 570/971 codes that appeared on April 7th with matching dates, so based on your detailed pattern observations, I should hopefully see movement around April 14th. What really impresses me is how this community has developed such reliable knowledge through shared experiences. I've been checking the IRS website daily and calling their helpline (terrible wait times!) only to get vague responses about "normal processing." Your systematic documentation of the matching vs. non-matching date patterns gives me actual concrete expectations to work with. I just figured out my cycle code ends in 03, so I'll focus my checking on Tuesdays instead of the obsessive daily refreshing I've been doing. It's incredible how much stress this eliminates when you understand there's actually a predictable system behind these cryptic codes. One thing I'm particularly curious about - have you noticed if the 7-8 day timeline from 570/971 to 846 remains consistent throughout different parts of tax season, or does it tend to slow down as we get closer to the April deadline when processing volumes are higher? I filed relatively late compared to others in this thread, so I'm wondering if that might affect the typical timeline. Thank you for creating such a valuable resource - this thread has been more helpful than anything I could find through official IRS channels!

I ran into this exact same issue last year with my options trading! The negative proceeds problem with FreeTaxUSA is so frustrating, especially when you're dealing with multiple CSP transactions. What worked for me was the workaround others have mentioned - entering $0 for proceeds and putting the loss amount in the cost basis field. But here's an additional tip that saved me time: if you have a lot of transactions like I did (around 40), you can actually bulk edit them in FreeTaxUSA's spreadsheet view instead of going through each one individually. Go to the Investment Income section, find where it shows your imported 1099-B data, and look for the "Edit in Spreadsheet" option. You can then quickly adjust all the negative proceeds entries at once by copying the absolute values to the cost basis column and zeroing out the proceeds column. Much faster than doing it transaction by transaction. Just make sure to add that explanation note about software limitations when you get to Form 8949. I used something simple like "Negative proceeds adjusted to cost basis due to software input limitations - net loss amount unchanged from 1099-B reporting." The IRS has never questioned it, and it saved me from having to pay for more expensive software or start over completely.

Just wanted to add another perspective on this negative proceeds issue. I'm a tax preparer and see this problem frequently with clients who trade options. The workaround everyone's discussing (flipping negative proceeds to cost basis) is absolutely correct and IRS-compliant. One thing I'd emphasize is that when you make this adjustment, you're not "fudging" your taxes or doing anything improper. You're simply reformatting the data presentation while maintaining the identical economic substance. The IRS cares about the net gain/loss being reported accurately, not whether the proceeds field shows a negative number. For those worried about IRS matching - they actually expect these kinds of adjustments for options trading. The automated matching systems are designed to reconcile based on the final Schedule D totals, not individual line-item formatting differences. The explanation statement is important though. Keep it simple but clear: "Options transactions with negative proceeds reformatted due to software limitations - net results identical to 1099-B reporting." This shows you made conscious adjustments rather than errors.