I think there's some confusion in this thread. An ITIN doesn't actually "expire" the way people think. The IRS may deactivate ITINs that haven't been used on a tax return for 3 consecutive years, but that's different from expiration. If you've been using your husband's ITIN on your returns regularly, it may still be valid even if the physical card shows an "expiration" date. You should check the actual status with the IRS before assuming it's invalid.

I went through this exact situation last year and want to share what I learned after consulting with a tax professional. The key thing to understand is that you can absolutely continue using your husband's expired ITIN on your tax return when filing as Married Filing Separately. The IRS uses the ITIN primarily for identification purposes to link you as married, not for any tax calculations since you're filing separately. Here's what I recommend: 1. File as Married Filing Separately (not Head of Household, since you don't qualify without a dependent) 2. Use your husband's expired ITIN in the spouse section - this is completely acceptable 3. Don't include any of his income or claim any benefits related to him 4. Keep documentation showing you're married but living apart I was worried about the expired ITIN causing issues too, but my return processed normally with no delays. The IRS agent I spoke with confirmed that expired ITINs can still be used for identification when the non-filing spouse has no US tax obligations. The most important thing is getting your filing status right - MFS is typically the correct choice for your situation unless you have qualifying dependents that would allow Head of Household under the "considered unmarried" rules.

My accountant told me that the IRS has a first-time penalty abatement policy! If you haven't had any penalties in the past 3 tax years, you can often get the underpayment penalty waived completely. You have to specifically request this though - they don't offer it automatically. Worth a shot if this is your first time with this issue.

I went through this exact same situation last year! My income jumped from about $45k to $82k due to some freelance contracts that came in late in the year. Here's what I learned: First, don't panic - the penalty isn't as scary as it seems. For most people it ends up being a few hundred dollars, not thousands. Second, definitely look into the annualized income method that Beth mentioned. Since your big income jump happened late in the year, this could significantly reduce your penalty. The IRS basically recalculates what your quarterly payments should have been based on when you actually earned the money. Also check if you had any withholding from other sources (like a W-2 job earlier in the year, or backup withholding). The IRS treats all withholding as if it was spread evenly throughout the year, which can help reduce the underpayment for earlier quarters. One thing I wish I'd known - if your total tax liability is under $1,000 after subtracting withholding and credits, you don't owe the penalty at all. Worth double-checking your math on that. The form is intimidating but if you take it step by step, it's manageable. And paying now definitely helps stop the interest from growing, even if it doesn't eliminate the penalty completely.

I've tracked this closely over the last few tax seasons and here's what I've found with different companies: • Local independent preparers: Often offer advances within 24-72 hours of e-filing • H&R Block: Their "Early Refund Advance" requires IRS acceptance and typically takes 7-10 days • TurboTax: Their "Refund Advance" usually takes 8-15 days as they wait for IRS approval • Jackson Hewitt: Their "No Fee Refund Advance" is available within 24 hours of e-filing but has stricter eligibility The faster the advance, the more risk for the lender, so they either: • Charge higher preparation fees to offset risk • Have stricter eligibility requirements • Offer lower advance amounts • Add hidden fees elsewhere Just be careful - some of these "advances" can end up costing you more than just waiting for the IRS direct deposit!

As someone who's dealt with this exact confusion, I can tell you that timing really depends on your specific situation and what kind of advance product you're looking at. The key thing to understand is that there are basically two types of refund advances: 1. **Early advances** (24-48 hours): These are based on your filed return passing basic IRS validation checks. Your local preparer probably offered this type - they're taking more risk but can get you money faster. 2. **Standard advances** (1-3 weeks): These wait for full IRS processing and approval of your refund amount. This is what most major chains like H&R Block and TurboTax offer. Since you mentioned caregiving expenses piling up, I'd suggest comparing the total cost (prep fees + advance fees) versus just waiting the extra couple weeks for your actual refund. Sometimes the "convenience" of getting money early ends up costing $50-100+ in various fees. Also, if you do go the advance route, make sure to read ALL the fine print about fees. Some preparers are sneaky about bundling costs into their "tax preparation fee" to make the advance look "free" when it's really not.

Can I just say how frustrating it is that most tax preparers don't understand trading scenarios? I had a similar situation with wash sales and my CPA kept giving me wrong information. Had to educate myself and basically explain it to him. The IRS rules aren't even that complicated once you understand the principle - wash sale losses aren't disallowed forever, they're just deferred by adjusting the basis of replacement shares.

This is exactly why I switched from my general CPA to someone who specializes in trader taxation. The difference in understanding was incredible - my new preparer immediately knew that wash sales defer losses rather than eliminate them permanently. One thing that helped me verify my understanding was looking at my 1099-B more carefully. In Box 1d, if there's a "W" code, that indicates wash sale adjustments were made. But the key is looking at the summary totals - your broker has already calculated your net gains/losses after all wash sale adjustments. Your tax preparer should be using those final adjusted numbers, not trying to manually disallow wash sale losses again. If he's doing that, he's essentially double-counting the wash sale penalty, which would be incorrect. I'd recommend getting a second opinion from a CPA who specializes in securities transactions. The rules really aren't that complex once someone explains them properly, but unfortunately many general tax preparers just don't encounter these situations often enough to understand the nuances.

Wow, reading through all these responses has been incredibly educational! As someone who recently went through a similar inheritance situation, I can't stress enough how important it is to act quickly on this. I inherited my grandmother's IRA in 2021 and made the mistake of assuming I had 10 years to figure it out. Turns out she had already started RMDs, which meant I needed to continue taking annual distributions during the 10-year period. I missed two years of required distributions before realizing my error. The penalty relief process that others have mentioned really does work. I filed Form 5329 for the missed years, marked "RC" for reasonable cause, and included a letter explaining how the SECURE Act changes created confusion about the requirements. The IRS accepted my explanation and waived the penalties completely. For your letter, keep it straightforward - explain that the SECURE Act created new rules for inherited IRAs, that professional guidance was inconsistent or unavailable, and that you're now taking corrective action as soon as you understood the requirements. Include dates and reference the specific confusion around inherited IRA RMD rules. Don't let your dad's advisor's reluctance to help discourage you. Many advisors are still learning these rules themselves. The custodian route that others mentioned is definitely worth trying first - they deal with this daily and can give you the exact numbers you need.

Reading through all these responses, I'm struck by how many people are dealing with similar inherited IRA confusion. The SECURE Act really did create a perfect storm of complexity, especially for situations like yours with double-inherited accounts. One thing I haven't seen mentioned yet is that you should also check if your dad's IRA accounts had any beneficiary designations that might affect your situation. Sometimes when people inherit IRAs, there can be contingent beneficiaries listed that could complicate things further. Also, while everyone's focusing on the penalty relief (which is definitely important), don't forget about the tax planning aspect. Since you have until 2032 to empty both accounts, you might want to spread the distributions across multiple tax years to avoid pushing yourself into higher tax brackets. This is where a good tax professional becomes really valuable - not just for handling the penalties, but for creating a withdrawal strategy that minimizes your overall tax burden. The fact that your dad's advisor is being evasive is unfortunately common. Many advisors are overwhelmed by the SECURE Act changes and would rather punt to someone else than risk giving incorrect advice. Don't take it personally - just keep looking for someone who specializes in this area. You've got options here, and with the penalty relief available for SECURE Act confusion, this situation is definitely fixable. The key is acting soon rather than continuing to wait.