I went through this exact same situation about 6 months ago and can definitely confirm that calling the IRS is still a totally valid option for setting up payment plans without dealing with the biometric data requirements. The phone process was honestly more straightforward than I expected. I called 1-800-829-1040 on a Wednesday morning around 7:45 AM and got through in about an hour. The agent was able to set everything up just by verifying my identity with my SSN, last year's AGI, and some basic info from my tax return - no facial recognition or any of that invasive stuff required. Yes, the phone setup fee is higher ($107 vs $31 for online), but for me the privacy trade-off was absolutely worth it. Plus, once it's set up, making payments through IRS Direct Pay is super simple and doesn't require any account creation. I've been making my monthly payments that way for months now with zero issues. One thing I'd recommend - when you call, be very clear that you want to avoid creating any online accounts due to privacy concerns. The agents are totally used to this request now and will make sure to note it in your file. They'll send you payment coupons by mail, but honestly Direct Pay is way more convenient than mailing checks anyway. The wait times can be brutal, so definitely try calling early in the morning on a Tuesday, Wednesday, or Thursday if possible. Having all your paperwork ready before you call will make the actual conversation much quicker once you get through to someone.

I really appreciate everyone sharing their experiences with the phone route for setting up IRS payment plans. As someone who's been hesitating to deal with my own tax debt because of privacy concerns about the biometric verification, this thread has been incredibly helpful. The consensus seems clear that calling the IRS is still a viable and straightforward option, even with the higher setup fee. The $76 difference really isn't significant when you consider the peace of mind from avoiding biometric data collection, especially given all the data breach concerns we've been seeing lately. I'm planning to follow the advice here and call on a Tuesday or Wednesday morning around 7:30 AM with all my documents ready. It's reassuring to know that the agents are familiar with privacy-conscious taxpayers and can note that preference in your file for future interactions. The Direct Pay system for making monthly payments sounds like it works seamlessly without any account creation, which addresses my main concern about ongoing privacy issues after the initial setup. Thanks to everyone who took the time to share detailed, real-world experiences rather than just general advice. This kind of firsthand information is exactly what people need when navigating these situations where privacy and compliance intersect.

I totally understand your frustration! I went through the exact same thing last year with my Serve Card. The waiting is absolutely nerve-wracking, especially when you need the money for something important like your apartment deposit. From what I've experienced and seen in this community, Jackson Hewitt Serve Cards are consistently 1-2 days slower than the official DD date shown on WMR. It's not that anything is wrong - it's just how their processing system works. Since your DD date is 3/17, I'd expect to see it hit your card by 3/19 at the latest. Try not to stress too much about checking every few hours (easier said than done, I know!). If you don't see it by Thursday, then it might be worth calling their customer service line. But based on what everyone else is saying, this delay is totally normal for Serve Cards this tax season.

I'm in the exact same boat with my Serve Card! My DD date was 3/17 and I've been refreshing the app constantly too. From reading through all these responses, it sounds like the 1-2 day delay is completely normal for Jackson Hewitt cards. I called their customer service this morning and the representative confirmed they're seeing higher than usual volumes right now, which is causing the typical processing delays. She said as long as my transcript shows code 846 with the correct amount (which it does), I should see it by tomorrow or Thursday at the latest. It's so frustrating when you're counting on that money, but at least we're not alone in this waiting game! I'm going to try to stop obsessively checking until Thursday evening.

I've been through this exact scenario twice in the past three years, and I can tell you the 846 code date is generally reliable for when you'll receive your deposit - even with an offset involved. In my case, the offset didn't show up on my transcript either, but I still got the remainder of my refund on the exact date listed next to the 846 code. The key thing to understand is that the IRS processes the offset BEFORE issuing the 846 code, so that date reflects when they'll send you whatever's left after any debts are paid. I'd definitely call the Treasury Offset Program number that Sean mentioned (800-304-3107) to find out what the offset is for - could be anything from student loans to child support to state taxes you forgot about. For your medical expenses, I'd plan conservatively and assume you'll only get the amount after the offset. The good news is that if the 846 code is already on your transcript with a 3/5 date, the processing is essentially done and you should see that deposit right on schedule.

I just want to add that this exact situation happened to my sister in February, and she was panicking because she needed that refund for her daughter's dental work. What we learned is that the WMR tool is actually pulling from a different database than your transcript, which is why you're seeing the discrepancy. The 846 code with 3/5 date should be accurate for when you'll receive your deposit - that's the IRS saying "we're sending you money on this date." The offset processing happens behind the scenes before they even generate that code, so your transcript won't show the nitty-gritty details of what was taken out. Since you mentioned medical expenses, I'd suggest calling both the Treasury Offset Program (800-304-3107) AND your bank to see if they can give you any heads up about incoming deposits. Sometimes banks will show pending deposits a day or two early, which could help with your planning. The uncertainty is the worst part of this whole process, but at least the 846 code is usually very reliable for timing!

I had the exact same experience last year and it was infuriating! What made it even worse was that I called their customer service to complain, and the rep basically admitted this is their standard business model. They deliberately design the "free" version to capture your time and information, then force you to upgrade at the last minute when you're already invested in the process. The rep told me that things like having a 1099-INT (even for $5 of bank interest), claiming education credits, or having any retirement account contributions automatically disqualify you from their free version - but they never tell you this upfront. Instead, they let you go through the entire process before revealing the mandatory upgrade. After that experience, I switched to using the IRS's own Free File Fillable Forms. It's more basic than the fancy software, but it's genuinely free for everyone regardless of income or tax complexity. You just need to be comfortable reading the actual tax forms and instructions, but for straightforward returns like yours, it works perfectly fine. The whole tax preparation industry is built on making something that should be simple seem complicated so they can charge us for it. Don't give TurboTax another penny - there are plenty of truly free alternatives that won't play these deceptive games with you.

This thread has been incredibly helpful - thank you everyone for sharing your experiences and alternatives! I had no idea how widespread TurboTax's deceptive practices were. What really gets me is how they've essentially weaponized our psychology against us. They know that after you've spent an hour entering all your information, you're emotionally invested in completing the process with them rather than starting over elsewhere. It's the classic sunk cost fallacy, and they're deliberately exploiting it. I'm bookmarking several of the alternatives mentioned here - FreeTaxUSA, the IRS Free File program, and even the Free File Fillable Forms for next year. The $59.99 I got charged this year is going to be the last money TurboTax ever sees from me. Has anyone tried filing an FTC complaint about their misleading advertising? It seems like there should be consequences for advertising something as "free" when it clearly isn't for the majority of users who try it.

Has anyone used TurboTax or H&R Block for handling this kind of 401k correction situation? Do they have any special forms or worksheets for this? I'm trying to decide if I should just use software or go to a professional this year.

I went through this exact situation two years ago and it was so stressful! Just to add to what everyone else has said - you're definitely on the right track. File your 2023 taxes using your W-2 exactly as it appears, even with the over-contribution amount included. One thing I wish someone had told me earlier is to get written confirmation from your 401k administrator about the correction details. Even though they won't give you updated documents for this year, ask them to send you an email or letter confirming: - The exact amount that was corrected - The date the correction was processed - That it was specifically a "return of excess deferrals" This documentation becomes super helpful when you file next year with the 1099-R. Also, don't stress about "paying taxes twice" - the system is designed to handle this properly across the two tax years, and the 1099-R will have the right codes to prevent double taxation. You're doing everything right by catching and correcting it quickly!