I'm going through the exact same thing! Filed my AZ return on March 8th and it's been stuck on "Your return is being processed" for over 2 months now. The frustrating part is that my federal refund came through in less than 3 weeks, so it's definitely an Arizona-specific issue. I've been reading through all these comments and it sounds like there are a few things we can try: 1. Call right at 8:00 AM sharp when they open 2. Check the AZ Dept of Revenue website directly with our SSN instead of just using the confirmation number 3. Make sure all our info (address, bank details) exactly matches what's on our W-2 4. Contact our state representative if nothing else works The suggestions about taxr.ai and Claimyr are interesting too - might be worth trying if we can't get through the normal channels. It's ridiculous that we have to pay third parties just to get our own money back from the state, but at this point I'm desperate. Thanks for posting this - at least we know we're not alone in dealing with Arizona's broken system! Keep us updated if you make any progress.

I'm experiencing the exact same issue! Filed my Arizona state return on March 20th and it's been stuck on "Your return is being processed" for almost 2 months now. My federal refund was deposited within 2 weeks, so this is definitely an Arizona problem. After reading all these comments, I'm going to try a few things: 1. Check the status using my SSN directly on the AZ Dept of Revenue website instead of just the confirmation number 2. Set my alarm for 7:59 AM tomorrow and call exactly at 8:00 AM 3. Double-check that my address and bank info exactly match what's on my W-2 If none of that works, I'll contact my state representative - seems like that's been the most successful approach for people here. It's absolutely ridiculous that we have to jump through all these hoops just to get our own money back, but at this point I'm willing to try anything. Thanks for starting this thread - it's somewhat comforting to know we're all dealing with the same broken system. Arizona really needs to fix their processing issues!

Don't forget that if your income is under $60,000, you can get your taxes done for FREE through the VITA program (Volunteer Income Tax Assistance). They're specifically trained to help with credits like the EITC and Child Tax Credit. Just Google "VITA site near me" to find locations. This will save you from paying for tax software and they'll make sure you get every credit you qualify for. I've used them for years and they're amazing volunteers who really know their stuff about tax credits for families!

Remember that if your baby was born in 2024, they count as your dependent for the ENTIRE year, even though they weren't here the whole time! This surprises a lot of new parents. You get the full Child Tax Credit and they count for EITC purposes for all of 2024. Also make sure you're getting any state tax credits too! Many states have their own version of EITC that piggybacks off the federal one, so you could get even more money back.

I'm at week 5 of waiting for my CP09 refund and stumbled across this thread at the perfect time! Got my notice in late March, responded both online and by mail just like everyone else here, and have been stressing about the lack of updates on the IRS website. This thread has been incredibly helpful - I had no idea that 8-12 weeks was normal processing time or that the "Where's My Refund" tool doesn't update properly for EITC adjustments. I was starting to worry that my response got lost or that I filled something out wrong. Reading about people like @b83406405c6c getting $3,700+ and @dc11f34c4971 getting confirmation from an IRS agent that everything is on track really helps with the anxiety. I'm definitely going to try one of those callback services mentioned here since my attempts to call the IRS directly have been completely useless. It's so reassuring to hear from real people who've actually been through this process rather than trying to decode the confusing official guidance. Thanks to everyone who shared their experiences and timelines! This community support is exactly what I needed to stop checking the IRS website multiple times a day and just be patient. Fingers crossed we all get our refunds soon - the waiting is tough but it sounds like it's usually worth it in the end!

I'm at week 4 of waiting for my CP09 refund and this thread has been absolutely amazing to find! Got my notice in early April, responded both online and by mail like so many others here, and was starting to get really worried about the complete lack of updates on the IRS website. Reading through everyone's experiences has been incredibly reassuring - I had no idea that 8-12 weeks was the standard processing time or that the online refund tools basically don't work for EITC cases. I was checking daily and seeing the same generic "still processing" message, thinking something must be wrong. The success stories here are really encouraging, especially hearing about people getting substantial amounts like @b83406405c6c with $3,700+ and learning about the interest payments after 45 days. I'm definitely going to look into using Claimyr or taxr.ai based on all the positive feedback - seems much better than my failed attempts to call the IRS directly. Thanks to everyone who's shared their timelines and kept updating us on their progress! This real community support is so much more helpful than anything I could find on the official IRS website. It's such a relief to know I'm not alone in this waiting game and that there's light at the end of the tunnel!

Does anyone know if we can still claim the Form 7202 credit for the 2024 tax year? I've heard conflicting information and can't find a straight answer anywhere.

Hey AstroAce! I completely understand your confusion with Form 7202 - it really is one of the more complex forms out there. As a tax professional, I've helped dozens of clients through this process. A few key points that might help you: 1. **Average Daily Self-Employment Income**: Take your net earnings from self-employment (from Schedule C) and divide by 260 working days. Don't use 365 days - that's a common mistake that will reduce your credit. 2. **Documentation is crucial**: Keep detailed records of the specific dates you couldn't work due to COVID-related reasons. This includes being sick yourself, caring for someone who was sick, or dealing with school/childcare closures. General business slowdown doesn't qualify. 3. **Maximum credits**: You can claim up to 10 days (80 hours) for your own illness at 100% of your average daily rate, and up to 50 days for family care at 2/3 of your rate. 4. **Watch out for PPP interactions**: You cannot claim credits for the same period covered by forgiven PPP funds. The form can definitely be overwhelming, but breaking it down step by step makes it much more manageable. Make sure you're using the 2021 version of the form if you're amending that year's return. Good luck with your photography business!

This is such a common issue this year! I'm a tax preparer and I've seen dozens of clients with the exact same situation - people who always got state refunds suddenly owing hundreds or even over $1000. The main culprits are usually: 1) State withholding table changes (which many states implemented without much fanfare), 2) Your freelance income pushing you into a higher state tax bracket or affecting credits, and 3) Loss of state tax credits due to income thresholds. For your $2,500 freelance income, you'll need to pay California state income tax on that amount (likely around 6-9% depending on your total income), plus it might have pushed you out of certain state credits or into a higher bracket for some of your other income. My advice: Pull up your prior year California return and compare it line-by-line with this year's. Look specifically at your state withholding amounts, any credits you claimed last year vs this year, and your effective tax rate. This will show you exactly where the difference is coming from. Also submit a new DE-4 form to your employer to increase your California withholding for next year - better to get a smaller refund than owe $780 again!

I'm dealing with this exact same situation! I'm in Texas and suddenly owe $520 to the state when I've gotten refunds for the past 4 years. Like you, nothing major changed - same job, same filing status. The only difference is I started doing some part-time tutoring that brought in about $1,800 throughout the year. What's really frustrating is that I compared my paystubs and my state withholding did seem slightly lower this year, but I just assumed it was because of some minor payroll system update. Now I'm wondering if Texas also changed their withholding tables like some of the other states mentioned here. I'm definitely going to try that line-by-line comparison suggestion from the tax preparer above. It's so annoying that these changes happen without clear communication to employees. Thanks for posting this - at least now I know I'm not the only one going through this!