Has anyone mentioned checking if your school offers any scholarships specifically for married students or homeowners? My university had a few special scholarship programs for "non-traditional" students that included married undergrads. Was an extra $2500/semester that most people didn't even know existed! Also check with your employer - many offer tuition assistance that isn't income-based like FAFSA. My company paid $5250/year (tax-free!) toward my degree regardless of marital status.

One thing that hasn't been mentioned is the timing of when you actually file your FAFSA versus when you get married. Even if you get married in 2025, you can update your FAFSA dependency status mid-year through a "special circumstances" review with your financial aid office. This means you could potentially get the best of both worlds - file initially as a dependent (if that's beneficial for any reason), then update to independent status after marriage. Also, regarding the homeowner tax benefits, make sure you're not confusing the expired federal first-time homebuyer credit with current programs. Many states and localities offer first-time buyer assistance, mortgage interest deductions, and property tax exemptions that aren't affected by marital status as long as both names are on the deed. Another consideration: if you're planning to have children in the future, being married before starting school could make you eligible for additional grants and childcare assistance programs that aren't available to unmarried couples, even if you don't have kids yet during your studies. I'd strongly recommend running the numbers both ways using the Federal Student Aid Estimator on the FSA website, then consulting with a tax professional who understands education benefits before making your final decision.

I'm dealing with this exact same issue! Filed through H&R Block and applied my $3,100 refund to quarterly taxes but haven't seen any confirmation either. One thing I discovered is that you can also call the automated IRS line at 1-800-829-4477 and use the "refund status" option - sometimes it will mention if your refund was applied to estimated taxes instead of being issued as a direct deposit. Also, if you're really concerned about underpayment penalties, remember that as long as you pay at least 100% of last year's tax liability (or 110% if your prior year AGI was over $150k), you should be safe from penalties even if the quarterly distribution isn't perfect. But definitely try those online tools others mentioned - sounds like they're really helpful for peace of mind!

I went through this same situation last year and here's what I learned: The IRS doesn't send a separate confirmation letter when you apply your refund to estimated taxes. However, you should receive a notice (CP21 or similar) within 6-8 weeks after your return is processed that shows the refund amount and confirms it was applied to your estimated tax account. In the meantime, you can check your online IRS account and look for your "Account Transcript" for the current tax year (2024). Look for transaction code 766 with a credit date - this indicates a refund credit applied to estimated taxes. The amount should match your $4,365 refund. If you're still not seeing anything after 6 weeks, definitely call the IRS. I had to call when mine didn't show up properly and the agent was able to confirm immediately that the refund had been correctly applied. Just have your 2023 tax return handy when you call. Don't stress too much - the IRS is generally pretty good about processing these applications correctly, even if their confirmation process isn't very transparent!

quick tip: remember contribution deadline for 2025 tax year is April 15, 2026. u can contribute anytime from Jan 1 2025 up until then. make sure u specify which tax yr the contribution is for when u do it!!

This is such a helpful thread! I'm in a very similar situation - my husband earns around $145k and I'm a stay-at-home mom. I've been putting off opening an IRA because I was convinced we made too much money, but after reading all these responses, it sounds like I can still make a fully deductible contribution since we're well under that $230k threshold for spousal IRAs. One thing I'm wondering about - do I need to open the IRA account before making the contribution, or can I open it and contribute at the same time? Also, does it matter which bank or investment company I choose for the IRA, or are they all basically the same in terms of tax benefits? Thanks everyone for sharing your knowledge and experiences!

I'm so sorry you're going through this - it sounds incredibly frustrating and unfortunately all too common with these large tax relief companies. The pattern you're describing with Optima is exactly what consumer protection agencies have been warning about for years. A few things that might help: First, document everything - save all emails, contracts, and records of payments you made to them. If they promised specific results or timelines, make note of those too. This documentation will be crucial if you do pursue legal action. Second, you might want to contact your state's attorney general office and file a complaint. While individual complaints don't always result in immediate action, they do build a case file that can lead to investigations if enough people report similar experiences. For your actual tax problem, as others have mentioned, you likely have options available directly through the IRS that don't require expensive intermediaries. The IRS website has a lot of helpful information about payment plans, offers in compromise, and other relief programs. As for organizing legal action, you might want to reach out to consumer protection attorneys in your area who handle class action suits. Many will provide free consultations to evaluate whether you have a viable case. The fact that you and others are reporting such similar experiences suggests there might be grounds for action. Hang in there - you're not alone in this, and there are legitimate paths forward to resolve both your tax issues and potentially recover what you paid to Optima.

I'm really sorry to hear about your experience with Optima Tax Relief - unfortunately, you're definitely not alone. I've been working in tax resolution for several years now and I see the aftermath of these kinds of situations regularly. What you're describing is textbook behavior from many of the large, heavily-advertised tax relief companies. They make big promises upfront, collect substantial fees, and then do minimal work while stringing clients along with requests for more documentation or additional payments. The reality is that most tax resolution work involves fairly standard IRS procedures that don't require the "expert negotiation" these companies claim to provide. Payment plans, offers in compromise, and other relief options have specific IRS criteria that determine eligibility - it's not really about negotiation skills. For your immediate situation, I'd recommend contacting the IRS directly to understand what options are actually available to you. You can often accomplish more in a single phone call with an IRS agent than these companies do in months. The IRS website also has good information about legitimate relief programs. Regarding potential legal action, definitely document everything and consider filing complaints with your state attorney general and the FTC. Even if individual complaints don't immediately resolve your situation, they help build cases that can lead to broader investigations and enforcement actions. You're absolutely right that these companies need to be stopped - they target people who are already in vulnerable financial situations and make their problems worse. Thank you for sharing your story and warning others.

Here's my timeline from last week: Filed: Tuesday 3pm Preapproval: Tuesday 3:05pm Final approval: Thursday 9am Money on card: Friday morning Hope this helps!

Been through this process a few times and wanted to share what I've learned. The approval timeline really depends on a few key factors: 1) Day/time you file (weekends can add delay), 2) Your credit profile (they do check), and 3) How quickly IRS accepts your e-file. I've seen approvals as fast as 6 hours and as long as 72 hours. Since you filed yesterday and got preapproval, you're probably looking at approval by tomorrow evening at the latest. The anxiety is real when you need the money - hang in there! 🙏