I've been dealing with similar IRS payment plan errors and found this thread incredibly helpful! Just wanted to add one more potential fix that worked for me - if you're using Safari on Mac, try switching to Chrome or Firefox specifically for the IRS payment portal. I spent hours trying all the usual troubleshooting steps (clearing cache, different times of day, checking for notices) but kept getting the same error. Turns out Safari's enhanced privacy features and tracking prevention were interfering with the IRS site's session management. As soon as I switched to Chrome and went through the payment plan setup, it worked perfectly on the first try. Apparently Safari blocks some of the cross-site tracking that the IRS payment system relies on to maintain your session across their different subdomains. Also want to second what others have said about the early morning timing - I finally succeeded at 6:45 AM EST on a Wednesday. The system is definitely more stable during off-peak hours. Don't give up if you're getting errors - there are so many potential solutions in this thread that one of them is bound to work for your specific situation!

I've been working with taxpayers on IRS issues for over a decade, and I wanted to share a few additional troubleshooting steps that haven't been mentioned yet. First, if you're getting errors specifically during the identity verification step, make sure you're entering your prior year AGI (Adjusted Gross Income) from the correct tax year. The system asks for your "prior year AGI" which would be from your 2023 return if you're filing 2024 taxes. I've seen people accidentally use their current year AGI, which will cause authentication failures. Second, check if you have any browser extensions that modify web forms or auto-fill data. Extensions like LastPass, Dashlane, or even Google's built-in password manager can sometimes interfere with the IRS forms by changing field values or formatting. Try using an incognito/private browsing window which disables most extensions. Third, if you've recently changed banks or closed accounts, make sure you're not trying to use old banking information for direct debit setup. The system will fail if it can't verify your account details, even if everything else is correct. The 6-8 AM timeframe recommendation is absolutely spot-on. I always tell my clients to try during those early hours when server load is minimal. The IRS systems are notoriously overloaded during peak hours, especially during tax season.

Heads up - I missed filing 1065 forms for two years for my "zero activity" LLC with my sister, and the IRS hit us with penalties of over $2,500! Definitely file even if you did nothing. The penalties are per partner, per month.

I went through this exact situation two years ago with my consulting LLC partnership! Even though we had zero revenue, we still had to file Form 1065. What helped me was breaking it down into steps: 1. First, gather all your documentation - LLC formation docs, EIN confirmation, and receipts for those startup expenses 2. The $475 in expenses you mentioned (filing fees + domain/hosting) are legitimate business deductions that will create a small loss to pass through to both partners 3. Each partner reports their 50% share ($237.50 loss) on Schedule E of their personal returns One thing that caught me off guard was the filing deadline - partnerships have to file by March 15th (vs April 15th for individuals), but you can request an automatic 6-month extension if needed. Since you mentioned being a tax newbie, I'd also recommend keeping detailed records of any future business expenses, even if the business stays inactive. Having everything organized from the start makes subsequent years much easier if you do get the business going again when circumstances improve with your brother's health. The good news is once you get through the first filing, you'll understand the process much better for future years!

I'm going through the exact same situation! Filed my NC return on February 14th (federal and state together) and received my federal refund of $1,156 on March 3rd, but still waiting on my NC refund of $423. This is also my first year reporting retirement income from a 401k distribution, so I'm wondering if that's what's causing the extended processing time. The NC website has shown "being processed" for over 6 weeks now with no change. Reading through everyone's experiences here is actually really helpful - it sounds like 7-9 weeks has become the new standard for returns with retirement income this year. I'm at day 48 now, so hopefully I'll see some movement soon. It's frustrating that NC takes so much longer than federal, especially when you're used to getting both refunds around the same time in previous years. But at least now I know this delay pattern is common and not necessarily a sign that something's wrong with my return. Thanks for starting this thread - it's reassuring to know so many of us are in the same boat!

I'm experiencing almost the exact same timeline as many of you! Filed on February 12th and received my federal refund ($967) on February 28th, but still waiting on my NC state refund of $534. This is also my first year including retirement income (pension rollover), so seeing everyone's experiences with retirement income causing 7-9 week delays is actually really reassuring. I'm at day 51 now and was starting to panic that something was wrong with my return, but it sounds like this extended timeline has become the new normal for NC this year, especially with retirement income involved. The "being processed" status hasn't budged in over 7 weeks, which was making me nervous, but clearly that's standard based on everyone's reports here. Going to follow the advice to wait until I hit the full 8 weeks before calling. Thanks for creating this thread - it's so helpful to know we're all going through the same frustrating wait together!

I went through this exact same situation last year! I was a college student who moved from Ohio to California and made the same choice - paid my state prep fees upfront but chose refund transfer for federal. Your federal refund will definitely still go through SBTPG since you selected that option, even though you paid state fees separately. The good news is that once SBTPG receives your refund from the IRS, they typically process it pretty quickly - mine took about 3 days. The frustrating part is that the IRS showing "accepted" just means they've processed your return, but they can take up to 21 days to actually send the refund to SBTPG. I'd definitely recommend checking the SBTPG website to track your refund status once it gets to that stage. The waiting is nerve-wracking, especially when you need the money for school expenses, but it all worked out fine for me! Next year I'm definitely paying all fees upfront though - the peace of mind is worth it.

I'm going through the exact same situation right now! Just moved from Texas to New York for grad school and made the same decision - paid my state prep fees directly but chose the refund transfer for federal. It's been about 12 days since I filed and I'm stuck at "accepted" status too. Reading through all these responses is actually making me feel a lot better - sounds like this waiting period is totally normal and we should see movement soon. I had no idea about the SBTPG tracker website until now, so I'm definitely going to check that tomorrow. The whole process is way more complicated than I expected when you're dealing with multiple states! At least we're all in this together. I'm bookmarking this thread because everyone's sharing such helpful real-world timelines. Next year I'm 100% paying everything upfront - this anxiety isn't worth the convenience of having fees deducted! 😅

This thread has been super helpful! I'm in a similar situation - expecting my first baby in August 2025 and just accepted a new job offer. Reading through everyone's experiences has given me so much confidence about updating my W4. One thing I'm curious about - has anyone here dealt with having twins or multiples? I know each child counts as a separate dependent, so I assume you'd claim both on your W4 even if they're not born yet. Just want to make sure I understand this correctly since we just found out we're having twins at our last ultrasound! Also really appreciate the tip about keeping track of paystubs after updating the W4. That's definitely something I'll do to make sure everything looks right. Thanks everyone for sharing your real experiences with this - way more helpful than trying to decode IRS publications!

Congratulations on your upcoming addition to the family! You're asking exactly the right questions. I work in tax preparation and see this situation frequently. You're absolutely correct that you can claim your baby as a dependent on your W4 for 2025 even though they won't be born until June. The key thing to remember is that the IRS uses a "snapshot" approach for dependents - if your child exists at any point during the tax year (even if born on December 31st), they qualify as your dependent for the entire year. This applies to all the tax benefits too, including the Child Tax Credit of up to $2,000. When you fill out your W4, you're essentially telling your employer how to calculate your withholding based on the tax situation you expect to have when you file your return next April. Since you'll definitely have a qualifying child by then, claiming them now is not only allowed but recommended to avoid having too much tax withheld from your paychecks. One tip: keep your hospital records and birth certificate handy for next tax season, as you'll need your child's Social Security Number when you file your 2025 return. But for now, you're good to go with updating that W4!