This is so relatable! I'm in a similar boat with my refund showing as pending in CashApp since yesterday. What's really frustrating is that they don't give you any transparency about their internal processing timeline - just "pending" with no estimated availability date. I've been reading through everyone's experiences here and it seems like the 5-7 day hold is pretty standard for government deposits with CashApp. I'm definitely going to look into switching to a credit union next year after hearing how much faster they process refunds. For now, I guess we're all just playing the waiting game. At least knowing other people go through this same frustration makes it feel less personal! 😅 Thanks for starting this thread - it's actually really helpful to see the patterns everyone has experienced.

This thread is so helpful! I'm a freelance graphic designer and deal with irregular income, so when my tax refund gets held up like this it really throws off my cash flow planning. My CashApp refund has been pending for 3 days now and it's driving me crazy seeing it just sit there. What really gets me is that CashApp markets itself as being faster and more convenient than traditional banks, but then they hold government deposits longer than most credit unions do. It feels like false advertising honestly. Has anyone tried calling the CashApp phone support line for tax refund holds? I know their chat support is pretty useless, but wondering if the phone agents have more insight into specific deposit timelines. At this point I just want to know if I should expect it Monday or if I'm looking at the full 7-day wait. The uncertainty is worse than just knowing it'll take a week! Thanks everyone for sharing your experiences - at least I know I'm not alone in this frustrating limbo! 😩

Quick question for anyone who knows - if a company sends me free products to review (like they ship me a gaming keyboard or something), do I need to report that as income? And if so, how do I determine the value?

Great question! As a fellow content creator, I've dealt with this exact situation. The key is understanding the "ordinary and necessary" test - the IRS allows deductions for expenses that are both ordinary (common in your industry) and necessary (helpful for your business). For your examples: - $2,500 gaming PC: If you're primarily using it for video editing, streaming, and content creation, this is likely deductible. Just track your business vs personal usage percentage. - $32,000 car: This gets trickier. If your channel is specifically about car reviews and this purchase directly generates content/revenue, it could be deductible. But you'll need to depreciate it over time and only deduct the business portion. - Firearms for review channels: Same principle applies - if it's genuinely for business content, it can be deductible. The critical factors are: 1) Can you prove it's for business purposes? 2) Is the expense reasonable relative to your income? 3) Do you have proper documentation? My advice: Keep detailed records of everything - receipts, content calendars showing when items appear in videos, revenue generated from that content, and logs of business vs personal use. The IRS isn't trying to stop legitimate business expenses, but they will scrutinize large purchases that could be personal.

Has anyone tried claiming the tutoring costs as Miscellaneous Itemized Deductions instead of medical expenses? I read somewhere that educational therapy might qualify that way and then you wouldn't have to hit that 7.5% AGI threshold.

I'm dealing with a similar situation for my daughter who has ADHD. One thing I learned from our experience is that you'll want to make sure your reading specialist is qualified to provide services for learning disabilities - the IRS may scrutinize whether the provider has appropriate credentials to treat the specific condition. Also, don't forget that you can potentially include related expenses like mileage to and from tutoring sessions (currently 22 cents per mile for medical travel in 2023). If you're paying $725 per month and driving to sessions regularly, those transportation costs can add up to a meaningful additional deduction. Keep detailed records of everything - session dates, payments, progress notes if the tutor provides them. The more documentation you have showing this is legitimate medical treatment rather than general academic support, the better positioned you'll be if questions arise.

You can also call the IRS at 1-800-829-1040 and ask them to check if your dependent's SSN was used on another return, but they won't tell you who filed it. If it was used, they'll send you Form 14039 (Identity Theft Affidavit) and you'll need to file a paper return with all your custody documentation. The whole process can take 4-6 months to resolve unfortunately.

Another option is to request Form 4506-T (Request for Transcript of Tax Return) from the IRS website or by calling them. This will show you a transcript of what was filed under your child's SSN, including who claimed them as a dependent. It's free and usually faster than waiting for notices. If you see they were claimed by someone else, you can then decide whether to file a paper return disputing it or try to resolve it directly with your ex first.

17 Could just paper file. It's free and the processing time isn't really that bad anymore. I mailed in a 1041 last month and got the confirmation within 3 weeks. Just make sure to send it certified mail so you have proof of delivery.

Another option to consider is FreeTaxUSA, which typically charges around $50-70 for Form 1041 filing - much more reasonable than TurboTax's $199. I used them for my grandmother's estate return last year and found their 1041 interface straightforward enough, especially since you already have your forms completed. If you're looking for the absolute cheapest route and aren't in a rush, paper filing really isn't that bad. The IRS has actually improved their processing times significantly. Just make copies of everything, send it certified mail, and you'll save the e-filing fees entirely. The trade-off is waiting a bit longer for confirmation, but for a straightforward estate return it's often worth the savings.