ur gonna need to setup state tax withholding with ur employer asap if u havent already

Also worth noting that Arkansas allows you to deduct your federal income tax paid from your state taxable income, which can help reduce what you owe. It's one of the few states that does this! Make sure your tax preparer knows about this deduction or look for it if you're filing yourself.

Has anyone gotten audited over this mortgage interest issue? I've been claiming the mortgage interest on my separate return for years even though my husband is the only one on the loan. Now I'm worried I've been doing it wrong all along.

This is a tricky situation that many married couples face! Based on what you've described, since only your husband's name is on the mortgage and you file separately, he would typically be the one entitled to claim the mortgage interest deduction - even though you're making the payments. The IRS generally follows the rule that the person legally obligated to pay the debt (whose name is on the mortgage) gets to claim the deduction. When you pay from your separate account, they view it as you making payments on your husband's behalf. However, there are a few things to consider: 1. If you're both on the deed/title to the property, that could potentially change things 2. Some tax professionals argue there's room for interpretation when spouses have clear payment arrangements Given the $14,500 amount involved, I'd strongly recommend consulting with a tax professional or CPA who can review your specific documents and filing situation. The cost of professional advice would likely be worth it to avoid potential IRS issues down the road, especially since this affects multiple tax years. You might also want to consider whether filing jointly would be more beneficial overall, which would eliminate this particular issue entirely.

I went through something very similar last year with my EITC return! Three months is definitely frustrating, but unfortunately not unheard of for EITC claims. A few things that might help: First, definitely check your mail thoroughly - the IRS often sends verification letters for EITC returns that can look like junk mail. If you missed one of these, it could explain the entire delay. Second, try checking your transcript on the IRS website rather than just the Where's My Refund tool. The transcript will show actual processing codes that can tell you exactly what's happening. Look for codes like 570 (additional review) or 971 (notice issued). Also, don't panic about the "received" vs "accepted" status - the Where's My Refund tool is notoriously unreliable with its terminology. Your return was likely accepted if you got that initial confirmation from FreeTaxUSA. One last tip: if you do need to call the IRS, try calling right when they open (7 AM local time) on Tuesday or Wednesday. Still difficult to get through, but slightly better odds. Hang in there - EITC returns just take longer, but you should get your refund eventually!

I'm dealing with almost the exact same issue! Filed in late January with EITC and my refund has been stuck on "received" for over 2 months now. Reading through these responses has been incredibly helpful - I had no idea about checking the transcript or that EITC returns routinely take 45-60 days even without issues. I'm definitely going to try creating an IRS account to check my transcript first, since that seems like the most reliable way to see what's actually happening. The processing codes sound way more informative than the vague "received" status I've been staring at for weeks. Also going to double-check my mail pile for any IRS letters - the comment about verification letters looking like junk mail really caught my attention. I've been so focused on the online tools that I might have overlooked something important in the mail. Thanks everyone for sharing your experiences and solutions. It's reassuring to know this level of delay isn't necessarily a sign that something went wrong with my return!

Has anyone here actually gone through an audit with this kind of partial PTC claim? I'm concerned about taking less than the maximum amount I'm eligible for, even though it seems allowed by the rules.

This is such a complex situation that many taxpayers face! I went through something similar last year with my consulting business. One thing that helped me was creating a simple spreadsheet to model different scenarios. Here's what I learned from working through this: The key is finding that "Goldilocks zone" where your PTC claim is just right - not so high that it pushes your MAGI over the 400% threshold, but high enough to give you meaningful tax savings. I ended up claiming about 75% of my maximum eligible PTC, which kept my MAGI at around 395% of the federal poverty level. This allowed me to maintain both the self-employed health insurance deduction and a substantial premium tax credit. One tip: when you're doing the calculations, remember that the self-employed health insurance deduction goes on Schedule 1, which directly reduces your AGI, while the PTC is a refundable credit. So you want to optimize for the combination that gives you the lowest overall tax liability. The IRS really does understand this circular reference problem - it's not some obscure loophole. Publication 974 specifically addresses it because so many self-employed people with marketplace coverage face this exact scenario. Don't let your tax preparer's confusion discourage you from pursuing this legitimate approach!

This is exactly what happened to my sister a few months ago! The waiting is the worst part because you have no idea how much they're taking until you get that BFS letter. In her case, it was for old state taxes she didn't even realize she still owed from when she moved between states. The automated line at 1-800-304-3107 that others mentioned is definitely worth calling - it'll at least tell you the total amount being offset and which type of debt it is. One tip: if you think the debt might be incorrect or already paid, you can dispute it, but you have to act fast once you get the official notice. The whole process took about 3 weeks total for her, but at least she got the remaining portion of her refund after they took what was owed. Hang in there!

I went through this exact same thing last year! That message is frustrating because it doesn't give you the details you really need. Here's what I learned: The Bureau of Fiscal Service runs something called the Treasury Offset Program that automatically checks for debts when your refund gets processed. Common culprits are student loans in default, back child support, state tax debt, or even unemployment overpayments. The automated hotline at 1-800-304-3107 is your best friend right now - it'll tell you the offset amount and what type of debt without having to wait for the letter. When I called, I found out it was for an old state tax bill I'd forgotten about from a previous move. The timeline is usually: offset happens → BFS letter gets mailed (takes 1-2 weeks) → remaining refund (if any) gets deposited. In my case, they took $800 of my $2,200 refund for the state debt, and I got the remaining $1,400 about 10 days after my original expected deposit date. One important thing - if you think the debt is wrong or already paid, you can dispute it, but you need to act quickly once you get the official notice. Keep all your paperwork handy just in case!