I successfully paper filed my 2019, 2020, and 2021 returns all in 2023 and got my refunds without issues. Here's what I learned: 1. Keep copies of EVERYTHING 2. Send certified mail with return receipt 3. Don't fold the forms if possible (use a large envelope) 4. Include all required supporting docs 5. Expect to wait 6-8 months for processing (yes, really) 6. Check "Where's My Refund" tool weekly Filing past year returns is annoying but definitely worth it if you're owed money!

The comments about paper filing are correct, but one thing nobody's mentioned - if your 2021 return is simple enough, you can use the IRS Free File Fillable Forms even for 2021. You still have to print and mail, but it's easier than doing the forms by hand. Go to IRS.gov and search for "prior year forms" - you can download everything you need. And remember to use your 2021 address on the forms if you've moved since then! That trips up a lot of people.

I'm going through this exact same issue! Set up my installment agreement in March and it's now August with no automatic withdrawals happening. Reading through everyone's experiences has been such a relief - I was starting to panic thinking I had somehow messed up the setup process. The consensus here seems crystal clear: make manual payments through Direct Pay while waiting for their system to catch up. I've been hesitant because I was worried about creating complications, but seeing so many success stories gives me the confidence to move forward. What really stands out to me is how many people mentioned this 60-90 day (or longer) processing delay is apparently "normal" for the IRS, yet they don't communicate this clearly in the agreement paperwork. It would save everyone so much stress if they just included a simple note saying "auto-debits may take 2-4 months to activate, please continue making manual payments until then." I'm going to follow the advice here and make catch-up payments for all the missed months today through irs.gov/payments/direct-pay. Going to keep detailed screenshots and records of everything just in case there are any questions later. Thanks to everyone who shared their experiences - this thread should honestly be pinned as a resource for anyone dealing with installment agreement auto-debit delays!

I'm going through this exact same situation right now! Set up my installment agreement in January and it's now been 8 months with absolutely no automatic withdrawals. I was getting really worried that I had somehow messed up the bank account information or that the IRS was going to come after me for defaulting. Reading through everyone's experiences here has been such a huge relief - it's clear this is a systemic issue with their processing systems rather than individual mistakes on our part. The fact that so many people have successfully resolved this by making manual payments while waiting gives me confidence to move forward. What strikes me most is how the IRS doesn't provide any clear communication about these delays. A simple notice saying "automatic withdrawals may take 2-4 months to activate" would prevent so much anxiety for taxpayers trying to do the right thing. I'm going to follow the advice everyone's shared and make catch-up payments through Direct Pay for all the months I've missed. Going to keep detailed screenshots and records of everything, and hopefully the auto-debits will eventually kick in like they did for others here. Thanks to everyone who shared their stories - knowing that this is a common issue and that there's a clear path forward makes this so much less stressful to deal with!

This identity verification stuff is getting out of hand fr. Like I get they tryna prevent fraud but why they gotta make it so complicated for us regular folks just tryna get our money back 😤

From my experience, in-person verification at a TAC office is usually faster once you actually get the appointment, but the scheduling can be a pain. I'd recommend calling your local office first thing Monday morning to see what their availability looks like. Meanwhile, you can also try checking your mail daily for the 5071C letter since sometimes it comes earlier than expected. If you're really in a rush for the refund, maybe try both routes simultaneously and go with whichever becomes available first?

According to the TurboTax support page at https://ttlc.intuit.com/turbotax-support/, the refund advance is a loan product that has specific eligibility requirements including minimum refund amounts and passing their credit check. The estimated date you're seeing is completely separate - it's just their prediction of normal IRS processing time. You can verify your actual refund status directly at https://www.irs.gov/refunds which will be more accurate than what TurboTax is showing.

I've been dealing with this exact same frustration! What helped me understand it better is thinking of TurboTax as basically running two completely separate systems that unfortunately share the same dashboard. One system predicts when the IRS will send your refund (which sounds like it's showing today for you), and the other system decides if you qualify for their loan product to get money before the IRS actually processes everything. The annoying part is they show both pieces of info together without clearly explaining that they're totally unrelated. So you're not missing out on your actual refund - you just don't qualify for borrowing against it early. Your real refund should still come around the date they estimated, assuming the IRS processes everything on schedule. For budgeting purposes, I'd plan around that original estimated date since their predictions are usually pretty close to accurate, just without the "early" part they dangled in front of you.

One thing to consider - if your friend doesn't get the 1099-NEC corrected, he could potentially report it on Schedule C but then also deduct the cost basis of the equipment (what he originally paid for it) so the taxable profit would only be the difference. So if he paid $3000 for the part originally and sold it for $3400, he'd only pay tax on the $400 gain.

This thread has been really helpful! I'm dealing with something similar - my small business received a 1099-NEC for selling some old office furniture to another company. It was just a one-time clearance of equipment we no longer needed, not part of our regular business operations. From what I'm reading here, it sounds like the purchasing company may have misclassified this as a service payment rather than a purchase of goods. The furniture sale was completely separate from any services we provide to clients. Has anyone else had experience getting companies to correct 1099s for equipment sales? I'm wondering if I should reach out to their accounting department directly or if there's a specific form they need to file to void the incorrect 1099-NEC.