Filed mine February 3rd and just got my MS refund this morning! Took exactly 8 weeks. @Malik Robinson you should definitely be getting yours soon since you filed around the same time. The tracker updated to "approved" on Friday and the deposit hit my account today (Monday). Don't lose hope - it's coming! The wait is brutal but Mississippi is just super slow this year with all the fraud prevention stuff they're doing.

Just wanted to give everyone an update - filed mine February 6th and my MS refund finally hit my account this morning! Took exactly 8 weeks and 1 day. The tracker switched from "processing" to "approved" last Thursday and then deposited today. @Malik Robinson since you filed in early February you should definitely be seeing yours any day now! The wait is absolutely brutal but it does eventually come through. Hang in there everyone - Mississippi is just taking forever this year but they are working through them.

Has anyone ever successfully gotten a company to correct or cancel a 1099-MISC in this situation? I'm dealing with something similar now and wondering if it's even worth trying to get them to fix it.

This is such a frustrating situation that shouldn't happen but unfortunately does all the time! I went through something very similar two years ago with a different company. Here's my advice based on what worked for me: First, definitely try calling the company's accounting department (not HR) and ask them to issue a corrected 1099-MISC showing $0. Explain that this was a pure expense reimbursement, not compensation. Some companies will cooperate, especially if you can speak directly with their AP manager or controller. If they won't budge, you have a few options for handling it on your return. The cleanest approach is to report the 1099-MISC income on Schedule 1 but then take an offsetting deduction on the same schedule under "Other Adjustments" with a clear explanation that this was reimbursement for actual expenses. Attach copies of your receipts and a brief statement explaining the situation. Whatever you do, don't just ignore the 1099-MISC - the IRS will definitely notice if you don't report income that was reported to them. But you absolutely shouldn't have to pay tax on money that was just reimbursing your actual out-of-pocket costs. Keep all your documentation and be prepared to explain the situation if questioned.

Just a heads up - if your kids are under 18 and it's a sole proprietorship, having them as W-2 employees can save you both from paying Social Security and Medicare taxes on their wages. That's a 15.3% savings right there! My accountant saved me a ton by setting this up correctly last year.

One thing I haven't seen mentioned yet is documentation. Regardless of whether you go the W-2 or 1099 route, make sure you keep detailed records of the work your kids performed, hours worked (if applicable), and how you determined their pay. For seasonal work like yours, document what specific tasks they did - was it general labor following your direction, or more specialized independent work? Did they work set hours you assigned, or flexible schedules they controlled? These details matter a lot for proper classification. Also, consider having them fill out timesheets or work logs, even if they end up as contractors. It shows you're taking the classification seriously and helps protect you if there are ever questions. The IRS loves good documentation, especially with family business arrangements where they're naturally more suspicious. Since you mentioned this is your first time doing this, it might be worth consulting with a local tax professional who can look at your specific business structure and work arrangements. The potential penalties for misclassification often cost more than getting proper advice upfront.

I think you're in pretty good shape compared to some situations I've seen. The community wisdom around here is that PATH Act returns with changing as-of dates but stable processing dates are usually just working through the system normally. In my experience (and I've filed PATH Act returns for 6 years now), the pattern you're describing typically resolves with a deposit 1-2 weeks after your last as-of date change. The real red flags would be if you saw a 570 code without a 571 resolution, or if your processing date started moving backward, or if you got a 9001 code (verification needed).

I completely understand the anxiety around filing changes after a divorce - you're definitely not alone in that feeling! As someone who went through a similar situation a few years back, I can tell you that the IRS system does take extra time when you're switching from married filing jointly to head of household, especially with custody-related credits. The pattern you're describing (accepted 1/16, as-of date moving but processing date stable at 2/17) is actually really common for PATH Act filers with new HOH status. I tracked my own return obsessively that first year and saw the exact same thing - as-of date jumped from 2/14 to 2/21 to 2/28 before I finally got my 846 code. One thing that helped me sleep better was understanding that the IRS automated systems are actually pretty good at catching legitimate returns versus fraudulent ones. Your return moving through the system with regular updates is a good sign that everything is processing normally, just slowly. Hang in there - based on what you've shared, you should see that 846 code soon!

Really appreciate everyone's detailed advice here! This community is incredibly helpful. Based on all the responses, it sounds like I need to: 1. Provide the W-9 they requested (no question there) 2. Create a simple sponsorship agreement documenting what they get in return (logo on banner/shirts) 3. Prepare for this to be taxable income to my LLC, but keep all tournament expense receipts as deductions 4. Consider setting up sponsorship tiers for future fundraising The sponsorship package idea makes a lot of sense - it gives the business clear advertising value they can justify as a business expense. I'm going to draft something simple that outlines logo placement on our tournament banner, team shirts, and maybe a mention in our social media posts. One follow-up question: should I have them make the check out to the LLC name specifically, or does it matter as long as I have the proper documentation? Want to make sure I don't create any unnecessary complications for either of us. Thanks again everyone - this tournament is going to mean so much to these kids and I feel much more confident about handling the business side properly now!

This is such a great thread with solid advice! I'm running a similar youth sports LLC and learned a lot from everyone's experiences. One additional tip that saved me headaches later: when you create that sponsorship agreement, include a simple clause about how both parties will handle the tax reporting. Something like "Sponsor acknowledges this payment may be reported as business advertising expense" and "LLC acknowledges this payment will be reported as business income." My accountant suggested this after I had some confusion with a sponsor who thought they could claim it as a charitable deduction. Having it spelled out upfront prevented any awkward conversations later. Also, definitely get that LLC bank account set up properly if you haven't already - mixing personal and business funds, even for youth sports, can create unnecessary complications come tax time. The IRS likes clean separation between personal and business finances, especially when you're dealing with larger amounts like this $6,750. Those kids are going to have an amazing tournament experience thanks to your diligent work on the business side!