Just a warning - I filed on February 1st and still haven't received my refund (it's been almost 10 weeks now)! The Where's My Refund tool just says "Your return is still being processed." I've tried calling but can't get through. I'm wondering if it's because I claimed the recovery rebate credit for a missing stimulus payment? Has anyone else experienced long delays this year? Really regretting not paying the extra $40 for audit protection through my tax software now. 😫

Hey Amaya! Don't stress too much - your brother is probably being overly cautious. The 21-day timeline from TurboTax is actually pretty accurate for most straightforward returns, especially with direct deposit and electronic filing like you did. The 2-3 months your brother mentioned might be from horror stories he's heard or maybe he had complications with his own returns. The 120 days you saw online is usually the absolute worst-case scenario for paper returns or returns with major issues. Since you're 22 and this is your first return, it's probably pretty simple - just W-2 income, standard deduction, maybe student loan interest? Those typically process right on schedule. I'd expect your refund within 2-3 weeks if everything's clean. One tip: download the IRS2Go app and check "Where's My Refund" in about a week. It'll give you a much better idea of your actual timeline than generic estimates. And being in Denver won't affect processing time - it's all done electronically at IRS service centers. You've got this! First-time filing is always nerve-wracking but you did everything right by e-filing with direct deposit.

I think everyone is overcomplicating this. I've filed with nicknames on my documents for YEARS and never had an issue. Bill instead of William, etc. The IRS seriously doesn't care as long as your numbers match up!!!

I'm dealing with a similar situation and this thread has been incredibly helpful! My employer put "Mike" on my W-2 instead of "Michael" and I was panicking about having to get it corrected. Reading all these responses from people who've actually been through this gives me so much peace of mind. It sounds like as long as my SSN is correct (which it is), I should be able to file without any issues. Thanks everyone for sharing your experiences - sometimes real-world examples are worth more than official guidance!

Just wanted to add that if you have any foreign financial accounts or assets that were reported jointly under FBAR or Form 8938, you might need to refile those separately after terminating this election. Had to deal with this headache myself last year!

This is such a helpful thread - I'm dealing with a similar situation right now! Just to add another perspective: I went through this exact process last year and can confirm everything everyone is saying about the "once-in-a-lifetime" rule only applying to the non-resident alien spouse election. One thing I'd emphasize is to keep really good records of everything. I made copies of all the termination documentation, my divorce decree, and the original election statement. My tax preparer said this was smart because if the IRS ever questions the timeline or validity of the election/termination, having all the documentation organized makes it much easier to resolve. Also, if you're planning to remarry anytime soon, it might be worth consulting with a tax professional just to make sure you understand all the implications for your specific situation. Every case is a little different depending on timing, assets, and other factors. The good news is that this really is just a one-time complication and won't affect your ability to file normally with future spouses who are US persons!

I never received an email but I did use taxr.ai to interpret my transcript and it correctly predicted my deposit would arrive on Wednesday - which it did! Saved me so much anxiety. The site gave me a detailed breakdown of exactly what was happening with my return.

I'm in the exact same situation! Got my email Tuesday saying 5 days, and I've been refreshing my banking app every few hours like a crazy person 😅 Based on what everyone's saying here, it sounds like 3-5 business days is pretty normal. The transcript checking tip sounds really helpful - I had no idea you could see those codes online. Fingers crossed we both see our deposits by Friday!

I used to work for elderly services. This screams financial exploitation tbh. The attorney and caregiver tag-team blocking you out is sus af

This is exactly why I always tell people to get their affairs in order early. The IRS doesn't mess around with unreported income, especially when it involves cash payments to caregivers. Your parent's attorney is giving terrible advice - even seniors have filing obligations if they meet income thresholds. I'd recommend getting a second opinion from a tax professional ASAP and maybe consider whistleblower protection if you decide to come forward about the unreported payments. The estate could be looking at serious liability here.