Make sure to sign up for informed delivery with USPS if you're getting a check. Sometimes WMR isn't accurate but informed delivery will show you when its actually coming.

Congratulations on finally getting your DDD! That's such a relief after waiting months. I'm still stuck in the "being processed" limbo myself, but seeing success stories like yours gives me hope. Quick question - did you have any specific issues with your return that might have caused the delay, or was it just the general IRS backlog? Also, did your transcript update at the same time as WMR, or did one update before the other? Trying to figure out which tool to rely on more for tracking updates.

Is there a way to see if they sent my 1095-A to my old address? I moved in November but updated my address on healthcare.gov. Now I'm worried my form might be lost in the mail...

Great news that you found yours online! For anyone else still waiting, I'd definitely recommend checking your Healthcare.gov account under the "tax documents" section first before panicking. Mine showed up there about a week before I got the physical copy in the mail. Also wanted to mention - if you're still having trouble accessing it online or the form isn't there, you can request a duplicate by calling the Marketplace. They can usually email you a copy within 24-48 hours if there's an urgent need to file. Just have your application ID and Social Security number ready when you call. The key thing is not to stress too much - while it's frustrating to wait, the IRS understands these delays happen and won't penalize you for filing a bit later if you're waiting on required documents like the 1095-A.

Don't forget about per diem rates! Instead of tracking every meal receipt, you can use the GSA standard rates (google "GSA per diem" for the latest). Way easier than keeping every coffee and lunch receipt. For the conference itself, I take pictures of the agenda and circle/highlight the sessions I attend that are relevant to my side business. This has saved me multiple times when my accountant asked for documentation of business purpose.

Great thread with lots of helpful info! One additional tip I'd add - create a simple trip log documenting each day's activities and their business purpose. I keep a notes app on my phone and jot down which sessions I attended, who I networked with for my 1099 work vs W-2 job, etc. This becomes crucial if you ever get audited because the IRS wants to see that the trip had a legitimate business purpose beyond just a vacation. Even something as simple as "Day 1: Attended 'Digital Marketing Trends' session - directly applicable to freelance client work" can make all the difference. Also, if you're staying extra days for personal reasons (like extending the trip into a weekend), make sure you allocate hotel costs appropriately. You can only deduct the nights that would have been necessary for the business portion of the trip.

I've been dealing with this exact issue as a freelance graphic designer. What worked for me was creating a simple business usage log for one month early in the tax year, then spot-checking it quarterly to make sure my patterns hadn't changed significantly. I track three categories: pure business (client work, invoicing, business emails), pure personal (social media scrolling, online shopping, personal emails), and mixed use (research that could benefit both business and personal projects). For mixed use, I assign 50% to business unless it's clearly more one way or the other. One tip that my CPA gave me: if you're legitimately using your laptop primarily for business, don't stress too much about the occasional personal email check or quick social media browse during work hours. The IRS understands that modern work isn't conducted in a vacuum. As long as your overall calculation is reasonable and you can support it with some documentation, you should be fine. My laptop ended up being 72% business use, which easily qualifies for Section 179. The peace of mind from having actual data to back up my claim was worth the small effort of tracking for a few weeks.

As someone who went through an IRS audit last year (unrelated to equipment deductions, thankfully), I can tell you that documentation is absolutely critical. The auditor specifically mentioned that they appreciate when taxpayers show they made a good faith effort to calculate business use percentages accurately. What saved me was having a simple but consistent tracking method. I used a basic time-tracking approach where I logged my daily computer usage in 15-minute blocks and coded them as B (business), P (personal), or M (mixed - which I split 50/50). I only did this for 4 weeks spread throughout the year, but it gave me solid data to support my 68% business use claim. One thing I learned from the auditor: they're not expecting perfection, but they do want to see that your percentage wasn't just pulled out of thin air. Having any kind of reasonable documentation puts you way ahead of people who just guess. The auditor actually complimented my simple tracking spreadsheet and said it was exactly the kind of support they like to see. My advice: pick a method that you'll actually stick with consistently, even if it's not the most sophisticated approach. Better to have simple documentation than elaborate plans you abandon after a week.

I've been dealing with transcript codes for years as a tax preparer, and I want to echo what others have said - code 826 is indeed a positive sign! It means the IRS is paying you interest on your delayed refund. However, I'd add one important detail that hasn't been mentioned: the interest calculation starts from either April 15th (the original filing deadline) or the date you filed if you filed after the deadline. So if you filed early in February but are just seeing this code now, you're looking at a decent amount of interest. Also, @Yara, since you mentioned this is your first post-divorce filing, just double-check that you didn't accidentally claim any dependents that your ex-spouse also claimed - that's one of the most common causes for extended processing delays I see with newly divorced clients. The 826 code suggests you're past any major holds though, so that's encouraging!

Hey Yara! I see you're getting some great detailed explanations here, but I wanted to share a quick personal experience that might help ease your mind. I had code 826 appear on my transcript last year during a particularly stressful time (also dealing with major life changes), and I was worried sick about what it meant. Turns out it was actually one of the better codes to see! I received my refund about 8 days after the 826 showed up, and the interest payment was honestly a nice little bonus I wasn't expecting - ended up being about $47 extra on a $2,800 refund. The waiting is definitely the hardest part, especially when you're navigating all this solo for the first time. But from everything I've learned and experienced, once you see 826, you're usually in the home stretch. Keep checking your transcript every few days - you'll likely see an 846 code appear soon, and that's when you know your refund is officially on its way to your account. Hang in there! 💪