This exact thing happened to me last month! My credit union rejected our joint refund because my husband's name wasn't on my account. I was panicking thinking I'd lost our refund forever. Here's what I learned: The IRS automatically reissues it as a paper check, but they don't tell you this is happening. I called the IRS after 3 weeks of waiting and they confirmed the rejection and said a check was being mailed. It took about 5 weeks total from the rejection date to receiving the physical check. The agent told me this is super common and happens thousands of times during tax season. Next year I'm definitely just requesting a paper check from the start to avoid this stress!

This happened to my sister and me both last year - it's apparently super common during tax season! The good news is yes, the IRS will automatically mail you a paper check, but the bad news is they don't tell you when this happens or give you a timeline. From what I've experienced and heard from others, it usually takes 4-6 weeks from when the bank rejects it. The most frustrating part is that you're just sitting there wondering if your refund disappeared into the void! If you want peace of mind, you can try calling the IRS (good luck getting through) or check your tax transcript online for those rejection codes people mentioned. For next year, definitely either add your spouse to the account or just request a paper check from the start - lesson learned the hard way! Hang in there, your money is coming! 💸

Don't ignore this situation! I did that with a much smaller tax debt that went to a private collector, and eventually, they returned it to the IRS who then filed a Notice of Federal Tax Lien against me. That destroyed my credit and made it impossible to refinance my house. Deal with it proactively even if you can't pay right now.

I'm in a very similar situation with back taxes from 2019-2021 totaling around $38k that got transferred to CBE Group. One thing that really helped me understand my options was getting a free consultation with a tax attorney through my local bar association's referral service. The attorney explained that while CBE can't directly garnish wages like the IRS can, they will likely try to get you to agree to a payment plan that might be more than you can actually afford. If you can't make those payments, they'll send it back to the IRS who then has all their collection powers available. Given that you've been unemployed for a year, you should definitely look into Currently Not Collectible status before you start working again. The IRS considers your current financial situation, not your future earning potential. If you qualify for CNC status while unemployed, it could buy you time to get back on your feet financially before having to deal with payments or garnishments. Also, don't let CBE pressure you into a payment plan immediately. You have rights and options - take time to understand them all before committing to anything.

The 846 code is absolutely great news! You're basically at the finish line now. That code means the IRS has completed all processing and reviews on your return and has officially approved your refund for payment. Since you mentioned you've been waiting since early February, your return likely went through some additional verification (which has been really common this tax season). But now that you see the 846 code, you can stop worrying - your $3,700 is definitely coming. The date next to the 846 code is when the IRS will send the payment to your bank. Most people with direct deposit see the money in their account within 1-3 business days of that date, though it can vary by bank. Some people even get it the same day if their bank processes deposits quickly. You can stop checking the Where's My Refund tool now - it's notoriously slow to update and often doesn't change until after you've already received your money. Just keep an eye on your bank account around the date shown on your transcript. Congrats on finally getting through the waiting period!

That's fantastic news! Code 846 is exactly what you want to see - it means your refund has been fully approved and is scheduled for payment. You're basically done with the waiting game at this point. Since you filed in early February and are just now seeing the 846 code, your return probably went through additional review or verification (which has been super common this tax season due to fraud prevention measures). But now that you have that 846 code, your $3,700 is guaranteed. The date next to the 846 code is when the IRS will release the payment. For direct deposit, most people see their money within 1-2 business days of that date, though it can vary by bank. Some banks post it the same day, others take up to 3 business days. Pro tip: You can stop checking Where's My Refund now - that tool is notorious for not updating until after people have already received their money. Just watch your bank account around the scheduled date. Hope you get that refund soon to tackle those credit cards!

Thanks everyone for the detailed explanations! This really clears up my confusion. I was overthinking it because the form looked so complicated, but it sounds like for my simple situation with just one personal account, I can skip that consolidated section entirely and just focus on accurately reporting my account details and maximum balance. Really appreciate all the specific examples too - helps to see how the consolidated section actually works for corporate situations versus individual filers like me. Time to finish this FBAR without stressing about sections that don't apply to my situation!

Just wanted to add my experience as someone who's been filing FBARs for several years now. The consolidated reporting section confusion is super common - I remember staring at that section for like an hour my first time filing, convinced I was missing something important! For individual filers, you really can ignore that entire section. I've had anywhere from 1-4 foreign accounts over the years (personal savings, checking, and investment accounts in different countries due to work relocations), and I've never once needed to touch the consolidated section. The key thing to remember is that as an individual, you're just reporting YOUR accounts - even if you have multiple accounts, you're still just one person filing one FBAR. The consolidated section is really designed for complex business structures where one company is reporting on behalf of multiple subsidiaries or related entities. Focus on getting your account details right (especially those account numbers - foreign banks format them weirdly sometimes) and calculating your maximum balances correctly throughout the year. That's where the real work is for individual filers like us!

I'm glad you got this resolved! As someone who's dealt with similar situations, I wanted to add that if this ever comes up again with future employers, you have the right to ask for a clear explanation of why they need specific tax information and what they'll use it for. Legitimate reasons might include: - Work Opportunity Tax Credit eligibility (as others mentioned) - Grant compliance requirements for hiring from certain demographics - Background check requirements for positions handling finances But even in these cases, they should be transparent about the purpose and often there are alternative ways to verify the information they actually need without sharing your complete tax return. For example, an IRS wage transcript or a simple income verification letter might serve the same purpose while protecting more of your privacy. The fact that they accepted your explanation and moved forward suggests this wasn't a hard requirement, which is reassuring. Always trust your instincts when something feels off about a job application process!

I'm glad this worked out for you! As a tax professional, I can confirm that employers should NEVER need your complete tax return. The most they should ask for is a W-4 for withholding and maybe an I-9 for employment verification. What likely happened here is they have some grant funding or tax credit program (like the Work Opportunity Tax Credit) that gives them financial incentives for hiring people from certain income brackets. These programs do require income verification, but there are proper forms for that - they shouldn't be asking for your entire 1040. For anyone else in this situation: you can request an IRS tax transcript instead of providing your full return. This shows basic income information without revealing all your personal financial details. You can get transcripts free directly from the IRS website or by calling them. The fact that they accepted your explanation and moved forward confirms this wasn't actually required - probably just someone in HR following outdated or incorrect procedures. Good for you for questioning it!