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Don't stress too much about this! You're actually in a better position than many people because you kept track of your mileage - that's going to save you a lot of money. With $4,800 in income and 3,600 miles of deductions at 65.5 cents per mile, you're looking at about $2,358 in deductions, which brings your taxable income down to around $2,442. The self-employment tax on that would be about $374 (15.3%), plus minimal income tax since you're in a low bracket. Even with penalties, you're probably looking at less than $600 total. File as soon as possible to stop the penalties from growing - you can use the regular 2023 tax forms (1040, Schedule C, Schedule SE) and most tax software will still let you e-file for 2023. Since this is your first time missing a filing deadline, definitely look into first-time penalty abatement when you talk to the IRS. Many people qualify for this and it can reduce or eliminate failure-to-file penalties. You've got this!
This is really reassuring to hear! I'm in a similar situation with my Grubhub deliveries from 2023. I've been putting off dealing with it because I was scared of huge penalties, but hearing that it might only be around $600 total makes it feel much more manageable. Quick question - when you mention first-time penalty abatement, do you have to prove it's actually your first time missing a deadline, or do they just take your word for it? I'm worried they might have some record that shows I should have filed in previous years even though I didn't have any income then. Also, does anyone know if the penalty keeps growing every month until you file, or does it cap out at some point? I want to file soon but need to gather all my records first.
For first-time penalty abatement, the IRS will check their records to verify you've been compliant for the previous three years. If you didn't have a filing requirement in those years (because you had no income or income below the filing threshold), that actually works in your favor - it shows compliance, not non-compliance. The failure-to-file penalty does cap out at 25% of your unpaid tax, and it's calculated monthly at 5% per month. So if you owe $400 in tax, the maximum failure-to-file penalty would be $100. The failure-to-pay penalty is separate at 0.5% per month and can go up to 25% as well, but it's much smaller. Don't rush gathering records if it means making mistakes. Take the time to be thorough, but don't delay months either. The penalties are accumulating, but they're likely still relatively small amounts. When you do file, you can request penalty abatement either when you submit your return or by calling the IRS after they process it.
I went through almost the exact same thing with my Instacart deliveries from 2023! Made about $5,200 and completely missed filing because I was confused about the $600 threshold too. The stress was eating me alive until I finally dealt with it last month. Here's what I learned that might help you: First, you're actually in good shape with that mileage tracking - that's going to be your biggest deduction. Second, the IRS is surprisingly reasonable about first-time mistakes, especially when you're young and new to gig work. I ended up owing about $450 total after all deductions and penalties, which was way less scary than I thought. The key is filing ASAP to stop those penalties from growing. I used FreeTaxUSA to file my late 2023 return - it was like $15 and walked me through everything including Schedule C and SE. One thing that really helped my anxiety was calling the IRS directly after I filed to set up a payment plan. Yeah, the hold times suck, but once I got through, the agent was actually really helpful and not judgmental at all. They even mentioned the first-time penalty abatement without me asking about it. You've got this! It's not as bad as your brain is making it out to be.
I filed and was accepted on February 13th (just one day before you) and finally received my refund yesterday. According to Internal Revenue Code ยง6611, the IRS is required to pay interest on refunds issued more than 45 days after the filing deadline (April 15th) or the date the return was filed, whichever is later. So technically they're still within their normal processing window, frustrating as it may be. My transcript showed processing codes for 3 weeks before my refund was approved. I completely understand your anxiety - I was checking daily too!
I'm in almost the exact same boat - filed and accepted on February 16th and still stuck on "still processing" as of today. This is my first year dealing with US taxes after moving here, so I wasn't sure if this was normal or not. Reading everyone's experiences here is actually really reassuring that it's not just me! I've been obsessively checking the Where's My Refund tool every morning like it's going to magically update overnight. It sounds like patience is really the key here, even though it's incredibly frustrating when you're counting on that money. Thanks for posting this question - sometimes you just need to know you're not alone in the waiting game!
Filed on February 4th through TurboTax and just got my refund deposited this morning! That's exactly 24 days from filing. I was also claiming child tax credit for my son and had been stuck on "processing" status until yesterday when it finally updated to "approved." Reading through this thread over the past few days really helped manage my expectations - seeing Jackie's timeline of 23 days with both EIC and child tax credit made me realize I was still well within the normal range. For everyone still waiting who filed around the same time and are claiming child tax credits, it looks like we're all hitting that 23-25 day window pretty consistently. The WMR tool really doesn't update until the very end, so don't stress too much about it showing "processing" - mine only changed to approved about 36 hours before the money actually hit my account. Hang in there everyone, your refunds should be coming through any day now!
That's such great news and perfect timing for this thread! Your 24-day timeline with child tax credit is exactly what I needed to hear. I filed on February 6th through TurboTax, also claiming child tax credit for my two kids, so based on your experience I should be getting mine any day now. It's really helpful to know that the WMR tool doesn't update until the very end - I've been checking it obsessively and getting worried that something was wrong since it's been stuck on "processing" for weeks. Knowing that yours only changed to approved 36 hours before deposit makes me feel so much better about the lack of updates. Thanks for coming back to share your good news - it gives the rest of us hope!
I filed on February 8th through H&R Block and just wanted to add my timeline to help others who are waiting. I'm claiming child tax credit for my daughter and standard deduction with W-2 income. Got my refund deposited yesterday - that's exactly 22 days from filing date. Like everyone else mentioned, the WMR tool was completely unhelpful and stayed on "processing" until literally the day before my refund hit. I was getting really anxious around day 18-19 thinking something was wrong, but reading similar threads like this one really helped me understand that returns with child tax credits are just taking the full processing window this year. For anyone still waiting who filed in early February with child tax credits - based on all the timelines shared here, it looks like we're consistently seeing 22-25 days, so hang in there! The "processing" status doesn't mean there's an issue, it's just the IRS working through their normal queue.
Just adding that besides SSNs, there are other types of TINs too: - EIN (Employer Identification Number) for businesses - ITIN (Individual Taxpayer Identification Number) for non-citizens - PTIN (Preparer Tax Identification Number) for tax preparers - ATIN (Adoption Taxpayer Identification Number) for pending adoptions So while most people's TIN is just their SSN, not everyone's is!
Yes, you can definitely have multiple TINs! As an individual with a business, you'd have your SSN for personal tax matters and an EIN for your business. Many people have both - your SSN identifies you as an individual taxpayer, while your EIN identifies your business entity. You'll use your SSN on your personal tax return (Form 1040) and your EIN for business-related forms and transactions. Just make sure to use the correct number for the right purpose - SSN for personal stuff, EIN for business stuff.
William Rivera
Everyone here keeps saying wait a few days but if you need that money NOW, call SBTPG directly and ask them to expedite it. Last year I called and told them I had urgent bills to pay and they processed mine same day. The squeaky wheel gets the grease! Their number is 800-901-6663.
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Maya Patel
โขthanks for the number! might try this tomorrow if i still dont see anything
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Grace Lee
โขLet us know if this actually works! I'm in the same boat and getting desperate.
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Kendrick Webb
I'm going through the exact same thing right now! My refund showed "posted" to SBTPG on 4/22 as well and I'm still waiting. It's so frustrating how their terminology is misleading - "posted" makes it sound like the money should already be in your account. From what I'm reading here, it sounds like 2-5 business days from the posted date is normal, which is annoying but at least gives me some peace of mind. I filed through TurboTax and also had fees deducted, so I'm in the same boat with the whole middleman process. Thanks for posting this - was starting to think something was seriously wrong with my refund! Hopefully we both see our deposits soon. I'll try calling that number someone posted (800-901-6663) if I don't see anything by Thursday.
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Vince Eh
โขSame exact situation here! Mine also posted on 4/22 and still nothing. It's really reassuring to know I'm not the only one dealing with this delay. The "posted" terminology definitely threw me off too - I thought it meant the money was already on its way to my bank. Going to give it until Friday like everyone's suggesting before I start making calls. Keep us updated on when yours comes through!
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