Have u considered applying for Emergency Assistance thru your county's human services dept? In WI, they have programs specifically 4 situations like yours. My sis got help when she had a similar financial emergency last yr. Also, check w/ local food banks & community action agencies ASAP. St Vincent DePaul helped me w/ diapers & essentials when I was in a tight spot. Some churches also have emergency funds 4 families. Def fight the levy, but in the meantime, these resources can help u get thru the next few weeks. Ur county's 211 service can connect u w/ all available local help. Just wondering if anyone else has used these services while sorting out the tax issues?

I'm really sorry you're going through this - having your accounts drained without warning, especially when you have kids to care for, is absolutely devastating. The metaphor about drawing water from what should be a full well really captures how shocking this must have been. A few immediate thoughts based on what others have shared and some additional considerations: **Immediate Actions:** - Call Wisconsin DOR Collections at 608-266-7879 tomorrow morning and specifically ask about "financial hardship provisions" for families with dependents - Request they document that you have two dependents requiring basic necessities - Ask for an immediate partial release for essential expenses (food, diapers, utilities) **Documentation to Gather:** - Proof of your address changes over the past 6-9 years (this could support a "lack of proper notice" argument) - Documentation of your dependents - Monthly expense breakdown showing basic living costs **Potential Legal Arguments:** Since you mentioned multiple address changes and receiving no notices, you might have grounds to challenge the levy based on improper service. Wisconsin law requires reasonable efforts to locate taxpayers before taking collection action. The 21-day holding period mentioned by your bank gives you a window to act, but don't wait - every day counts when you need funds for basic necessities. Has anyone in your area dealt with Wisconsin DOR's local taxpayer advocate office? They sometimes have more flexibility than the main collections department.

I went through this exact situation two years ago with my 17-year-old daughter. The good news is that it's totally fixable, but you're right to be concerned about timing. Here's what worked for me: First, keep detailed records of everything you spend on your son - rent/mortgage portion for his room, food, clothing, medical expenses, etc. You'll need to prove you provided over 50% of his support if the IRS questions it. Second, when your son files his amended return on Feb 15th, make sure he includes a clear explanation letter stating he's removing his self-exemption because he doesn't meet the support test. This helps the IRS connect the dots between your paper return and his amendment. Paper returns are definitely slower (mine took about 14 weeks), but the IRS has gotten better at processing these dependency conflicts. The key is having your son file that amendment ASAP - don't wait. The sooner both returns are in their system, the sooner they can resolve the conflict. One thing that might help: if you e-filed before mailing your paper return, call the IRS to withdraw the rejected e-file. This prevents any confusion in their system about duplicate filings. Hang in there - it's stressful but very common, and you'll get through it!

I'm dealing with something similar right now - my 15-year-old decided to file independently after getting their first W-2 from a part-time job. What a mess! I had no idea this could happen until my return got rejected too. Reading through everyone's experiences here is both helpful and terrifying - 14+ weeks seems like forever when you're counting on that refund. I'm definitely going to follow the advice about having my kid file an amended return immediately when the system opens up on Feb 15th. One question I have - has anyone tried including a detailed cover letter with their paper return explaining the situation upfront? I'm wondering if being proactive about explaining the conflict might help the IRS processors understand what happened and maybe flag it for faster review. Or does that just add more paperwork that slows things down? Also, @Connor O'Neill, thanks for the tip about withdrawing the rejected e-file - I had no idea that was something you could do and it makes total sense to avoid system confusion.

Don't forget to check if you already paid taxes on the money that was rolled over! I messed this up once. If you made after-tax contributions to your previous retirement account and then rolled those over, you need to make sure you're not taxed on that money again. Form 8606 is your friend here. It tracks the non-deductible contributions you've made to traditional IRAs over time. If any of your rollover came from after-tax money, you'll need this form to avoid double taxation.

Form 8606 can be tricky, but it's manageable once you understand what it's tracking. The form essentially keeps a running total of your "basis" - the after-tax money you've contributed to traditional IRAs over the years that you shouldn't be taxed on again. If you're concerned about past years, you can file amended returns using Form 1040X if you discover you've been double-taxed on after-tax contributions. The IRS typically allows you to go back three years to claim refunds for overpaid taxes. For your current situation with the rollover, if any portion came from after-tax contributions (like from a 401k with after-tax money), you'll definitely need Form 8606. Your plan administrator should have provided documentation showing the pre-tax vs. after-tax portions of your rollover. If you can't find this information, contact them directly - they're required to track this for you. Most tax software will prompt you for Form 8606 if you indicate you have basis in traditional IRAs, but you might need to look for it in the "less common forms" or "additional forms" section.

Just wanted to add something important that I learned the hard way - make sure to set aside some money for taxes throughout the summer, especially if you end up being classified as an independent contractor! When I worked as a camp counselor two years ago, I was so excited to get my paychecks that I spent everything right away. Then tax season came and I owed money because not enough was withheld (I was technically an employee but they didn't withhold much). It was a scramble to come up with the cash. My advice: put about 15-20% of each paycheck into a separate savings account just for taxes. If you end up getting a refund, great - you have extra money! If you owe, you're covered. This is especially important if you're getting tips too since those often aren't taxed upfront. Also, don't forget about FICA taxes (Social Security and Medicare) - these get taken out regardless of your income level if you're an employee, or you'll owe self-employment tax if you're a contractor. The math can get confusing but it's better to be prepared!

Great thread everyone! As someone who's helped a lot of young people with their first tax situations, I want to emphasize a few key points that can save you headaches: **The most important thing to do RIGHT NOW** is to ask your camp during orientation about your employment classification. Don't wait until you get your first paycheck to find out if you're an employee or contractor - this affects everything from how much tax is withheld to what forms you'll receive. **For your specific situation with $3,500 income**: You likely won't owe federal income tax, but you'll still owe FICA taxes (Social Security/Medicare) if you're an employee, or self-employment tax if you're a contractor. Many first-time workers get surprised by this. **Michigan specific tip**: Michigan requires filing if you had ANY state tax withheld, regardless of income amount. So even if your federal filing isn't required, you might still need to file state. **Documentation is everything**: Start a simple folder (physical or digital) right now for all your tax documents. Keep every paystub, any receipts for required work supplies, and notes about your employment classification. Future you will thank present you! The advice about setting aside 15-20% for taxes is spot on. Even if you think you won't owe anything, it's better to be prepared. And definitely keep track of any cash tips - they're taxable income even if nobody tells you that upfront. You're asking the right questions early, which puts you way ahead of most people! Don't stress too much - first-time filing is always intimidating but you've got this.

Here's what worked for me after 3 years of verification: Step 1: Create an ID.me account before filing Step 2: Verify your identity proactively through ID.me Step 3: Link this to your IRS online account Step 4: File your taxes after completing this process Since doing this, I haven't had to go through the verification process again. It's like pre-verifying yourself before the IRS asks you to.

I've been dealing with this same issue! Got flagged for verification in 2023 and again this year. What's been frustrating is that nobody at the IRS can give you a straight answer about WHY you're being selected or what you can do to prevent it. From what I've gathered talking to other people in similar situations, it seems like once certain factors in your return trip their system (could be income changes, specific deductions, geographic location, etc.), you're more likely to get flagged again. But it's not necessarily permanent. One thing that helped me was keeping detailed records of the verification process itself - what documents they requested, how long it took, etc. That way if it happens again, I'm better prepared and know exactly what to expect. Still hoping this year will be my last time dealing with this headache though! 🤞