I've been dealing with the same 424 code for about 6 weeks now. From what I've researched, it usually means they're doing an income verification review - could be triggered by anything from a small discrepancy in your W2 reporting to just random selection. The waiting is the worst part honestly. I've seen people say it can take anywhere from 6-16 weeks to resolve. Have you tried calling the practitioner priority line? Sometimes they can give you a bit more info than the regular customer service line.

Ugh, I feel your pain! I'm dealing with the exact same thing - got the 424 code about 3 weeks ago and it's been radio silence since then. From what I've gathered from this thread and other research, it seems like they're just verifying some info on our returns. Super frustrating that they can just hold our money with basically no communication though 😤 At least it sounds like they do pay interest while we wait, which is something I guess? Definitely gonna look into that taxr.ai thing people are mentioning - anything beats calling the IRS and waiting on hold forever just to get a generic "your return is being processed" response 🙄

I totally understand your frustration! I went through the exact same thing last year - had a deposit date and nothing showed up in my account. The anxiety of waiting for money you really need is the worst. From my experience and what I've learned, the IRS "deposit date" is really when they send the payment to your bank, not when it actually hits your account. Most banks take 1-2 business days to process it after receiving it from the IRS. Since tomorrow is your scheduled date, I'd give it until Thursday or Friday before worrying. Also, smaller banks often don't show pending deposits at all until they actually post. If you still don't see anything by Friday, that's when I'd start making calls or checking your transcript for any issues. Hang in there!

I went through this exact same anxiety last year! The waiting is brutal when you really need that money. Here's what I learned: the IRS "deposit date" is actually when they release the funds to your bank, not when it hits your account. Your bank then needs 1-3 business days to process and post it. Since you're with a smaller bank and they told you they don't see anything pending, that's actually pretty normal - many banks don't show IRS deposits as pending until they're ready to post. I'd definitely wait until Friday before getting worried. If nothing shows up by then, check your transcript on the IRS website (irs.gov) - it will show if there are any holds or issues with your refund that the Where's My Refund tool doesn't display. The transcript codes can be confusing, but there are tools that can help interpret them if needed. Try to hang in there - in most cases, the money shows up within a day or two of the scheduled date!

One more thing to consider - don't forget about state unemployment taxes! If your nanny payroll service is handling federal forms, make sure they're also taking care of state unemployment tax filings. This is separate from the federal requirements we've been discussing. Some states also have additional requirements for household employers. For example, some require workers' comp insurance for household employees. Might be worth checking if your service handles all that too, or if you need to take care of some state-specific requirements separately.

This thread has been incredibly helpful! I'm in a similar situation with our au pair and was making the same mistakes. Just wanted to add that if anyone else is struggling with this, the IRS Publication 926 (Household Employer's Tax Guide) is actually pretty clear once you understand the basics everyone has explained here. The key takeaway I'm getting is: if your payroll service files quarterly 941s and annual 940s, you still need Schedule H with your personal return, but you check Box 8 to avoid double taxation. And definitely confirm with your service exactly which forms they handle versus what you're responsible for - don't assume anything! Thanks everyone for breaking this down so clearly. Sarah, glad you got it figured out with QP!

11 Has anyone successfully claimed both the Lifetime Learning Credit AND a tax deduction for student loan interest in the same year? I'm in a similar situation (parent paid tuition, I have student loans from previous semesters) and trying to maximize my refund.

Just want to add another perspective here - I went through this exact situation two years ago when I returned to school at 29. My dad paid my tuition directly to the university, and I was able to successfully claim the American Opportunity Credit. The key things that helped me were: 1) Making sure I wasn't claimed as a dependent on my dad's return, 2) Getting written documentation from my dad stating the payments were a gift to me for educational purposes, and 3) Keeping all the university payment records showing the amounts and dates. One thing to watch out for - if any part of your tuition was paid with tax-free funds (like scholarships, grants, or employer tuition assistance), you'll need to subtract those amounts from what you can claim for the credit. Only out-of-pocket qualified expenses count. Also, since you're working part-time, make sure your income doesn't exceed the phase-out limits. For 2024, the American Opportunity Credit phases out between $80,000-$90,000 for single filers, and Lifetime Learning Credit has the same phase-out range. With part-time work you're probably well under that, but good to double-check. The fact that you're 36 doesn't disqualify you from AOTC as long as you haven't already used it for four previous tax years. Good luck!

You can also check your 1099-MISC or other tax documents from H&R Block - they should show any fees or advance amounts that were deducted. If you're still unsure, you can always call H&R Block customer service directly with your account info and they can confirm the advance was paid off. Don't stress too much though - these advances are designed to be automatically deducted from your refund, so if you received money back, you're almost certainly good to go!

Pro tip: if you're still worried about it, you can also check your credit report for free at annualcreditreport.com to make sure there's no outstanding debt from H&R Block showing up. But honestly, if you got your refund deposited, the advance was definitely paid back automatically - that's literally how their system works. They can't send you money without first taking what you owe them!