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!

I just want to echo what everyone has said here - this is such a common source of confusion for household employers! I went through the exact same panic last year thinking I was going to double-pay taxes. The consensus here is spot-on: if your payroll service (like QuickPay) is filing quarterly 941s and handling the annual 940, you still need to file Schedule H with your personal return, but you absolutely must check Box 8 to indicate you've already paid the employment taxes through your payroll service. One thing I'd add that helped me feel more confident - I actually requested copies of the 941s that my payroll service filed on my behalf. Most services will provide these if you ask, and it's really helpful to have them in your records. That way you can see exactly what was reported and when, which makes filling out Schedule H much less scary. Also, don't forget to get a detailed year-end summary from QuickPay showing total wages paid, taxes withheld, and employer taxes paid. You'll need these specific figures for Schedule H, and having everything documented properly will save you headaches if the IRS ever has questions. The key is just making sure nothing falls through the cracks - your payroll service handles the quarterly filings, you handle Schedule H (with Box 8 checked), and everybody's happy!

As a tax professional who specializes in household employment, I can confirm everything discussed here is absolutely correct. The confusion between Schedule H and Forms 940/941 is probably the most common question I get from clients with nannies. Here's the definitive breakdown: If your payroll service (QuickPay in your case) files quarterly 941s and annual 940s, you STILL must file Schedule H with your personal tax return. However, you'll check Box 8 on Schedule H Part I to indicate that employment taxes have already been paid through quarterly deposits. This prevents double taxation. The reason you need both is that they serve different purposes - the 940/941 forms handle the actual tax payments and reporting to the government, while Schedule H integrates your household employment into your personal tax return and calculates any additional taxes owed (like the employer portion of Social Security/Medicare if it wasn't fully covered by your quarterly payments). I always recommend my clients request a comprehensive year-end summary from their payroll service that includes: total wages paid, federal income tax withheld, Social Security wages, Medicare wages, and employer taxes paid. You'll need all these figures for Schedule H. One final tip: keep copies of all quarterly payment confirmations from EFTPS and any forms your payroll service files on your behalf. The IRS may request these during an audit, and having organized records will save you significant headaches.

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!

I'm in a very similar situation - 28 years old, back in school for nursing, and my parents have been covering my tuition. This thread has been incredibly helpful! One thing I wanted to add that might be useful for others: if you're unsure about your dependency status, you can check IRS Publication 501. The key tests are support (did you provide more than half your own support), age (over 24 for students), and residency. Since you're 36 and working, you're almost certainly not a dependent. Also, keep in mind that if you do qualify for education credits, you might want to consider whether it's better to take the credit or deduct the tuition. Credits are usually more valuable since they reduce your tax dollar-for-dollar, while deductions just reduce your taxable income. Has anyone here had experience with the IRS questioning third-party payments during an audit? I'm wondering how common that is and what kind of documentation they typically want to see beyond the 1098-T and payment records.

Another way to verify is to look at your actual tax return form - specifically Form 1040. On line 22b, it should show the total refund amount you were entitled to. Then compare that to what you actually received in your bank account. The difference should match your advance amount. If the math adds up, you're all good! I learned this the hard way after panicking about the same thing last year 😅

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!

Just went through this nightmare myself! Filed Form 8822 back in November when I moved and STILL had issues with my refund going to the old address in January 🤦‍♀️ The IRS systems don't talk to each other apparently. Had to call that hotline like 5 times before someone finally noted my case and reissued the check. Definitely file the form ASAP but also call them directly - sometimes the form takes weeks to process and your refund could get sent out before they update your address in their system. So frustrating but you'll get through it! The reissued check only took about 3 weeks once they actually processed my address change.

This is such a common issue and it's so stressful when you're already waiting months! 😫 Everyone's advice here is spot on - definitely file Form 8822 immediately and call the IRS hotline. I went through something similar when I moved during tax season last year. What really helped me was doing BOTH the form AND calling on the same day, then following up with another call about a week later to make sure they actually processed the address change in their system. The representatives can see if your address update went through and flag your refund case specifically. Also keep records of when you filed the form and any confirmation numbers from your calls - you might need them later. The whole process sucks but you'll get your money eventually! Hang in there! 💪