Navy Federal member here too! I've been waiting about the same timeframe as you. From what I've experienced in past years, Navy Fed is actually pretty good about posting IRS refunds - they usually show up as pending 1-2 days before the official deposit date, then post at midnight EST. The WMR tool has been notoriously unreliable this year from what I'm seeing in various forums. Definitely check your IRS transcript online if you haven't already - look for code 846 which shows your actual direct deposit date. That's been way more accurate than WMR for most people. Also, just a heads up that if your refund is over a few thousand dollars, you might want to give Navy Fed a quick call to let them know you're expecting a large deposit from Treasury - sometimes large unexpected deposits can trigger fraud alerts. Hang in there, it should show up soon!

Navy Federal member checking in! I'm in a similar situation - filed about 2.5 weeks ago and WMR has been stuck on "still processing" the entire time. What's been helpful for me is checking my IRS transcript online (irs.gov/individuals/get-transcript) rather than relying on WMR. Look for transaction code 846 - that shows your actual direct deposit date even when WMR hasn't updated yet. In my experience with Navy Fed over the past few years, they're pretty reliable about posting IRS refunds right at midnight EST on the scheduled date, and sometimes they'll show as pending 24-48 hours beforehand. The IRS has been slower than usual this season, but once your refund gets approved and scheduled, Navy Fed typically handles their end smoothly. Keep checking that transcript - it's been way more accurate than WMR for most people this year!

Has anyone had experience with limitations on consulting services under the Netherlands-US tax treaty? I remember reading somewhere that there's a 183-day rule that might affect withholding rates if you physically perform services in the US.

I went through this exact same process with my Belgian consulting firm last year when we started working with a US client. The W-8BEN-E is definitely overwhelming at first, but it's more straightforward than it looks once you know what applies to your situation. For a Belgian V.O.F. (partnership), you'll want to focus on these key sections: **Part I (Identification):** - Your partnership name and Belgian address - Belgian tax ID number (if you have one registered with the Belgian tax authorities) - Leave GIIN blank (only for financial institutions) - Check box 5b for Partnership **Part III (Claim of Tax Treaty Benefits):** - This is crucial! Check box 14a - Enter "Belgium" as the treaty country - For consulting services, you can typically claim 0% withholding under the US-Belgium tax treaty - You may need to specify the treaty article (usually Article 7 for business profits if services performed outside the US) **Part XXX (Signature):** - Don't forget to sign and date Most other parts can be skipped for straightforward consulting arrangements. The key is making sure you qualify for treaty benefits - since you're performing services from Belgium for a US company, you should be eligible for reduced/eliminated withholding. Double-check that your partnership agreement and Belgian tax registration support the claims you're making on the form. Good luck!

anybody else's WMR still showing 'being processed'? verified 3 weeks ago and nothings changed

I'm going through the same thing right now - completed ID.me verification about 18 days ago and still waiting on the letter. My tax pro told me that the IRS has been running behind on sending these verification letters this season, but as long as your ID.me verification was successful, you should be good. The letter is more of a formality to confirm the process completed. Have you been able to access your online account transcript since verifying? That's usually a good sign that everything went through properly.

Has anyone used TurboTax for calculating these education credits? I'm trying to figure out if it automatically optimizes how scholarships are allocated or if I need to manually figure it out first and then enter it that way.

For anyone still confused about the allocation flexibility, here's a practical example that might help clarify things. Let's say you have $10,000 in scholarships and $15,000 in total college expenses broken down as: $8,000 tuition, $3,000 room/board, $2,000 books, and $2,000 personal expenses. Since only tuition and books ($10,000 total) are qualified expenses for AOTC, you could allocate your $10,000 scholarship to cover the $3,000 room/board + $2,000 personal expenses + $5,000 of tuition. This leaves you with $3,000 of tuition + $2,000 books = $5,000 in qualified expenses that you paid out-of-pocket, which you can then use for your AOTC calculation. The key insight is that you get to choose how to allocate unrestricted financial aid, and it's usually best to apply it to non-qualified expenses first to maximize your tax credits. Just remember that any scholarship money used for non-qualified expenses (like room/board) becomes taxable income to you - but for most students, the tax benefit from a larger education credit outweighs this.

As someone who's been working in security for several years, I'd recommend documenting everything carefully regardless of whether you can deduct it now. Keep all receipts, maintenance records, and any communication with your employer about equipment requirements. The tax law suspending employee deductions expires in 2025, so you may be able to claim these expenses in future years. Also, make sure you're getting the best value for your required equipment. Check with other guards at your company about preferred suppliers or group purchasing opportunities. Sometimes you can get better deals when multiple people order together. And definitely push for that stipend idea mentioned above - it's worked for other security companies and shows you're thinking about solutions rather than just complaining about costs.

Just wanted to add another perspective here - if you're classified as an independent contractor rather than an employee, the tax situation changes completely. As a 1099 contractor, you can deduct business expenses including required equipment on Schedule C. I'd recommend carefully reviewing your employment arrangement. If your employer dictates when and how you work, provides training, and controls most aspects of your job, you're likely an employee. But if you have significant control over how you perform your duties, work for multiple clients, or operate more independently, you might qualify as a contractor. The distinction matters a lot for taxes. Contractors can deduct equipment, vehicle expenses, training costs, and other business expenses. However, you'd also be responsible for self-employment taxes. It's worth having a tax professional review your specific situation to determine your proper classification. If you are misclassified as an employee when you should be a contractor (or vice versa), you can file Form SS-8 with the IRS to get an official determination of your worker status.