One important thing no one has mentioned: if you go to a TAC office, you MUST call ahead for an appointment specifically for ITIN services. You can't just walk in for this service. Also, if your spouse entered the US on any kind of visa that allowed work (even if she's not working), she might actually qualify for an SSN instead of an ITIN. Worth checking that angle first since an SSN is way more useful long-term.

I went through this exact situation with my husband from Germany two years ago, and I completely understand your stress about the passport! Here's what we learned: The key is definitely using a Taxpayer Assistance Center (TAC) appointment. You can get an ITIN without any US income - we did it specifically for future joint filing benefits even though my husband wasn't working yet. A few practical tips from our experience: - Book your TAC appointment as early as possible (we had to wait 3 weeks in our area) - Bring your completed tax return, the W-7 form, passport, marriage certificate, and maybe a utility bill showing both names - The appointment took about 45 minutes total, and they made certified copies of everything right there - We got the ITIN about 6-7 weeks later One thing that really helped us was calling the IRS beforehand to confirm exactly what we needed to bring. The agent was super helpful and walked us through the process step by step. Don't stress too much - thousands of people go through this process successfully every year. The TAC route is definitely the safest way to handle original documents, and the agents there are experienced with ITIN applications for spouses.

Did you have any credits like EIC or CTC? Those usually take longer to process and get more scrutiny.

EIC claims definitely get extra scrutiny and can add weeks to processing time. The good news is once you see those 571/290/971 codes, it usually means they've finished their review and you're in the final stages. Based on your transcript showing movement on 12-10-2024 with the 570 code still there, I'd expect to see an 846 code (refund issued) within the next 1-2 weeks. The -$42 balance is actually your refund amount after interest calculations. Keep checking your transcript updates on Thursdays/Fridays - that's when they typically post new cycles.

Don't forget to save documentation proving they lived with you all year! IRS can ask for: school records showing your address, medical records, statements from neighbors, church records, etc. Start collecting this now in case you're asked later.

Just to add another perspective - I went through a similar situation a few years ago when I was supporting my partner and their child. The key thing that helped me was keeping meticulous records throughout the year, not just at tax time. I created a simple spreadsheet tracking all expenses I paid for them - groceries, utilities, rent, medical bills, clothing, school supplies, etc. I also kept receipts and bank statements showing the payments came from my accounts. When I filed my taxes, I had clear documentation that I provided more than 50% of their support. For the relationship dropdown in H&R Block, I did select "Other" for both my partner and their child, just as others have mentioned. The software walked me through additional questions to confirm they met the qualifying relative tests. One thing I learned is that it's worth double-checking your state tax implications too - some states have different rules for dependents and filing status than federal. But overall, if you truly provided more than half their support and they lived with you all year, you should be able to claim them. Just make sure you have the documentation to back it up!

Anyone else's as of date keep changing? Mine moved like 3 times already smh

TC 291 typically means they made an adjustment that reduced your tax liability, which is actually good news! The "as of" date is when they plan to process it, but don't stress if it changes - that's totally normal. I had the same code last year and got my refund about 2-3 weeks after it appeared. Just keep checking your transcript weekly for updates, especially looking for TC 846 which means refund issued. You're in the home stretch! 🤞

I went through the exact same confusion with my ISOs last year! The key thing that helped me understand it was realizing that the W-2 income and the 1099-B are reporting different parts of the same transaction. Your W-2 Box 14 shows the "bargain element" - the difference between what you paid to exercise and the fair market value when you exercised. This gets taxed as ordinary income. The 1099-B shows the total proceeds from your sale, but the cost basis might be wrong. You need to adjust it by adding the amount already reported on your W-2 to avoid double taxation. Here's what I did: I created a simple spreadsheet tracking each transaction with columns for exercise price, FMV at exercise, sale price, W-2 compensation amount, and adjusted basis. This helped me see exactly what was happening with each sale. When entering the 1099-B in my tax software, I looked for the section asking about employee stock options and made sure to indicate that part of the gain was already reported as compensation income. This prevented the double taxation issue. Keep all your Form 3921s organized by transaction - they're your backup documentation if the IRS ever questions your basis adjustments.

This is exactly the kind of ISO confusion that trips up so many people! I went through this same nightmare last year and can confirm you're NOT being double-taxed, but the reporting makes it look that way. Here's what's happening: When you do a disqualifying disposition (exercise and sell in the same year), the IRS treats it as two separate events: 1. The exercise creates ordinary income equal to the bargain element (FMV - exercise price) - this shows up on your W-2 2. The sale creates capital gain/loss from the FMV at exercise to your sale price - this shows up on your 1099-B The problem is your broker's 1099-B likely shows your original exercise price as the cost basis, not the adjusted basis that accounts for the income already taxed on your W-2. For your 13 Form 3921s, each one corresponds to a specific exercise transaction and contains the details you need to calculate the correct adjusted basis. When you enter each 1099-B in your tax software, make sure to adjust the cost basis by adding the compensation amount from your W-2 that relates to that specific transaction. Most tax software has a section specifically for employee stock options - look for questions about whether the stock came from an employee plan or if compensation was already reported elsewhere. This will help prevent the double taxation. Keep detailed records of everything - the IRS pays special attention to stock option transactions because they're commonly reported incorrectly!