Don't forget to check with your state tax agency too! Some states have their own free file programs separate from the federal ones. I'm in California and they have CalFile which is completely free for state filing regardless of income, and it accepts unemployment income. Saved me $39 on state filing fees and was actually easier to use than the paid services.

Just wanted to add another option that worked great for me last year - TaxSlayer through the IRS Free File program. I had a W-2, 1099-G from unemployment, and some student loan interest deduction, and it handled everything for free (federal filing). The key thing is making sure you access it through the official IRS Free File portal like others mentioned. When I went directly to TaxSlayer's website, they wanted to charge me, but through the IRS portal it was completely free for my income level. One thing I liked about TaxSlayer is that it walks you through each form step-by-step and explains what each line means in plain English. Super helpful when you're dealing with unemployment tax situations for the first time. Definitely worth checking out as another free alternative!

Pro tip: take pictures of all your documents and save them somewhere safe. They might ask for verification later and having everything ready helps speed things up.

Code 570 is actually pretty common and not necessarily bad news! It just means they're holding your refund while they complete their review. Since you have withholding of $5,200 and only owe $3,835, you should get a refund of $1,365 once they finish. The fact that your transcript is showing activity is a good sign - it means they're actively working on it. Just keep an eye on it and you should see a 571 code (release of hold) followed by an 846 code (refund sent) once they complete the 60-day review.

I'm a regular player on these social casinos and was disappointed to learn these aren't deductible! But it makes sense - I'm basically just buying entertainment. One thing to consider though - if you're a content creator or streamer who plays these games as part of your business, you might be able to deduct them as a business expense. That's what my accountant told me since I have a small YouTube channel where I review social casino games.

This is a great question that comes up a lot! The consensus here is correct - social casino purchases where you can't cash out real money are treated as entertainment expenses, not gambling losses. I've seen people get confused about this because it *feels* like gambling, but the IRS looks at whether there's actual monetary risk/reward. One thing I'd add is to be extra careful about record-keeping if you do have any legitimate gambling activities. The IRS can be pretty strict about documentation for gambling loss deductions, so you want to make sure you're not mixing entertainment expenses with actual gambling losses on your return. Keep those social casino receipts separate from any real gambling records to avoid any confusion during an audit. Also worth noting - if you're spending $2500+ on these games, you might want to consider whether that money could be better invested in tax-advantaged accounts like an IRA or 401k where you'd get actual tax benefits!

The as of date is literally the most useless thing ever invented by the IRS and thats saying something considering everything else they do 🤮

The "As Of" date is basically just the IRS's internal system timestamp - it updates automatically based on their processing cycles, not actual progress on your return. I've been through this same frustration multiple times. The date changing weekly is totally normal and doesn't indicate movement forward or backward on your refund. Focus on your actual processing date and cycle codes instead - those are way more meaningful than the As Of date which is essentially just computer housekeeping.

I've seen this happen before, and sometimes the issue isn't with the IRS processing but with how the amendment was prepared. Back in 2022, I had a similar situation where my amended return showed $0 adjustment because I had made an error in how I calculated the change. Have you considered getting a second opinion on your amendment from a tax professional? It might be worth paying for an hour of a CPA's time to review what you submitted. In my case, I had to submit a second amended return to correct the first one, which was a headache but eventually resolved the issue. Sometimes the DIY approach with amendments can lead to technical errors that aren't obvious to non-professionals.

I'm going through something very similar right now! Filed my amended return in June and it's been showing that same frustrating $0 adjustment since September. What I've learned from talking to multiple IRS reps is that when your amendment involves claiming additional credits (especially CTC or EITC), it automatically triggers what they call an "identity verification review." The $0 is basically a placeholder while they verify you're eligible for the credits you're claiming. The really annoying part is that this review can take 16-20 weeks from the processing date, not the filing date. So even though yours was "processed" in September, the clock for the review period actually started then. As for the CTC payments stopping - that's standard procedure when there's any kind of review involving child-related credits. They pause all payments until the review is complete to avoid overpayments. I know it's incredibly frustrating, but from what I've seen in this community, most people eventually get their full refund once the review is complete. Hang in there!