The real question is why cant the IRS learn from the states smh

Same situation here! Filed both federal and state on Jan 2nd, got my state refund last week but IRS is still showing "processing" with no updates. It's honestly wild how much faster state systems are - makes you wonder what the holdup is on the federal side. At least we know the states have their act together!

I might be able to offer some potentially helpful information. After waiting approximately 9 weeks for my California refund (filed February 1st), I received it somewhat unexpectedly last Thursday. What seemed to possibly make a difference was checking my FTB account online rather than just using the refund status tool. In my account, I could see that they had actually adjusted my refund amount slightly (reduced by about $42, presumably due to a calculation error on my part), which may have been part of what was causing the delay. It might be worth checking your FTB online account if you haven't already, as it sometimes contains more detailed information than the basic refund status checker.

I'm experiencing the exact same thing! Filed my CA return on February 3rd and still waiting as of today. Like you, my federal refund came through in under 3 weeks, but CA is just stuck on "being processed." I've called twice and gotten the same generic responses about high volume and to just keep waiting. What's really frustrating is that I double-checked everything - my withholdings match my W-2s exactly, direct deposit info is correct, and I didn't claim any unusual credits. It seems like there's no rhyme or reason to their processing order. Some people who filed after me have already received their refunds while those of us from early February are still in limbo. At this point I'm just hoping it shows up before I have to file 2024 taxes!

Quick tip: When I filled out my 941-X last year, I found the IRS's Instructions for Form 941-X super helpful. It has detailed examples for different scenarios. You can download it from irs.gov. There's a specific example about underreporting social security and Medicare taxes that sounds exactly like your situation.

I completely understand your frustration with the IRS instructions - they can be incredibly dense and confusing! When I was dealing with my 941-X corrections, I found a few approaches that helped: 1. The IRS has a "Small Business and Self-Employed" section on their website that breaks down payroll tax issues in more digestible chunks 2. Publication 15 (Circular E) has clearer explanations of payroll tax concepts that can help you understand what you're correcting 3. Sometimes searching for "IRS 941-X examples" will bring up third-party resources and accounting blogs that explain the process in plain English If you're still stuck after trying these resources, consider reaching out to a local VITA (Volunteer Income Tax Assistance) program - many of them help with basic business tax questions during tax season, and they're free. You can find locations on the IRS website. The key thing to remember is that you're not alone in finding these forms confusing - even experienced business owners struggle with them!

There's a lot of confusion about the new payment app reporting requirements. Here's the simple version: The IRS requires payment apps to report when you receive more than $5,000 in BUSINESS transactions in a year. Key points: 1) It's for BUSINESS payments only 2) The threshold is $5,000 total for the year 3) Personal transfers like gifts, reimbursements, and expense sharing aren't reportable So transfers from your spouse for bills are 100% in the "personal transfer" category. The payment apps may send you a 1099-K if they think you're receiving business income, but you can correct this if it happens.

I've been in banking for 15 years and see this question constantly. Here's the simple truth: money transfers between accounts YOU control or between YOU and YOUR SPOUSE are not taxable events. The IRS doesn't care if you move money from your left pocket to your right pocket. What they DO care about is unreported income. If you're running a business through Zelle and not reporting that income, that's tax evasion. But a spouse sending their portion of the mortgage? Absolutely not taxable. For peace of mind, keep good records showing these are expense splits, not payments for services. But honestly, the IRS has bigger fish to fry than married couples managing their household finances.

I've been filing for free with H&R Block Free Online for the past 3 years. But be careful - you need to go directly through the IRS Free File portal (not their main website) to get the actually free version that includes state filing. If you google H&R Block and go to their site directly, you'll end up with their "free" version that charges for state.

For South Dakota specifically, since you mentioned DirectFile isn't available there, I'd recommend checking out the VITA (Volunteer Income Tax Assistance) program if your income is under $64,000. They offer completely free tax preparation by IRS-certified volunteers, including both federal and state returns. You can find locations on the IRS website. Also, just a heads up about waiting for your Wage & Income transcript - while it's smart to double-check, most employers are required to send you corrected forms if there are discrepancies. The March 15th transcript might not show everything if you have late-filing employers or financial institutions. One more truly free option: if you're comfortable doing it yourself, you can always file directly with the IRS using their fillable forms (Free File Fillable Forms) and then file your South Dakota return directly with the state. SD actually has a pretty simple state return since they don't tax wages - just need to report federal AGI in most cases.