I'm going through the exact same thing! Filed my Michigan return on 1/28 and it's been radio silence ever since. At least you're not alone in this waiting game. I've heard that Michigan's system is particularly slow this year due to some backend updates they're doing. Might be worth checking if you have any unfiled prior year returns or if they need additional verification - sometimes those can cause silent delays without any notice.

Michigan taxpayer here too - I've noticed their system has been particularly sluggish this season. From what I've experienced, if you don't see any movement by the 4-week mark, it might be worth calling their taxpayer assistance line. Sometimes returns get stuck in a verification queue without any notification. Also, double-check that your bank account info was entered correctly if you chose direct deposit - I've seen people wait weeks only to find out there was a typo in their routing number.

As someone who recently went through a similar situation with inherited farmland, I'd strongly recommend getting multiple perspectives before making your decision. The $12,000 annual rental income you're receiving works out to about $185 per acre, which is actually pretty competitive for central Illinois. Before switching to CRP, consider that you'd be locking yourself into a 10-15 year contract. While CRP payments might be similar or slightly higher, you lose the flexibility to adjust rental rates or change land use as market conditions evolve. Farm rental rates have been increasing in many areas, so your current arrangement might become more valuable over time. Also, don't forget that your current rental income is truly passive - the tenant farmer handles all the work and maintenance. With CRP, you'll have ongoing responsibilities for conservation compliance and maintenance that could eat into your returns. I'd suggest getting quotes from both your FSA office for CRP rates and from a few other local farmers for rental rates before making your final decision. This way you can make an informed choice based on actual numbers rather than speculation.

One thing that hasn't been mentioned yet is the Wildlife Habitat Incentive Program (WHIP) and the Environmental Quality Incentives Program (EQIP) - these might be alternatives worth exploring alongside CRP. Since your land is highly erodible, you might qualify for cost-share programs that allow you to continue renting while implementing conservation practices. This could give you the best of both worlds - maintaining your rental income while receiving additional payments for conservation improvements. Also, given that you're in central Illinois, check if your county participates in any state-level conservation programs. Illinois has some additional incentive programs that can supplement federal programs and might offer more flexibility than a long-term CRP commitment. I'd recommend contacting both your local FSA office and your county's Soil and Water Conservation District - they often have different programs available and can help you understand all your options before committing to any single approach.

IMPORTANT: Keep in mind the 1099-C should be issued for the year the debt was actually cancelled, not when they decided to send you the form. I had a creditor send me a 1099-C for debt they forgave two years earlier, and it caused all kinds of problems. If the forgiveness happened in a previous tax year, you might need to file an amended return for that year instead of including it on this year's taxes.

Just to add another perspective - if you do end up owing taxes on the forgiven debt and can't pay it all at once, the IRS offers payment plans. I had a similar situation where I owed about $1,800 on forgiven debt that I couldn't exclude, and I was able to set up an installment agreement online for $150/month. There's a setup fee (around $31 for online agreements), but it beats trying to come up with a lump sum you don't have. The key is to file your return on time even if you can't pay - the failure-to-file penalty is much worse than the failure-to-pay penalty.

Something no one has mentioned yet - remember that for 2025 taxes you need to itemize deductions to claim charitable donations. The standard deduction is pretty high now ($13,850 for single, $27,700 for married filing jointly in 2025), so unless your total itemized deductions (state/local taxes, mortgage interest, charitable donations, etc.) exceed your standard deduction, you won't get any tax benefit from the donation.

Just to add another perspective - if you're unsure about the valuation, you might also consider getting a brief written opinion from a local appliance dealer about what a similar new-in-box oven would sell for. Since yours was brand new and unused, this could provide additional documentation to support your $1,870 valuation. I've seen situations where having a third-party opinion (even an informal one) really helped during an audit. You could call a few appliance stores, explain the situation, and ask what they think a comparable model would retail for. Most dealers are pretty helpful with these kinds of questions, and it gives you another data point to justify your deduction amount. Also worth noting - make sure to take photos of the oven before donation, including any model numbers, serial numbers, and those original price tags. Visual documentation can be really valuable if questions come up later.

heres wat i learned after 20 years of taxes: Federal = 2-3 weeks. State = 4-12 weeks. thats just how it is man.

I'm also in Colorado and had a similar experience this year! Filed in early April and my federal refund came in about 10 days, but I'm still waiting on my state refund too. It's been about 6 weeks now. From what I've learned, Colorado's Department of Revenue is just really backed up this year. Their processing times have been longer than usual due to staffing issues and some system updates they did over the winter. The 8-week timeframe that Grace mentioned is pretty accurate - I called them last week and they confirmed my return is still within normal processing time. Hang in there, it should come through soon!