Has anyone successfully resolved this error by creating an IRS online account? I've heard sometimes you can pull your exact AGI from their transcript system.

I had this exact same reject code last week and it was driving me crazy! After reading through all these suggestions, I ended up trying the IRS transcript approach that Carmen mentioned. Created my online account at IRS.gov and pulled up my 2023 tax transcript - turns out the AGI I had been using was off by exactly $1! Must have been a rounding error somewhere. Used the exact number from the transcript and my return was accepted within minutes. Definitely recommend checking your transcript first before trying the other methods - it's free and might save you a lot of time and stress. Thanks everyone for all the helpful advice in this thread!

I'm going through the exact same thing right now! Got my 4464C letter about a month ago after switching from a seasonal job to full-time work with almost double the income. Initially panicked thinking I'd messed something up on my return, but after reading all these experiences, I feel so much better knowing this is actually pretty normal. What really helped me was realizing that the IRS systems are just overwhelmed this year. My tax preparer explained that when you have significant life changes like job switches or income increases, their computers flag it for human review to make sure everything matches up. It's actually a good thing in a way - means they're being thorough. I've been following the weekly check routine someone mentioned earlier instead of obsessing daily, and it's definitely helped my stress levels. Still waiting for my employer data to show up on transcripts, but I'm trying to stay patient knowing that most people in our situation do eventually get their refunds processed. Hang in there - from everything I've read here and heard from others, the 60-90 day timeframe is realistic, and many resolve faster once the employer data catches up in their system. The waiting is brutal but we'll get through this!

I can definitely relate to your situation! I went through something very similar earlier this year - received a 4464C letter and immediately thought I had done something wrong with my taxes. The stress was overwhelming, especially when I needed my refund for some urgent expenses. From my experience and what I learned talking to an IRS agent, the 4464C letter is actually quite routine when you have significant income changes like you described. Your job change and income increase (tripling your salary) would definitely trigger their automated review system. The fact that your transcripts don't show any employer income yet is almost certainly just a processing delay, not an indication that your employers failed to report anything. What helped me the most was understanding that this is a verification process, not an audit or indication of wrongdoing. The IRS is simply making sure that what you reported matches what they receive from your employers. Once their systems catch up and process all the W-2 data, most of these cases resolve automatically. I know the waiting is incredibly stressful when you're counting on that refund money for necessary expenses like your car repairs. Try to be patient - the 60-90 day timeframe others mentioned is realistic, though many cases resolve faster. Keep checking your transcripts weekly if you can access them online, and once your employer income data appears there, your refund should process pretty quickly after that. You're definitely not alone in this situation - it seems like a lot of people are dealing with these income verification letters this year due to processing delays and economic changes that led to more job switches. Hang in there!

Does anyone know if having unfiled taxes will affect getting approved for an apartment? I'm in the same boat (didn't file 2021) and I'm trying to move next month. Worried this might show up on background checks...

Don't stress too much about this! With an income of $19,500 in 2021, you're likely in a pretty good position. Given that amount, you probably had taxes withheld from your paychecks throughout the year, which means there's a decent chance you're actually owed a refund rather than owing money. Here's what I'd recommend: gather all your W-2s and 1099s from 2021, then use tax software that handles prior year returns or consider working with a tax professional who can walk you through the process. The most important thing is to file as soon as possible - not because you're in terrible trouble, but because if you are owed money, you want to claim it before the April 2025 deadline. If it turns out you do owe a small amount, the IRS offers payment plans and is generally reasonable to work with, especially for first-time late filers. The anxiety you're feeling is totally normal, but the reality is usually much less scary than what we build up in our heads. You've got this!

This has been such an informative discussion! As someone who's been completely overwhelmed trying to understand what 2026 will bring, reading through all these perspectives has really helped clarify the scope of changes we're facing. I'm particularly struck by how many different moving parts there are - it's not just about tax rates going up, but also the standard deduction changes, AMT exemption reversions, QBI deduction expiration, Child Tax Credit reductions, and the return of various itemized deductions. The interactions between all these changes seem like they could create very different outcomes depending on your specific situation. What's becoming clear to me is that there's no one-size-fits-all answer to how these changes will affect people. Someone with high state taxes might actually come out ahead with unlimited SALT deductions despite higher rates, while a family with kids in a low-tax state could face a significant increase from losing the expanded Child Tax Credit and standard deduction. The uncertainty about Congressional action makes it even more challenging. It sounds like the smart approach is to prepare for multiple scenarios rather than betting on any specific outcome. I'm definitely going to start running some numbers for my own situation and probably consult with a tax professional before making any major financial moves in 2025. Thanks to everyone who shared their insights and experiences - this kind of real-world discussion is so much more helpful than trying to parse through dense policy articles alone!

As a newcomer to this community, I have to say this thread has been incredibly educational! I've been dreading 2026 without really understanding why, but seeing all the specifics laid out here really helps put things in perspective. What's particularly eye-opening is learning about provisions I had never even heard of, like the QBI deduction for self-employed folks and the AMT exemption changes. I always thought the 2026 "tax cliff" was just about rates going up, but it's clearly much more complex than that. The tools and services mentioned throughout this discussion seem really valuable - I had no idea there were resources available to help model these different scenarios or navigate the IRS maze more efficiently. As someone who typically just uses basic tax software and hopes for the best, it sounds like 2026 might be the year I need to step up my tax planning game. I'm especially grateful for the professional perspectives shared here. It's reassuring to know that even tax preparers find these interactions complex - makes me feel less foolish for being confused by it all! One question I have after reading everything: for someone like me who's relatively new to serious tax planning, what would be the most important first step to take in 2025 to prepare for these changes? Should I focus on understanding my current situation first, or jump straight into scenario planning for 2026?

Has anyone dealt with vendors who refuse to provide W9s? We have a few local businesses that get suspicious when we ask, even though we're just trying to follow the rules.

I've been following this thread and wanted to share our experience as a mid-sized nonprofit that went through similar W9 confusion last year. We initially had our finance team requesting W9s for every vendor too, but quickly realized it was creating more problems than it solved. What worked for us was implementing a two-tier system: automatic W9 collection for any vendor we expect to pay over $300 annually (giving us a buffer), and quarterly reviews of all vendor payments to catch anyone approaching $600. We use a simple Excel tracker that flags vendors at $400 and $550 thresholds. The key insight was that most of our vendor relationships are either very small (under $100 annually) or clearly going to exceed $600 - there aren't many vendors in that middle ground where tracking becomes tricky. For the 5-10 vendors per year that unexpectedly approach $600, we just request W9s when we notice during our quarterly reviews. This approach reduced our W9 collection efforts by about 80% while maintaining full compliance. Our program staff can focus on service delivery instead of chasing gas stations for tax forms!