I'm dealing with almost the exact same timeline - filed my amended return in late May and absolutely nothing showing up anywhere. Reading through everyone's experiences here is honestly both reassuring and terrifying at the same time! What's really getting to me is that I can't even confirm they received it. At least with regular returns you get some kind of acknowledgment. With amendments, it's like throwing paperwork into a black hole and hoping for the best. I've been checking WMAR obsessively (probably not healthy) and considering calling, but it sounds like even that might not give me concrete answers. The military transfer situation mentioned in the original post really hits home - sometimes these refunds aren't just "nice to have" money, they're actually needed for real life situations. Has anyone here had success getting expedited processing for legitimate hardship reasons, or is that more myth than reality? Trying to decide if it's worth the hassle of explaining my situation to an IRS agent who might not even be able to help.

I've been through this nightmare twice now and can share what actually worked for me. Filed an amended return in April, nothing on WMAR for months. What finally broke through was calling the IRS and specifically asking for a "case trace" on my amended return. This is different from just asking about processing times - a case trace creates an internal inquiry that forces someone to physically locate your paperwork in their system. The agent told me this often reveals returns that are sitting in queues but not showing up in their regular tracking tools. For military families like the original poster mentioned, there's actually a specific procedure called "combat zone relief" that can apply to PCS situations. Even if you're not in a combat zone, military moves often qualify for expedited processing if you can document the financial impact of the delay. My amended return from April finally showed up on WMAR in late August, then processed within 3 weeks after that. The waiting is brutal, but most of these do eventually work their way through the system. Don't lose hope!

I went through this exact same situation two years ago with similar income levels. We ended up doing the religious ceremony without the legal marriage and have successfully filed as single for two tax seasons now. A few practical tips from our experience: 1. Keep excellent documentation of your decision - we have a written record of why we chose not to get a marriage license, which our tax attorney said was smart in case of questions later. 2. Be very careful about beneficiary designations on retirement accounts. We learned that some 401(k) plans require spousal consent for non-spouse beneficiaries, but since we're not legally married, this doesn't apply. However, we had to be explicit with HR that we're unmarried to avoid confusion. 3. Consider the timing if you ever do decide to legally marry later. Getting married on January 1st vs December 31st can make a huge difference in your tax liability for that year. 4. We found that having separate tax preparers actually helped - it avoids any appearance that we're coordinating our returns inappropriately, even though we're doing nothing wrong. The religious ceremony was beautiful and meaningful to us, and we've saved over $15,000 in taxes over two years. For our situation, it was absolutely the right choice.

This is such a fascinating discussion that really highlights the complexities of our tax system. I'm in a similar situation with my partner - we're both high earners and the marriage penalty would cost us significantly. One aspect I haven't seen mentioned yet is how this might affect state taxes too. Some states have different rules or penalties that could either amplify or offset the federal marriage penalty. For example, some states don't have income tax at all, while others have their own marriage penalties or bonuses. Also, has anyone considered the psychological/social aspects of this decision? I worry about constantly having to explain to family, friends, and colleagues why we had a ceremony but aren't "really" married. It seems like it could create awkward situations, especially in professional settings where marital status sometimes comes up (like for benefits enrollment or company events). I'm really torn because the financial logic is clear, but I wonder if the social complexity and potential long-term legal complications outweigh the tax savings. Reading everyone's experiences here is incredibly valuable though - it's not a decision you can make lightly with these income levels where every choice has significant financial implications.

Just wanna share my experience - I had this EXACT same problem in Washington state last year!! That 10% withholding is such a trap. I thought I was being responsible by choosing to have taxes withheld from my unemployment but still ended up owing a ton. The real issue is that unemployment doesn't take into account your total annual income situation. For me, I had worked half the year making good money before being laid off, so combined with unemployment I was in a higher tax bracket than what the 10% covered. For anyone else facing this - consider setting aside some additional money beyond the 10% withholding if you can afford it. Better to have extra saved than to owe a bunch at tax time.

I'm dealing with a very similar situation right now! Made about $52k from my regular job before getting laid off in September, then collected unemployment for the rest of the year. Even with the 10% withholding, I still owe about $2,800 more in taxes. What really helped me understand it was realizing that the unemployment office has no idea what my other income was when they're calculating that 10% withholding. They're just taking a flat 10% without considering that my combined income ($52k + $28k unemployment = $80k total) puts me in a completely different tax bracket. The frustrating part is there's really no good way to avoid this unless you make quarterly estimated payments on top of the 10% withholding. I'm definitely going to do that if I'm ever on unemployment again. Live and learn I guess!

I ran into this exact same circular reference nightmare last year! What finally worked for me was treating it like an iterative process rather than trying to complete each form perfectly the first time through. Here's the step-by-step approach that broke the loop for me: 1. Start with your 1099-B and calculate your basic capital gain/loss (proceeds minus cost basis) 2. Put that preliminary amount on Schedule D Line 21 (or wherever your gain/loss lands) 3. Transfer that number to Form 1040 Line 13 4. Complete your Form 1040 through Line 44 using this preliminary capital gain 5. Now go back to Schedule D and use the tax information from Line 44 to complete any remaining calculations 6. If the final Schedule D number is different from your preliminary amount, update Form 1040 Line 13 and recalculate For a single stock sale like yours, the numbers usually don't change much between iterations, so you might only need to go through this process once or twice. The key insight is that these forms were designed assuming you'd use tax software that handles the circular references automatically - doing it by hand requires this back-and-forth approach. Don't let it drive you crazy - you're not missing something obvious, the forms really are designed this way!

I completely understand your frustration! I went through this exact same circular reference nightmare when I had to file my taxes after selling some stocks last year. It's like being stuck in a maze where every path leads back to where you started. The good news is that several people here have already given you great solutions. The iterative approach that Dmitry outlined is spot-on - you really do need to treat it like making multiple passes through the forms rather than trying to complete everything perfectly in one go. Here's what I learned from my experience: the key is to not overthink it. Start with the basic information you have (your 1099-B), make your best preliminary calculations, and then refine them as you work through the forms. The circular references exist because the tax code assumes everything will be calculated simultaneously (like tax software does), but when doing it by hand, you have to break it down into steps. One thing that really helped me was keeping track of which numbers I was using as "preliminary" versus "final" - I wrote little notes on my draft forms so I knew which calculations might need to be updated after completing the loop. Don't give up on the paper forms if that's your preference! Yes, it's more work than software, but it's totally doable once you understand the process. You've got this!

In case anyone else is reading this thread with a similar issue - make sure you check if your state has different rules for claiming refunds! Some states have longer statutes of limitations than the federal 3-year rule. For example, in Montana you have 5 years to claim a refund, and in South Carolina it's 3 years from the date you actually file (with no expiration if you never filed). I almost missed out on a state refund because I assumed the deadlines were the same as federal.

I'm really sorry to hear about your situation, Charity. Unfortunately, based on the information you've provided, it does appear that you've missed the deadline for claiming your 2019 refund. The three-year statute of limitations would have expired on July 15, 2023, since that was the COVID-extended due date for 2019 returns. However, I'd strongly encourage you to explore a couple of options before giving up completely: 1. **File the return anyway** - Even without getting the refund, filing will create an official record of your income and any withholding or estimated payments you made. This could be important for future financial needs. 2. **Check for any special circumstances** - While rare, there are some exceptions to the three-year rule for things like military service in combat zones, living in federally declared disaster areas, or certain other documented hardships. 3. **Consider state refunds** - As Hugo mentioned, some states have different deadlines than federal. Check your state's rules - you might still be eligible for a state refund even if the federal deadline has passed. 4. **Apply withholding to other years** - If you had tax withholding in 2019 and owe money for other tax years, you might be able to work with the IRS to apply those payments to years where you have a balance due. Don't beat yourself up too much - 2020 was an incredibly challenging year for everyone, and it's understandable that things slipped through the cracks.