Just wanted to add some clarity on the small employer aspect that Lincoln mentioned - this is actually really important for your situation! Since your company has under 50 employees, they're not subject to the ACA employer mandate, which means they're not required to offer coverage that meets the affordability and minimum value standards. This is huge for determining whether you need to repay your premium tax credits. Even if your employer did offer some kind of health insurance during those three months, it likely wouldn't qualify as "affordable coverage" under ACA rules unless it specifically met those strict federal standards (which most small employer plans don't). The fact that your HR person said you "missed enrollment" and had to wait also suggests their plan might not have been continuously available to you anyway. If coverage wasn't actually available during those months when you had ACA insurance, then there's no overlap issue at all. I'd suggest asking your employer two specific questions: 1) Was health insurance coverage available to me during [specific months]? and 2) Did that coverage meet ACA affordability and minimum value standards? Most small employers won't even know what those standards are, which is telling. Without proper documentation showing you had access to qualifying employer coverage during those months, you should be able to keep your premium tax credits.

This is exactly the kind of situation where having a small employer actually works in your favor! I went through something very similar last year with my company (about 40 employees) and discovered that most small employers have no clue about ACA compliance requirements. The key insight from Lincoln and Cass is spot-on - small employers under 50 employees aren't required to offer ACA-compliant coverage, and most don't even understand what that means. When I asked my HR person about affordability standards (coverage costing less than 9.61% of household income) and minimum value requirements (covering 60% of healthcare costs), they looked at me like I was speaking a foreign language. Here's what I learned: just because your employer offers "health insurance" doesn't automatically make it qualifying coverage under ACA rules. For your premium tax credit repayment calculation, what matters is whether the employer coverage met both the affordability test AND the minimum value standard during those overlap months. Given that your company's HR situation sounds chaotic (missing enrollment deadlines, no plan communications, telling you to wait), it's highly unlikely they were offering properly structured ACA-compliant coverage anyway. The absence of Box 12 DD combined with no 1095-C forms is actually pretty telling. I'd recommend documenting your attempts to get information from your employer and keeping records of their responses (or lack thereof). In my case, their inability to provide basic plan details was evidence that the coverage didn't meet federal standards, and I was able to keep my premium tax credits.

Direct deposit timing has been pretty consistent for me over the past three tax seasons. The deposit hit my account within 24 hours of the date shown on my transcript (the date next to code 846). The WMR tool is usually a day behind the actual transcript information. I'd recommend checking both if possible. If your WMR shows approved today, there's a good chance your transcript already has a specific deposit date listed.

Just wanted to share my timeline from this year - I got the "Refund Approved" status on WMR last Tuesday and the money hit my checking account Thursday morning, so exactly 2 business days. I bank with a local credit union and they typically post ACH transfers early in the morning. One thing I learned from previous years is to check your account transcript if you can access it online - it usually shows the actual deposit date (code 846) which is more reliable than the WMR tool. Also, since you mentioned planning for summer activities, I'd personally wait until the money is actually in your account before scheduling any automatic payments, just to be safe. Good luck!

This is exactly the kind of complex situation where getting expert guidance upfront can save you major headaches later. Based on your wife's visa history - 6 years total with tourist visa initially, then F1 student visa that expired in January 2024 - you're dealing with multiple moving pieces that affect her tax status. A few key points to consider: 1. Since her F1 expired in January 2024 and you're going through the marriage-based green card process, her current status likely affects how the substantial presence test applies for 2024. 2. The fact that she's had no taxable income simplifies things somewhat, but you still need to determine her correct status to choose the right filing approach. 3. Be very careful about the worldwide income reporting requirement if you make any election to treat her as a resident - this catches a lot of people off guard. Given the complexity with mixed visa types, the 5-year F1 exemption period, and the transition to marriage-based status, I'd strongly recommend getting a definitive determination of her tax status before making any elections. The consequences of filing incorrectly with international situations can be significant, and the rules around these elections have specific timing requirements and documentation needs. Have you been able to get copies of all her I-94 entry/exit records? That's usually the starting point for any accurate substantial presence test calculation.

As someone who went through a very similar situation with my spouse from Mexico, I want to emphasize how important it is to get this right from the start. The substantial presence test calculation with mixed visa types is genuinely complex, and the stakes are high. One thing I learned the hard way - even though your wife has no income, you still need to be absolutely certain about her tax status before making any elections. We initially thought the 6013(g) election was a no-brainer since my husband had no income either, but it turns out there can be unexpected consequences down the road. For example, once you make the 6013(g) election, it continues for all subsequent years until you revoke it or certain events terminate it. This means if her status changes again during the green card process, you're still locked into treating her as a resident for tax purposes until you formally revoke the election. Also, don't underestimate the importance of proper documentation. The IRS requires specific statements attached to your return explaining why you're making the election and confirming you understand the obligations. Missing these requirements can invalidate the election. Given that her F1 expired in January 2024 and she's been here 6+ years, definitely focus on getting an accurate substantial presence test calculation first. That will tell you whether you even need to make an election or if she already qualifies as a resident alien naturally. The calculation might be simpler than you think once you properly account for the F1 exemption period rules.

3 Just an additional tip if you have a Paycor account - have you tried logging into their employee self-service portal? Many payroll companies allow employees to download their own W-2s electronically. Try going to https://secure.paycor.com/login and see if you can access your account. You might need to register first if you haven't before, but you should be able to use your SSN to set it up.

11 This happens way too often with small businesses! One thing nobody mentioned - if you file an extension (Form 4868), you get until October to file your complete return. This might be worth considering if you really want the actual W-2 rather than using the substitute form. Just remember that an extension gives you more time to FILE, but you still need to PAY any taxes you owe by the regular April deadline to avoid penalties. So you'd need to estimate what you owe based on your paystubs.

8 One thing nobody's mentioned - make sure you check your state tax obligations too! I made the mistake of focusing only on my federal tax debt and completely forgot I also owed state taxes. Had to set up two separate payment plans.

I'm in almost the exact same boat - just ran my numbers and owe around $8,200 that I definitely don't have sitting around. Reading through all these responses has been super helpful, especially the clarification about filing first then setting up the payment plan. One question I haven't seen addressed - if I file my return showing I owe this amount, does that immediately trigger any kind of collections process? Or do I have some grace period to get the payment plan set up before they start sending scary letters? Also, has anyone here actually used the online payment agreement tool on the IRS website? I'm wondering if that's reliable or if I should plan on calling (or using one of those services mentioned above to help get through).