Clear your browsers cache and try again. Sometimes WMR just acts stupid tbh

Had this exact same issue last month! After banging my head against the wall for days, I realized I was using my AGI from last year's return instead of this year's. The WMR tool is super picky about having the EXACT numbers from your current return. Also make sure you're not including cents if your refund amount is a whole number - that little detail trips people up all the time. Hope this helps!

Filed March 1st, got my refund last week. No rhyme or reason to how they process these things honestly

I'm in the same boat - filed mine in late January and still showing "processing" on the NYS website. It's really frustrating not knowing what's going on or having any realistic timeline. At least with federal returns you usually get some kind of update, but NYS just leaves you hanging. Has anyone tried calling their taxpayer services line? Wondering if it's worth the inevitable hold time.

I've been dealing with similar complexity in my returns for the past few years, including foreign accounts and investment income. After going through a correspondence audit in 2022 (thankfully not a full audit), I can share what I learned about audit protection services. First, definitely get protection if your returns are this complex. The peace of mind alone is worth it. I ended up going with a standalone policy through a company that specializes in international tax issues rather than the basic protection from tax software companies. Cost me about $400/year, but it covers representation for all types of audits and includes some penalty protection. One thing I wish I'd known earlier: some protection plans have waiting periods, so you can't buy coverage after you've already been selected for audit. Also, make sure whatever service you choose has experience with FBAR issues specifically - the penalties for those can be brutal and not all tax professionals are familiar with the nuances. The preventive approach mentioned with taxr.ai sounds interesting too. Catching issues before filing seems smarter than just hoping you don't get audited. Given your situation with foreign accounts and multiple income sources, I'd probably recommend both - prevention analysis before filing AND audit protection for peace of mind.

Based on my experience with complex returns including foreign accounts, I'd strongly recommend getting audit protection - but be strategic about it. The key is finding coverage that specifically handles international tax issues, not just generic audit protection. A few things to consider: 1. **Look for FBAR expertise**: Many basic audit protection services don't have staff familiar with foreign account reporting requirements. The penalties for FBAR mistakes can be devastating (potentially 50% of account balances), so you need someone who knows this area. 2. **Consider the timing**: Most protection plans only cover audits for returns filed AFTER you purchase the coverage. So if you're thinking about it, don't wait. 3. **Combine approaches**: Given your complex situation, I'd suggest both preventive analysis (like the taxr.ai tool others mentioned) AND traditional audit protection. Prevention is always cheaper than dealing with problems after they happen. 4. **Ask your CPA first**: Since they already know your situation, see if they offer audit protection services or can recommend someone who specializes in international tax issues. For someone with your level of complexity (foreign accounts, investment income, side business), the annual cost of good protection ($300-500) is probably much less than what you'd pay to resolve even a minor audit issue. The stress reduction alone makes it worthwhile in my opinion.

Anyone know if there's a difference in processing time between returns with refunds vs. returns where you owe? I've heard the states prioritize processing payments they're owed, but wasn't sure if that's actually true.

I can share my recent experience with this! Just got my state refund last week after mailing my return 6 weeks ago. I'm in Michigan and used Priority Mail with tracking - totally worth the extra few bucks for peace of mind. The state's online portal was actually pretty helpful for checking status once they received it. One tip: if you're expecting a refund, consider setting up direct deposit if your state offers it. My friend in Ohio got hers 2 weeks faster than my paper check. The waiting really is the worst part, but most states are pretty consistent with their 4-8 week timeframes right now.

This is such a helpful thread! I'm dealing with the exact same confusion for my consulting business. What really clicked for me reading through all these responses is that Section 179 is essentially about WHEN you get the tax benefit, not IF you get it. One thing I'm still wondering about though - does the vehicle financing interest rate play into this decision at all? Like if I can get 0% financing on the truck, does that change whether Section 179 makes sense versus regular depreciation? It seems like the cash flow benefit of Section 179 would be even bigger if I'm not paying interest on the loan. Also really appreciate the mentions of tracking business use percentage - I definitely need to get better about that regardless of which deduction method I choose!

One aspect that hasn't been covered much here is the income limitation for Section 179. There's an annual limit on how much you can deduct (for 2024 it's $1.22 million) and it starts phasing out if you purchase more than $3.05 million in qualifying property during the year. But more importantly for most small business owners, you can't deduct more than your business's taxable income for the year. So if your business only made $30,000 in profit this year, you can't take a $45,000 Section 179 deduction on a truck - you'd be limited to the $30,000 and would have to carry forward the rest. This is where regular depreciation might actually be better for newer or smaller businesses that don't have large profits yet. With depreciation, you spread the deduction over time, which might align better with your income growth. Just something to consider when running those cash flow calculations everyone's been talking about!