waited 3 months last year... IL is always slow af with returns fr fr

Also try checking early morning or late evening - the MyTax Illinois website tends to be less busy during those times. If you're still having trouble, you can also contact your local Illinois Department of Revenue office directly. They sometimes have shorter wait times than the main hotline. Good luck!

Question - does a tiny 2-unit HOA like this need to file state tax returns too? I'm in a similar situation in Michigan and our accountant is charging us $300 just to file the federal 1120-H that shows zero tax owed, plus another $250 for state filing. Seems excessive for such a simple return!

Your understanding is correct! For a 2-unit HOA with only $65 in interest income, Form 1120-H is definitely the right choice. The $100 specific deduction will indeed eliminate your tax liability completely. Just a few things to double-check to make sure you qualify for 1120-H: - At least 60% of your gross income needs to be exempt function income (your monthly dues) - which you clearly meet since that's almost all your income - The HOA needs to be formed to provide services, maintenance, etc. for residential units - which your setup qualifies for - Make sure you have basic HOA documentation (even simple bylaws work for a 2-unit setup) One tip: even though you owe no tax, you still must file the return by April 15th (or the 15th day of the 4th month after your fiscal year ends if you don't use calendar year). The IRS requires the filing regardless of whether tax is owed. Also keep detailed records of all HOA income and expenses, including bank statements and receipts for maintenance/utilities. This will make future filings much easier and protect you if there are ever any questions from the IRS.

Just FYI - I asked my tax guy about this exact situation and he said not to stress if it's under $600 total for the year. The brands won't send you a 1099 for less than that, and the IRS isn't going to come after a college student over $325 in free mascara or whatever lol.

As someone who's been doing brand partnerships for a couple years now, I'd recommend treating this seriously from the start even though $325 seems small. I made the mistake of not tracking anything my first year and it was a nightmare trying to reconstruct everything at tax time. The key thing to understand is that once you accept products in exchange for content/promotion, you've crossed from "consumer getting samples" to "business receiving compensation." Even if it feels casual now, the IRS sees it as self-employment income. My advice: Start a simple system now while it's manageable. Take screenshots of the retail prices when you receive products, save all your agreements/emails with brands, and track any expenses like phone accessories or backdrop materials you buy for content creation. Even though you're under the $400 self-employment tax threshold, you'll still need to report this as "other income" if you file a return. And honestly, as a college student you should probably be filing anyway to get any refunds you're entitled to from any jobs or financial aid. The good news is that once you have a system, it only takes a few minutes each time you receive something to log it properly!

Be aware that according to IRM 21.4.1.4.7 (Internal Revenue Manual), when a direct deposit is rejected, the IRS automatically converts it to a paper check, which is typically issued within 2-4 weeks after the rejection. However, this timeframe can be extended during peak processing periods. The transcript often doesn't update with a new 846 code (refund issued) for the paper check until after it's been processed for mailing. I strongly recommend setting up mail forwarding with USPS if you'll be away, as the IRS will use the address on your return and cannot expedite or redirect the check once it's in process.

I went through this exact same situation last year with TurboTax! The transcript lag is so frustrating when you're trying to plan around the check arrival. From my experience, the transcript typically won't show the paper check status until it's actually been processed for mailing - sometimes even after it arrives. What helped me was calling the IRS directly (took forever to get through) and they were able to tell me the specific mail date, which was about 3 weeks after my direct deposit was rejected. If you're planning a trip, I'd definitely recommend either setting up mail forwarding or asking a trusted neighbor to collect your mail, since the timing can vary by a few days from what they estimate. The check will be mailed to whatever address you used on your return, so make sure that's current!

Does anyone know which tax software handles backdoor Roth conversions the best? I tried using TurboTax last year and it was super confusing trying to enter all this stuff correctly.

Thanks everyone for all the helpful advice! This community is amazing. I feel much more confident about my backdoor Roth conversion now. Just to summarize what I've learned: 1. Fidelity is correct - the 1099-R will come in January, not immediately 2. Form 8606 is something I fill out myself when doing taxes, not a form they send me 3. I need to keep detailed records of contribution dates, amounts, and any earnings 4. The pro-rata rule could affect me if I have other pre-tax IRA funds One follow-up question: since I had to wait a week for the funds to settle and they earned some interest during that time, how do I figure out exactly how much of that interest is taxable? My Fidelity account just shows the total conversion amount but doesn't break down the original contribution vs. the earnings portion.