Just wondering - does having a SSN from your internships change anything about how you fill out the W8-BEN? I got a social when I worked in the US last summer.

Just to add one more perspective here - don't stress too much about the W8-BEN form. It's actually pretty straightforward once you understand what it's for. The key thing to remember is that this form is specifically about the interest income your bank account generates, not your employment income. Since you're Canadian, you'll definitely benefit from the tax treaty. The US-Canada treaty eliminates withholding on bank interest entirely (0% instead of 30%), so filling out this form will actually save you money on any interest you earn. One thing I'd suggest is to keep a copy of your completed W8-BEN for your records. When you do eventually become a US tax resident (which sounds like it'll happen soon with your full-time move), you'll need to notify your bank and switch to providing them with a W-9 form instead. Having documentation of when you made that transition can be helpful for tax purposes. The form itself is valid for 3 years, but your circumstances are changing, so you'll likely need to update it sooner than that. Good luck with your move!

Filed January 23rd, stuck in pending until February 6th (a full 14 days!), then magically accepted overnight. The IRS is moving slower than a sloth on vacation this year! 🐌 But seriously, I wouldn't worry yet. I meticulously track my tax timeline every year in a spreadsheet (yes, I'm that person 😂), and this is by far the longest pending-to-acceptance window I've seen. Just be cautious about making any major financial plans that depend on your refund arriving by a specific date - I'd add at least an extra 2-3 weeks to whatever timeline you're expecting based on previous years.

Filed on 1/26 and still pending here too! This is so frustrating - I've been a TurboTax user for 8 years and never experienced anything like this. Usually get accepted within hours like you mentioned. I called TurboTax support yesterday and they basically said "it's an IRS issue, not us" which wasn't helpful at all. The uncertainty is the worst part - at least if they told us "expect 3-4 weeks this year" we could plan accordingly. Instead we're all just checking obsessively every day wondering if something went wrong. Thanks for posting this - it's oddly comforting to know I'm not alone in this pending purgatory!

mine took 84 days last year... good luck fam

The 21-day timeframe is calendar days, not business days. Since you were accepted on 1/22, you're looking at around 2/12 for the 21-day mark. But honestly, don't stress too much about the exact date - refunds can come earlier or later depending on your specific situation. Keep an eye on your transcript through the IRS website, that's your best bet for real updates on processing status.

Illinois generally follows federal tax treatment for retirement distributions, so if you roll it over within 60 days, you shouldn't owe Illinois state tax on it either. However, if you cash it and pay federal taxes, Illinois will likely tax it as ordinary income too (Illinois has a flat 4.95% rate). One thing to keep in mind - Illinois doesn't have its own early withdrawal penalty like some states do, so you'd just be looking at the regular state income tax rate if you decide to cash it rather than roll it over. But rolling it over is still your best bet to avoid all taxes, both federal and state. I'd definitely recommend calling your new 401k plan first to make sure they accept indirect rollovers before you decide which route to take!

Just wanted to chime in as someone who works in retirement plan administration - you're getting great advice here! A few additional points that might help: The 60-day rollover clock starts from the date you RECEIVED the check, not when you cash it. So don't panic if it takes you a few days to figure out your options. Also, if your new employer's 401k doesn't accept indirect rollovers (which some don't), you can always roll it into a traditional IRA at any major brokerage like Fidelity, Vanguard, or Schwab. They're very familiar with these situations and can walk you through the process. One last thing - make sure to keep detailed records of everything (the check stub, 1099-R, deposit receipts, etc.) because you'll need to document the rollover on your tax return even though it won't be taxable. The IRS wants to see that you properly completed the rollover within the time limit. Good luck with whatever option you choose!

Just FYI - most tax preparers have "errors and omissions" insurance for this exact situation. If they made a mistake that costs you money in an audit, that insurance should cover it. The disengagement letter typically doesn't override their professional obligations for work already performed, it just clarifies that they're not your tax preparer going forward. You could ask them specifically if their letter is intended to waive their E&O insurance coverage for past returns. If they say yes, that would be unusual and concerning. If they say no, get that clarification in writing as an amendment to their letter.

I went through this exact same situation about 6 months ago! My old preparer also wanted me to sign a release letter when I switched to someone cheaper. I was really nervous about it at first because like you, I was worried they were trying to dodge responsibility for potential mistakes. What I ended up doing was asking them to modify the language slightly. Instead of signing their original letter that seemed too broad, I asked them to clarify that while our professional relationship was ending, they would still stand behind the accuracy of the work they had already completed for me. They were actually pretty reasonable about it and agreed to add that clarification. The key thing I learned is that you have some negotiating power here - they can't force you to sign anything, and most legitimate preparers understand the difference between ending a relationship and abandoning professional responsibility for past work. If they're being too aggressive about broad liability waivers, that might actually be a red flag about the quality of their past work. I'd suggest reading it carefully and if anything seems too broad, just ask for clarification or modifications before signing. You're totally within your rights to do that.