I had this exact issue in 2023 - no income but I did have a failed business attempt that lost about $5k. Called a tax preparer who wanted to charge me $250 just to tell me if I needed to file! Ridiculous.

Thanks for sharing your experience with VITA - that's actually a great resource I didn't know about! For anyone else reading this thread, I wanted to add that even with zero income, you might still want to consider filing if you had any federal taxes withheld from unemployment benefits or other sources during the year. I learned this the hard way when I had a brief period of unemployment early in 2023 but then no other income for the rest of the year. Even though my total income was below the filing threshold, I had taxes withheld from those unemployment payments that I could only get back by filing a return. Ended up getting a small refund that I wouldn't have received otherwise. The IRS won't automatically send you money you're owed - you have to file to claim it, even if filing isn't technically required based on your income level.

If the IRS is reviewing your tax return, it's not uncommon for it to take the full 60 days they often request. The review process is a standard part of the IRS's system for ensuring the accuracy of returns and compliance with tax laws. It can be triggered for various reasons, such as random selection, mismatched information, or incomplete documentation. Regarding the codes on your transcript: Code 766 with a date of "4/15/24" next to it typically refers to a credit that is applied to your account. This might be related to withholding, estimated tax payments, or refundable credits like the Earned Income Tax Credit (EITC) or Additional Child Tax Credit (ACTC). The date "4/15/24" is likely the date the credit is recognized by the system, which aligns with the tax filing deadline for most individuals. It's important to note that this date is not necessarily when you will receive your refund, especially if your account is under review. The fact that your taxes were approved on "2/24/24" but are still under review suggests that the IRS may have found an issue that requires further verification or documentation. During the review process, the IRS may hold off on issuing your refund. Even if a credit is noted on your account for 4/15/24, if the review is not completed or there is another issue, the actual refund might be delayed beyond that date. If you're waiting for the completion of a review, the IRS typically contacts taxpayers if additional information is needed. If the 60 days have passed and you haven't heard anything, or if you are approaching the end of the 60-day period, it would be reasonable to contact the IRS for an update on the status of your review. It’s also a good practice to keep checking your transcript for updates, such as the appearance of code 846, which indicates a refund has been issued. I made a video about calling IRS transcript line here: https://youtu.be/UiAegRQ2Is8

I'm in a similar situation - been waiting since early February and it's so frustrating! The 60-day timeline seems to be pretty standard this year from what I've been reading. Your code 766 with the 4/15/24 date is interesting - that's typically when credits get applied to your account, but like others mentioned, it doesn't always mean that's your refund date if you're still under review. I've been checking my transcript obsessively and noticed that the IRS seems to be taking longer with reviews in 2024. Have you received any correspondence from them asking for additional documentation? Sometimes they'll request more info during the review process which can extend the timeline even further. Hang in there - I know the waiting is brutal!

Just a heads up - I had this exact issue a few years ago and when I went to get my documents back, they tried to charge me a "document preparation fee" of like $50. I refused to pay it and eventually got my stuff back, but be prepared for them to try something like that. Know your rights - they cannot legally keep your original documents regardless of any fees they claim you owe. Stand your ground if they try to charge you anything.

Hey Nia! I went through almost the exact same situation last month. H&R Block quoted me $275 for what should have been a pretty straightforward return and I was like "absolutely not!" I called the office the next day and politely told them I decided to go elsewhere and needed my documents back. The person on the phone was actually really nice about it and had everything ready when I came in. No hassle, no fees, got all my original W2s and 1099s back within 10 minutes. Ended up using FreeTaxUSA online and paid like $15 total. Got the same refund amount that H&R Block calculated but saved myself over $250. Sometimes these brick-and-mortar places are just way overpriced for basic returns. Don't let them pressure you into paying if you're not comfortable with the price. Your documents are yours and they have to give them back, period.

Influencer here! Don't panic, but definitely start tracking everything. I use a simple spreadsheet with: - Product name - Estimated retail value - Date received - Company name - What content I created for it At the end of the year, add it all up. If it's substantial, you'll need to report it. The companies likely won't send 1099s for products, so the responsibility falls on you. Also, start tracking EXPENSES related to content creation! Your phone, any lighting equipment, props, percentage of your living space used for filming, etc. These can offset the income from the products.

As someone who just went through their first tax season with brand ambassador income, I want to emphasize how important it is to start organizing NOW rather than scrambling in March like I did! One thing that caught me off guard was that some of the smaller beauty brands I worked with didn't have clear systems for tracking what they sent me. I ended up having to go back through months of DMs and emails to piece together what products I received and when. Also, don't forget about affiliate commission income if you're using discount codes or referral links - that's separate taxable income on top of the product values. I had to dig through multiple affiliate dashboards to get those numbers. The good news is that once you get into a routine of tracking everything monthly, it's really not that bad. Just don't put it off thinking "I'll figure it out later" because you definitely won't remember the details of every PR package you received six months ago!

Has anyone had success getting their university to reinstate a certification program for education expenses? My school also eliminated theirs, citing "administrative burden" and "potential liability.

This is such a frustrating situation that many university employees face! I've been dealing with something similar at my institution. One approach that helped me was creating a detailed "business connection matrix" that mapped each course to specific job duties from my official position description. I literally created a spreadsheet with columns for: Course Name, Course Learning Objectives, Specific Job Duties Enhanced, and Examples of Application. This made it crystal clear how each credit hour directly improved skills I use daily in my current role. When I presented this to our benefits office, they still wouldn't certify it officially, but the documentation was so thorough that I felt confident taking the position on my tax return that these qualified as working condition fringe benefits. I included the matrix as supporting documentation and referenced it in my Form 8275 disclosure statement. The key insight I learned is that IRC 132(d) doesn't actually require employer certification - it just requires that the education would qualify as a deductible business expense if you paid for it yourself. Your employer's refusal to review doesn't change whether the education actually meets the tax code requirements. Have you considered reaching out to other employees in similar situations? Sometimes collective action can be more effective than individual requests for policy changes.