Uhh people are making this way too complicated. Just look at your W-2 form box 1 for wages. That's what most financial aid forms mean by gross income. If you have multiple W-2s just add them up. If you don't have W-2 income then that's a different story.

I went through this exact same confusion last year! For financial aid applications, you definitely want to be super careful about which income figure you're using. I found it helpful to actually call the financial aid office at my daughter's college to confirm exactly what they meant by "gross income" because different schools sometimes interpret this differently. In my case, they confirmed they wanted the total income from line 9 of the 1040, not just W-2 wages, since that captures all income sources. And yes, dividing by 12 for the monthly amount is the standard approach. One tip that saved me: I kept a copy of the specific line numbers I used for each application in a spreadsheet, because I had to fill out multiple FAFSA renewals and scholarship applications over the years and it was easy to forget which numbers I'd used previously. Consistency is key! Don't feel bad about finding tax forms confusing - they really are like hieroglyphics sometimes! You're asking the right questions.

Here's a step-by-step of what to expect with IRS identity verification: 1. Determine your verification method - online through ID.me or by phone/in-person 2. For online verification: Create an ID.me account if you don't have one 3. Have ready: government ID, smartphone for photos, and social security number 4. Complete facial recognition step (usually a selfie or short video) 5. Answer knowledge-based questions about your financial history 6. Once verified, your return processing will resume 7. Check your tax transcript about 7-10 days after verification 8. Expect your refund approximately 2-3 weeks after successful verification The IRS is currently processing these verification cases within about 21 days after verification is complete, though it can sometimes be faster. The key is to respond promptly to avoid further delays.

I went through identity verification just two months ago and wanted to share what worked for me. The key thing is to be prepared before you start - don't try to wing it. I gathered all my documents first: driver's license, SSN card, last year's tax return, and had my phone ready for the selfie portion. The ID.me process took about 25 minutes total. The knowledge-based questions were pretty specific - they asked about my mortgage payment amount, a car loan I had 3 years ago, and previous addresses. Having my credit report handy helped me answer accurately. One tip: if you wear glasses normally, wear them for the selfie verification. The system flagged me initially because my driver's license photo shows me with glasses but I took the selfie without them. Had to redo that part. My timeline was: verified on January 15th, transcript updated January 23rd, refund deposited January 28th. So about 13 days total, which was faster than I expected based on what I'd read online.

Something else to consider - you mentioned your trip is 4-6 months long. The IRS has specific rules about deducting expenses for travel away from your "tax home" that lasts longer than a year (they generally don't allow it), but shorter trips can qualify if they meet certain criteria. Look into the "temporary vs. indefinite" assignment rules. Since your trip is under a year, it could qualify as temporary, which is more favorable for deductions. BUT you have to demonstrate a clear business purpose. The fact that you're also generating income from car rentals and credit card tradelines during this time actually helps your case that this is a legitimate business endeavor and not just a vacation.

One practical tip that might help establish business legitimacy - consider setting up a separate business bank account and credit card for all your blog-related expenses before you leave. This creates a clear paper trail and demonstrates you're treating this as a real business venture, not just a personal trip with some content creation on the side. Also, since you're planning to monetize through multiple channels (blog, YouTube, affiliate marketing presumably), document your monetization strategy early. Create accounts with affiliate programs, ad networks, or sponsorship platforms before your trip begins. Even if you don't earn much initially, having these business relationships established shows genuine commercial intent. The IRS likes to see that you're operating like other businesses in your industry. Research what successful travel bloggers do - many start building their audience and revenue streams months before their major trips. Consider publishing some local content first to establish your business operations, then your international travel becomes a business expansion rather than the entire foundation of your venture.

I'm going through this exact nightmare right now too! Filed my paper return in late February via certified mail and it's been complete radio silence from the IRS ever since. My situation is almost identical - my computer died right before tax season and took all my TurboTax files with it, leaving me no choice but to file on paper. This thread has been such a lifesaver to find. I had no idea that 2-6 months was actually normal processing time for paper returns - that seems absolutely insane in 2024 but at least now I know I'm not losing my mind. The constant checking of "Where's My Refund" and seeing "no record found" has been driving me crazy, but knowing so many others are in the same boat really helps. That certified mail receipt has been my only comfort through this whole ordeal. It's good to know that really does protect us from late filing penalties even if the IRS takes forever to actually process our returns. I'm definitely going to use that tax transcript tip for next year - wish I had known about that option sooner! Would have saved me months of stress and anxiety. Thanks to everyone who shared their experiences and timelines. It really helps to know we're not alone in this frustrating waiting game!

I'm dealing with this exact same frustrating situation! Filed my paper return via certified mail back in February and have been checking "Where's My Refund" obsessively with absolutely no results. My laptop died right before tax season too and I lost all my previous year's tax files - it's like technology conspires against us at the worst possible times! This thread has been incredibly reassuring though. I had no idea that 2-6 months was actually considered normal processing time for paper returns. It seems completely absurd in 2024, but at least now I know I'm not going insane and that my return didn't actually vanish into some IRS black hole. That certified mail receipt has been my only source of comfort through this whole ordeal - it's good to know that really does protect us from late filing penalties even if the IRS takes forever to process everything. And I'm definitely saving that tax transcript advice for next year! Wish I had known about that option before going through all this stress. Thanks to everyone for sharing their experiences and timelines. It really helps to know we're not alone in this agonizing waiting game. Hopefully we'll all start seeing some movement in our cases soon!

Guys I'm telling you, the real move is to just become a corporation. Then you don't gotta pay taxes at all! 🧠🤑

I feel your frustration! I had a similar situation last year - filed in March and didn't hear back until August. What really helped me was calling the IRS first thing in the morning (like 7 AM when they open) and having all my documents ready. The wait times are brutal but worth it. Also, make sure to check if the IRS has your correct address on file - sometimes returns get held up because of address mismatches. Hang in there, you'll get through this! 💪