Have you checked your transcript on the IRS website? Sometimes that shows codes and pending actions that the "Where's My Refund" tool doesn't show.

I feel your frustration completely - being broke and waiting on money you desperately need is one of the most stressful situations. A few things that might help while you're waiting: 1. Contact your utility companies and landlord ASAP to explain the situation. Many have hardship programs or will work with you if you communicate proactively rather than just going silent. 2. Check if your state has emergency rental assistance programs - many still have COVID relief funds available for exactly this situation. 3. Look into local food banks and assistance programs to free up any money you do have for rent/utilities. 4. If you filed with a tax prep company, call them about the refund advance status - that's completely separate from your IRS processing timeline. The "still being processed" status is unfortunately the new normal this year, but hang in there. Most people are seeing movement around the 3-week mark, so you should hopefully see progress soon. Document everything about your financial hardship in case you need to escalate to the Tax Advocate Service.

Has anyone else noticed that Morgan Stanley seems to mess this up a lot? I had the same issue when I became a resident, and it took them forever to update their systems. Their customer service was useless when I tried to get help too. Anyone have any luck getting them to fix this?

I'm dealing with a very similar situation right now! I received both forms from E*Trade for the same reason - they had me classified as a non-resident for the first part of 2024 even though I've been a US resident the whole year. What really helped me was calling the IRS directly to confirm the reporting approach. The agent I spoke with explained that this is actually pretty common when brokerage firms don't update residency status quickly enough in their systems. She confirmed that as a US resident, I should report the dividend income from both forms as regular dividend income, but enter them separately to ensure all withholding is properly credited. The key thing she emphasized was making sure I claim ALL the federal tax withholding from both forms - don't miss any of it because that's money you've already paid to the IRS. In my case, the 1042-S withholding was actually higher than normal dividend withholding rates, so I ended up getting a bigger refund than expected. For FreeTaxUSA specifically, I found the 1042-S entry under "Federal" → "Income" → "Less Common Income" → "Other Income Not Reported on Form 1099" and then there's a specific dropdown option for 1042-S. Make sure to enter the withholding amount in the federal tax withheld section when prompted.

For the nanny income specifically, since it was family (her cousin), do you think there was an understanding this was "under the table"? Because that complicates things. If you suddenly report this income, you could potentially create problems for the family that employed her if they didn't handle their end of the household employment taxes. Not saying don't report it, but just something to consider. Maybe have a conversation with the cousin first?

For your wife's nanny income, wouldn't she need to pay self-employment tax too? That's an extra 15.3% on top of regular income tax, right? That seems like it would be a big hit on back taxes you're already struggling with.

Just want to add a important warning: if you worked remotely for your California company while living in Maryland, you might have Maryland AND California income tax obligations for that portion of the year! California is super aggressive about taxing remote workers of CA companies. When you moved to TN, make sure you formally notified your employer of your new address and had them update your state tax withholding. Check your recent paystubs to confirm they're no longer withholding Maryland or California taxes.

Hey Diego! As someone who recently went through a similar multi-state move situation, I wanted to share a few practical tips that might help you navigate this. First, definitely gather all your documentation showing when you established Tennessee residency - lease agreement, driver's license change date, voter registration, etc. This timeline will be crucial for determining which state has taxing rights on your capital gains. Since you mentioned you're 22 and just starting out, there's a good chance your total income might qualify you for the 0% federal long-term capital gains rate (currently applies if your taxable income is under $47,025 for single filers in 2024). That could save you a significant amount on the federal side. For the state piece, you'll likely need to file as a part-year resident in Maryland for the period you lived there, but the capital gains realized after establishing Tennessee residency should escape state taxation entirely since Tennessee doesn't tax capital gains. One thing I'd recommend is keeping detailed records of when you physically moved, when you changed your address with various institutions, and especially when you updated your information with your brokerage. The timing of these changes relative to when you sold your stocks will matter if either state questions your residency status. Also, double-check that your brokerage has your current Tennessee address on file - you don't want tax documents being sent to your old Maryland address next year!

The W-9 is actually not the correct form for 401k withdrawals. You should be filling out a distribution form from your 401k provider, not a W-9. A W-9 is generally used for independent contractors or when you're receiving certain types of payments where the payer needs your taxpayer info.

I went through this exact same situation last year when I did a 401k withdrawal. The brokerage definitely can require a W-9 even though you're also filling out distribution paperwork with your plan administrator. It's because they need your taxpayer information on file for their own reporting requirements to the IRS. You're absolutely right to select "Individual/sole proprietor or single-member LLC" - that's the correct box for regular employees like us. The form language is confusing because it's designed to cover multiple scenarios, but as an individual taxpayer (not a corporation or partnership), that first option is what you want. One thing I wish someone had told me - make sure you understand exactly how much tax will be withheld from your withdrawal. The default withholding might not be enough to cover what you'll actually owe, especially if the withdrawal bumps you into a higher tax bracket. I ended up owing more at tax time because I didn't plan for that properly.