Has anyone actually received a paper check after their direct deposit was rejected? I'm in week 12 of waiting and starting to think the IRS just keeps our money if the bank account is closed!!

I went through this exact same nightmare last year! My refund was sent to a closed Chase account in February and I didn't get my paper check until mid-May - so about 14 weeks total. The most frustrating part was that the IRS phone system kept telling me my refund had been "sent" without mentioning it was rejected. What finally helped was filing Form 3911 (Taxpayer Statement Regarding Refund) after the 10-week mark. This form basically forces the IRS to do a trace on your refund and can help speed things up. You can download it from IRS.gov and either mail it in or fax it to them. Also, make absolutely sure your current address is on file with them. Even though you said it's correct on your return, double-check by looking at your IRS online account or calling them. Sometimes there are formatting issues or apartment numbers that get dropped that can cause delivery problems. Hang in there - the money isn't lost, it's just stuck in their incredibly slow bureaucratic process!

Just FYI - if these trees are between your house and the street, check with your city ordinances before removing them. Many municipalities have strict rules about removing mature trees, even on your own property. I learned this the hard way and got hit with a $5,000 fine for removing a tree without proper permits.

As a tax professional, I want to emphasize that everyone here is giving solid advice about getting proper documentation. The IRS is very specific about what constitutes a deductible casualty loss versus a personal expense. For your situation, focus on establishing one of these qualifying conditions: 1. Current structural damage (those foundation cracks you mentioned could be key) 2. Professional assessment documenting imminent hazard 3. Local building code violations requiring removal If you do have foundation damage from the roots, document everything with photos, get a structural engineer's report, and have an arborist confirm the trees are the cause. This creates a clear chain of evidence for necessary remediation rather than voluntary improvement. Also consider timing - if you can establish that damage is occurring now, you might be able to claim it as a casualty loss this tax year. But if it's purely preventative, you're likely looking at a personal expense that won't be deductible. The $13K threshold definitely warrants getting professional advice before proceeding, both for the tax implications and to ensure you're not missing any legitimate deduction opportunities.

FYI for everyone - the IRS is actually ahead of schedule this yr compared to last. Most ppl filing in Feb are seeing 21-day turnaround or better unless they're claiming certain credits. Path Act delays still apply for EITC/ACTC claims but those started processing after Feb 15th. WMR isn't always accurate but transcripts rarely lie. If ur transcript shows a 846 code, the $$ is on its way regardless of what WMR says. Congrats on getting paid!

Congratulations on getting your refund! That's a great timeline - filing on 2/13 and getting your money by early March is exactly what we all hope for. I'm curious about a few things that might help others who are still waiting: Did you use any tax software or file through a professional? Also, since you mentioned this was your first time filing jointly after marriage, did you have to provide any additional documentation or did everything go smoothly with the name/status changes? I know some people worry about potential delays when their filing status changes from previous years, so your experience could be really reassuring for others in similar situations.

23 Just my two cents: make sure you check if your state taxes were also affected! We fixed our federal withholding after a similar situation but completely forgot about state taxes and got hit with another bill the following year. Now we have extra withholding for both federal AND state.

15 I was in almost the exact same situation last year - dual income household, both filed as married filing jointly, and got smacked with an $8,400 bill we weren't prepared for. Here's what we learned: **Payment decision:** We ended up doing a hybrid approach. We paid about 60% immediately to reduce the principal amount that would accrue interest, then set up a 24-month payment plan for the remainder. This kept our emergency fund mostly intact while minimizing the total interest we'd pay. **For next year:** The W-4 redesign in 2020 really helps with this! We used the IRS withholding estimator (it's actually pretty user-friendly) and discovered we needed to add about $180 per paycheck in additional withholding. We split this between both our W-4s - I put an extra $90 on mine, my spouse did the same. **Pro tip:** Run the withholding calculator again mid-year, especially if either of you gets a raise, bonus, or job change. Income changes throughout the year can throw off your projections. The peace of mind from getting this fixed is totally worth the effort. We're actually on track for a small refund this year instead of another surprise bill!

Has anyone else noticed that the Form 1040-NR doesn't have a specific line for reporting crypto like the regular 1040 does? I'm on a J1 too and was expecting to see the virtual currency question somewhere.

Just wanted to chime in as someone who went through this exact situation last year! As a J1 visa holder, you're absolutely right to be cautious about your tax obligations. The good news is that since you acquired your ETH and WLD entirely outside the US and haven't sold or exchanged any of it while here, you shouldn't need to report it on your US tax return. The key principle for nonresident aliens (which you are as a J1 holder) is that you're only taxed on US-source income or income effectively connected with a US trade or business. Your WLD grants from Spain, even if received while you were physically present in the US, aren't considered US-source income since they originate from a Spanish entity and aren't connected to your US employment. When you file Form 1040-NR, you can answer "no" to the virtual currency question since you didn't engage in any reportable crypto transactions while subject to US tax jurisdiction. Just make sure to keep good records of when and where you acquired your crypto in case you ever need to demonstrate the foreign source. Focus on reporting your Work and Travel program income - that's what the IRS actually cares about for your situation!