Contact your state tax agency ASAP! Don't just assume its normal to never get state refunds. Could be identity theft or worse

Check if your state has any offsets or debts that could be intercepting your refunds. Many states will automatically take refunds to pay off things like back taxes, child support, student loans, or even municipal fines. You can usually find an offset lookup tool on your state's tax website or call their customer service line to see if there are any holds on your account.

The rules r different if shes married btw just fyi

dont forget to claim that sweet sweet american opportunity credit for college expenses 🎓

Remember that filing status affects your tax bracket, standard deduction, and eligibility for certain credits. Head of Household gets you a larger standard deduction ($20,800 for 2024) compared to Single ($13,850). Also impacts your tax brackets in a favorable way. With your income around $58k, the difference could be significant. Might be worth paying a tax pro for a consultation to run the numbers both ways before deciding.

@Sean Kelly, based on what you've described, you'll likely need to file as Single for 2024 since your children lived with you for less than half the year (5 months vs 7 months with your ex). However, there might be some options worth exploring with your ex-spouse. Since you mentioned you're both civil and want to maximize your overall refunds, I'd suggest looking into an alternating arrangement like @Carmen Ruiz mentioned. You could work out an agreement where one of you claims both children and files as Head of Household each year, then switch the following year. This would require your ex to sign Form 8332 in the years when you claim the kids. Another option is to see if your divorce decree or custody agreement has any specific language about tax filing status - sometimes there are clauses that can affect who's considered the custodial parent for tax purposes, regardless of actual time spent. Given the potential savings (@Andre Lefebvre is right about that $7,000 difference in standard deduction), it might be worth consulting with a tax professional or using one of the AI services others mentioned to analyze your specific documents and situation. The difference in tax benefits between Single and Head of Household on a $58k income could be substantial.

Has anyone tried doing the taxes the old school way with the free IRS fillable forms? I know it's not as fancy but it's literally free for everyone regardless of income and they support all forms.

I've been using TaxAct's free version for the past few years and it's worked well for my situation with W2 and multiple 1099s. Unlike some of the other "free" options that force upgrades, TaxAct's free version actually includes 1099 support without any hidden fees for federal filing. The interface is pretty clean and intuitive - not as flashy as some of the bigger names, but it gets the job done without being frustrating to navigate. It walks you through each section step by step and has good error checking to catch mistakes before you file. One thing I really like is that it imports W2s electronically from most major employers, and you can easily add multiple 1099s without any upgrade prompts. It also has a decent selection of deduction categories if you're itemizing, though the standard deduction is probably better for most people anyway. The only downside is you do have to pay for state filing (around $15-20 depending on your state), but federal is completely free even with the 1099 income. Given how much time it saves compared to doing everything manually, I think it's worth considering alongside the other options mentioned here.

I had to do this last year when my return got flagged. Compared to my experience with getting a passport, the ID verification was much more strict about documentation. I brought my driver's license, passport, social security card, birth certificate (overkill but I was paranoid), utility bill, bank statement, and complete tax return with all attachments. The agent was impressed I was so prepared, unlike the person before me who got turned away. The whole verification took about 20 minutes, and my refund was direct deposited exactly 9 days later.

As someone who went through this process twice (once for myself and once helping my elderly father), I can confirm that having all your documentation organized is absolutely crucial. Here's what worked for us: **Essential documents:** - Two forms of photo ID (driver's license + passport is ideal) - Social Security card or W-2 showing full SSN - Complete printed copy of the tax return in question - All supporting documents (W-2s, 1099s, receipts if you itemized) - Recent utility bill or bank statement for address verification **Pro tips:** - Organize everything in a folder beforehand - don't dig through a messy pile during your appointment - Bring originals AND copies (they sometimes keep copies) - If you filed jointly, your spouse should come with their ID too - Screenshot your appointment confirmation just in case The good news is that once you get through the verification, your refund typically processes within 1-2 weeks. Since your kids are on spring break next week, definitely try calling the appointment line first thing Monday morning - they release new slots throughout the week. Good luck!