Has anyone tried filing as Head of Household instead? I've heard that might be an option if your spouse is a nonresident alien and doesn't live with you in the US. Could save on taxes compared to MFS.

I went through this exact situation two years ago when I got married to my husband who was still in the UK waiting for his green card. Here's what I learned from experience: You absolutely cannot e-file with "NRA" in the SSN field - every tax software I tried (TurboTax, H&R Block, FreeTaxUSA) rejected it immediately. The IRS e-filing system requires a valid 9-digit identifier. My recommendation is to go the ITIN route if you plan to file jointly in future years or if your spouse will be coming to the US soon. Yes, it takes 8-10 weeks to get the ITIN, but it's worth it for the convenience of e-filing. You'll need to submit Form W-7 along with your tax return and original or certified copies of your spouse's identification documents. If you need to file immediately and don't want to wait for an ITIN, paper filing with "NRA" written in the spouse SSN field is perfectly acceptable. I did this my first year and had no issues - just make sure to clearly write "NRA" and don't leave it blank. One tip: if you do decide to get an ITIN, consider using a Certified Acceptance Agent (CAA) who can verify your spouse's documents instead of mailing originals to the IRS. It's safer and often faster.

2 Has anyone used Koinly for this purpose? I'm looking at options for sorting out my crypto taxes and that's one I've heard mentioned.

One thing I haven't seen mentioned yet is checking if you have any old email confirmations from your 2021 purchases. Coinbase used to send detailed transaction confirmations that included the exact amount, price, and fees for each purchase. I was in a similar situation last year and found these emails buried in my Gmail - they were a lifesaver for reconstructing my cost basis. Even if you can't find the emails in your inbox, try searching for "Coinbase" or "You bought" in your email from 2021. Also, if you linked a bank account for your purchases, your bank statements from 2021 will show the exact dollar amounts you transferred to Coinbase on specific dates. You can then cross-reference those dates with historical crypto prices to get a pretty accurate cost basis estimate. The IRS accepts reasonable reconstruction methods when original records are unavailable, so don't stress too much about getting it perfect down to the penny. Just document your methodology clearly.

Does anyone know how long amendments are taking to process these days? I filed a 1040X back in November for 2022 and still haven't heard anything.

Just to add some reassurance - I was in almost the exact same situation last year when I forgot to include rental income from a small duplex I own. Filed my original return in early March, realized the mistake a few days later, and immediately filed a 1040X. The key things that worked for me: 1. Filed the amendment right away (didn't wait for original return processing) 2. Included payment for the additional tax owed with the amendment 3. Used certified mail to send it so I had proof of delivery The IRS processed my amendment without any issues, and because I got it filed and paid before April 15th, there were no penalties or interest charges. The whole process took about 4 months to complete, but the important thing was getting it submitted quickly. Don't stress too much about it - honest mistakes happen and the IRS understands that. Just get your 1040X filed ASAP with payment included and you'll be fine!

I'm so stressed about this too! My return was accepted on February 8th and I didn't see ANY movement on WMR until March 1st - that's 22 days of nothing! 😫 When it finally updated, it went straight from "Return Received" to "Refund Approved" and I got my money 3 days later. The whole time I was checking multiple times a day and getting more anxious with each passing day. The IRS is definitely moving slower this year than I've ever seen before!

I'm going through the exact same thing right now! Filed on February 28th, accepted the same day, and it's been radio silence from WMR ever since. I keep telling myself to stop checking it obsessively, but working from home makes it way too easy to refresh that page every few hours. Reading through everyone's experiences here is actually really reassuring - sounds like 2-3 weeks with no movement is pretty normal this year, even for simple returns. I think the IRS is just overwhelmed and moving at their own pace. At least we're all in this waiting game together! Thanks for posting this question because I was starting to wonder if something was wrong with my return.

Anyone else notice the -$1 and +$1 amounts? Thats kinda weird

Just wanted to add that if you haven't received your refund yet even though code 846 shows 02-13-2025, give it a few more business days. Sometimes there can be delays with direct deposit or mailing depending on your bank or address. The IRS typically says to wait 21 days from the filing date before inquiring about a missing refund. Since your return was filed on 02-24 according to code 150, you're still within that window. If you don't see it by mid-March, then definitely call the IRS hotline!