I had my baby in December last year and here's what I learned about maximizing tax benefits: 1) Get the Social Security card application done at the hospital if possible. 2) Update your W-4 with your employer immediately to reduce withholding. 3) Keep track of all medical expenses for both mom and baby - they might exceed the threshold for medical deduction. 4) If you're paying for childcare so you can work, start documenting those expenses for the Child and Dependent Care Credit. 5) Look into FSA accounts through your employer for next year to pay medical expenses pre-tax.

Does your income fall within the phase-out limits? The full Child Tax Credit starts phasing out at $200,000 for single filers and $400,000 for married filing jointly. Just want to make sure you're planning correctly!

For those waiting on unemployment tax credits, here's what I've learned: • Processing times are currently 8-12 weeks (not the usual 3-4 weeks) • The "Where's My Refund" tool often doesn't show correct status for these credits • Many people are seeing their credits appear suddenly without prior notification • The IRS is processing these in batches based on filing date • February filers are just now starting to see movement

Have you tried checking your tax account on the IRS website instead of just the refund status? Sometimes the account shows more detailed information about processing stages. I'm not sure if it will help, but it might be worth looking.

Be very careful with this situation! I ignored a similar discrepancy last year thinking it would resolve itself, and ended up with a major headache. According to IRC §152(e), the custodial parent (where children live more than half the year) is entitled to claim the children unless there's a written declaration transferring the claim. If your divorce decree specifically addresses who claims the children for tax purposes, you need to ensure the IRS has this information. When I waited instead of addressing it immediately, I ended up having my refund held for 11 weeks while the IRS conducted a dependent verification review. Document everything and contact them ASAP to avoid delays!

Have you verified that your ex hasn't already filed claiming the children? That's often the cause of these eligibility discrepancies after divorce. The letter system and portal use different verification methods, which creates these conflicts. How recently did you file your return? And did you include Form 8332 if you're not the custodial parent according to IRS definitions? Most community members find that calling the IRS directly is the only way to get a definitive answer on CTC eligibility conflicts, especially with recent divorce situations.

Don't waste time with the phone if you haven't checked your transcript yet. Go to irs.gov, create an account if you don't have one, and view your tax transcript. It will show exactly what's happening with your return and usually has more detailed information than you'll get from a phone representative.

What investment platforms are you using? I've noticed that some brokerages are slower than others at reporting 1099 information to the IRS, which can cause delays in refund processing. Did you receive any CP01 notices or other IRS correspondence?

I fixed this exact problem last year! The secret is knowing that the IRS has multiple database systems that don't always talk to each other. If your transcript shows the info, then your return IS in their system - just not in the customer service database the phone reps use. I wrote a letter to the Taxpayer Advocate Service with copies of my transcript, return, and mailing receipt. Marked it "Hardship Case - Medical Bills" since you mentioned medical expenses. Got assigned an advocate who found my return in 3 weeks. Had my refund 2 weeks after that. Don't take no for an answer! Your return is in there somewhere, and the transcript proves it!

I would be careful about assuming the transcript means they have your return. Sometimes the transcript system shows prior year information even if the current return hasn't been processed. I waited 8 months thinking my return was being processed because I saw similar information online, but it turned out they never received my second submission. By the time I figured it out, I had to refile completely. Maybe consider sending another copy with a cover letter explaining the situation? Just to be safe.

I know how stressful this can be! 😓 The good news is that the IRS has actually improved their systems for handling these older claims. First, make sure you're using Form 4506-T to request the transcripts if you can't access them online. This will show exactly what's on file with the IRS. For the economic impact payments specifically, the IRS created a special lookup tool, but it's been discontinued. However, the transcripts will show if these payments were issued. If they were issued but never received, you'll need to request a payment trace using Form 3911. Don't worry too much about the complexity - take it one step at a time and you'll get this resolved for him!

According to Internal Revenue Code §6511, you must act quickly on the 2021 tax year! Per IRS Publication 556, the deadline for claiming a refund is the later of 3 years from filing or 2 years from paying any tax. If he needs to file an original return for 2021, the absolute deadline is April 15, 2025. For the Economic Impact Payments, Notice 2021-36 specified they must be claimed as Recovery Rebate Credits on the appropriate tax year return. I'd recommend scheduling an appointment at a local Taxpayer Assistance Center rather than trying to handle this by phone. You can schedule at 844-545-5640, but call exactly at 7am Eastern when their system opens for appointments.

Does anyone know if this applies to amended returns as well? I filed my original return on February 15th but had to submit an amendment on March 10th. Should I expect the same timeline, or does the amendment restart the clock entirely?

Let me clarify something important about these deposit dates. The DDD on your transcript is the date the IRS releases the funds, not necessarily when you'll see it in your bank account. Depending on your financial institution, it could be same-day or take up to 5 business days. This is different from tax returns filed in January, which often process faster because the volume is lower compared to February filings.

Let me clarify something important - amended returns don't work on a stack system like you're imagining. It's more like a conveyor belt with multiple inspection stations. Your return is somewhere on that belt, but certain issues can cause it to be pulled aside for additional review. The 9-month mark is definitely concerning, but not entirely unusual in the current environment. What's important is whether your amended return was properly received and entered into their system. Have you checked the Where's My Amended Return tool on the IRS website? If it shows as "received," then at least you know it's in their system.

I keep a spreadsheet of all my tax submissions like I'm tracking packages during Christmas shopping season 😂 My amended return from March 2023 took exactly 13 months to process. The funny thing is, after nothing for a year, it suddenly went from "received" to "completed" and I had my refund within 8 days. The IRS amended return department is like that friend who never texts back but then suddenly shows up at your door without warning!

I actually had a somewhat similar situation in my family last year. My son, who's also military, forgot to include a W-2 from a brief civilian job he held during leave. We discovered it about three months after filing. The amendment process was relatively painless, all things considered. It probably took me about an hour to prepare the 1040-X, and while processing took nearly 4 months, there were no penalties since we voluntarily corrected the error before the IRS discovered it.

The community wisdom on this is pretty clear - amend now rather than wait. Here's why: 1. The IRS will eventually catch the missing W-2 through their matching program 2. Voluntary disclosure before they find it usually means no penalties 3. For the dependent, you're likely missing out on credits you deserve 4. Amended returns are taking 20+ weeks to process, so earlier is better 5. The peace of mind is worth the effort Just make sure to use certified mail with tracking when you send in your 1040-X!

After experiencing this exact situation, I attempted to contact the IRS through normal channels for 3 weeks with no success. Their Taxpayer Assistance Centers were booked solid. I utilized Claimyr (https://claimyr.com) to secure a direct connection with an IRS agent. The representative confirmed my CTC for my 2023 newborn was in secondary processing and provided a Transaction Code 290 timeframe for resolution. The call expedited my case and my additional CTC was deposited 9 days later.

According to the IRS.gov forums and r/tax discussions I've been following, many parents are seeing a 4-6 week delay specifically for 2023 newborns. I'm really concerned because my mortgage payment is due soon and I was counting on this money. Has anyone received their additional CTC payment recently? The IRS2Go app isn't showing any updates for me.