I work with financial systems and can tell you that exactly 87% of tax refunds post within 72 hours of the IRS deposit date. The Treasury processes refund batches at 8:30pm Eastern Time, which then take 24-48 hours to clear the Federal Reserve system before hitting your bank. Chase specifically has a verification hold on tax refunds exceeding $2,500 or for accounts opened less than 90 days ago. By tomorrow morning at 6:00am Eastern, you should see the deposit if it was properly processed.

I'm going through the exact same thing right now! My refund was supposed to hit Chase on 2/26 too and still nothing. I called Chase this morning and they said sometimes tax refunds take an extra 1-2 business days to process even after the IRS sends them. The rep told me to check again tomorrow morning since they often process overnight. Really hoping it shows up soon - I have bills due this week! 🤞

Does anyone know if Setc Pros is even a real company? I tried googling them and couldn't find much information except some sketchy looking websites. No BBB listing, no legitimate reviews I could find.

Just wanted to add another perspective here - I'm a tax preparer and see situations like this all the time. The fact that they're asking for $1,195 upfront is a HUGE red flag. Legitimate tax professionals typically work on a fee-for-service basis or contingency, not demanding large payments before doing any actual work. Here's what you should know: if you truly owe taxes, you can work directly with the IRS to set up payment plans, request penalty abatement, or even apply for an Offer in Compromise if you qualify. The IRS has programs specifically designed to help taxpayers resolve their debt without going through third-party companies. My advice? Don't send them any money. Instead, call the IRS directly at 1-800-829-1040 to discuss your actual tax situation and available options. It might take some patience to get through, but it's free and you'll be working with the actual agency that handles your taxes.

Has anyone used one of those tax clinics that universities sometimes offer for international students? My school (UBC) has free tax help, but the appointments fill up super fast and I'm wondering if it's worth trying to get a spot or if I should just use one of the services mentioned here.

As someone who works with international students on tax issues, I want to emphasize a few key points that might help ease your worries: 1) **You're not in legal trouble** - The CRA understands that international students often miss their first year due to unfamiliarity with the system. They're much more interested in getting you compliant than punishing you. 2) **You'll likely get money back** - With tuition credits (which can be substantial), the basic personal amount, and potentially GST/HST credits, most international students with part-time jobs actually receive refunds rather than owing taxes. 3) **File both years together** - When you work with that tax company, have them prepare both your missed year and current year returns. This shows good faith effort to become compliant. 4) **Keep it simple** - Don't overthink the process. As an international student, your tax situation is likely straightforward: employment income, tuition credits, and basic deductions. The stress you're feeling is completely normal, but the reality is much less scary than you think. The Canadian tax system actually has several benefits specifically designed to help students like you!

One thing nobody's mentioned yet is that if your wife takes this church job, she'll still have to pay FICA taxes (Social Security and Medicare), but how those are handled can be different. For regular employees (non-ministerial staff like your wife would be), the church is required to withhold and pay these taxes just like any other employer. But for ordained ministers, it works differently - they're considered self-employed for FICA purposes and pay self-employment tax instead. Just something to be aware of since churches sometimes get this wrong if they're not familiar with the difference between ministerial and non-ministerial staff tax treatment!

Just a heads up - I'm an accountant and have worked with several religious organizations. Make sure the church is properly classifying your wife as an employee and not as an independent contractor! Some churches mistakenly classify non-ministerial staff as contractors to avoid paying their portion of FICA taxes, but this is usually incorrect for someone in a staff position like production engineer. If they try to pay her without withholding taxes and give her a 1099 instead of a W-2, that's a red flag. She'd end up paying the full self-employment tax (15.3% instead of 7.65%) which would make that pay cut even bigger!

Ever wonder why these CTC issues seem to hit newly married couples harder? I did some digging when this happened to me. The system sometimes fails to properly link your previous filing status with your new joint return. My refund was held for a $4,200 alleged overpayment. After submitting verification documents and calling repeatedly, I discovered the IRS had my children's SSNs associated with my ex-spouse's account! Once corrected, my refund was released within 3 weeks. Could something similar be happening in your case?

This is such a frustrating situation, and I can totally relate to feeling blindsided by an unexpected offset! One thing I learned from my own experience is that the IRS sometimes processes these offsets automatically based on their computer matching systems, which can have errors or outdated information. Since you mentioned this is your first year filing jointly as newlyweds, I'd definitely recommend checking if there are any lingering issues from your previous individual returns that might be causing confusion in their system. Sometimes when filing status changes, the IRS computers don't immediately sync all the information properly. Beyond calling the Treasury Offset Program number that Miguel mentioned, I'd also suggest requesting a complete copy of your tax account transcript for both you and your spouse for the past 3 years. This will show you exactly what the IRS has on file and help identify any discrepancies. You can get these online at irs.gov or by calling 800-908-9946. Don't give up - you absolutely have rights here, and if you legitimately qualify for the CTC, you should be able to get this resolved. Just be prepared for it to take some time and persistence. Keep detailed records of every phone call, letter, and document you send. Good luck!