I went through this exact same situation two years ago and it was incredibly frustrating! The lack of proper notification from the IRS about ITIN expiration is really a systemic problem that affects thousands of taxpayers every year. Here's what worked for me: I ended up using a Certifying Acceptance Agent (CAA) to renew my ITIN because I was too nervous about mailing my original documents. It cost about $50 but was worth the peace of mind. The CAA verified my documents and submitted everything electronically, which actually processed faster than the mail-in option. After my ITIN was renewed, I filed Form 1040-X and got the rest of my refund plus interest (which was a nice surprise!). The whole process took about 10 weeks total, which was shorter than I expected. One tip that helped me: I called the IRS every few weeks to check on the status of both my ITIN renewal and amended return. Even though the wait times are brutal, having those reference numbers and confirmation that everything was progressing normally gave me peace of mind during what felt like an endless waiting period. Hang in there - you will get your full refund, it just takes patience and persistence with the IRS bureaucracy!

I'm going through this exact same situation right now! My ITIN expired and I had no idea until I got a significantly reduced refund. It's so frustrating that the IRS doesn't do a better job of notifying people about expiration dates. I've been reading through all the advice here and it's really helpful to know that others have successfully gotten their full refunds back. The process seems long but at least there's a clear path forward with the Form W-7 renewal and then filing an amended return. One question I have - has anyone had success contacting their local Taxpayer Advocate Service office for help with this? I'm wondering if they can help expedite the process or provide additional guidance since this seems like such a common issue that catches people off guard. Also, for those who used a CAA, how did you find a reputable one? I'm definitely leaning toward that option since mailing original documents makes me nervous, but I want to make sure I'm working with someone legitimate. Thanks everyone for sharing your experiences - it's really reassuring to know this can be resolved even though it's such a hassle!

dont worry bestie ur not alone. mine did the exact same thing last week and now its back to normal with a ddd!!

This is actually pretty common during transcript updates! The system temporarily shows "no return filed" while they're processing changes or removing holds. I'd recommend checking again in 24-48 hours - it should update back to showing your return with hopefully good news about your refund status. The fact that the freeze disappeared is actually a positive sign that things are moving forward with your case.

Just a heads up that the 3/28 date was just before Easter weekend, so there might be additional delays due to the holiday. Banks don't process on weekends or holidays, so Monday (tomorrow) would be the first business day after your DDD. I'd wait until end of day Tuesday before really worrying.

I'm in a similar situation with my March 28th DDD - also banking with Chime and still waiting. Based on what others are saying here, it sounds like there might be some processing delays this week, especially with the Easter holiday. I'm going to wait until Tuesday evening before I start panicking. If it doesn't show up by then, I'll probably try to get my transcript or call the IRS directly. Fingers crossed both of our refunds hit soon! The waiting is definitely stressful when you're counting on that money.

Just wanted to add a quick tip that saved me from a lot of confusion when I first started using EFTPS for my freelance writing income. After you select Form 1040-ES, make sure you're also selecting the correct tax period (Q1, Q2, Q3, or Q4) that matches when you're making the payment. I made the mistake of selecting Q1 for a payment I was making in July, thinking it was for income I earned in Q1. But actually, the tax period should match the quarter you're currently in when making the payment, not when you earned the income. So a July payment should be marked as Q2, even if some of that money is covering income from earlier in the year. The IRS uses this to track whether your payments are on time for each quarter. Getting the tax period wrong can make it look like you missed a quarterly deadline even if you paid the right amount.

This thread has been incredibly helpful! I'm a newcomer to freelancing and was completely overwhelmed by the EFTPS system. Reading through everyone's experiences has given me so much clarity. Just to make sure I understand correctly: for my freelance graphic design income of about $3,200 from last quarter, I should select Form 1040-ES in EFTPS, choose the current quarter (Q1 for a payment I'm making now in January), and save that confirmation number. Is that right? One follow-up question - do I need to calculate exactly how much tax I owe, or is there a safe harbor amount I can pay to avoid penalties while I figure out the precise calculation? I want to make a payment this week but I'm still working through all the numbers with my tax software.

Going through EXACTLY this rn. Called TAS 3 times and got rejected each time. This system is beyond broken.

Same situation here! Got the TAS rejection last month and they gave me the same vague "wait 180 days" response. It's so frustrating not knowing what's actually happening. I've been checking my transcript obsessively but honestly can't make heads or tails of all those codes and dates. Really hoping that mystery letter actually shows up and explains something useful 🤞