I went through something similar. The "financial guy" your friend is working with sounds sketchy. Nobody should need 6-7 months to investigate this! Tell your friend to call the IRS directly at 800-919-9835 and request a Payment Trace. They'll likely need to fill out Form 3911. Another thing - is this "financial guy" charging a fee? Because getting help with a missing stimulus payment should NOT cost anything. The IRS will help directly and for free.

Your friend should definitely bypass that "financial advisor" - 6-7 months is way too long and honestly sounds like they might be trying to charge unnecessary fees. The IRS has specific procedures for this exact situation. Here's what worked for me when my stimulus went to a closed account: First, have your friend get their IRS account transcript online (not just the tax return transcript). This will show exactly when and where the payment was sent. Then call the IRS Payment Trace line at 800-919-9835 and request a formal payment trace using Form 3911. The key is being persistent with the phone calls - try calling first thing in the morning (8am) when hold times are shorter. When they reach an agent, they should specifically mention that the payment was sent to a closed bank account and the funds were never received. The IRS can usually reissue these payments within 4-6 weeks once they confirm the original payment was returned by the bank. Don't let anyone charge you for this service - it's completely free through the IRS directly!

Welcome to the DDD club! 🎉

Congrats on finally getting your DDD! That identity verification wait can be nerve-wracking but sounds like everything worked out. Thanks for sharing your timeline - it really helps those of us still waiting to know what to expect. Enjoy that refund when it hits! 🙌

One thing nobody mentioned - the support test is key here. If you provide more than half of your own support from EARNED income (your campus job), then kiddie tax doesn't apply regardless of age. Calculate all your expenses (portion of housing, food, tuition not covered by scholarships, books, clothing, medical, etc.) and compare to what you earned from working. If your $4,200 job income is more than half your total support costs, you might escape the kiddie tax entirely!

Great question Leo! Since you're 19, a full-time student, and claimed as a dependent, you'll likely need to deal with kiddie tax rules. However, there might be some good news in your situation. First, the kiddie tax only applies to unearned income (your $3,800 in investment gains) above $2,300. So roughly $1,500 of your investment income could be taxed at your parents' higher rate. But here's the key point that Amaya mentioned - if you can prove you provided more than half of your own support through earned income, the kiddie tax won't apply at all! You need to calculate ALL your expenses for the year: your share of room/board, tuition not covered by scholarships/financial aid, books, clothing, food, transportation, medical expenses, etc. If your total support costs are less than $8,400 ($4,200 × 2), then your campus job income covers more than half your support and you'd escape the kiddie tax entirely. This could save you hundreds of dollars compared to having that $1,500 taxed at your parents' rate. Make sure to keep detailed records of all your expenses - this is something the IRS might want to see documented if questioned. Even if you don't meet the support test this year, understanding this rule can help you plan for future years!

Have you considered the option of renouncing just before the 8-year mark? If you haven't hit that threshold yet, the exit tax situation is considerably simpler. It's worth looking at exactly where you are in that timeline.

I went through a similar situation about 3 years ago when I moved to Dubai (also 0% crypto tax). The key thing to understand is that as long as you maintain your green card, you're stuck with US tax obligations regardless of any tax treaty benefits. What really caught me off guard was the timing aspect - if you're planning to sell during a bull market, you need to factor in estimated quarterly payments to the IRS even while living abroad. I made the mistake of thinking I could just settle up at year-end and got hit with underpayment penalties. Also, don't overlook state tax implications if you haven't properly established non-residency from your previous state. Some states (looking at you, California) are notoriously aggressive about claiming you still owe state taxes even after moving internationally. My advice: get professional help BEFORE you make any moves. The exit tax calculations are complex, and there are strategies around timing your departure and asset sales that can save you significant money. I wish I'd consulted a specialist earlier instead of trying to figure it out myself.

I see the "just keep calling" advice a lot, and honestly, it reminds me of the time I tried to reach my ex at 2am after a breakup... persistent but not very effective! 😂 Seriously though, I used to be in the "just use the free tools" camp until I had a complicated issue last year. The free tools are great for basic stuff, but they don't really explain what's happening with your specific situation. The IRS transcript looks like it was designed by someone who hates humans - all codes and dates with zero explanation. Sometimes paying a few bucks to save hours of frustration is worth it. But hey, if you've got unlimited time to sit on hold or decipher IRS hieroglyphics, more power to you!

Thanks for asking this question! I'm dealing with something similar and it's good to see I'm not alone. Based on what everyone's saying, it sounds like we're both stuck waiting for the refund to go to our old accounts (if they're still open) or getting paper checks if not. One thing I'm wondering - has anyone here actually tried to contact their bank to see if they can help redirect the deposit once it hits? I know some banks have policies about forwarding funds to new accounts for a certain period after closure. Might be worth a shot before we resign ourselves to the paper check wait time. Also @CosmicCruiser, I saw you mentioned switching banks for medical bills - have you considered just transferring the money once it hits your old account? That might be faster than waiting for a paper check if your old account is still active.