Just FYI - if these trees are between your house and the street, check with your city ordinances before removing them. Many municipalities have strict rules about removing mature trees, even on your own property. I learned this the hard way and got hit with a $5,000 fine for removing a tree without proper permits.

As a tax professional, I want to emphasize that everyone here is giving solid advice about getting proper documentation. The IRS is very specific about what constitutes a deductible casualty loss versus a personal expense. For your situation, focus on establishing one of these qualifying conditions: 1. Current structural damage (those foundation cracks you mentioned could be key) 2. Professional assessment documenting imminent hazard 3. Local building code violations requiring removal If you do have foundation damage from the roots, document everything with photos, get a structural engineer's report, and have an arborist confirm the trees are the cause. This creates a clear chain of evidence for necessary remediation rather than voluntary improvement. Also consider timing - if you can establish that damage is occurring now, you might be able to claim it as a casualty loss this tax year. But if it's purely preventative, you're likely looking at a personal expense that won't be deductible. The $13K threshold definitely warrants getting professional advice before proceeding, both for the tax implications and to ensure you're not missing any legitimate deduction opportunities.

Called IRS today about this exact issue. They said 6-8 weeks is standard procedure after a rejected DD. The rep told me they're actually moving pretty quick on these rn tho

Had this happen to me last year - took exactly 5 weeks from the rejection date to get my paper check. The most frustrating part is there's really no way to speed it up, you just have to wait for their system to process it. Keep checking your informed delivery if you have it set up so you know when it's coming. Hang in there!

FYI for everyone - the IRS is actually ahead of schedule this yr compared to last. Most ppl filing in Feb are seeing 21-day turnaround or better unless they're claiming certain credits. Path Act delays still apply for EITC/ACTC claims but those started processing after Feb 15th. WMR isn't always accurate but transcripts rarely lie. If ur transcript shows a 846 code, the $$ is on its way regardless of what WMR says. Congrats on getting paid!

Congratulations on getting your refund! That's a great timeline - filing on 2/13 and getting your money by early March is exactly what we all hope for. I'm curious about a few things that might help others who are still waiting: Did you use any tax software or file through a professional? Also, since you mentioned this was your first time filing jointly after marriage, did you have to provide any additional documentation or did everything go smoothly with the name/status changes? I know some people worry about potential delays when their filing status changes from previous years, so your experience could be really reassuring for others in similar situations.

23 Just my two cents: make sure you check if your state taxes were also affected! We fixed our federal withholding after a similar situation but completely forgot about state taxes and got hit with another bill the following year. Now we have extra withholding for both federal AND state.

15 I was in almost the exact same situation last year - dual income household, both filed as married filing jointly, and got smacked with an $8,400 bill we weren't prepared for. Here's what we learned: **Payment decision:** We ended up doing a hybrid approach. We paid about 60% immediately to reduce the principal amount that would accrue interest, then set up a 24-month payment plan for the remainder. This kept our emergency fund mostly intact while minimizing the total interest we'd pay. **For next year:** The W-4 redesign in 2020 really helps with this! We used the IRS withholding estimator (it's actually pretty user-friendly) and discovered we needed to add about $180 per paycheck in additional withholding. We split this between both our W-4s - I put an extra $90 on mine, my spouse did the same. **Pro tip:** Run the withholding calculator again mid-year, especially if either of you gets a raise, bonus, or job change. Income changes throughout the year can throw off your projections. The peace of mind from getting this fixed is totally worth the effort. We're actually on track for a small refund this year instead of another surprise bill!

its probably still processing. the system is super backed up rn

Wait, I think there might be some confusion in your post. You mentioned filing your federal return in February 2025, but California shows a refund issued in January 2025 - that timeline doesn't make sense since you can't get a refund processed before you even file! Are you maybe looking at last year's CA refund status by mistake? The state and federal systems are completely separate, so your CA refund status wouldn't affect your federal refund at all. For your federal return, if Where's My Refund is blank, definitely check your actual IRS transcript - that's where you'll see the real processing status. The WMR tool glitches out all the time but your transcript will show exactly what's happening with codes and dates.