THIS IS WHY THE IRS NEEDS TO MAKE THIS STUFF EASIER TO UNDERSTAND FOR NORMAL PEOPLE!!!!! We shouldn't need a degree just to know if were getting our money back or not 😤

I feel your pain! When I first got my transcript I stared at it for like an hour trying to make sense of all those numbers. The key thing is to look for the "as of date" at the top - that tells you when the info was last updated. Then find the most recent transactions by date. If you see a 570 code, that usually means there's a hold on your refund. The 846 code with a future date is your actual refund being issued. Don't stress too much about the older dates - those are just your original filing and processing. The IRS website has a code lookup tool that can help decode some of the mystery numbers too!

waited 3 months last year... IL is always slow af with returns fr fr

Also try checking early morning or late evening - the MyTax Illinois website tends to be less busy during those times. If you're still having trouble, you can also contact your local Illinois Department of Revenue office directly. They sometimes have shorter wait times than the main hotline. Good luck!

One thing nobody mentioned - make sure you keep REALLY good records of when you physically left Hawaii and arrived in Guam. My friend got audited over his USVI status and they wanted exact dates with proof (flight itineraries, etc).

Great advice from everyone here! As someone who went through a similar transition moving to Puerto Rico, I wanted to add that you should also be aware of Guam's specific territorial tax laws since they can differ from other territories. Since you're working for the Guam government, you'll likely need to file Form 1040GU (Guam's version of the 1040) rather than a standard U.S. return. Guam follows most federal tax laws but has some unique provisions, especially for government employees. Also, regarding your savings bonds - definitely keep all the documentation from when you cashed them out, including the exact dates and amounts. Even though you'll report this on your Guam return rather than federal, having clear records will help if there are any questions later. One last tip: consider getting a Guam tax ID number if you haven't already. It makes the filing process smoother and establishes another paper trail for your residency status. You can apply through the Guam Department of Revenue and Taxation. Sounds like you're well on your way to establishing bona fide residency with all those connections you mentioned! The anxiety is totally normal - territorial tax situations can feel overwhelming at first, but you're asking all the right questions.

Don't forget about state tax records too! Some states have different requirements than the federal government. In California, for example, they have a 4-year statute of limitations instead of the IRS 3 years. Always check your specific state rules.

I personally keep all my W-2s indefinitely since they're small and good for proving employment history. But for the bulkier stuff like all the supporting documents, I follow the 7-year rule just to be extra safe. Once a year during tax season, I shred anything that's older than 7 years except for property records.

Just wanted to share that I was cycle 0505 last year and this year too. Last year I was checking constantly and driving myself crazy. This year I just waited patiently after seeing my cycle code. Like clockwork, my transcript updated exactly when expected (Friday morning) and my refund hit my account the following Wednesday. The cycle codes are actually quite reliable once you understand how they work. I remember feeling just as anxious as you are now!

I'm also cycle 0505 and filed in early February with the Child Tax Credit! Still showing "Return Received" on WMR and my account transcript has the same April 1st processing date. Reading through everyone's responses here is actually making me feel so much better - it sounds like we should see movement by Friday morning if the pattern holds true. The waiting game is definitely stressful when you're planning around that refund money, but it's reassuring to know others are in the exact same situation. I'll try to be patient and check my transcript Friday morning instead of obsessively refreshing it every few hours!