IRS
CommunityGovernment Services
Can't reach IRS? Claimyr calls for you, so you don't have to wait on hold.
Claimyr is a pay-as-you-go service. We do not charge a recurring subscription.
Using Claimyr will:
- Connect you to a human agent at the IRS
- Skip the long phone menu
- Call the correct department
- Redial until on hold
- Forward a call to your phone with reduced hold time
- Give you free callbacks if the IRS drops your call
Ask the community...
- DO post questions about your issues.
- DO answer questions and support each other.
- DO post tips & tricks to help folks.
- DO NOT post call problems here - there is a support tab at the top for that :)
Transcript Update Patterns - Important Info for N/A Status (Filed Jan 24)
For those with N/A transcripts, I'd recommend waiting until the Friday mass update before getting concerned. I've tracked exactly 43 taxpayer experiences in my research group (I'm compiling data for a medical study on tax stress) and found distinct update patterns. Last year I was on weekly cycles, but this year I switched to daily updates - my transcript updated yesterday showing code 846 after previously being completely blank. My direct deposit is scheduled for 2/24. I filed on January 24th at precisely 8:42am and had zero transcript movement for 22 days. Based on my analysis of 2024 filing season patterns, many returns are being processed in batches rather than continuously. Has anyone else noticed specific update timing patterns?
Join the conversation
Help with Canadian Tax Forms: T4, T4A and T2202A forms - Refund dropped after entering tuition?
So I'm doing my taxes on TurboTax and I'm really confused about what happened. I initially input my T4 and T4A forms, and my refund was looking amazing - over $1,200! Then I remembered I could get a T2202A from my college for my tuition expenses (which were paid from my parents' RESP), so I went ahead and added that form too. Here's where I got totally confused - after adding the T2202A, my refund plummeted to just $51! That's a massive difference and I don't understand why. My question is: Do I actually need to include the T2202A form on my return? Or can my parents claim it on their taxes instead since they paid for my education through their RESP? Would I be better off just leaving the T2202A out of my return completely? Really appreciate any guidance here! Tax season is stressful enough without these surprises.
Join the conversation
To add to what others have said, you should definitely include your T2202A on your tax return. The reason your refund dropped is likely because TurboTax is automatically using your tuition credits to reduce your taxable income for this year. Look closely at your tax return summary in TurboTax - you should see a federal tuition amount and possibly a provincial tuition amount being applied. Any unused amounts from this year will be carried forward automatically for future years. The fact that the money came from an RESP doesn't change how the tuition credits work.
If my parents paid for my tuition through their RESP, shouldn't they get the tax credits since they're the ones who put the money away in the first place? The whole system seems confusing.
The tuition credits always go to the student first, regardless of who paid for it. This is because you're the one receiving the education. It's a separate matter from who funded the education. When your parents contributed to an RESP, they already received some tax advantages from that - the money grew tax-free while in the plan. When the money was withdrawn for your education, you would have received the Educational Assistance Payment (EAP) portion as taxable income on your T4A slip. The tuition credits help offset some of that tax burden, which is why they belong to you. However, if you don't need all the credits this year, you can transfer up to $5,000 to a parent, grandparent, or spouse.
Quick tip from someone who made this mistake before: Make sure you're also filling out Schedule 11 in TurboTax to calculate your federal tuition amounts. This is where you indicate how much of your tuition credits you want to use yourself and how much you want to transfer to a parent or grandparent (up to $5000 max transfer). If you don't complete Schedule 11 properly, you might not be optimizing your tax situation. This could be why your refund changed so dramatically!
This is really helpful! Do I need to do anything special in TurboTax to access Schedule 11, or does it automatically appear when I enter the T2202A information?
In TurboTax, Schedule 11 should automatically appear once you enter your T2202A information. Look for a section called "Tuition Transfer" or "Education Credits Transfer" - it might be under the Students section or in the Review section. TurboTax will walk you through calculating how much you can use personally versus transfer to a parent. If you can't find it, try searching "Schedule 11" in the TurboTax help section. The software should prompt you about transferring unused credits, especially if you have a low income this year.
WMR Shows REFUND APPROVED with DD Date - What About TurboTax Early Access?
Just checked my WMR status and finally got the REFUND APPROVED notification with a DD date of 2/24. First time filing as MFJ and the process has been slower than I expected. Here's my question - I opted for the TurboTax '5 day early' deposit feature when I filed. Does anyone know if this means I'll actually get the deposit before the weekend hits? The IRS direct deposit date is 2/24 but I'm trying to figure out if TurboTax's early access means I'll see it sooner. Need to plan some payments and this timing matters.
Join the conversation
OMG the stress of waiting for tax refunds is THE WORST! 😫 I've used the TurboTax early deposit feature for three years straight now. First year: got it 4 days early (amazing!). Second year: only 1 day early (disappointing). This year: 3 days early. There's absolutely no consistency! The community wisdom here is don't make firm plans based on getting it early. The IRS date is the only somewhat reliable date. Anything earlier is just a bonus!
I've been through this same situation multiple times and here's what I've learned: the TurboTax "up to 5 days early" is marketing language that rarely delivers the full 5 days. In practice, you're looking at 1-3 days early at most. Since your DD date is 2/24 (Saturday), the IRS likely transmitted the ACH on Wednesday or Thursday. With TurboTax's banking partner, you'll probably see it Friday 2/23 if you're lucky, but more realistically on Monday 2/26 due to weekend processing delays. Your bank's deposit policies matter just as much as TurboTax's timing. I'd plan for Monday and be pleasantly surprised if it shows up Friday. Don't make any critical payment plans based on getting it before the weekend!
IRS refund issue: Closed bank account before receiving tax return. Will they send a check?
Hey everyone, I'm in a bit of a pickle. I filed my tax return and was expecting a refund, but I recently closed my bank account. Now I'm worried about how I'll get my money. Does anyone know if the IRS sends checks when they can't do direct deposit? Or am I gonna have to jump through hoops to update my info?
Join the conversation
Friendly reminder to everyone: always triple-check your banking info on your tax returns! Saves so much hassle.
Same thing happened to my sister a few months ago! The IRS automatically mailed her a paper check when the direct deposit failed. Took about 3 weeks from when she got the notice that the deposit couldn't go through. Just make sure your current address is updated with them so the check doesn't get lost in the mail!
Does a foreigner earning foreign income have to pay US taxes when using a US bank account?
I'm confused about my parents' tax situation and hoping someone here can help. My parents live in Panama and are Panamanian citizens. They earn all their income in Panama and are already paying taxes there. They have absolutely no connection to the US - they aren't citizens, green card holders, or anything like that. Here's where it gets tricky: they recently opened a Bank of America account in the US and have been depositing their Panamanian income into it. I've been researching like crazy online and mostly found that they shouldn't need to pay US taxes since their income has nothing to do with US sources and they don't live here. But now BoA just sent a W-9 form addressed to one of my parents. This has me worried! They don't even have a Social Security Number or Taxpayer Identification Number since they're foreigners who've never lived or worked in the US. Do they actually need to fill out this W-9? And does depositing foreign income into a US bank somehow make them liable for US taxes? Any advice would be super appreciated!
Join the conversation
One thing to consider - if ur parents plan to spend significant time in the US in the future, be careful about the substantial presence test. If they visit too much, they could accidentally become US tax residents even without meaning to!
This is a really important point. The substantial presence test counts days over a 3-year period with a weighted formula. If they hit 183 equivalent days, they could be considered US tax residents and have to report worldwide income. I've seen this happen to several clients who were completely caught off guard.
Great thread with lots of helpful info! Just want to add that your parents should definitely keep detailed records of all deposits and transfers. Since they're depositing foreign income into a US account, having clear documentation showing the source of funds (pay stubs, business records, etc.) will be crucial if the IRS or bank ever questions the deposits. Also, make sure they understand that while they likely won't owe US income taxes on their Panamanian income, they should still consult with a tax professional who specializes in international tax law. Every situation is unique and there might be specific Panama-US tax treaty provisions that could affect them. The W-8BEN form others mentioned is definitely the right path - it establishes their foreign status and prevents the bank from treating them as US taxpayers. Good luck!
Savannah Weiner
Just wanted to share a success story! I had an N/A transcript for 24 days straight, checked every morning at 6am. Then suddenly this Wednesday it updated with all codes at once, including an 846 for direct deposit on 2/26. Filed on January 21st with medical expenses and education credits. OP's pattern analysis matches my experience exactly. The waiting is brutal but the system is working!
0 coins
Lucas Notre-Dame
This is incredibly helpful data! I filed on January 28th and have been stuck with N/A transcripts for 19 days now. Your research gives me hope that I'm still within normal processing timeframes. I claimed both the Child Tax Credit and medical expenses totaling $8,200, so based on what others are saying, that complexity might explain the delay. One question - when your transcript finally updated with code 846, did any other codes appear at the same time? I'm trying to understand if the IRS processes everything at once or if there are interim codes that show up first. Also, have you noticed any correlation between AGI amounts and processing times in your data? My AGI is around $67K this year compared to $52K last year when my refund came much faster. Thanks for doing this research - it's way more useful than the generic "21 days" timeline the IRS keeps repeating!
0 coins