One thing nobody mentioned yet - if you filed through a tax preparer like H&R Block or TurboTax, sometimes they have additional tools or resources to help track your refund or explain statuses like Tax Topic 152. I had this same issue last year and when I logged into my TurboTax account, they had more detailed tracking info than the IRS website provided. Plus they had an explanation of what Tax Topic 152 usually means for different filing situations.

Tax Topic 152 actually showed up on my return status for about 3 weeks last year. I claimed both EIC and the Child Tax Credit. The bars disappeared and I got that topic message instead. I freaked out at first, but then my refund suddenly appeared in my account with no other updates or notices. The WMR tool never even updated to "approved" status for me - it went straight from Topic 152 to "refund sent" after it was already in my account. So sometimes the system just doesn't update properly even though your refund is being processed normally. The IRS systems are ridiculously outdated.

Something nobody's mentioned yet: check your local laws regarding short-term rentals! Many cities have restrictions or outright bans on Airbnb-type rentals, especially in apartment buildings. You'd hate to set this all up, deal with the tax complications, and then get shut down by your city or landlord. Also, most leases have clauses against subletting, so you might be risking eviction. The tax benefits (or lack thereof) might be the least of your worries!

I actually tried doing exactly what you're describing last year! Here's how it played out tax-wise: I rented a 2-bedroom apartment for $1,900/month and sublet one room on Airbnb. Made about $9,800 for the year in rental income, and claimed expenses of: - 50% of rent ($11,400) - 50% of utilities ($2,200) - New furniture ($1,700) - Cleaning supplies, sheets, etc ($800) - Internet upgrade ($580) So I showed a loss of about $6,880, but my accountant explained I couldn't use it against my W2 income because: 1. It's considered a passive activity loss 2. The $25K exception requires ownership 3. I didn't qualify as a real estate professional The losses got suspended and I can only use them against future rental income. It was still worth it financially because the Airbnb income offset a good chunk of my rent, but didn't help with taxes like I'd hoped.

Another option worth mentioning is that you can still mail a check with Form 1040-ES. Even though the form is meant for the estimated payment that was due in January, you can still use it to make a payment now. Just mail the check with the 2021 Form 1040-ES voucher for the 4th quarter, and make sure to clearly write "2021 Form 1040-ES" and your SSN on the check. The main downside compared to electronic payment is it will take longer to process, and you won't get immediate confirmation. But it's an alternative if you're having issues with the online system. Just keep in mind you'll still have the same potential penalty for the late payment regardless of which method you use.

PSA for next year: If you have the IRS2Go app on your phone, it lets you make estimated tax payments through Direct Pay or a credit/debit card right from the app, and it sends you reminders before each quarterly due date. I used to forget my January payment every single year until I started using this.

If you have the original purchase price of your home and know what percentage you've been using for business purposes, you can actually recreate your depreciation schedule pretty easily. Here's what I'd do: 1) Take your original purchase price + any improvements 2) Multiply by the percentage used for business 3) Divide by 27.5 years That gives you your annual depreciation amount. Multiply by the number of years you claimed it, and you'll have a good approximation, even without all the returns.

Just wondering if anyone knows if there's a penalty if you underreport the depreciation recapture? I mean, if the OP genuinely can't figure out the exact amount taken over 21 years, what happens?

Just to add another perspective - I amended a return last year using TurboTax and it wasn't too difficult. If you filed your original return with tax software, check if they offer an amendment service. Often they can pull your original information and you just need to make the changes. Keep in mind that amended returns take FOREVER to process right now. Mine took almost 9 months to be processed completely. But at least you'll be in compliance and avoid those penalties others mentioned.

Don't forget that if you and your ex are still splitting the refund, you'll need to work out how this amendment affects that split. If you end up owing money instead of getting more back, who's responsible for paying it? Make sure you have that conversation before filing the amendment to avoid more drama later. Also save copies of EVERYTHING. My ex "lost" all our tax documents after our divorce and it was a nightmare sorting it out. Make sure you have your own copies of the original return, the W2s, and the amendment.