One thing nobody's mentioned - if your boyfriend claims you as a dependent, make sure he understands how it affects your healthcare coverage. When my partner claimed me as a dependent, it screwed up my Medicaid eligibility because they suddenly considered his income when determining my benefits. We had to do some serious paperwork to explain that while I was his tax dependent, I was still separate for healthcare purposes. Different states have different rules about this. Double-check with your local Medicaid office before changing anyone's tax filing status.

This is such a frustrating situation, but you're absolutely right to question your mother's plan to claim you. Based on everything you've described, she has no legal basis to claim you as a dependent for 2024. Here's what I'd recommend as your action plan: 1) Have your boyfriend determine if he can claim you as a dependent. Since he's providing most of your support and you've lived together all year, he likely qualifies under the "qualifying relative" rules (assuming your disability income is under the threshold). 2) File ASAP when tax season opens. Don't wait - whoever files first has the advantage if there's a conflict. 3) Document everything now: lease agreements, utility bills showing who pays what, bank statements showing your boyfriend's support, records of when your mother stopped being your payee, etc. 4) If your mother files incorrectly anyway, don't panic. The IRS will catch the duplicate dependent claim and send letters to both parties. You'll be prepared with documentation while she won't have legitimate proof of support. The key thing to remember is that dependency for tax purposes is based on who actually provides support, not family relationships. Your mother can't just decide to claim you if she's not supporting you. Stay strong and don't let her intimidate you into going along with incorrect filing.

Make sure you're setting aside money for estimated quarterly tax payments going forward if you're continuing as self-employed. Getting hit with penalties for underpayment really sucks! I learned this the hard way.

I'm so sorry you're dealing with this frustrating situation! Federal agency internships can be really confusing tax-wise. One thing I'd add to the excellent advice already given - make sure you're tracking your mileage for any work-related travel during the internship period. The IRS standard mileage rate for 2023 was 65.5 cents per mile, so even short trips to pick up supplies or attend meetings can add up to meaningful deductions. Also, since you mentioned working unpaid overtime, if you had to purchase any meals during those extended work hours (like grabbing dinner because you were working late), those might qualify as deductible business meals at 50% of the cost. Keep any receipts you still have! For future reference, it's worth documenting everything in real-time when you're in these gray-area employment situations. I learned this lesson the hard way too. Good luck getting through this - the self-employment learning curve is steep but you'll figure it out!

I called exactly 15 days after being told to expect a verification letter. The agent said they can verify by phone after 14 days have passed. I had my 2022 and 2023 tax returns in front of me. They asked about my filing status, exact AGI amounts, current and previous addresses, and details about my mortgage and auto loan. The whole verification took 20 minutes. My refund was approved 6 days later. Don't wait longer than 14 days - call them back.

I went through this exact situation in February! Called after waiting 16 days with no letter. The phone verification was actually pretty straightforward once I got through to someone. They asked me to verify my AGI from last year's return, confirm my filing status, and provide details about my current address and one previous address. They also asked about any loans or major financial accounts associated with my SSN. The whole process took about 18 minutes and they were able to lift the verification hold immediately. My refund processed within a week after that call. Definitely recommend calling back after 14 days rather than waiting indefinitely for a letter that might never arrive. Just have your previous tax returns handy when you call!

I always check my transcripts on the IRS website instead of using Where's My Refund. If you create an account on irs.gov, you can view your tax transcripts which show the exact dates when your return was processed and when your refund was scheduled. Look for Transaction Code 846 - that's the refund issued code and will have the date your money will be sent to your bank.

I've been in the exact same situation! The site you're thinking of is most likely SBTPG (Santa Barbara Tax Products Group) at https://taxpayer.sbtpg.com/. If you used TurboTax and had fees deducted from your refund, they handle the processing and their tracker is incredibly accurate - often showing deposit dates days before the IRS updates. You can also check your IRS transcripts at irs.gov which will show Transaction Code 846 with the exact date your refund was issued. That's actually the most reliable source since it's straight from the IRS system. Pro tip: if you're having trouble reaching the IRS by phone for any issues, you might want to bookmark these resources for future reference. The transcript method has saved me so much anxiety during tax season!

congrats on making it to the finish line! felt like running a marathon didnt it

The 846 code is definitely a good sign! It means your refund has been officially issued by the IRS. Even though WMR hasn't updated with the deposit date yet, the systems don't always sync up immediately. I'd expect to see the money in your account within the next 3-5 business days. The transcript is usually more accurate and up-to-date than WMR, so trust what you're seeing there. Hang in there - you're at the finish line after all that waiting! 🤞