One more tip: If u have an irs account online (irs.gov) you can access your tax transcripts which often show refund info before Where's My Refund updates. Look for a code 846 with a date - thats ur refund date! Just be warned the transcript is confusing af to read but there's lot of youtube videos explaining how to read it. Way better than refreshing WMR every 5 minutes lol.

Great thread! Just wanted to add another option for those still struggling to track their refunds. If you used Jackson Hewitt and opted for a refund advance or had fees deducted, your refund might be processed through Axos Bank (formerly Bank of Internet USA). You can check the status at their taxpayer portal: https://www.axosbank.com/Personal/Checking/Refund-Transfer Also, for anyone who used Liberty Tax, they typically use Republic Bank as well, same site that Aurora mentioned above. One thing I learned the hard way last year - if you're checking multiple clearing house sites and none of them have your info, that usually means your refund is going directly from the IRS to your bank without a third-party processor. In that case, the IRS tools and your bank are your best bet for tracking!

I'm going through the exact same thing! Filed in mid-February with child tax credits for my two kids and my return has been suspended for about 3 weeks now. This whole thread has been such a lifesaver - I was starting to panic thinking I'd made some serious error on my return. The daily transcript checking obsession is so real! I've been refreshing it multiple times a day hoping for any update. At least now I know what that 570 code means and what to look for with the 571 code when things get resolved. What really frustrates me is how the IRS doesn't give any heads up that claiming child tax credits can automatically trigger these 6-8 week verification delays. A simple notice on their website would save so many families from this unnecessary stress, especially when we're counting on that refund money for bills. I haven't received my CP05 letter yet either, but knowing from everyone's experiences here that it's coming and will actually explain what's happening gives me some peace of mind. Thanks to everyone for sharing their timelines and keeping each other updated - it's such a relief to know this is just routine verification taking longer than usual this year, not something we messed up on our returns. Hoping we all see some movement soon!

I'm in the exact same situation and this thread has been such a relief to find! Filed in early February with child tax credits for my two kids and my return has been suspended for about 3 weeks now. I was starting to really panic thinking I'd made some major error. The daily transcript checking obsession is definitely real - I've been refreshing it constantly hoping to see any changes! At least now I know what that 570 code on my transcript actually means thanks to everyone sharing their experiences here. What's really frustrating is how the IRS provides absolutely no upfront warning that child tax credits can trigger these automatic 6-8 week verification delays. A simple notice on their website saying "Child Tax Credit claims may cause extended processing delays" would save so many families from this unnecessary stress and anxiety. Haven't gotten my CP05 letter yet, but reading everyone's timelines here gives me hope it's coming and will actually explain what's happening. This whole discussion has been incredibly valuable - it's amazing how much anxiety gets reduced just knowing this is routine verification that's taking longer than usual this year, not something we did wrong on our returns. Thanks everyone for sharing your experiences and keeping each other updated during this stressful waiting period!

I went through this exact same frustration last year with my Vanguard international funds. After trying multiple approaches, here's what worked for me: First, check if your tax software has "Other Countries" or "Multiple Countries" as an option in the dropdown - many people miss this because it's often at the bottom of the list. If that's not available, I found that most tax preparers recommend selecting a major developed country where your fund likely has significant holdings. For Vanguard's international funds, "United Kingdom" or "Germany" are common choices since these funds often have substantial exposure to European markets. The key thing to remember is that the IRS Publication 514 specifically addresses this situation. When investment companies report foreign taxes as "Various," they're following proper reporting procedures. The IRS is primarily concerned with the accuracy of the total foreign tax amount for your credit calculation, not the precise country-by-country breakdown. One tip: if you're really concerned about accuracy, you can attach a statement to your return explaining that the foreign taxes were reported as "Various" on your 1099-DIV and that you selected [whatever country] as a reasonable approximation based on the fund's geographic allocation. Don't let this stress you out too much - it's a very common issue that tax professionals deal with regularly!

I've been dealing with this same issue for the past three years with my Vanguard Total International Stock Index Fund. What finally solved it for me was realizing that most tax software (including TurboTax and FreeTaxUSA) actually does have a "Various" or "Multiple Countries" option - it's just buried in the dropdown menu and easy to miss. If your software doesn't have that option, here's what I learned from speaking with a tax professional: you can legitimately select any major country that represents a significant portion of your fund's holdings. For most Vanguard international funds, this would be countries like Japan, UK, or Germany since they typically make up the largest allocations. The most important thing is to be consistent year over year. If you select "United Kingdom" this year for your VTIAX foreign taxes, use the same selection next year. This helps avoid any red flags if the IRS ever reviews your returns. Also, keep your 1099-DIV forms that show "Various" as documentation. The IRS understands this is how investment companies report diversified international holdings, and they're much more concerned with people trying to fabricate foreign tax credits than they are with legitimate investors making reasonable country selections for "Various" designations. Don't let H&R Block's limitations drive you crazy - this is a software issue, not a tax law issue!

Great question about adjusting withholding after buying a home! I went through this exact situation a couple years ago. One thing to keep in mind is that the mortgage interest deduction isn't as straightforward as it used to be since the Tax Cuts and Jobs Act increased the standard deduction significantly. Before making any W-4 changes, I'd recommend calculating whether you'll actually be itemizing or taking the standard deduction. For 2024, you need more than $14,600 in itemized deductions as a single filer (or $29,200 if married filing jointly) to beat the standard deduction. This includes your mortgage interest, property taxes, state income taxes, and any other deductible expenses. If your total itemized deductions don't exceed the standard deduction, then buying the house won't actually change your tax liability much, and you might not need to adjust your withholding at all. If you will be itemizing, then yes, definitely use one of the tools mentioned here like the IRS withholding calculator or consider talking to a tax professional. They can help you figure out the exact adjustment needed based on your specific situation.

This is exactly why I love this community - so much helpful advice! As someone who works in tax preparation, I'd add one more consideration: timing your withholding adjustment strategically throughout the year. Since you bought in March, you'll have 10 months of mortgage interest to deduct this year. But next year you'll have the full 12 months, which means your tax situation will be different between this year and next year. My suggestion would be to calculate your withholding adjustment based on this year's partial mortgage interest first, then plan to readjust your W-4 again in January for the full-year impact. This prevents you from over-adjusting and ending up owing money at tax time. Also, don't forget about property taxes if you're escrowing them - those count toward your itemized deductions too and can make a significant difference in whether itemizing beats the standard deduction. The tools mentioned here (IRS calculator, TurboTax calculator, taxr.ai) are all solid options. Pick whichever interface feels most comfortable to you and run the numbers!

The same thing happened to me but with Spotify! Tax was like 14.2% and I was so confused. Turns out I had moved counties but my billing address was still using my old address which had higher local taxes. Check your billing address in your Apple account. Even if you updated your Apple ID info, sometimes the billing address for subscriptions updates separately.

I work in tax compliance for a digital services company, and what you're experiencing is actually quite common. The 13.6% rate you're seeing is likely a combination of multiple tax layers that Apple has to collect based on your billing address. Here's what's probably happening: your base state sales tax, plus any county tax, city tax, and potentially a specific digital services tax. Many jurisdictions have added special taxes on streaming and digital subscriptions in recent years - some call them "amusement taxes" or "digital goods taxes." Chicago is notorious for this - they have a 9% amusement tax on top of regular Illinois sales tax. If you're in a high-tax area, 13.6% is unfortunately not unusual for digital subscriptions. The key thing to check is your billing address in your Apple account settings. Make sure it's current and accurate, because Apple calculates tax based on that address, not where you physically are when you use the service.