dependents usually mean extra verification time. dont panic if it takes a few more weeks

Same exact situation here! Cycle 05, 2 dependents, transcript went blank Friday. Been refreshing like crazy but trying to stay patient. The waiting is so stressful especially when you're counting on that refund. Fingers crossed we all see some movement this Friday 🤞

Gotta say, I'm still confused about how Form 8606 works with these carryovers. My tax software seems to just put zeros everywhere and I don't think it's tracking my basis correctly from my backdoor Roth conversions that lost money. Would it be better to just ditch the software and do this form manually?

This is such a common issue and you're definitely not alone! I went through the exact same thing with my backdoor Roth conversions during the 2022 market downturn. That carryover basis on Line 14 is actually working exactly as intended - it represents your nondeductible contributions that couldn't be fully converted due to the investment losses. The key things to remember: 1) This basis doesn't expire and will carry forward until you can use it up in future conversions, 2) Make sure you add this carryover amount to Line 2 each year when you do new backdoor conversions, and 3) Keep meticulous records of all your Form 8606s. I've been carrying forward about $400 in basis for three years now, and my CPA confirmed this is totally normal. The IRS sees this all the time, especially from people who did conversions during volatile market periods. You're doing everything right - just stay consistent with your record keeping!

Just to add another data point - I filed my 2025 return through FreeTaxUSA yesterday evening around 6 PM and it was accepted this morning at 8:30 AM, so about 14.5 hours total. Pretty reasonable turnaround! One thing I learned from experience is that the IRS batch processes returns at certain times throughout the day, so it's not necessarily a continuous stream. That's why some people get accepted super quickly (like within an hour if they hit the timing right) while others wait the full 24-48 hours even with identical returns. For your $2,300 refund with direct deposit, you're looking at probably getting it within 10-14 days once it's accepted, assuming no issues. The early part of filing season tends to move faster since there's less volume in the system. Try to resist checking Where's My Refund more than once a day - I drove myself crazy last year checking it constantly when it only updates overnight anyway!

Just want to echo what others have said about the batch processing - it really does make a huge difference in timing! I filed my return last Tuesday around 2 PM and it sat in "Return Received" status until Thursday morning at 6 AM, so about 40 hours total. I was starting to panic that something was wrong, but it turns out I just missed their processing window. One thing I learned from calling the IRS (after using Claimyr - which actually worked great) is that they do most of their e-file acceptance processing overnight between 12 AM and 6 AM EST. So if you file during regular business hours, you're likely looking at waiting until the next overnight cycle. For your $2,300 refund, once it gets accepted you should see it pretty quickly. Mine was $1,850 and hit my account exactly 8 days after acceptance. The key is just getting through that initial acceptance hurdle - everything moves much faster after that point. Try not to stress too much about the 3-hour wait time. Based on when you filed and the batch processing schedule, you'll probably see acceptance sometime tonight or tomorrow morning!

Watch out for FAFSA implications! If you're trying to get dependency for FAFSA purposes, the FAFSA rules are completely different from IRS rules. For FAFSA, if you're the noncustodial parent, your income generally isn't considered for financial aid calculations regardless of who claims the student on taxes. But this is changing with the new simplified FAFSA for 2025-2026. They're now asking which parent provides more financial support rather than which parent the student lives with.

Based on your situation, I'd strongly recommend getting professional guidance before making any decisions. Since you're paying 100% of college expenses but are the noncustodial parent, the tax implications can be quite complex. A few key points to consider: First, the college dorm residency question is tricky - temporary absences for school are generally counted as time with the custodial parent, not you. Second, even though you're covering all expenses, without Form 8332 or specific language in your divorce decree, you likely can't claim him as a dependent. However, you might still be able to claim education tax credits like the American Opportunity Credit since you're paying the expenses directly. This could actually provide better tax benefits than the dependency exemption. Given the FAFSA changes mentioned above and the complexity of divorced parent rules, it might be worth consulting with a tax professional who specializes in education tax issues. The interaction between dependency rules, education credits, and FAFSA requirements can significantly impact both your taxes and your son's financial aid eligibility.

I understand how stressful this situation must be, especially with the deadline pressure and owing taxes. You're absolutely right to be concerned about getting this resolved properly. From what I've seen in similar cases, your dad's CPA is likely being cautious about the premium tax credit implications. When multiple family members are involved with Marketplace coverage, there can be complications with who claims what portions of the credits. However, this doesn't change your legal obligation to report your coverage. Here are a few practical steps you can take immediately: 1. **Document everything** - Keep records of your requests to your father for the form. This shows good faith effort if the IRS ever questions the delay. 2. **Try the Marketplace directly** - As others mentioned, call Healthcare.gov at 1-800-318-2596. Explain you're a dependent who needs coverage information for tax filing. Have your SSN, date of birth, and any policy information you might know ready. 3. **File for an extension NOW** - File Form 4868 and pay your estimated $750 by April 15th to avoid late penalties and interest. This gives you until October to sort out the 1095-A issue without additional stress. 4. **Get professional backup** - Consider having a local tax preparer write a brief letter explaining exactly what information you need from the 1095-A versus what your father needs to keep private. Sometimes families respond better to "official" explanations. The key thing is don't wait - file that extension and make your payment to stop the penalty clock from ticking while you resolve the form issue.

I'm going through something very similar right now! My parents got divorced last year and my mom has the marketplace plan, but she's being really difficult about sharing any tax documents with me. It's so frustrating when family makes tax filing more complicated than it needs to be. The advice about calling Healthcare.gov directly sounds promising - I had no idea that was even an option. I'm definitely going to try that number tomorrow. It would be amazing if I could just get the coverage information myself and avoid all this back-and-forth with my mom. The extension idea is really smart too. I've been so worried about missing the deadline and getting hit with penalties, but knowing I can file Form 4868 and pay what I estimate I owe takes so much pressure off. At least then I'd have until October to sort everything out properly. One thing I'm curious about - has anyone had success with the Healthcare.gov route when the policyholder specifically doesn't want to share the information? Like, will they still give you the details if your parent has told them not to release anything to you?