did you claim EIC or CTC? that usually makes it take longer tbh

3 weeks is definitely frustrating but not unusual this year. The "Still Being Processed" message without a tax topic code usually means they're doing a manual review of something on your return - could be income verification, credits, or just random quality control. I've seen people wait anywhere from 4-10 weeks with this message. Try checking your account transcript online if you can access it - that'll give you more specific info about what's happening behind the scenes.

22 Has anyone dealt with the filing requirements for the French individual in this situation? Would they need to file a US tax return even though they're receiving dividends through a US LLC? I'm in a similar position (but from UK) and wondering what my obligations are.

I've been dealing with similar withholding complexities for our international shareholders and wanted to add a few practical considerations that might help. First, make sure you get the W-8BEN from the French individual well before the dividend payment date. The IRS requires that you have valid documentation in hand before you can apply the reduced treaty rate. If you don't have it, you're required to withhold at the full 30% rate, and then the individual would need to claim a refund later. Second, regarding the potential 5% rate mentioned above - be very careful here. The treaty language specifically refers to companies owning the required percentage, and there's ongoing debate about whether individuals can qualify for this rate even when owning through business entities. I'd strongly recommend getting professional advice before applying the 5% rate to avoid potential penalties. Finally, keep detailed records of your withholding analysis and the documentation you relied on. The IRS can review withholding decisions years later, and you'll want to be able to demonstrate that you made a reasonable, good-faith effort to apply the correct rate based on the information available at the time.

Hey so random question but what software did you use to e-file your return originally? If you used TurboTax, TaxAct, etc. instead of just going through H&R Block, those services usually keep your returns available for download for several years!

I went through this exact same frustrating experience last year! The IRS website definitely doesn't provide complete tax returns - only transcripts. But here's what worked for me as a fellow self-employed person needing documents for a mortgage: First, try getting both the Tax Return Transcript AND the Wage & Income Transcript from the IRS website. The Tax Return Transcript should show your Schedule C information (business income/expenses), while the Wage & Income shows all the 1099s and other income documents reported to the IRS. Before going the Form 4506 route (which takes forever and costs $43), call your mortgage lender and ask if they'll accept these transcripts instead. Many lenders actually prefer transcripts because they come directly from the IRS and can't be altered. If your lender insists on the full return, you might also try calling the IRS directly to ask about expedited processing for the Form 4506 due to your mortgage timeline - sometimes they can prioritize these requests. Just be prepared for long hold times when calling! Good luck with your mortgage application!

This is such a common mistake for new business owners - you're definitely not alone! I went through the exact same panic when I started my consulting business and realized I'd been mixing personal payment apps with business expenses. The key thing to remember is that the IRS doesn't care what payment method you used - they care about whether the expenses were legitimate business costs. Since you have invoices and contracts for the bigger jobs, you're already in good shape. For the smaller verbal agreements with friends, I'd recommend creating simple documentation now listing the work performed, dates, and amounts paid. Even a basic spreadsheet with this info will help if you ever get questioned. One thing that really helped me was setting up a separate business checking account for this year going forward. It makes tracking so much cleaner and you won't have to worry about mixing personal and business transactions. You can still use payment apps if needed, but transfer the money from your business account first to maintain that separation. Don't stress too much about this - with proper documentation, you'll be fine claiming these as legitimate business expenses!

You're absolutely not alone in this situation! As someone who's been through tax season nightmares with mixed payment methods, I can tell you that you're worrying more than you need to. The IRS really doesn't care if you used Venmo, PayPal, cash, or carrier pigeons to pay your contractors - what matters is that these were legitimate business expenses and you can document them. Your invoices and contracts for the bigger jobs are perfect, and creating a simple spreadsheet for the smaller payments with friends is exactly the right approach. One practical tip: when you create that documentation for the verbal agreements, include as much detail as possible - specific dates, what work was performed, how many hours, etc. Even better if you can get your friends to sign off on these records after the fact. Most people are happy to help with this kind of thing. The 1099 situation might feel overwhelming, but it's really straightforward once you get organized. You'll need W-9 forms from anyone you paid $600+ to, and then issue 1099-NECs by January 31st. Most tax software can handle this automatically once you input the information. Take a deep breath - you haven't committed any kind of fraud! This is just normal first-year business owner learning curve stuff. Get that business checking account set up for next year and you'll be golden.

I've been following this thread closely since I'm dealing with a very similar bonus repayment situation myself. The consensus from all the tax professionals and people with firsthand experience is really clear: get everything in writing before you pay anything back! Your calculation of owing $5,000 (66.7% of the $7,500 gross bonus) looks correct based on leaving after 4 months of the required 12-month period. The key advantage you have is that everything is happening in 2025, so your employer can adjust your W-2 to reflect the reduced wages and withholdings. Here's my action plan based on all the great advice in this thread: 1. **Schedule a meeting with both HR and payroll** before your last day to avoid any miscommunication between departments 2. **Request a detailed breakdown** of how the original $7,500 bonus was taxed when combined with your February paycheck 3. **Get written confirmation** that they'll adjust your 2025 W-2 by reducing Box 1 wages, Box 2 federal withholding, and Boxes 3/5 FICA wages/withholding 4. **Ask about payroll deduction** from your final paycheck instead of a separate repayment - this often makes the tax adjustments automatic 5. **Don't make any payment** until you have documented confirmation of the W-2 adjustment process The fact that you're being proactive about this now gives you time to get everything sorted correctly. Cross-year bonus repayments are much more complicated, so your timing actually works in your favor. Good luck with the new position!

Based on all the excellent advice in this thread, you're definitely in a much better position than most people dealing with bonus repayments since everything is happening within 2025. Your 66.7% calculation ($5,000 of the $7,500 gross bonus) looks correct for the 8-month shortfall. The key takeaway from everyone's experience is absolutely getting written documentation BEFORE making any repayment. I'd specifically recommend asking for: 1. **Exact repayment amount confirmation** - Make sure you and your employer are calculating the pro-rating the same way 2. **W-2 adjustment guarantee** - Written confirmation they'll reduce Box 1 wages, Box 2 federal withholding, and Boxes 3/5 FICA by the appropriate amounts 3. **Original bonus tax breakdown** - Since it was combined with regular pay, get details on how much federal/state/FICA was withheld from just the bonus portion The suggestion several people made about having it deducted from your final paycheck is brilliant - it would essentially reverse the original transaction through the same payroll system and make the tax adjustments automatic. Don't let HR pressure you into making a quick repayment without proper documentation. Same-year repayments should result in a clean W-2 adjustment, but only if your employer handles it correctly. Take advantage of the time you have before your last day to get all these details sorted out properly. Good luck with your new position!