Something else to consider - many orthodontists offer a discount if you pay the full amount upfront rather than using a payment plan. When I got braces for my kid, the discount was almost 8%. You might want to run the numbers to see if it's worth paying more upfront (possibly using your credit card) to get the discount, especially if you think you'll qualify for the tax deduction this year. Just be careful about credit card interest rates - sometimes the discount isn't worth it if you'll be paying high interest on the card balance for months. I ended up doing a 0% intro APR card specifically for this expense.

Yes, Invisalign absolutely counts the same as traditional braces for tax purposes! The IRS doesn't distinguish between different types of orthodontic treatment - as long as it's medically necessary orthodontic care prescribed by a dental professional, it qualifies as a deductible medical expense. I actually went through this exact situation with my daughter's Invisalign treatment last year. The key is that it needs to be for correcting a dental condition, not just cosmetic improvement (though most orthodontic work falls into the medical necessity category anyway). One tip - make sure your orthodontist's treatment plan clearly documents the medical necessity. While audits for medical expenses aren't super common, having good documentation that shows the treatment was recommended for bite correction, jaw alignment, or other health-related issues (not just aesthetics) is important if you ever need to justify the deduction. The payment timing rules everyone mentioned above apply the same way too - whether you pay upfront, use a payment plan, or charge it all on a credit card.

Just FYI - I'm an accountant who works with many university professors. The standard practice we recommend is: 1. Recurring consultant/reviewer work = Schedule C (yes, with SE tax) 2. One-time honorarium type payments = Schedule 1 as Other Income The $175 your preparer charged to do a Schedule C for a $250 payment seems excessive, especially since it likely increased your tax liability through SE tax. Might be worth shopping around for a preparer who understands academic income better next year!

As someone who's been in academia for years and dealt with this exact situation multiple times, I can add some perspective. The key distinction the IRS makes isn't just about the dollar amount - it's about whether you're engaged in a "trade or business." For grant reviewing, if you're actively seeking out these opportunities, have expertise that organizations regularly pay for, and do this type of work more than occasionally, it's likely considered self-employment income requiring Schedule C. However, if NSF approached you for a one-time review based on your academic expertise and this isn't something you regularly do or advertise, there's a reasonable argument for Schedule 1. The $175 fee your preparer charged does seem steep for such a small amount. Many preparers who work with academics would have at least discussed both options with you. For future reference, you might want to find someone who specializes in academic tax situations - we have unique income streams that general preparers don't always handle optimally. One thing to keep in mind: even without a 1099, you're still required to report this income. The IRS can potentially match payments from federal agencies like NSF even without formal reporting documents.

I made a similar amount last year ($14k) and was disappointed to learn I couldn't get my Social Security and Medicare taxes back. But I did qualify for the Earned Income Credit which gave me back almost the same amount! Make sure you check if you qualify based on your age and income.

Just to add some clarity to what others have said - you're correct that Social Security and Medicare taxes (FICA) aren't refundable in most cases, but don't give up hope on getting money back! At your income level of $13,500, you should definitely look into the Earned Income Tax Credit (EITC) if you meet the age requirements (25+ if single with no kids). Also, make sure you're claiming the standard deduction ($13,850 for 2023 if single) which should zero out any federal income tax owed. And double-check that you're not missing any other credits you might qualify for - things like education credits if you're a student, or the Child and Dependent Care Credit if applicable. The key is understanding that while FICA taxes fund Social Security and Medicare (which you'll benefit from later), income taxes can often be fully refunded through deductions and credits when your income is low. Focus on maximizing those refundable credits!

New here but definitely not new to this Mississippi refund disaster! Filed my MS state return on February 14th and I'm at 12+ weeks of that infamous "processing" status that apparently means absolutely nothing. My federal refund showed up in 18 days but Mississippi seems to be processing returns with carrier pigeons at this point 😅 Called the DOR twice and got wildly different timelines - first rep said 6-10 weeks, second one said "could be up to 16 weeks due to enhanced security measures." That where's my refund tool is basically a screensaver now, been stuck since early March. It's honestly incredible how they managed to implement fraud prevention measures that are more frustrating than actual fraud! Reading through everyone's experiences here makes me feel so much better though - at least I know it's not just me going crazy. Really hoping Mississippi figures out how to do basic government services soon because people are depending on these refunds! Solidarity to everyone still waiting 🤞

New member here and unfortunately joining the Mississippi refund waiting club! 😩 Filed my MS state return on February 6th and I'm going on 14+ weeks of that useless "processing" status. My federal refund came through in just 13 days but Mississippi seems to be stuck in some kind of time warp. Called the DOR three times and got three completely different answers - first said 6-8 weeks, second said 10-14 weeks, and the third rep told me "could be up to 18 weeks due to system upgrades." That "where's my refund" tool might as well just say "good luck" because it's been frozen on processing since late February. It's honestly baffling how they rolled out these fraud prevention measures without having the infrastructure to handle them. Reading through everyone's experiences here is both comforting and infuriating - at least I know I'm not going crazy but wow, Mississippi really dropped the ball this year! Fingers crossed we all see some movement soon because people are really counting on these refunds 🤞

I think you're in pretty good shape compared to some situations I've seen. The community wisdom around here is that PATH Act returns with changing as-of dates but stable processing dates are usually just working through the system normally. In my experience (and I've filed PATH Act returns for 6 years now), the pattern you're describing typically resolves with a deposit 1-2 weeks after your last as-of date change. The real red flags would be if you saw a 570 code without a 571 resolution, or if your processing date started moving backward, or if you got a 9001 code (verification needed).

I completely understand the anxiety around filing changes after a divorce - you're definitely not alone in that feeling! As someone who went through a similar situation a few years back, I can tell you that the IRS system does take extra time when you're switching from married filing jointly to head of household, especially with custody-related credits. The pattern you're describing (accepted 1/16, as-of date moving but processing date stable at 2/17) is actually really common for PATH Act filers with new HOH status. I tracked my own return obsessively that first year and saw the exact same thing - as-of date jumped from 2/14 to 2/21 to 2/28 before I finally got my 846 code. One thing that helped me sleep better was understanding that the IRS automated systems are actually pretty good at catching legitimate returns versus fraudulent ones. Your return moving through the system with regular updates is a good sign that everything is processing normally, just slowly. Hang in there - based on what you've shared, you should see that 846 code soon!