Heads Up: Will Be Delayed Responding to Tax Questions Today

No need to apologize! These things happen. Here's what I recommend for those with urgent questions today: 1. First, check the pinned threads at the top of the forum - many common questions are already answered there 2. Use the search function with specific keywords related to your issue 3. If posting a new question, include as much detail as possible so others can help accurately 4. Remember to redact any personal information 5. Be patient - there are many knowledgeable folks here who will help when they can Take care of your child first, that's most important. Tax questions can wait.

Hope your little one feels better soon! Quick question - will you be able to address the investment income questions from yesterday's thread? I've been waiting exactly 43 days for my refund with capital gains reporting, and I'm trying to determine if my 8949 documentation is causing the delay. No rush, just wondering if I should expect feedback on that specific thread or post elsewhere.

I've been in this exact situation before - sick kid during tax season is the worst timing! Last year when I couldn't get responses here fast enough and needed to talk to the IRS directly, I used Claimyr (https://claimyr.com). Saved me hours of hold time when I needed to verify some investment reporting issues. The service basically waits on hold with the IRS for you and calls when an agent is ready. Was a lifesaver when I was juggling work and a sick household!

Take care of your family first - we'll all be here when you get back. For anyone panicking about the April deadline, remember you can always file an extension with Form 4868. You still need to pay any estimated taxes owed by the deadline, but it gives you six more months to get the paperwork right.

I'm sort of wondering if anyone might know about the Free File options that are still available this late in the season? I was planning to ask about this today since I'm probably going to be filing this weekend, and I'm trying to avoid paying for software if possible.

I was in your exact situation on March 12th last year! Had a presentation due for work and my daughter came down with the flu. What saved me was having organized all my tax documents on February 1st in a dedicated folder with everything pre-sorted. When I finally had time on March 15th to file, it took just 45 minutes because everything was ready to go. Hope your little one recovers quickly - strep is no joke!

For anyone who needs immediate help with investment-related questions while waiting: I had an issue with cost basis reporting on stocks I sold last year. Called the IRS at 7:01 AM exactly when they opened, and got through after only a 15-minute wait. They explained that my broker had reported a different basis than what I calculated. Had to get corrected forms from my broker, which took 2 days. Just sharing in case anyone else has similar issues!