My states been pending since last year lmaooo welcome to the club 💀

The "accepted" vs "processed" thing confused me too when I first started filing! "Accepted" just means the IRS received your return and it passed their initial computer checks (no obvious errors, SSN matches, etc.). "Processed" means they've actually reviewed it, applied any credits/deductions, and determined your final refund amount. The 21-day processing time starts from when it's accepted, not processed. So you're still well within the normal timeframe - don't stress! Your federal return is moving through the system normally.

This is a really helpful thread! I'm in Nevada (another community property state) and just discovered I've been missing Form 8958 for the past 4 years. Like Derek, my spouse and I keep completely separate finances, but it sounds like we still need to split our income 50/50 for tax purposes regardless. From what everyone's saying, it seems like the main issue isn't the missing form itself, but whether you've been properly allocating income according to community property laws. If you've been reporting only your individual income without the 50/50 split, that could be a bigger problem than just the missing paperwork. I'm leaning toward consulting with a tax professional who understands community property rules rather than trying to figure this out myself. The peace of mind would be worth the cost, especially since it sounds like the rules are more complex than just "keep your finances separate.

The missing Form 8958 itself likely won't trigger penalties, but the underlying income allocation issue could be significant. In community property states, the IRS expects married couples filing separately to follow state law regarding income splitting, regardless of how you actually manage your finances. Here's what I'd suggest: First, determine if you've been properly allocating community income. If you and your spouse have been reporting only your individual earnings without the required 50/50 split, that's a substantive tax issue beyond just missing paperwork. The good news is that if your combined tax liability as a couple is correct (even if individually allocated wrong), the IRS is usually more lenient. For peace of mind, consider requesting your tax transcripts from the IRS to see if they've flagged anything unusual with your returns. You can also run some quick calculations - if splitting your incomes 50/50 would have resulted in roughly the same total tax liability you actually paid, you're probably in good shape. Given that you're in California and this affects multiple years, I'd really recommend at least a consultation with a tax professional who understands community property rules. They can quickly assess whether amendments are necessary and help you get compliant going forward.

I completely understand your panic - I went through the exact same thing last year! The key thing to remember is that "accepted" and "processed" are two different steps. When FreeTaxUSA says your return was accepted, it means the IRS received it and it passed their initial validation checks. The full processing (which updates your account balance and payment obligations) can take up to 21 days during busy season. For your immediate concerns: 1) Check your FreeTaxUSA account dashboard - it should show confirmation numbers for both your federal and state filings, 2) Your state payment delay is normal - ACH transfers can take 3-5 business days to appear, and 3) Don't worry about penalties since you filed before the deadline. If you're still anxious after a week and want to verify everything is in order, you can request your tax transcript from the IRS website (irs.gov/individuals/get-transcript) - this will show if your return is actually in their system even before it appears on the regular "Where's My Refund" tool. You did everything right by filing on time. The system is just slow during peak season!

I went through this exact same panic last year! The timing you described is completely normal - I filed on a Thursday evening and didn't see my state payment hit my bank until the following Tuesday, and my federal balance didn't show up on the IRS website for almost two weeks. What helped calm my nerves was understanding that FreeTaxUSA (and most tax software) batches their payment submissions. So even though you authorized the payment on Friday, they might not have actually submitted it to your bank until Monday or Tuesday. Add in the normal ACH processing time, and you're looking at potentially a full week before you see anything. The IRS acceptance confirmation is the important part - that means your return is definitely in their system and you filed on time. The rest is just waiting for their slow processing wheels to turn. I'd give it until at least this Thursday before starting to worry, and even then, their customer service can track exactly where your payments are in the pipeline. You did everything right by filing before the deadline - try not to stress too much about the backend processing delays!

Has anyone had experience with what happens AFTER the 5 calendar years? Do you need to notify your university employer or will they automatically start withholding FICA? My 5 years is coming up next semester and I'm worried about this.

This is such a helpful thread! I'm also an F1 student (year 2) married to a US citizen and was completely confused about this exact issue. Reading through everyone's experiences has been really reassuring. One thing I want to add - when I spoke with my university's international student services office about this, they actually weren't sure about the distinction between FICA exemption and filing status either. It seems like this is a pretty common area of confusion even among advisors. For anyone in a similar situation, I'd recommend getting documentation of your F1 status dates and keeping good records of when you first arrived in the US. The 5-year countdown is based on calendar years, not academic years, so it's important to track this carefully. My advisor suggested keeping a simple spreadsheet with arrival date, visa status changes, and any periods when I left the US for extended periods. It's great to know that I can take advantage of MFJ filing while keeping my FICA exemption - that could save us quite a bit on our taxes this year!

This thread has been incredibly helpful! As someone who just started doing gig work myself, I wanted to add one more resource that's been a lifesaver for me - the IRS Publication 334 (Tax Guide for Small Business). It's free on the IRS website and has a whole section specifically about self-employment income and deductions. What I found most useful is that it explains exactly what records you need to keep and for how long (spoiler: keep everything for at least 3 years). It also has examples of legitimate business deductions for delivery drivers that I hadn't thought of, like car washes if you clean your car specifically to maintain a professional appearance for customers. One thing I wish someone had told me earlier - consider opening a separate checking account just for your gig work earnings and expenses. It makes tracking so much easier come tax time, and if you ever get audited, having that clear separation between personal and business finances looks really professional to the IRS. Some banks even offer free business checking accounts for low-volume businesses. Also, for anyone worried about the complexity of filing taxes with gig income - TurboTax, FreeTaxUSA, and other tax software have specific sections for gig workers that walk you through everything step by step. You don't need to be a tax expert to get it right!

I'm jumping into this conversation as someone who just went through this exact situation last tax season! The confusion about the $400 vs $600 thresholds is so common among new gig workers. Here's what I learned the hard way: you're absolutely right that Doordash only sends a 1099-NEC when you hit $600, BUT the IRS still expects you to report all income regardless. The $400 threshold for self-employment tax is completely separate from the 1099 reporting requirement. At $342.50, you're currently under both thresholds, so technically you wouldn't need to file for self-employment tax purposes if this is your only income. However, I'd strongly encourage you to start tracking everything now - earnings, miles, expenses - because it's incredibly easy to cross $400 without realizing it, especially if you pick up any other gig work. I made the mistake of not tracking my miles properly when I first started, thinking I'd stay under the threshold. Ended up going over $400 by December and had to scramble to reconstruct my mileage records. Trust me, it's much easier to track from day one than to try to piece it together later! Also keep in mind that even if Doordash doesn't report your earnings to the IRS via 1099, they still have records of all payments made to you. During an audit, the IRS can request those records directly from the company. It's always better to be proactive about tax compliance, especially since proper deduction tracking often means you'll owe less (or even get money back) than you expect.