I've been dealing with this exact same frustration and reading through all these strategies is giving me hope! The early morning timing advice (7:05-7:15am on Tuesday/Wednesday) seems to be the most consistent recommendation across everyone's experiences. One thing I wanted to add that worked for me recently - if you're using a smartphone, download an auto-redialer app. I used "Auto Redial" and set it to call every 30 seconds starting at exactly 7:00am. That way I didn't have to manually keep hitting redial and could focus on listening for when the menu actually started. Got through on attempt #23 around 7:18am using this method. Also, since you mentioned needing this for post-divorce expenses, you should definitely document how this delay is affecting your financial obligations. The Taxpayer Advocate Service takes cases involving divorce-related financial hardship seriously, and having specific examples of bills/obligations you can't meet because of the refund delay will strengthen your case if you need to file Form 911. The transcript analysis suggestion is spot-on too - I found transaction code TC 766 on mine which indicated a credit freeze that was causing my delay. Having that info ready when I finally got through to an agent made the call so much more productive. Don't give up! This community has proven there are ways to beat this broken system with the right strategy and persistence.

I've been through this exact nightmare and it's absolutely soul-crushing! After reading through all the brilliant strategies shared here, I'm amazed at how this community has basically reverse-engineered the IRS phone system to find ways around their broken infrastructure. The timing consensus around 7:05-7:15am on Tuesday/Wednesday mornings is really encouraging, and I love how people have shared specific menu sequences and tricks like the ## after SSN or the 2→1→0 callback escalation. The auto-redialer app suggestion from @Liam McGuire is genius - why didn't I think of that earlier? Since you mentioned this is affecting your post-divorce financial situation, I'd definitely recommend starting the Taxpayer Advocate Service process immediately while continuing your call attempts. File Form 911 online and be very specific about how the refund delay is preventing you from meeting court-ordered obligations or essential expenses. TAS has special authority to expedite hardship cases that regular customer service simply can't match. Also, pulling your tax transcript first (as several people suggested) is crucial - those transaction codes can tell you exactly what type of hold or issue you're dealing with before you even get someone on the phone. TC 570, TC 971, TC 766, etc. all mean different things and having that info ready will help the agent resolve your case much faster. Document every single call attempt with dates, times, and outcomes. This shows TAS you've exhausted normal channels and helps establish the timeline of how long this has been affecting your finances. You've got an entire playbook of proven strategies now - don't let this broken system defeat you!

just wanted to add that TurboTax will actually calculate your return both ways (jointly and separately) and tell you which one saves you more money! I use it every year and it always compares them automatically. super easy.

I went through this exact same dilemma when I got married! One thing that really helped me was creating a simple spreadsheet to track all our deductions and credits under both scenarios. Since you mentioned using TurboTax, definitely take advantage of their comparison feature, but also consider these factors: if either of you has high medical expenses, significant charitable donations, or if one spouse has much higher income than the other. The two-state situation actually isn't as complicated as it seems - most tax software handles it pretty smoothly regardless of filing status. My advice? Run the numbers both ways in TurboTax first, then if you're still unsure or the difference is small, consider getting a second opinion from a tax professional or one of those analysis tools others mentioned. Better to spend a little time now than leave money on the table!

Filed on January 26th and just got my refund this morning! I had a very similar situation - job change in October 2024 that created a withholding nightmare, and I was expecting about $4,200 back. Like so many others here, my "Where's My Refund" status was stuck on "processing" for what felt like forever. I had two W-2s and claimed the American Opportunity Tax Credit for my daughter's college expenses, which I think added to the review time. What finally gave me peace of mind was realizing that "processing" actually means they have your return and it's working through their system - it's not stuck or lost. The IRS is just being extra careful with returns that have multiple income sources or credits this year. For anyone still waiting who filed around the same time, based on what I'm seeing here it looks like they're working through late January filings right now. The wait is absolutely brutal when you're counting on that money, but it seems like once they get to your return, things move pretty quickly from approval to deposit. Hang in there - your refunds should be coming soon!

Filed January 26th and still waiting here too! Reading through all these experiences has been incredibly helpful and reassuring. I'm in almost the exact same situation - job change in September created withholding issues and I'm expecting around $4,500 back. What's really frustrating is that the "Where's My Refund" tool gives you basically no useful information beyond "processing." It would be so much better if they could at least tell you WHY it's taking longer or give you a more specific timeframe. Based on what everyone is sharing, it sounds like returns with multiple W-2s from job changes are automatically getting flagged for manual review this year. I have three W-2s (old job, new job, and a small contractor payment) so that's probably what's holding mine up. It's really encouraging to see people who filed around the same time starting to get their refunds this week. The waiting is so stressful when you're depending on that money for bills and expenses. But knowing that others are finally seeing movement gives me hope that mine should be coming soon too. Thanks to everyone for sharing their experiences and timelines - it really helps to know we're all going through the same thing!

This is exactly what happened to me a few years ago! I had three part-time jobs totaling about $78k and each employer was withholding as if their job was my only income. I ended up owing nearly $5,000 at tax time because I was being withheld at much lower brackets than my actual combined income warranted. The math is pretty straightforward - your total income of $85k puts you solidly in the 22% federal bracket for the top portion of your income, but each employer is probably withholding your earnings at 12% or even 10%. That gap adds up fast across three jobs. I'd strongly recommend using the IRS withholding calculator immediately and adjusting your W-4 at your highest paying job ($42k one) to request additional withholding. Don't wait until next year - every paycheck you delay makes the catch-up amount per paycheck higher. One other tip: keep detailed records of your adjustments. When I finally fixed my withholding, I over-corrected and got a huge refund the following year. It's better to be slightly over-withheld than to owe thousands, but try to dial it in as close as possible so you're not giving the government an interest-free loan.

I went through this exact same situation two years ago with multiple W-2 jobs and learned some hard lessons! Here's what I wish I had known earlier: The biggest issue is that each employer calculates withholding using the full standard deduction and tax brackets as if their job is your only income. So if you're making $42k, $28k, and $15k separately, each employer is applying the 10% and 12% brackets to their portion. But when combined, your total $85k income means those top dollars should actually be taxed at 22%. Quick action items for you: 1. Use the IRS Tax Withholding Estimator ASAP - it's free and designed exactly for this situation 2. Focus your adjustment on your highest-paying job ($42k one) by adding extra withholding on line 4(c) of a new W-4 3. Rough estimate: you probably need an extra $100-150 per paycheck in additional withholding (assuming bi-weekly pay) Don't forget about state taxes too if you're in a state with income tax - the same underwithholding problem applies there. The good news is you caught this early enough in the year to fix it without too painful of an adjustment per paycheck. I waited until December and had to withhold an extra $400 per paycheck for the last month just to avoid penalties! One last tip: double-check that your weekend gig is actually withholding taxes and not treating you as a 1099 contractor. If it's 1099 work, you'll need to handle those taxes completely separately through estimated payments.

As someone who's been running a successful pet influencer business for about 18 months, I can confirm that this is absolutely doable - but you need to be strategic about it from the start. The most important thing I learned is that the IRS looks for a clear separation between personal pet ownership costs and legitimate business expenses. My golden retriever would need food, toys, and vet care regardless of his Instagram account, so those basic expenses stay personal. However, the specialized equipment I bought specifically for content creation (ring lights, backdrop stands, special treats only used for training during shoots) are legitimate business deductions. I've found success by treating this exactly like any other small business. I registered an LLC, opened a business bank account, and maintain meticulous records. Every business expense gets logged with a photo, receipt, and description of how it contributed to content creation or revenue generation. One tip that's been invaluable: I created a "content calendar" that shows planned posts and associated expenses. This helps demonstrate to the IRS (and myself) that purchases were made with specific business purposes in mind, not just impulse buys I'm trying to write off later. The profit requirement is real though - you need to show you're genuinely trying to make money, not just subsidizing pet ownership through tax deductions. Focus on building multiple revenue streams early: sponsored posts, affiliate marketing, maybe even merchandise featuring your pet.

This thread has been incredibly insightful! I'm just getting started with my rabbit's Instagram account and had no idea about the complexity involved in legitimate business deductions. One thing I'm curious about that hasn't been mentioned yet - what about equipment depreciation? If I invest in a good camera or lighting setup specifically for my pet content, can I depreciate that over time like other business equipment? And does the equipment need to be used exclusively for the pet business, or can I use it for other purposes too? Also, I'm wondering about the timing of when to start treating this as a business. Should I wait until I have some income before making business-related purchases, or is it okay to invest upfront in equipment and setup costs before generating revenue? I don't want to put the cart before the horse, but I also want to create quality content from the beginning to attract potential sponsors. The advice about maintaining separate accounts and detailed documentation is definitely noted - it seems like the key is being able to prove legitimate business intent from day one rather than trying to justify personal expenses after the fact.