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California Tax Rebate: Has Anyone Received the Middle Class Tax Refund Yet?
According to the California Franchise Tax Board website (https://www.ftb.ca.gov/), they've begun distributing the Middle Class Tax Refund payments this month. Has anyone in this forum received theirs yet? My wife and I filed jointly for the first time this year, and I'm tracking all expected payments in our financial planning spreadsheet. Just seeking data points on distribution timeline. ☺️
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I'm also new to this community and experiencing the exact same delay pattern as everyone else here. Filed jointly in early February, AGI $77k, last name starts with A - so according to the original alphabetical schedule, I should have been literally first in line to receive the MCTR payment. But like so many others in this thread, I'm still waiting despite being well within that A-M timeframe that was supposed to wrap up by October 21st. Reading through all these responses has been incredibly helpful in understanding what's happening. The pattern is crystal clear: joint filers in the $75-85k income bracket are systematically delayed regardless of alphabetical placement. @Amara Nwosu's explanation about additional verification requirements for joint filers really seems to be the key insight here - it explains why virtually everyone sharing their delay story fits this exact profile. I've been checking my FTB online account daily since October 1st, but like everyone else, it only shows my standard 2023 return information with no MCTR status updates. What's particularly frustrating is that FTB hasn't provided any official communication about these delays affecting what appears to be a significant population of joint filers. Has anyone tried calling FTB recently to get an updated timeline specifically for joint filers going through this verification process? It would be helpful to know if there's at least an estimated completion date for whatever additional review they're conducting. Thanks to everyone for sharing their experiences - it's really reassuring to know this is a widespread processing issue rather than individual problems with our returns.
Welcome to the community! I'm also new here and dealing with the exact same frustrating situation. Filed jointly in March, AGI $79k, last name starts with M. Like you and literally everyone else in this thread with similar profiles, I'm still waiting despite being well within that original A-M alphabetical timeframe. It's honestly both reassuring and concerning to see such a clear pattern - virtually every person reporting delays is a joint filer in our income bracket, regardless of last name. @Amara Nwosu s'insight about additional verification requirements really does seem to be the smoking gun here. I called FTB yesterday and got a similar response about joint filers potentially needing extra processing time, though they couldn t'give me any specific timeline. The rep did mention that the verification process for joint filers involves cross-referencing both spouses information' which can take additional time. I ve'been checking my FTB account religiously but like everyone else, no status updates. I agree that FTB s'lack of transparent communication about these systematic delays is really frustrating - they should at least acknowledge this is happening and provide an estimated timeline for our batch. Thanks for starting another data point in this thread - the more we document this pattern, the clearer it becomes that this is a widespread processing issue affecting thousands of joint filers in our situation.
Welcome to the community! I'm also new here and experiencing the exact same delay. Filed jointly in February, AGI $78k, last name starts with H. Like you and everyone else in this thread, I should have received my payment weeks ago based on the original alphabetical schedule, but I'm still waiting. The pattern documented in this thread is incredibly clear - joint filers in the $75-85k range are all experiencing systematic delays regardless of last name placement. @Amara Nwosu s'explanation about additional verification requirements for joint filers really seems to be the most logical explanation we ve'gotten. I called FTB two days ago and the representative confirmed that joint filers do require additional processing steps, including verification of both spouses information' and cross-referencing with prior year filings. She estimated it could take an additional 2-3 weeks beyond the original alphabetical timeline, but couldn t'provide a firm date. I ve'been checking my FTB account daily with no status changes like everyone else. I completely agree about FTB s'poor communication - they should have proactively notified affected taxpayers about these delays rather than leaving us to figure it out ourselves. Thanks for adding your experience to help document this widespread issue affecting our specific demographic!
I'm also new to this community and experiencing the exact same delay pattern that so many others have documented here. Filed jointly in early March, AGI $81k, last name starts with N. According to the original schedule, N-Z surnames were supposed to receive payments between October 28-November 14, but given all the delays reported by joint filers in the A-M range, I'm not optimistic about that timeline. Reading through this entire thread has been incredibly enlightening - the pattern is unmistakable. Virtually everyone reporting delays is a joint filer with AGI in the $75-85k range, regardless of alphabetical placement. @Amara Nwosu's insight about additional verification requirements for joint filers seems to be the key explanation here. I've been checking my FTB online account daily since late September, but like everyone else, it only shows my standard 2023 return with no MCTR status information. What's particularly concerning is that if joint filers in the A-M range who should have been processed weeks ago are still waiting, those of us in the N-Z range might be looking at delays well into November or December. Has anyone received any updated communication from FTB specifically addressing these systematic delays for joint filers? It seems like they should at least acknowledge this issue publicly and provide realistic timelines rather than sticking to the original alphabetical schedule that clearly isn't accounting for the additional verification processes. Thanks to everyone for sharing their experiences - this thread has been more informative than any official FTB communication!
Welcome to the community! I'm also new here and in a very similar situation. Filed jointly in April, AGI $84k, last name starts with P. Like you, I'm in that N-Z range that was supposed to start receiving payments this week, but after reading this entire thread, I'm realizing we're probably looking at the same systematic delays that all the A-M joint filers are experiencing. The pattern documented here is really striking - it's clearly not about alphabetical order at all, but rather about additional processing requirements for joint filers in our income bracket. @Amara Nwosu s'explanation about verification steps makes so much sense given what everyone is reporting. I ve'also been checking my FTB account daily with no updates. You re'absolutely right that FTB should be providing transparent communication about these delays rather than leaving thousands of taxpayers in the dark. If the A-M joint filers are still waiting after being weeks past their supposed deadline, we N-Z folks might not see our payments until late November or even December. Thanks for sharing your timeline - it helps confirm that this issue extends beyond just the early alphabetical groups!
Welcome to the community! I'm also new here and dealing with the exact same delay situation. Filed jointly in February, AGI $83k, last name starts with R. Like you, I'm in that N-Z alphabetical range that was supposed to start receiving payments this week, but after reading through all these detailed experiences, it's clear that the original alphabetical timeline doesn't apply to joint filers in our income bracket. The systematic delays affecting everyone in the A-M range who should have been processed weeks ago really puts our expected timeline into question. @Amara Nwosu s'insight about additional verification requirements for joint filers seems to be the most credible explanation we have for these widespread delays. I ve'been checking my FTB account obsessively since early October, but like everyone else, no MCTR status updates beyond my standard 2023 return information. You re'absolutely right that FTB should be providing proactive communication about these processing delays rather than leaving us to piece together the situation through forum discussions. If joint filers with early alphabet surnames are still waiting weeks past their supposed deadline, we re'probably looking at payments pushed well into late November or December. Thanks for sharing your experience - it s'really helpful to see the pattern extends across the entire alphabet for our demographic!
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As a small business owner who's operated as both a sole prop and an LLC, here's a practical breakdown: Things an LLC DOESN'T do: - Give you special tax deductions - Automatically lower your taxes - Change how you file (unless you elect different tax treatment) Things an LLC DOES do: - Protect personal assets from business liabilities - Add credibility with some clients/vendors - Cost money to form and maintain ($50-$500 depending on state) - Require additional paperwork/compliance The tax benefits people associate with LLCs usually come from making an S-Corp election, which lets you pay yourself partly as salary (subject to self-employment tax) and partly as distributions (not subject to SE tax). But that's a tax election, not an LLC feature.
What about writing off health insurance? Someone told me LLC owners can deduct health insurance but sole props can't. Is that true?
That's actually not correct. Both sole proprietors and LLC owners can deduct health insurance premiums on their personal tax returns. This is called the self-employed health insurance deduction, and it's available to anyone with self-employment income, regardless of business structure. The rules for deducting health insurance are the same whether you're a sole prop or an LLC taxed as a sole prop. It's an "above-the-line" deduction on your personal return, not a business expense on Schedule C. The business structure doesn't change your eligibility for this deduction.
My accountant explained it to me like this: "An LLC is like a box. The box itself doesn't change what's inside or how it's taxed. It just separates it from your personal stuff." I thought that was a really helpful way to think about it. The LLC is just a container that provides legal protection. What's inside (your business activities) and how it's taxed depends on what tax classification you choose (sole prop by default, or elect S-Corp/C-Corp).
That's a great analogy! So if I'm already a sole proprietor with a small woodworking business and I form an LLC but don't elect any special tax status, literally nothing changes about my taxes? I'd still file Schedule C?
Exactly right! If you form a single-member LLC and don't make any tax elections, you'll still file Schedule C just like you do now as a sole proprietor. The IRS calls this a "disregarded entity" - meaning they disregard the LLC for tax purposes and treat you the same as before. Your woodworking business expenses, income, and deductions would all be reported exactly the same way. The only difference would be that you'd now have liability protection separating your personal assets from your business, but your tax filing process stays identical. The "box" analogy really is perfect - you've just put your existing business inside a protective legal container, but the contents and how they're taxed remain unchanged unless you specifically elect a different tax treatment.
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Just a quick tip - when you make partial payments to the IRS, make sure you classify them correctly. When I did this last year, I made the mistake of marking one payment as an "estimated tax payment" instead of "tax return payment" and it caused some confusion. Double check that you're selecting the right tax year and payment type!
This happened to me too! The IRS credited it to the wrong year and I got a notice saying I hadn't paid enough. Such a headache to fix.
Great question! I went through this exact same situation a few years back. Yes, you can absolutely make split payments - the IRS doesn't require one lump sum payment as long as everything is paid by the deadline. A few practical tips from my experience: - Use IRS Direct Pay (it's free and you can schedule multiple payments) - Keep a simple spreadsheet or note tracking each payment amount and date - Consider spacing them about 1-2 weeks apart so you have time to ensure each payment clears before making the next one - Make sure your final payment is at least a few days before the deadline, not on the last day With only $563 owed, splitting it into 2-3 payments should be very manageable and won't trigger any issues with the IRS. Much better than stressing your budget with one big payment!
This is really helpful advice! I like the idea of keeping a spreadsheet to track payments - that seems like it would give me peace of mind knowing exactly where I stand. Quick question about the timing - you mentioned spacing payments 1-2 weeks apart to make sure they clear. Do you know roughly how long it takes for IRS Direct Pay to process? I want to make sure I'm not cutting it too close to the deadline.
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Be very cautious about making financial plans based on an expected refund date when your return is under review. I had a similar situation last year with a TC 420 that initially seemed routine, but it escalated to a more comprehensive review when they couldn't verify certain business expenses. What started as a projected 3-week delay turned into 4 months. If your Q2 estimated payment is due soon, you might want to arrange alternative financing just in case. The penalties for late estimated payments can be significant, especially for self-employed individuals.
I went through this exact situation last month! Had TC 420 appear on March 8th and was panicking about my Q2 estimates too. Here's what I learned: the 21-28 day timeframe mentioned earlier is pretty accurate for most verification cases. Mine resolved in 26 days with an 846 code on April 3rd. The key insight from my experience - don't wait until the last minute for your estimated payment. I ended up making a conservative partial payment on 4/15 and then adjusted when my refund hit. The IRS allows you to apply overpayments to the next quarter, so it's better to be safe than face underpayment penalties. Also, if you call and can get through to an agent, they can sometimes give you a better sense of whether it's routine verification vs. something more complex. Good luck!
This is really helpful advice about making partial payments! I'm new to dealing with estimated taxes and wasn't sure about the overpayment rollover option. Quick question - when you made that conservative partial payment, did you use Form 1040ES or can you do it online? Also, did the IRS automatically apply your refund overage to Q3 or did you have to request it specifically? Thanks for sharing your timeline data - it's so much more useful than the generic "allow 8-12 weeks" responses we usually get!
Sadie Benitez
Try this workaround: 1. Go to the "Get Transcript" page instead of the direct verification page 2. Choose "mail" option instead of online 3. Wait for the letter with the verification code (takes ~5-10 days) 4. Once you have the code, you can complete verification online This bypasses the ID.me system that's giving everyone headaches. Worked for me and 3 other ppl in my tax group. Not as fast as getting thru by phone but def more reliable rn.
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Drew Hathaway
PLEASE be careful with verification issues! My sister ignored her verification notices thinking she could just handle it "later" and it turned into a NIGHTMARE! 😫 The IRS froze her refund, then sent it to the fraud department, and it took 11 months to resolve. She had to submit paper copies of everything, get documents notarized, and even then they kept asking for more proof. If you absolutely can't verify online or by phone, send a certified letter to the address on your notice explaining your situation. It's slow but creates a paper trail they can't ignore.
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GalaxyGuardian
•This is such an important warning! I've been putting off dealing with my verification notice for two weeks thinking I had plenty of time. Reading about your sister's 11-month ordeal is terrifying. Can you clarify what specific information should be included in the certified letter? Should I reference the original notice number or include copies of supporting documents? I want to make sure I'm covering all my bases if the phone/online routes don't work out.
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