The IRS is like a slow-moving train this year - once it's on the tracks, it'll get to the station, but nobody can tell you exactly when. I had the exact same codes appear on 2/10, called on 2/15, got the same "still processing" line, then magically had my DDD appear on 2/17 with the money in my account on 2/22. It's like they have a script they're required to read regardless of what your account actually shows. The codes you have are like seeing the train on the horizon - it's definitely coming, but the conductor won't announce the arrival time until it's pulling into the station.

Your situation sounds very similar to mine from last year! I was also a cycle 0605 filer and got those exact same codes about a week before my refund actually hit my account. The IRS phone agents are trained to say "still processing" until the very last step when the 846 code appears with your direct deposit date. It's frustrating because technically your return IS processed - they're just waiting to release the funds due to PATH Act requirements. I'd recommend checking your transcript early Friday morning since that's when most 0605 updates happen. The "significant movement" comment from the agent is actually encouraging - they usually don't mention timelines unless something is about to happen. Hang in there, you're almost at the finish line!

Dont forget about the kiddie tax if your children have substantial unearned income (like interest or dividends over $2,300). This can get complicated since it might get taxed at the parents' rate. My daughter had some investments from her grandparents that triggered this and it was a nightmare to figure out!

Just to add another perspective - don't forget that even though your kids need to file their own returns, you can still help them through the process since they're minors. I'd recommend using this as a teaching opportunity to show them how taxes work. For your daughter's W-2 income, it's pretty straightforward - she'll likely get a refund if any taxes were withheld. For your son's cash income, make sure he starts keeping better records going forward (dates, amounts, who paid him) since he'll need to report this as self-employment income on Schedule C. One tip: if your son's self-employment income puts him over $400, he'll owe self-employment tax (Social Security and Medicare taxes) even if he doesn't owe income tax. This is often surprising to parents! The good news is at his income level, it won't be much, but it's something to budget for. Also consider having them set aside a small percentage of future earnings for taxes so they're not caught off guard next year.

I've been following this thread closely as I'm also preparing for the EA exam while working full-time. Based on all the experiences shared here, it seems like both Gleim and Fast Forward Academy have their strengths. What's really helping me decide is thinking about my learning style. I tend to learn better with interactive explanations rather than just drilling practice questions, so Fast Forward's approach of focusing on understanding concepts really appeals to me. The positive feedback about their mobile platform is also a huge plus since I commute by train and could use that time effectively. That said, Gleim's massive test bank that @QuantumLeap mentioned is tempting, especially since they said the questions were very similar to the actual exam. Has anyone tried combining approaches - maybe using one platform as primary and another for supplemental practice questions? Also really intrigued by @Omar Hassan's experience with getting direct advice from the IRS using Claimyr. I might try that approach to get some insider perspective on what topics to prioritize. Thanks everyone for sharing such detailed experiences - this thread has been incredibly helpful!

Just wanted to jump in here as someone who recently completed all three EA exams using a combination approach. I started with Fast Forward Academy for my foundational learning and then added Gleim's practice questions about 3 weeks before each exam. What worked really well for me was using Fast Forward's conceptual explanations to build understanding, then testing that knowledge with Gleim's extensive question bank. The different question styles actually helped rather than confused me - it made me more adaptable to whatever format the actual exam threw at me. One tip I'd add: don't underestimate the importance of timing practice. Both platforms offer timed exams, but I found Fast Forward's interface closer to the actual Prometric testing environment. The real exam felt very familiar because of this. For anyone considering the IRS contact route that @Omar Hassan mentioned, I'd recommend doing it after you've studied for a few weeks. That way you can ask more informed questions about specific topics rather than general advice. The agent I spoke with was actually quite helpful in clarifying some recent regulation changes that weren't fully covered in my study materials yet. Budget-wise, using both platforms was definitely more expensive, but it was worth it for the peace of mind and comprehensive preparation. Passed all three parts on first attempt with scores in the mid-80s.

Thanks for asking this important question! Here's what you need to know about HOH status: • HOH requires a qualifying dependent (child, parent, or relative) • Must pay more than 50% of household expenses • Must be considered unmarried (single, divorced, etc.) • Same address doesn't automatically disqualify dual HOH • But requires proof of separate economic households Without dependents, they'll file as Single. With dependents, they'll need clear documentation showing separate household maintenance.

This is a tricky situation that trips up a lot of people! The key thing to remember is that Head of Household status isn't about who lives where - it's about financial responsibility and dependents. If your brother and his girlfriend don't have any qualifying dependents (kids, elderly parents they support, etc.), then they both need to file as Single. No exceptions. If one or both DO have qualifying dependents, then it gets more complex. They'd each need to prove they're maintaining separate households within the same residence AND paying more than half the cost of keeping up their respective "households." This means separate grocery bills, utilities split in a documentable way, etc. Given that you mentioned needing to know ASAP and wanting to avoid an audit, I'd strongly recommend going the conservative route: file them both as Single unless there are clear qualifying dependents AND you have rock-solid documentation of separate household expenses. The IRS tends to scrutinize dual HOH claims at the same address pretty carefully. Better safe than sorry when it comes to filing status!

I ran into this same issue and my accountant explained it this way: think of them as completely different transactions that just happen to involve the same account type. A Roth CONVERSION is taking money that was already in a tax-advantaged retirement account (Traditional IRA) and moving it to a different type of tax-advantaged account (Roth IRA). You already got the tax deduction when the money went into the Traditional IRA, so now you pay tax when converting to Roth. A Roth CONTRIBUTION is taking money from your regular bank account (money you've already paid income tax on) and putting it into a Roth IRA. There are strict annual limits on contributions ($7k-$8k depending on age).

Just want to add one more important point that helped me when I was in a similar situation - make sure you keep really good records of your Roth conversion for future reference. The $250K you converted will now grow tax-free in the Roth IRA, and when you eventually take distributions in retirement, you won't owe any tax on the growth. But you need to track the "basis" (the amount you already paid tax on through the conversion) versus any future growth. Also, remember the 5-year rule - even though your wife is 59, the converted amount has its own 5-year waiting period before it can be withdrawn penalty-free if needed. Each conversion has its own 5-year clock. This is different from regular contributions which have more flexible withdrawal rules. TurboTax should generate the proper forms (like Form 8606 if applicable) to track all this, but definitely save copies of everything including the 1099-R and your completed return for your records.