mine shows received 2/1 but still processing... anyone else waiting this long?

Check for code 846 too - that's your refund date if approved. Also look at the cycle date (top right) which can give you clues about processing timeline. If you see any 570 or 971 codes those might indicate holds or additional review needed. The transcript can be confusing but those are the key codes to focus on!

Don't feel bad about the date confusion - I think we've all been there with IRS transcripts at some point! 😅 The whole system is honestly pretty counterintuitive when you first encounter it. Like everyone said, those "backwards" dates are completely normal - the IRS basically pre-processes your account info during their overnight batch runs, then stamps it with a response date. When you actually log in to view it later, that becomes your request date. So you're essentially viewing pre-processed data, hence why the response date comes before the request date. It's like the IRS prepared your transcript before you even knew you wanted it! Your refund processing will be totally unaffected by this timestamp quirk.

Welcome to the community! This exact same thing happened to me when I first started checking my transcripts - I thought there was some major system error and spent way too much time trying to figure out if I needed to contact someone about it. The overnight batch processing explanation that everyone's shared here is spot on. It's really one of those things that seems super confusing until someone breaks it down, then it makes perfect sense. The IRS essentially updates your account data automatically during their scheduled maintenance windows (usually overnight), and that creates the "response date" timestamp. Then whenever you actually log in to view your transcript - whether that's the next day or weeks later - that becomes your "request date." So you're always looking at data that was processed before you requested to see it. Totally normal and nothing that will impact your refund or account status!

Quick question - I'm in a similar situation but I used a regular credit card (not 0% financing). Do I still deduct the full cost in year 1 even though I'm carrying some of the balance to next year? And what about the interest on the credit card - is that separately deductible?

This thread has been incredibly helpful! I'm dealing with a similar situation but with a different twist - I financed a desktop computer setup (monitor, tower, peripherals) through Best Buy's 0% financing for 18 months. The total was around $3,200 and it's 100% business use for my consulting work. Reading through all the responses, it sounds like I can take Section 179 for the full amount in year 1 even though I'm making monthly payments. But I'm wondering - since this was multiple items purchased together as a "bundle," do I need to depreciate each component separately or can I treat the whole setup as one business equipment purchase? The receipt shows individual prices for each item but they were all financed together under one agreement. Also, @Hannah White mentioned keeping good documentation - would the financing agreement and receipts showing the business purpose be sufficient, or should I be doing something additional to prove exclusive business use?

One thing nobody's mentioned yet is that you should check if there's a HELOC maturity date coming up. Many HELOCs have a 10-year draw period followed by a repayment period or balloon payment. If your in-laws are near that transition point, that could explain why the bank is being particularly aggressive about ensuring property taxes are paid. I learned this the hard way when my parents' HELOC hit the 10-year mark and suddenly required full repayment. We had to scramble to refinance, and the property tax issue became critical because the new lender wouldn't approve the refi without proof the taxes were current.

This is exactly the situation my aunt went through a few years ago. The technical term you're looking for is "tax advancement" or "protective advances" - the bank is essentially protecting their lien position by ensuring property taxes don't go into default. Here's what's likely happening: every time the bank pays those property taxes, they're adding the full amount plus administrative fees (usually $200-500 per payment) directly to the HELOC balance. This is why the balance grew from $75k to $95k - it's not just interest accumulation. The scary part is that if your in-laws can't eventually pay down this growing balance, the bank could foreclose to recover their investment. Property tax advances are considered part of the loan obligation, so missing HELOC payments while the balance keeps growing puts the house at serious risk. I'd strongly recommend getting copies of all recent HELOC statements to see exactly how much is being added for these tax payments versus regular interest. You might also want to contact your county's senior services department - many areas have emergency property tax assistance programs for elderly homeowners that could break this cycle before the balance becomes unmanageable.

Something nobody mentioned is how this might affect things if you get certain tax credits like the Earned Income Credit or Child Tax Credit. When there's a dispute and a PIN is assigned, those credits might be held up even after the dependent issue is settled. I had to wait an extra 2 months for my full refund even after the IRS agreed I was the rightful parent to claim my daughter. They did pay interest on the delayed amount though.

I'm going through something similar right now with my ex claiming our son when he shouldn't have. The stress is real! One thing I learned from my tax preparer is that you should definitely keep operating your business normally - this type of investigation is very narrow in scope and shouldn't affect your credit or business operations at all. The IRS agent I spoke with said these dependent disputes are incredibly common, especially around tax season. They see thousands of these cases where separated parents both try to claim the same child. The good news is that if you have your documentation in order (custody agreement, school records, medical records showing your address), it's usually pretty straightforward to resolve. My case has been pending for about 2 months now and I haven't heard anything negative about my business or personal credit. The IRS really does focus just on determining who has the legal right to claim the dependent. Don't let the anxiety get to you - just gather your paperwork and file your return as normal with the PIN they provided.