could be identity theft... happened to me last year. somebody was stealing my mail

I went through the exact same thing last year! After the third "30 day wait" I finally got fed up and called my congressman's office. They have a constituent services team that can contact the IRS directly on your behalf. Got my refund within 2 weeks after months of runaround. Sometimes you need someone with actual authority to light a fire under them. Worth a shot if the payment trace doesn't work!

I'm dealing with this exact same situation right now! Just got my 846 code this morning for an amended return I e-filed through Credit Karma Tax back in February (had to correct some education credit calculations). The uncertainty about whether it'll come as direct deposit or paper check is absolutely driving me insane! After reading through all these experiences, it's both reassuring and frustrating to see how completely random the IRS seems to be with amended refunds. It really does appear to be a total coin flip regardless of how you filed or which service you used. I'm trying to stay cautiously optimistic since I e-filed, but I'm definitely mentally preparing for the more likely paper check scenario. I think the strategy of monitoring bank accounts for about a week after the 846 date before switching to mailbox mode makes the most sense based on everyone's advice here. I've already set up mobile banking alerts so I can stop compulsively checking my account every hour and preserve what's left of my sanity! It's oddly comforting to know so many people are going through this same stressful waiting game. At least having that 846 code means we're all in the final stretch - whether it's a pleasant direct deposit surprise or a paper check in a couple weeks, the money is definitely on its way. Thanks to everyone for sharing their experiences - this thread has been way more helpful than anything on the IRS website!

I'm going through this exact same stressful situation right now! Just got my 846 code yesterday for an amended return I e-filed through FreeTaxUSA back in January (had to correct some missing 1099-DIV income that showed up later). The uncertainty about delivery method is absolutely killing me - I've been refreshing my bank account obsessively! After reading through everyone's experiences here, it's both comforting and maddening to see how completely inconsistent the IRS is with amended refunds. It really seems like there's no logic to whether you get direct deposit or paper check, even for people who e-filed. I'm trying to manage my expectations and assume it'll be a paper check, but secretly hoping for that direct deposit surprise! I'm going to follow the solid advice I keep seeing about monitoring my bank account for about a week after the 846 date, then shifting focus to watching for mail if nothing shows up electronically. Already set up those mobile banking alerts so I can stop checking every hour and maintain some semblance of sanity! It's honestly reassuring to see so many people dealing with this same nerve-wracking wait. At least we all have our 846 codes now, which means we're definitely in the home stretch - whether it's direct deposit in the next few days or paper check in a couple weeks, the money is finally coming! This whole amended return process has been way more stressful than I ever expected.

When I tried getting my transcript online, the verification system kept rejecting me. After wasting almost 2 hours trying different things, I used Claimyr (https://claimyr.com) to get through to an IRS agent who helped me request my transcript by mail. It's a service that navigates the IRS phone tree and holds your place in line. Got connected to a real person in about 15 minutes instead of the usual 2+ hour wait time. The agent was able to verify my identity over the phone and get my transcript request processed.

Just to add another option - if you're having trouble with the online verification or don't want to wait for mail, you can also call the IRS directly at 1-800-908-9946. It's their automated transcript request line. You'll need your SSN, date of birth, and the address from your most recent tax return. The system will mail your transcript to the address on file within 5-10 business days. Sometimes this is faster than going through the full online account setup if you're just looking for a one-time transcript request.

The market's been crazy lately... I put $7k in VOO last year and it's up like 22%. If I don't sell, no taxes right? But what about next year if I need some of this money? How do I figure out which shares to sell to minimize taxes?

Great question! You're absolutely right - no taxes on unrealized gains. You only pay taxes when you actually sell shares and "realize" the gain. So if your VOO investment goes from $6,500 to $8,000 by year end but you don't sell, you owe $0 in taxes on that growth. Just keep in mind that VOO does pay quarterly dividends (currently around 1.3% annually), and those ARE taxable even if you automatically reinvest them. But the dividends from VOO are typically "qualified dividends" which get taxed at the lower capital gains rates (0%, 15%, or 20% depending on your income) rather than your ordinary income tax rate. When you do eventually sell, if you've held the shares for more than a year, you'll pay long-term capital gains tax on any profit, which is usually much better than short-term rates. VOO is a solid choice for a beginner - low fees and broad market exposure. Good luck!

Anyone have good recommendations for tracking all these different taxes throughout the year? I've tried to keep receipts for sales tax but it's such a pain. Would love a simpler system.

This is such an important question that more Americans should be asking! I've been down this rabbit hole myself and found that most people drastically underestimate their total tax burden because we only think about the big, visible ones like income tax. From my research and personal calculations, here's what I've found for a typical middle-class household: - Federal income tax: 10-12% - FICA/payroll taxes: 7.65% (15.3% if self-employed) - State income tax: 0-9% depending on your state - Property taxes: 1-3% of income (varies hugely by location) - Sales taxes: 1-2% of income on average - Gas, excise, and other "hidden" taxes: 0.5-1% This usually adds up to somewhere between 28-35% for most middle-income families, which is substantial but not quite the 50% you suspected. The variation depends heavily on where you live - states like Texas have no income tax but higher property and sales taxes, while states like California have high income taxes. What's really eye-opening is realizing how much of our tax burden comes from sources we don't actively think about. Property taxes embedded in rent, sales taxes on every purchase, gas taxes every time we fill up - it all adds up to a significant chunk of our income going to various levels of government. The lack of easy-to-find comprehensive data on this topic definitely seems intentional. Nobody wants to advertise the total take!