Y'all I was so confused by all this until I used taxr.ai. Breaks down everything in plain english and tells you exactly whats happening with your refund. Best dollar I ever spent ngl

Code 150 is actually one of the good ones to see! It just means your return was successfully received and processed into their system. Think of it like a "we got it" confirmation. The date next to it shows when they processed it. You're all set - no action needed on your part. Just wait for any refund if you have one coming!

Did the company that ran the class provide any kind of detailed receipt that breaks down the cost? Sometimes these business courses on cruises will actually itemize what portion covers materials, instruction, meals during sessions, etc. If they did that, you might be able to deduct more than just the base cost.

I went through something very similar last year with a continuing education course on a cruise. Here's what I learned after consulting with my CPA and getting through to the IRS: The $850 course fee is definitely deductible as a business education expense on Schedule C, assuming it directly relates to skills needed in your current business. Keep that certificate and any course materials as documentation. However, since you mentioned it was a Caribbean cruise, the vessel was almost certainly foreign-flagged, which means the cruise costs themselves (the $1,875 fare plus $450 in fees) are not deductible under IRC Section 274(h). This applies even though the course was the primary reason for your trip. One thing to watch out for - make sure you can demonstrate that this course maintains or improves skills for your existing business, not training you for a new line of work. The IRS can be picky about that distinction. Also, don't try to get creative with allocating cruise costs based on time spent in class - with foreign vessels, those costs are simply excluded regardless of the business purpose. Your best approach is to claim the clean $850 deduction and have solid documentation ready. It's a legitimate business expense that shouldn't raise any red flags.

I'm so sorry you're dealing with this frustrating situation! I went through something very similar last year and that "processing delayed beyond normal timeframe" message with the question marks is basically the IRS's way of saying "we're working on it but we're not going to tell you what's actually happening." A few things that helped me figure out what was going on: 1. **Get your transcript** - This is crucial. The Where's My Refund tool is pretty useless, but your transcript will show specific codes that indicate what's actually happening. Look for codes like 570 (hold), 971 (notice issued), or 846 (refund date). 2. **Common delay causes** for straightforward returns like yours: • Math errors they're correcting • W2/1099 income verification • Random compliance reviews • Processing backlogs 3. **The transcript verification issue** - If you can't get through their online verification, try calling early in the morning or consider requesting transcripts by mail (though that takes longer). Tax Topic 152 is just their generic reference for refund information - it doesn't indicate anything specific about your situation unfortunately. Since you filed in April and it's been this long, there's likely a specific issue that needs resolution rather than just normal processing delays. The fact that you claimed Child Tax Credit could be part of it, as they do additional verification on refundable credits. I know the uncertainty is incredibly stressful, but most of these situations do eventually resolve. Hang in there and definitely try to get that transcript - it's your best shot at understanding what's really happening!

I'm going through the exact same nightmare right now! Filed my 2023 return in late March and have been stuck with that "processing delayed beyond normal timeframe" message for over 2 months. The question marks on all three status bars are so demoralizing - it feels like the IRS is actively trying to keep us in the dark about our own money. After reading through everyone's experiences here, I'm definitely going to try to access my transcript to decode those mysterious codes. It sounds like that's where the real information is hiding, even though the codes are apparently written in some kind of tax hieroglyphics that normal humans can't understand. I'm also seriously considering trying one of those callback services like Claimyr that multiple people mentioned. The fact that so many have had actual success getting through to agents and resolving their issues makes it seem worth the cost. The regular IRS phone system is completely broken - I've called probably 40+ times and never gotten past the automated maze. What's really frustrating is that my return was super straightforward too - just W2 income, standard deduction, and child tax credit. Nothing that should trigger months of delays and cryptic messages. The complete lack of transparency is honestly insulting. We shouldn't have to become amateur detectives just to understand what's happening with our own tax returns. Really hoping we all get some movement on our refunds soon. This whole experience has been incredibly stressful and the uncertainty is brutal. The IRS system desperately needs an overhaul! 😤

Ive seen this happen alot lately. The IRS is backed up worse than ever this year smh

That message is totally normal! It just means your return has moved from the initial received stage into actual processing. The bars on WMR often disappear when this happens - it's not a sign of any problems. Processing times can vary a lot this year, but most returns are getting processed within 21 days. Just keep checking periodically and you should see it update to approved soon!

One thing that hasn't been mentioned yet - make sure your client keeps thorough documentation of the 8986 they received and how they handled it. In my experience, these partnership audit adjustments often trigger correspondence or questions later. I recommend creating a detailed memo explaining: 1) When and why they received the 8986 2) The analysis showing why no further forms were required 3) How the adjustments were incorporated in their reporting This isn't just for potential IRS questions - it's also helpful if your client changes tax preparers in the future or if you need to revisit this issue years later. Partnership items have a way of coming back around.

Just wanted to share that we ran into this exact situation last year with a client. A non-BBA LLC received an 8986 showing reduced K-1 income from an AAR filing. We called the IRS Partnership Hotline and confirmed our client did NOT need to issue 8986s to their partners. We just had to make sure the adjustments were properly reflected on the client's tax return for that year. The key factor was exactly what others have mentioned - since there was no imputed underpayment (just income/capital adjustments), there was nothing to push out further.