Just to clarify what others have said - the as-of date on your transcript is primarily used for calculating interest and penalties if you owe money. When it changes during processing, it usually means your return is still being actively worked on, but doesn't necessarily indicate how close you are to getting your refund. Back in 2022, I had my as-of date change 5 times before finally getting my 846 code, and I was a bit concerned each time it happened.

I'm going through the same frustrating situation right now. Filed in early March and my as-of date has changed three times with no 846 code yet. What's really getting to me is seeing other people who filed after me already getting their refunds. I called the IRS last week and they just told me to keep waiting, that it's still "processing normally." The medical bills don't wait though - I totally understand your stress about needing those funds. Have you tried calling them directly to see if there's anything specific holding up your return?

Another option is to just paper file. Yeah it's slower, but it bypasses all the e-file verification issues completely. Print everything out, sign it, mail it in with your W-2s attached, and you're done. No dealing with AGI verification or PIN issues. That's what I ended up doing when I had a similar issue.

I'm dealing with the exact same issue right now! My husband just got his SSN after using an ITIN for years, and we keep getting rejected for the same reason. Based on what everyone's sharing here, it sounds like there are a few key things to try: 1. Use "0" for prior year AGI instead of the actual amount 2. Make sure to indicate the ID number change somewhere in your tax software 3. Consider getting an IP PIN online if the first two don't work I'm going to try the "0" AGI approach first since that seems to be the most common solution people are mentioning. It's so frustrating that the tax software doesn't explain this ITIN-to-SSN transition issue clearly - seems like it happens to a lot of people! Has anyone found specific instructions in FreeTaxUSA about how to handle this situation? I've been looking through their help section but can't find anything about identifier changes.

Has your cousin checked her mail carefully for the past 2 years? The IRS would have sent a CP79 notice if they disallowed her EIC. Sometimes these letters look like junk mail and people throw them away. Also, did she move in the last couple years? The notice might have gone to an old address.

I went through this exact same situation with my sister two years ago! The Form 8862 requirement caught us completely off guard too. What we learned is that the IRS has automated systems that can flag and adjust EIC claims months after you've already received your refund. Here's what I'd recommend: First, have your cousin create an online account at irs.gov and check her transcript. This will show any adjustments or notices from previous years that she might have missed. Second, when filling out Form 8862 in FreeTaxUSA, be extra careful with the qualifying child requirements - the IRS is very strict about things like the residency test (child must live with her more than half the year) and making sure the SSNs are valid for work. Don't panic about the 10-year ban someone mentioned - that's only for intentional fraud cases. As long as your cousin answers truthfully and has legitimate qualifying children, she should be fine. Keep good records though - school enrollment forms, medical records, anything that proves the kids lived with her. The IRS may audit EIC claims more closely after a Form 8862 is filed. Also, make sure she hasn't claimed these same children on previous years' returns where someone else (like their father) also claimed them. That's a common reason for EIC disallowance that people don't realize happened.

18 I'm a bit confused - why would an employer even issue multiple W2s like this? Seems like it just creates confusion. Is this some kind of weird tax optimization strategy or just an accounting quirk?

I had a similar situation last year and found the FreeTaxUSA help chat to be really useful for this exact scenario. When I explained that I had multiple W2s with one marked "TOTAL," the support agent walked me through it step by step. The key is to look at each box individually across both forms. If a box appears on both the TOTAL W2 and the detailed W2 with the same value, only enter it once (from the TOTAL). But if a box only appears on one form or has different values, you need to enter both W2s separately to capture all the information. In your case, since box 18 (state income tax withheld) only appears on the second W2, you definitely need to enter both forms. The warnings in FreeTaxUSA should clear up once you have all the information entered correctly. Don't worry about the system thinking you're double-counting - it's designed to handle these multi-locality situations.

Everyone's talking about complex structures, but don't overlook 529 college savings accounts if your kids have children (or might in future). You can frontload 5 years of gift tax exclusions at once ($90,000 per beneficiary in 2025), the money grows tax-free for education, AND you maintain control of the account. We did this for our grandkids and it was way simpler than property transfers. Just another option if education funding might be part of your wealth transfer goals.

This is such a comprehensive discussion! As someone who recently went through estate planning with my parents, I wanted to add a few practical considerations that might help with your decision-making process. One thing that really surprised us was how much the timing of transfers matters beyond just the tax implications. We found that staggering different types of asset transfers over multiple years gave us flexibility to adjust our strategy based on changing tax laws, market conditions, and family circumstances. For your crypto holdings specifically, consider that the IRS has been increasing scrutiny on cryptocurrency transactions. Make sure you have detailed records of your original purchase dates and costs - this documentation becomes crucial whether you gift during your lifetime or your kids inherit it later. Also, don't underestimate the emotional and relationship aspects of wealth transfer. We started with smaller gifts to see how each of my siblings handled the responsibility before moving to larger transfers. Some were better equipped to manage rental properties, while others preferred liquid assets they could invest according to their own risk tolerance. One final thought - consider having a family meeting to discuss your plans openly. My parents did this and it prevented a lot of potential confusion and conflict later. Your kids might have preferences about which assets they'd rather receive, and their input could actually help optimize your tax strategy. The tools and services others have mentioned sound helpful for running the numbers, but don't forget the human element in all of this!