If you want to verify your employer contributions are correct, check your annual 401k statement from the plan administrator. Mine shows both my contributions and my employer match clearly broken down by pay period. Way easier than trying to find it on tax forms since it's not reported there!

This is exactly what I was worried about when I started my 401k last year! I kept checking my W-2 over and over thinking HR had made a mistake. What helped me feel confident everything was correct was logging into my 401k provider's website and downloading the year-end summary. It clearly showed my $2,200 in contributions and my employer's $1,800 match, which matched what I calculated from my pay stubs. The summary also breaks down when each contribution was made, so you can cross-reference it with your paychecks if you want to be extra sure. Your numbers look totally normal - that $1,640.80 employer match on your $1,970.14 contribution suggests a pretty good matching formula from your employer!

Have you checked your status on the NJ Division of Taxation website? Sometimes the generic "processing" message doesn't tell the whole story. I found out my return was actually on hold because they were missing a document (that I definitely submitted 🙄). Called them and got it sorted in one day, refund came a week later. Also, if you're really desperate for the cash, you might want to look into tax refund advances for next year. I know it's too late now, but as a fellow gig worker, I've used them before when things were tight. Yeah, the fees suck, but sometimes you need that money now, not when the state decides to finally process your return! 😂

I'm in a similar situation - filed my NJ return on March 12th and still waiting! The uncertainty is definitely stressful, especially when you're counting on that money. One thing I learned from calling their automated line is that if you have ANY business income (including gig work), your return automatically goes into a secondary review queue. They don't advertise this, but the rep told me it adds about 2-3 weeks to processing time because they have to verify the income against 1099s. Also, pro tip: if you create an account on their taxpayer portal, you can sometimes see more detailed status updates than the basic "Where's My Refund" tool. Mine showed "under review" when the main site just said "processing." Hang in there - from what I'm seeing in this thread, it sounds like we're all just caught in the March filing crunch with extra delays this year!

your basically done! the 150 code with that cycle date means its processed. now its just waiting for treasury to cut the check/dd

Hey Diego! Your transcript looks really solid - that Feb 24 processing date is great news. With cycle 5 (20250605), you're on the Thursday night/Friday morning update schedule. Since your return shows code 150 (tax return filed) with that processing date, you're essentially just waiting for the Treasury to issue your refund now. The $10,790 refund breakdown makes sense - you've got withholding, what looks like Child Tax Credit (that $2,439 credit), and a substantial EIC of $7,830. Your self-employment tax of $573 is being more than covered by all these credits. Keep checking WMR (Where's My Refund) tool on Friday mornings since that's when cycle 5 updates. You should see movement soon! 🤞

Quick heads up that might save you some headache - make sure you're keeping good records for next year too! The first year in a new house always has the most paperwork and receipts. I'd recommend setting up a folder (digital or physical) just for house-related expenses that might qualify for itemized deductions. Things like property tax statements, mortgage interest, home office expenses if applicable, and even home improvements that are medically necessary can sometimes be partially deductible.

Based on your numbers, itemizing is definitely the way to go! Even with a potential $2k property tax refund, you'd still be ahead by about $3k compared to the standard deduction. Here's a pro tip from someone who went through this exact situation - contact your county appraisal district directly to verify your homestead exemption status before filing. Don't rely solely on what your mortgage company tells you. The county can tell you exactly what exemptions were applied and when. Also, since you mentioned this is your first home, don't forget about any prepaid property taxes you might have paid at closing - those are deductible too if they're not already included in your 1098. Check your closing disclosure (CD) form for any property tax prorations. One more thing - if you do end up needing to amend later due to a property tax refund, it's not as scary as it sounds. Form 1040-X is pretty straightforward, and as long as you're honest about the changes, the IRS typically processes amendments without issues. Keep all your documentation organized - you'll likely be itemizing for years to come as a homeowner!

Has anyone had success with the "Get Transcript" tool on IRS.gov recently? Last time I tried it was super glitchy and kept logging me out.

I went through this exact same situation last year with my VA loan! Here's what worked for me: 1. Call the IRS Practitioner Priority Service line at 866-860-4259 if you have a tax professional who can help you. If not, try the regular transcript line at 800-908-9946 early in the morning (like 7 AM) - you'll have better luck getting through. 2. When you do get through, explain that you need an URGENT transcript for a mortgage closing. They have a process for expediting these requests for time-sensitive situations like home purchases. 3. Ask your lender specifically if they'll accept a "Verification of Non-Filing" letter for 2021 while you sort that mess out, and a "Record of Account" transcript for 2022 instead of the full return transcript. Some lenders are flexible on this. 4. If all else fails, see if your lender will accept a signed Form 4506-T that you can submit directly to the IRS with a note about the urgent closing date. Sometimes they can work with that. Don't panic - lenders deal with this stuff all the time and most are willing to work with you if you're proactive about communicating. Good luck with your closing!