As someone who's been through this exact same situation, I can confirm what everyone else is saying - TurboTax handles everything automatically once the IRS releases your refund. The timing is really consistent too. I've used the refund deduction option for the past 3 years and it's always been 1-2 business days from when WMR shows "sent" to when the net amount (after TurboTax fees) appears in my account. Since your expected date is April 3rd and the kids' activities don't start until April 5th, you'll have a comfortable buffer. One thing I'd suggest is setting up account alerts with your bank so you get notified immediately when the deposit hits - that way you can finalize any last-minute planning for those spring activities without stress!

Just wanted to add another perspective as someone who's used TurboTax's refund deduction option multiple times! The process really is as straightforward as everyone's describing. One thing that might help with your peace of mind - you can actually log into your TurboTax account and see a detailed breakdown of exactly what fees will be deducted before they take them out. This helped me budget precisely when I was in a similar situation with tight timing for family expenses. Also, most banks process ACH deposits overnight, so if WMR shows your refund as "sent" on April 3rd (which is a Thursday), there's a good chance you'll see the money (minus TurboTax fees) in your account by Friday morning April 4th, giving you a full day buffer before the kids' activities start. The automatic nature of the whole process is actually a relief once you get used to it - no action needed on your part at all!

Quick question - what if both my jobs had exactly the same employer but paid me with different W2s? My company split into two entities mid-year but it's basically the same company. Would they still over-withhold or should they have coordinated since it's technically the same employer?

This happened to me a few years back and I can totally understand the panic! Just to reinforce what others have said - you're absolutely right that you've overpaid, and no, your employers don't need to correct anything on their W2s. One thing I learned the hard way: make sure to keep good records of this for next year if you're still working multiple jobs. I now track my Social Security wages throughout the year so I can ask one employer to stop withholding once I hit the limit. It's not required, but it helps with cash flow instead of waiting for the refund. Also, double-check that both W2s show the correct Social Security wages in Box 3 and Social Security tax withheld in Box 4. Sometimes there are errors there that could affect your calculation. Your total overpayment should be the amount over $9,932.40 for 2023, which sounds like it's around $5,073 based on your numbers - that's a nice refund!

I'm so sorry you're going through this stress! The 810 code is absolutely maddening when you're counting on that refund money. I went through something very similar about 6 months ago and the uncertainty was the worst part. Since you mentioned you claimed EITC, that's almost certainly why you got flagged - they review those claims super carefully. The good news is that if your claim is legitimate (which it sounds like it is), it will eventually clear. The bad news is it typically takes 2-4 months for EITC reviews. A few things that helped me get through the wait: - Check your transcript every Friday for any changes (even tiny date updates can show progress) - Call at exactly 7:00 AM EST - I finally got through after 3 weeks of trying at that time - Keep records of everything in case you need to escalate later I know the waiting is torture when bills are piling up, but hang in there. Most people in your situation do eventually get their full refund plus interest for the delay. You're definitely not alone in dealing with this broken system!

I completely understand your frustration with the 810 code - it's one of the most stressful situations to be in when you're counting on your refund! I went through this exact same thing about a year ago and the uncertainty was absolutely maddening. From reading your situation, it sounds like your return is stuck in manual review, which unfortunately can take quite a while. Since you mentioned claiming EITC, that's very likely the trigger - they scrutinize those claims heavily due to fraud prevention measures. Here's what I'd suggest based on my experience and what others have shared: 1. Check your transcript weekly (maybe every Friday) to track any code changes or date updates - even small changes can indicate progress 2. Try calling at exactly 7:00 AM EST when they first open - several people have had better luck at that time 3. Make sure your address is 100% correct in your IRS account - if there's any discrepancy, their letters won't reach you 4. Document everything with screenshots and dates in case you need to escalate The waiting is absolutely brutal, especially with bills piling up, but most legitimate EITC claims do eventually clear. It typically takes 8-16 weeks unfortunately, but you should get your full refund plus interest for the delay. I know it doesn't help with your immediate financial stress, but you're definitely not alone in this struggle. The system is broken but it does work eventually - hang in there!

4 Has anyone had success calling the IRS to link multiple amended returns after sending them? I mailed two separate amendments three weeks ago and I'm worried they'll be processed out of order.

11 Based on my experience handling similar situations, I'd recommend mailing them separately and timing it strategically. Send your 2020 amendment first via certified mail, then wait about 2-3 weeks before sending the 2021 amendment. This gives the IRS processing centers a better chance of handling them in the correct sequence. Include a cover letter with each return explaining the relationship between them. For the 2020 return, mention "This amendment establishes capital losses that will carry forward to affect my 2021 tax year." For the 2021 return, state "This amendment depends on capital loss carryovers from my 2020 amended return submitted on [date]." Also consider e-filing if your situation qualifies - it's much faster and creates a clearer electronic trail for the IRS to follow between related returns.

I'm in a very similar situation right now - we owe from 2022 due to my freelance income issues and have been on a payment plan since last fall. Based on everything I've read here and my own research, yes, they will definitely take your refund automatically even though you're making payments on time. What's been helpful for me is thinking of it as an accelerated payment rather than losing money - it's still going toward the same debt, just all at once instead of spread out over months. I'm actually planning to adjust our withholding for 2024 so we break even or owe a small amount rather than getting a refund that will just be taken again next year. One thing I'd recommend: screenshot or print your current payment plan details from the IRS website before you file, including your balance and number of remaining payments. That way you have a record to compare against when their systems eventually update after the offset. Several people mentioned the lag time in their systems, so having your own documentation seems really important. File as soon as you have all your documents - there's no benefit to waiting, and at least you'll know sooner rather than later what happened to your refund. Good luck navigating this! It's stressful but it sounds like everyone who's been through it came out okay on the other side.

I just went through this exact situation and can confirm what everyone else is saying - yes, they will absolutely take your refund even though you're on a payment plan. I was in the same boat last year owing from 2021 taxes and had been making payments for about 8 months when tax season rolled around. Here's my timeline so you know what to expect: Filed our return in mid-February expecting a $1,650 refund, got the "refund applied to past due obligation" message on Where's My Refund about 18 days later, and received the official notice explaining the offset about 2 weeks after that. The frustrating part was that their online payment portal didn't update to show the new balance for almost 7 weeks, so I was flying blind for a while. My biggest piece of advice: Keep making your regular monthly payments exactly as scheduled, even after you see the offset happened. Don't try to skip a payment thinking the refund covers it - that's not how it works and could mess up your payment agreement. The offset just reduces your total balance and shortens your payment timeline. Also, I'd definitely recommend calling them about 3-4 weeks after you see the offset to verify it was applied correctly. I found out mine was initially credited to the wrong tax year and had to get it fixed. Better to catch those kinds of errors early than deal with collection issues later. The silver lining? My 36-month payment plan became a 22-month plan overnight, which will save me quite a bit in interest. Good luck!