I've been through this exact scenario with two different online banks over the past few years. Here's what I learned: the $10 threshold is absolutely mandatory for banks, and they're likely making a system error. Before doing anything else, log into your account and look for a separate "Tax Center" or "Tax Documents" section - it's often buried in account settings rather than with your regular statements. Some banks generate the forms but don't notify you or make them hard to find. If you still can't locate it, call and ask to speak with their "tax document department" or "1099 department" specifically. Regular customer service reps often don't understand the tax reporting requirements. When you call, have your total interest amount ready ($387.42 based on your earlier comment) and cite the IRS requirement that banks must issue 1099-INT for interest over $10. In the meantime, absolutely report that interest income on Schedule B. The IRS cares much more about unreported income than about minor documentation discrepancies. Keep all your monthly statements as proof - that's actually better documentation than a potentially incorrect 1099-INT anyway. If the bank continues to refuse, consider filing a complaint with the CFPB (Consumer Financial Protection Bureau). Banks typically respond very quickly to CFPB complaints, especially about tax document issues.

I had a very similar issue with my online bank last year where they initially told me no 1099-INT would be issued despite earning well over the $10 threshold. What finally worked was escalating through their formal complaint process rather than just calling customer service. I sent a written message through their secure portal specifically referencing IRC Section 6049 (the tax code requiring 1099-INT forms for interest over $10) and mentioned that failure to issue required tax documents could be a compliance violation. Within 48 hours, I had a call from their compliance department apologizing for the "system error" and confirming my 1099-INT would be generated. The key was being specific about the legal requirement and putting it in writing through their official channels. Customer service reps often don't have the authority or knowledge to override system flags, but compliance departments take these issues very seriously. Even if you end up reporting the income without the form (which you absolutely should do), it's worth pursuing this so the bank fixes their system and you have proper documentation. Plus, other customers with the same bank probably have the same issue and don't even realize it.

The complexity of foreign asset reporting for precious metals really depends on the specific structure of your custodial arrangement. Based on your description of gold stored with a Swiss custodian worth $175,000, you're definitely in territory where proper compliance is critical. The key distinction the IRS makes is between direct ownership with simple storage versus having a financial account relationship. If your custodian provides account statements, allows you to direct sales, or can hold cash proceeds on your behalf, that typically creates a reportable financial account for FBAR purposes since your value exceeds the $10,000 threshold. For FATCA Form 8938, physical gold ownership generally doesn't trigger reporting requirements even when stored overseas. However, if your custodial arrangement has account-like features, you'd need to evaluate whether it meets the FATCA filing thresholds (typically $50,000 at year-end or $75,000 at any point during the year for US residents). Given the severe penalties for non-compliance - FBAR penalties can reach 50% of account value for willful violations - I'd strongly recommend consulting with a tax professional who specializes in international compliance rather than trying to interpret these rules yourself. The distinction between reportable and non-reportable arrangements can be subtle but has major consequences. Review your custodial agreement carefully and look for language about transaction capabilities, statement provision, or cash holding services. These features typically indicate a financial account relationship that would require reporting. Better to invest in proper professional guidance now than face potential penalties later on $175K in assets.

Your concern about willful vs. non-willful violations is really important! Generally, if you genuinely didn't know about FBAR requirements for precious metals arrangements, that would typically be considered non-willful - especially since the rules around custodial precious metals storage aren't well-publicized and many people assume physical assets stored overseas don't trigger financial account reporting. The IRS looks at factors like whether you made efforts to comply with tax laws, sought professional advice, or had reason to know about the requirements. Someone who's been filing their regular tax returns and simply didn't realize their gold storage arrangement created a reportable account would likely qualify for non-willful treatment. However, once you become aware of potential reporting obligations (like through this discussion), continuing to not file when required could shift toward willful non-compliance. That's why it's so important to get clarity on your situation quickly. If you discover you've missed prior filings, the IRS Streamlined Filing Compliance Procedures offer significant penalty relief for non-willful violations. The penalties under this program are much more reasonable than the harsh willful violation penalties (typically 5% of the highest account balance instead of up to 50%). Definitely review your custodial agreement this weekend as you planned, and consider getting professional guidance before the next filing deadline. The investment in proper advice is minimal compared to your potential exposure on those assets.

Does anyone use TurboSelf-Employed for creator income? I've been using regular TurboTax but I'm wondering if the self-employed version would be better for next year with all the deductions and stuff?

This is exactly the kind of situation where getting proper guidance upfront can save you so much stress later! I went through something similar when I first started earning from my YouTube channel. One thing I learned the hard way - even if you're below the 1099 threshold, you're still required to report ALL income. The IRS doesn't care if platforms send you forms or not. I'd definitely recommend amending your return to include the full $950 gross earnings on Schedule C, then deducting the platform fees as a business expense. Also, start keeping track of EVERYTHING going forward. I created a simple spreadsheet to track monthly earnings from each platform, plus all my business expenses (equipment, software, even the portion of my electric bill for my home office). It makes tax time so much easier when everything is organized throughout the year instead of scrambling at the end! The amended return might seem intimidating but it's really not that bad once you get started. Better to fix it now than deal with potential issues later.

Yes, definitely document those first 3 months! When you file MFS after living together for part of the year, you need to show how you're splitting shared expenses like mortgage interest, property taxes, and other itemized deductions. The IRS wants to see a reasonable allocation method - whether it's 50/50, based on income percentage, or actual payment records. For the months you lived together, gather bank statements, receipts, and any records showing who paid what. Even if your record keeping wasn't perfect, recreate what you can with bank statements and credit card records. The key is having a consistent, logical method for splitting shared expenses that you can explain if questioned. Also make sure you're not both claiming the same deduction - that's a huge red flag. If you paid the mortgage in January but your ex paid it in February, document that clearly. The IRS computers will catch duplicate claims between spouses pretty quickly.

I went through this exact situation during my separation two years ago and it was incredibly stressful. The rule about both spouses having to use the same deduction method (standard vs itemized) when filing MFS is really frustrating when you can't communicate well with your ex. What helped me was creating a simple comparison chart showing both scenarios - what our combined tax liability would be if we both took standard deduction vs. if we both itemized. I presented this to my ex as "here's what's financially best for both of us" rather than making it about what I wanted. Sometimes framing it as a purely mathematical decision rather than a personal preference can help reduce conflict. Also, if your ex insists on itemizing even when it's not optimal for both of you, document that decision. During my divorce proceedings, my attorney was able to use similar instances of financial non-cooperation as examples of unreasonable behavior. It didn't change the immediate tax situation, but it did help establish a pattern that was relevant later. The most important thing is to file correctly according to whatever method you both end up using. An incorrect filing that gets flagged by the IRS will create way more problems than paying a bit more in taxes this year.

has anyone had any experience with this? My son got his refund on the card when he tried to use it, it was blocked, so when he called customer service Saturday they told him his account was blocked until they verified it was him, now he calls today, they told him it will take two business days to have access to his money has anyone went through this i thought they can unblock the card immediately

I filed through Liberty Tax on February 28th and chose the Deep Blue Card after reading mixed reviews about their direct deposit timing. My return was accepted by the IRS on March 3rd, and I'm currently in the "refund approved" stage according to Where's My Refund. Still waiting for it to hit the card though. One thing I noticed is that Liberty's online portal doesn't show much detail about the card disbursement process - it just says "processing" once the IRS approves the refund. Has anyone found a way to track the intermediate step between IRS approval and the funds actually loading onto the Deep Blue Card? I'm hoping to see movement by Friday since it'll be a full week since approval. Thanks for starting this thread - it's helpful to have a central place to compare timelines!