I work as a tax professional and can confirm what others are saying here - DOB errors are incredibly common and rarely cause processing delays. The IRS receives millions of returns with minor data entry mistakes every year, and their systems are specifically designed to handle these discrepancies. Your SSN is the key identifier they use for matching, and since that's correct along with your income information, you're almost certainly fine. I've seen clients panic over similar mistakes (wrong middle initial, transposed address numbers, etc.) and in nearly every case, the return processes normally. The IRS will internally correct the DOB using their existing records from your previous filings. Just keep monitoring Where's My Refund and resist the urge to file an amended return unless specifically requested. Your refund timeline should stay on track!

I had something similar happen last year - my preparer accidentally entered 1994 instead of 1984 for my birth year. I was terrified it would mess up my refund since I really needed it for some unexpected car repairs. But honestly, the whole thing was a non-issue! My return processed in about 19 days, which was actually faster than some of my friends who had no errors at all. The IRS has your correct DOB from all your previous filings, so they just cross-reference it internally. Your SSN is really the main thing they care about for matching purposes. Since you mentioned everything else looks right (SSN, income, etc.), I'd say you're in good shape. Just keep checking Where's My Refund every few days and try not to stress about it. The IRS deals with these minor errors constantly - it's way more routine for them than it feels for us!

I'm going through the exact same frustrating experience! Filed on February 9th and have been stuck on "received" status for over 7 weeks now. Like so many others in this thread, I've been obsessively checking the IRS website multiple times a day, which is definitely making my anxiety worse. Reading through all these experiences has been both eye-opening and reassuring - I had no idea this was such a widespread issue this filing season. My return is also very straightforward (W-2 income, standard deduction, modest 401k contribution), so I was really puzzled about the delay when coworkers who filed weeks after me already received their refunds. The stories about small employer reporting discrepancies causing major delays are honestly shocking. I never would have thought that a tiny difference in health insurance premiums or withholding amounts could hold up a refund for months. It makes me realize there could be some minor mismatch in my return that I have no way of detecting on my own. Based on all the success stories shared here, I'm planning to create an IRS online account today to check for any notices that might not appear in the regular refund tracker. If that doesn't reveal anything, I'll definitely look into taxr.ai to scan for potential issues. At this point, I'd rather be proactive and possibly spend a small fee to identify the problem than continue this endless cycle of waiting and wondering. Thanks to everyone for sharing your timelines and solutions - it's incredibly helpful to know I'm not alone in dealing with this mess. Hoping we all see some movement soon!

I'm so sorry you're going through this - I know exactly how frustrating it is! I filed on February 5th and was stuck on "received" for almost 9 weeks before it finally moved to "approved" last week. After reading about everyone's success stories in this thread, I ended up trying taxr.ai and it found that there was a small discrepancy in my employer's reporting of my HSA contributions - off by just $38! I never would have thought to check that myself. Once I called the IRS with that specific information (using the Claimyr service to actually get through), they were able to resolve it quickly. The waiting is absolutely the worst part because you have no idea what's causing the delay or how much longer it might take. But based on what I've seen here, it seems like most people eventually get their refunds once the underlying issue is identified and resolved. I'd definitely recommend trying the IRS online account first to see if there are any notices, and then consider taxr.ai if you want to check for potential data mismatches. The not knowing is honestly worse than the delay itself. Hang in there!

I'm in a similar situation as a newcomer to this community! Just got married last month and have been absolutely panicking about SSDI taxation. My benefits are around $12,000/year and my spouse makes about $50,000, so we're definitely going to hit that 85% taxable threshold. Reading through all these responses has been such a relief - I was literally losing sleep thinking we'd owe thousands in taxes! The explanation about how it's 85% of benefits becoming taxable income (not an 85% tax rate) is exactly what I needed to understand. I'm definitely going to use that IRS Tax Withholding Estimator this weekend and get my spouse's W-4 updated. The idea of spreading the extra tax burden over monthly paycheck deductions sounds so much more manageable than dealing with a huge bill at filing time. Thank you all for sharing your real experiences and numbers - it's incredibly helpful to see how this actually plays out in practice rather than just trying to decipher the confusing IRS language!

Welcome to the community and congratulations on your recent marriage! I can completely understand your panic about the SSDI taxation - the way the IRS explains it really does sound terrifying at first glance. Your calculation is actually pretty close. With your husband's $48,000 income and your $14,500 SSDI, your "combined income" for tax purposes would be $48,000 + $7,250 (half your SSDI) = $55,250. Since this exceeds $44,000 for married filing jointly, up to 85% of your SSDI benefits (about $12,325) would become taxable income. The key thing everyone here has emphasized is absolutely correct - this doesn't mean you'll pay 85% in taxes! That $12,325 just gets added to your regular taxable income and taxed at your normal tax brackets (probably 12% or 22% range). So you're looking at maybe $1,500-$2,700 in additional taxes, not the massive amount you were fearing. My advice: Use the IRS Tax Withholding Estimator tool online to get a precise calculation, then have your husband update his W-4 to withhold an extra $125-$225 per month. This will spread the cost over the year and you won't get surprised at tax time. Also consider increasing any 401k or HSA contributions if available - these lower your AGI and can reduce how much of your SSDI becomes taxable. You've got this - it's really not as scary as it first appears!

Based on all the great advice here, I think you're definitely on the right track! Just to add one more perspective - I've been managing similar family financial arrangements for years, and the key thing that's helped me stay organized is treating these reimbursements exactly like what they are: returning someone's own money to them. The IRS really isn't concerned with family members splitting legitimate shared expenses. What they care about is actual income - money you've earned or been given as a gift. When your brother sends you $1,950 through Apple Pay to cover his portion of loans you paid, you're not $1,950 richer - you're just back to even. One practical tip: consider adding a note in the Apple Pay transaction like "student loan share" or "loan reimbursement." It's a small detail but helps create a paper trail showing the purpose of the payment. And definitely keep those loan payment receipts! The combination of consistent amounts, regular timing, and clear documentation makes it obvious these are reimbursements rather than income. You're being smart to think about this proactively, but honestly, this is a pretty straightforward situation tax-wise.

I've been in a very similar situation with my sister and student loans! What really helped me was setting up automatic transfers through our bank rather than using payment apps. Since you mentioned you both have access to your parents' account, I'd strongly recommend going that route. Here's why: bank transfers create cleaner records, don't trigger any payment app reporting thresholds, and make it crystal clear these are family reimbursements rather than income. You can set up a recurring transfer for the same amount each month with a memo like "student loan reimbursement" - creates perfect documentation. I also keep a simple folder with copies of the actual loan statements and bank transfer confirmations, just to show the money flow if anyone ever asks. But honestly, after doing this for three years, it's never been an issue. The IRS guidance is pretty clear that family reimbursements for shared expenses aren't taxable income. One bonus tip: if your brother's payment schedule varies with his paychecks, you could still use the bank account method but just coordinate the timing with him via text. Much simpler than splitting Apple Pay payments and eliminates any potential confusion during tax season.

I just went through this exact same situation and wanted to share my experience to hopefully ease some worries! I filed my 2023 return on February 8th using my old SunTrust routing number because I completely spaced on the merger changes. My refund of $2,156 was deposited into my Truist account on February 23rd without any issues whatsoever. It showed up as a normal direct deposit - no delays, no complications, just processed like any other year. The automatic forwarding system worked perfectly. What really helped my peace of mind was logging into the Truist online banking and updating my direct deposit information for next year. Under the account details section, you can clearly see both the old and new routing numbers, and there's even a note explaining that both will work through the end of 2024. For anyone still worried: the bank merger teams have been planning for tax season for months. They know this is their biggest test of the forwarding system, and from what I can tell, they've got it handled. Your refund will find its way to your account just fine!

I'm going through this exact same situation and honestly, all these responses have been such a lifesaver! I filed my return on February 12th using my old SunTrust routing number and have been panicking ever since realizing the merger changed everything. Reading through everyone's successful experiences here has really calmed my nerves. It sounds like Truist has really thought this through and set up robust systems to handle the transition. The fact that multiple people have confirmed their refunds went through smoothly with the old routing number is incredibly reassuring. I think what I'm going to do is call Truist tomorrow just to double-check my account status and maybe set up those mobile alerts that Riya mentioned. Better to be proactive and get that peace of mind rather than continue stress-checking my account balance every hour! Has anyone noticed if there's a specific time of day that refunds typically hit your account? I know it's probably random, but I'm trying to figure out if I should expect it overnight or during business hours. Thank you all so much for sharing your experiences - this community is amazing during tax season stress!