I work for a tax prep company and see this confusion all the time! What's happening is that TurboTax is showing you their internal tracking system - "Accepted" just means the IRS received your electronic filing successfully. It's basically like getting a receipt that says "we got your package" but doesn't mean they've opened it yet. The IRS Where's My Refund tool shows the actual processing status. Right now you're at step 1 of 3: Return Received. You'll need to wait for it to move to "Return Approved" (step 2) and then "Refund Sent" (step 3). Those TurboTax fees for "5 days early" and such are just their way of advancing you money against your expected refund - they can't actually speed up IRS processing. The IRS doesn't care what software you used or what promises they made. Typical timeline is 21 days from e-file date for straightforward returns, but it can be longer during busy season. Since you filed on 1/22, I'd expect movement by mid-February if everything goes smoothly. Stick with the IRS site for accurate updates!

I had this exact same situation happen to me last year! TurboTax showing "accepted" while IRS only showed "received" drove me crazy for weeks. Turns out the IRS systems are just slower to update their public-facing tools compared to their internal processing systems. What helped me was understanding that there are actually multiple stages between "received" and "approved" that the Where's My Refund tool doesn't show you. Your return could be getting processed in the background even though the status hasn't changed yet. One thing I learned - if you have any credits like EITC or Child Tax Credit, it automatically adds extra processing time regardless of what TurboTax promises. They're required by law to hold those refunds until mid-February even if everything else is perfect. I'd say give it another week or two before worrying. The 21-day timeframe is business days, not calendar days, so weekends don't count. And like others said, checking your transcript can sometimes give you more detailed info about what's actually happening behind the scenes.

I'm also an F1 student and just went through this same exact situation! After months of confusion and frustration, I finally understand what's happening here. The issue isn't that Fidelity doesn't understand your paperwork - they're actually following IRS rules correctly. As a nonresident alien for tax purposes (which F1 students are for their first 5 calendar years), you simply cannot contribute to a Roth IRA, period. This is federal tax law, not a company policy. When you submit a W8 form, you're essentially confirming your nonresident alien status, which automatically disqualifies you from Roth IRA eligibility. That's why they keep asking for a W9 - because only people who can use that form (US citizens and resident aliens) are eligible for Roth IRAs. Here's what finally worked for me: I stopped trying to force the Roth IRA and opened a regular taxable brokerage account instead. I went with Vanguard and their international team handled my W8-BEN form perfectly - no confusion at all. Yes, you lose the tax advantages, but you can still invest in the same index funds and start building wealth. The good news is this is temporary! Once you hit your 6th calendar year in the US, you'll typically qualify as a resident alien and can then open a Roth IRA. I have a reminder set for exactly when that happens. Don't let this discourage you from starting your financial journey - just think of it as taking a different route to the same destination. You're still being smart by wanting to invest early!

As someone who went through this exact same frustration as an F1 student, I completely understand how maddening this situation feels! After reading through all these incredibly helpful responses, it's clear that the community has given you the definitive answer: as a nonresident alien (which F1 students are for their first 5 calendar years), you cannot contribute to a Roth IRA under IRS rules. What really resonated with me from this thread is the shift from seeing this as a roadblock to viewing it as a timing issue. The advice about opening a taxable brokerage account in the meantime is spot-on - you'll still be building wealth and gaining investment experience while waiting for your status to change. I'd especially recommend the suggestions about Vanguard and Schwab's international services teams, as multiple people have had success with their clear processes for handling W8 forms for regular investment accounts. The calendar reminder strategy is brilliant too - it gives you something concrete to look forward to rather than feeling indefinitely stuck. Don't let this discourage you from your financial goals! Sometimes the path looks different than we initially planned, but starting your investment journey now (even in a taxable account) puts you way ahead of most people your age. By the time you're eligible for retirement accounts, you'll already be an experienced investor with a solid foundation.

I'm dealing with this exact same issue right now! I saw an IRS letter in my Informed Delivery three days ago but it never actually made it to my mailbox, and I've been checking every single day since then. Reading through everyone's experiences here has been so incredibly helpful and reassuring. It sounds like the consensus is to call the IRS at 800-829-1040 early in the morning (around 7-7:30 AM) with your SSN, filing status, and AGI ready, plus keep those Informed Delivery screenshots as proof. I'm definitely going to try that tomorrow morning - it's such a relief to hear from so many people that the agents were understanding and could immediately tell them what was in the missing letter over the phone. The recurring theme that most of these letters turn out to be routine processing notifications rather than scary audit notices is giving me so much peace of mind. I think I was catastrophizing and imagining the worst possible scenarios! I'm also going to file that missing mail report with USPS like several people suggested, even though it sounds like the IRS route is much faster for getting actual answers. Thanks to everyone who shared their experiences - this community is amazing for providing real practical advice during stressful situations like this. Will definitely update once I get through to the IRS and find out what was in that mysterious letter!

This is such a common and stressful situation! I went through something very similar about 8 months ago and completely understand that sinking feeling when you see an IRS letter in Informed Delivery that never arrives. Here's what I learned from my experience: The IRS actually expects this to happen sometimes and has procedures in place for it. When I called their main line (800-829-1040) around 7:30 AM, I waited about 40 minutes but the agent was incredibly helpful. I explained that I had screenshots from Informed Delivery showing the letter was processed but never delivered, and she immediately looked up what notice had been sent. In my case, it was just a standard letter acknowledging they had received my return - nothing urgent at all! She was able to read me the entire contents over the phone and then resent it with a fresh 30-day response period since I never got the original. A few key tips: Have your SSN, filing status, and AGI from your last return ready before calling. Save those Informed Delivery screenshots as proof. Call early morning for shorter wait times. Also file a missing mail report with USPS online, though that takes much longer to get results. Try not to stress too much - from what I've seen, probably 90% of IRS letters are routine notifications that don't even require action from you. The important thing is calling promptly so they know you weren't ignoring their correspondence. Most likely it's nothing scary, but getting that confirmation will give you huge peace of mind!

The community wisdom on this is pretty consistent - file the 1040-X ASAP. According to the IRS website, electronic filing of amended returns is now available for tax year 2023, which speeds up processing considerably compared to paper filing. The IRS 'Where's My Amended Return' tool can track progress once it's in their system. Just remember that amended returns can't be e-filed if your original return was filed by paper - in that case you'd need to mail it in. Most people see better results when they take action before the IRS contacts them.

Based on everyone's experiences here, it sounds like you definitely want to file that 1040-X sooner rather than later! I went through something similar last year with a missing 1099-INT from my savings account - not nearly as significant as a retirement distribution, but the principle is the same. Filed the amendment within two weeks of realizing my mistake and while my refund was delayed by about 6 weeks, I avoided any penalties or that dreaded CP2000 notice that GalacticGuardian mentioned. The peace of mind alone was worth it. Plus, if you're already expecting that refund money, better to have a known delay from your proactive correction than an unknown timeline if the IRS catches it first through their matching program.

Has anyone used a tax professional who specializes in disability income? I've been getting different answers from different people and regular tax preparers seem confused by my situation. I have both VA disability (which I know is tax-free) and private disability that I'm not sure about.

I went through this exact same confusion last year! The taxation of your disability benefits really does depend on how the premiums were paid, but there's another important factor that often gets overlooked - some employers automatically enroll you in "voluntary" disability coverage through payroll deduction that looks like you're paying for it, but it's actually processed as pre-tax. Here's what I'd recommend: Request a detailed breakdown from your HR department showing not just that you paid the premiums, but specifically whether those deductions were made on a pre-tax or post-tax basis. Also ask for copies of your original enrollment forms - sometimes these will explicitly state the tax treatment. If you discover that you were indeed paying with after-tax dollars and your benefits are being incorrectly taxed, you can file Form 1040X to amend your return. I had to do this and got back about $2,800 in overpaid taxes. The key is having solid documentation from your employer to support your position. Also, don't feel bad about the confusion - disability income taxation is one of the most misunderstood areas of tax law, and even some tax preparers get it wrong. The important thing is getting it sorted out correctly going forward.