I'm experiencing the exact same delays! Filed my Maryland return on February 14th and it's been stuck in "being processed" for over 5 weeks now. This is my 8th year filing in MD and I've never seen anything like this - usually get my state refund within 6-10 days. I finally got through to the comptroller's office after multiple attempts and they confirmed it's purely a processing backlog issue, not a problem with my return. The agent said they've had to completely overhaul their fraud detection systems this year which is causing these massive delays for everyone. She mentioned they're working overtime to clear the backlog but couldn't give me a specific date. It's really frustrating because I've been putting off some important car repairs waiting for this refund. Reading everyone's comments here is actually really reassuring though - I was starting to panic that my return got flagged for audit or something worse. Hang in there Grace, sounds like we're all dealing with the same systemic issues with Maryland's processing this year!

I'm dealing with the exact same frustrating situation! Filed my Maryland return on February 12th and it's been stuck on "being processed" for over 6 weeks now. This is my 4th year filing in MD and I've never experienced delays even close to this - typically got my state refund in 5-8 days max. I called the comptroller's office three times over the past two weeks and each time they gave me the same story about enhanced fraud detection systems causing unprecedented backlogs. The last agent I spoke with said they're working through returns filed in mid-February now, so hopefully that means movement soon for those of us who filed around that time. It's incredibly frustrating because like you, I have medical expenses I've been postponing - specifically some dental work that really can't wait much longer. Reading all these comments is actually really reassuring though, as it confirms this is a statewide processing crisis and not an issue with our individual returns. Really hoping Maryland figures out how to streamline their new systems because this level of delay is unacceptable for people who depend on their refunds for essential expenses!

I went through this exact scenario two years ago and made some costly mistakes initially. The key thing to understand is that Box 12V represents the "bargain element" - the difference between what you paid for the options and the fair market value when you exercised them. This is always ordinary income, not capital gains. Here's what I learned the hard way: When you sell the actual shares later, your cost basis is the exercise price you paid PLUS the Box 12V amount that was already taxed as income. This prevents double taxation on that portion. Only any additional appreciation (or loss) from the exercise date to sale date becomes capital gain/loss that can be offset with other investment losses. So to answer your original question - no, you can't back out the Box 12V from Box 1, and you can't use capital losses against it. But you can use those losses against any capital gains from the actual stock sale if there was additional appreciation after exercise.

I've been dealing with stock compensation for several years now and want to emphasize something important that might help with your planning. While you're correct that you can't offset the Box 12V ordinary income with capital losses, you should look at the timing of when you exercise options versus when you sell shares. If you have significant capital losses from other investments, consider holding onto the shares you received from exercising your NQSOs for a while before selling (assuming you can afford to). This way, if the shares appreciate further, you'll have capital gains from the stock sale that CAN be offset by your existing capital losses. Also, make sure you're keeping detailed records of your exercise date, exercise price, and the fair market value on exercise date (which should match your Box 12V amount). You'll need all this information to correctly calculate your basis when you do sell the shares. I learned this the hard way when I couldn't find my old records and had to reconstruct everything during tax season. The tax treatment of stock compensation is definitely one of those areas where getting professional help early can save you money and headaches down the road.

Has anyone checked line 30 on Form 1040 (Recovery Rebate Credit) on both returns? That was the source of discrepancy for me last year - one software automatically calculated it correctly while the other one needed manual input.

I just went through this exact same situation last month! Had a $89 difference between TurboTax and FreeTaxUSA. After comparing both returns line by line, I discovered the issue was in how they handled my dependent care FSA contributions on Form 2441. TurboTax was correctly reducing my eligible dependent care expenses by the FSA amount I contributed, while FreeTaxUSA was double-counting it somehow. The IRS instructions are pretty clear that you can't claim the dependent care credit for expenses you already paid for with pre-tax FSA dollars. My advice would be to print out both completed returns and go through them systematically: - Compare your Form 1040 line by line - Check any schedules you have (A, B, C, etc.) - Look at state return calculations if applicable - Pay special attention to credits like Child Tax Credit, Education Credits, and Dependent Care Credit The $64 difference you're seeing is definitely worth investigating. In my case, TurboTax had it right and I would have gotten in trouble with the IRS if I'd filed the incorrect return showing the higher refund.

18 Pro tip: Always take screenshots of your payment confirmation page when e-filing. I've had issues in the past where the IRS claimed they never received payment authorization, but having that screenshot saved me from penalties. Also, never cut it too close to the deadline - IRS systems get overwhelmed and banking transfers can take longer than expected.

Based on my experience, the IRS usually processes direct debit payments within 1-3 business days after accepting your return, but it can extend to 5-7 business days during peak filing season. Since you filed Monday and it's Thursday, you're still within the normal timeframe. A few things to check: 1. Log into your IRS online account to verify the payment is scheduled 2. Make sure you didn't accidentally select a future payment date (like April 15th) when filing 3. Check that your bank account has sufficient funds - some banks may delay processing if the account balance is low If the payment fails, the IRS will mail you a notice, but you won't get immediate penalties. You'd have time to make alternative payment arrangements. The key is acting quickly once you receive any failure notification. Don't stress too much yet - Thursday after a Monday filing is pretty normal timing for the withdrawal to appear.

Has anyone tried Credit Karma Tax (now Cash App Taxes)? It's completely free and claims to support Form 1116, but I'm worried it might miss something with foreign income.

I've been in a similar boat with cross-border tax situations! Based on my experience, TurboTax Deluxe should handle your situation well since you have straightforward wage income. The Foreign Tax Credit section walks you through Form 1116 step by step, and yes, it will prompt you for any carryover amounts from previous years. One tip: make sure you have your foreign tax documents translated if they're not in English, and keep records of the exchange rates used. TurboTax will use IRS published rates, but having your own documentation helps if there are any questions later. For penalty calculations, the software is pretty good at figuring out underpayment penalties based on when you made estimated payments throughout the year. Since you mentioned the cost was a major factor in wanting to DIY this year - TurboTax Deluxe runs around $60-80 depending on promotions, which is obviously much better than $650! Just take your time with the foreign income sections and double-check everything before filing.