Andy | Saving to Invest

IRS Transcript Codes 290 and 291 Explained: Additional Tax Assessed or Refund Adjustment

If you've been waiting on your tax return processing and refund status for a while, you may see transaction codes 290 and 291 appear on your free IRS tax transcript once the IRS moves your case forward. Code 290 is generally accompanied by the line "Additional tax assessed," along with…

2026 Social Security COLA Confirmed at 2.8%, Plus the Latest 2027 Estimate

This page tracks Social Security Cost-of-Living Adjustments year by year — confirmed figures and the latest forward estimates. The 2026 COLA is confirmed at 2.8%, effective January 2026. The 2027 COLA is currently tracking around 3.8%, after briefly spiking toward 4.7% in June. I've also added what the latest Trustees…

IRS Notices CP11, CP12, CP13 and CP14 — Refund Adjustments, Balance-Due Letters, and Your 60-Day Rights in 2026

If the IRS finds a calculation error on your return, it doesn't audit you — it fixes the math itself and mails you a notice in the CP11–CP14 series telling you what changed. Depending on which one you get, your refund went up, went down, disappeared, or turned into a…

Can My Congressman Help With a Delayed Tax Refund or Missing Government Payment? How Casework Works in 2026

Yes — and with IRS phone lines answering only about 21% of calls last filing season, this old-school escalation path is getting a workout. Every congressional office runs casework: staff whose entire job is prying constituent problems loose from federal agencies, including the IRS, Social Security Administration, VA, and state…

Are Treasury I-Bonds a Good Investment? Current 2026 Rates, Purchase Limits, and Tax Rules

So after seeing a lot of buzz around the amazing yields being paid on Treasury Series I Savings Bonds (I-Bonds), I decided to take the plunge and buy some for my wife and I as a place to park some cash while the stock market gyrates and inflation remains stubbornly…

1099-K Rules Are Back to Normal: OBBBA Restores the $20,000 Threshold — What Sellers and Side Hustlers Need to Know for 2026

If you sell on eBay or Etsy, drive for a rideshare app, or get paid through PayPal or Venmo, the 1099-K rules that caused years of confusion are finally settled — and in your favor. Under the One Big Beautiful Bill Act (OBBBA), payment platforms only send you (and the…

Where’s My Amended Tax Return? Checking Your 1040-X Status and Refund Timeline for 2026-2027

While the IRS aims to process regular season tax returns and refunds within 21 days for the vast majority of filers, amended returns take quite a bit longer. The IRS's own current guidance is to allow 8 to 16 weeks for a Form 1040-X to process. In practice, it's often…

What Happens if I File My Taxes Late? 2026 IRS Penalties and Getting Your Refund

I get a few comments every tax season from readers asking whether it's too late to file a return after the regular deadline (April 15, 2026 for most people) — and what happens if they forgot to file for an extension. I also get asked what happens if they owe…

IRS Tax Transcript Code 841 – Refund Cancelled Due to Direct Deposit Rejection, Paper Check on The Way

The transcript excerpt below shows how the IRS handles refunds that are issued but cancelled, or unable to be paid, due to incorrect bank account details. I'll walk through the key codes and dates involved. Seeing transaction code 841 (refund cancelled) on your tax transcript can be alarming, especially if…

IRS 60-Day Review Letters (2645C and CP05) — Why Your 2026 Refund Is Delayed and How to Get Help

If the IRS sent you a letter saying it needs "an additional 60 days" to review your tax return, you're not alone — and unfortunately, that letter often isn't the last one. Many filers get two or three of these notices back to back, each one extending the wait for…

When Will I Get My New York (NY) State Tax Refund in 2026-2027?

New York's state refund process runs on its own timeline, separate from your federal refund — and the two systems don't share status information, so a fast federal refund doesn't tell you anything about when your state refund will arrive. How Long Does a NY State Refund Take? The NY…

Should I Be Worried About an IRS Notice or Letter? How to Tell If It’s Real in 2026

A notice or letter from the IRS can sound intimidating, but there are many reasons you might get one. Not every notice is bad news, and that's a common misconception — one that makes opening the envelope more stressful than it needs to be. IRS notices and letters tell you…

What Code 846 Refund Issued on Your IRS Tax Transcript Means For Your Direct Deposit Date

Transaction codes are used on IRS tax transcripts and WMR/IRS2Go to show current and historical information on your return processing, reasons for delays, when a refund will be paid, or why it was lower than expected. There are dozens of codes, but Code 846, Refund Issued, is the one you…

Got an IRS Notice? Here’s the Actual Timeline for Responding and Getting Paid

A lot of filers feel a sense of dread the moment they get an IRS notice or letter asking for more information, action, or warning of a possible audit. The real question underneath that dread is almost always about timing: how long will this delay my refund, and how long…