When you select the "Express Refund" option, you will verify some additional information with the bank. Once that’s complete, you simply sign and mail your complete packet, along with your SETC Pros Customer Bar Code (provided with packet) to our processing center in Roseville, CA. A pre-paid shipping label is provided for you in your customer portal.

After your file is reviewed for accuracy, we ship all necessary documents to various IRS locations. Once all packages are delivered to the IRS, our banking partner sends your funds to your selected bank account by ACH transfer. Typically, the entire process can be completed in about 5-7 business days.

Normal IRS wait times are 16-20 weeks or longer. This option gives you the opportunity to put the majority of your refund in your pocket in a matter of days.

The Self Employment Tax Credit (SETC) is not an official IRS term but rather an industry-coined name used to describe a specific tax credits available under the CARES Act and the Families First Coronavirus Response Act (FFCRA).

It’s designed to reimburse self-employed individuals—like realtors, freelancers, or other 1099 filers—for income they lost in 2020 and 2021 due to COVID-19-related disruptions.

This includes time they couldn’t work because of illness, quarantine, or caring for others (e.g., kids during school closures), mirroring the paid leave benefits W-2 employees received during the pandemic.

Officially, the IRS refers to this credit as the "Credit for Sick Leave and Family Leave" for self-employed individuals, calculated via Form 7202.

The term "SETC" was popularized by tax professionals, companies like SETCpros, and affiliates to make this lesser-known provision more accessible and memorable, especially since it’s not as widely recognized as W-2 employee benefits under the same laws. So, while the credit is 100% IRS-legit and tied to federal legislation, "SETC" is a marketing-friendly label, not an official IRS document or name.

The FFCRA is a federal law passed in the United States on March 18, 2020, as an early response to the COVID-19 pandemic. It was designed to provide economic relief and support to workers and businesses affected by the crisis, complementing the broader CARES Act. The FFCRA specifically focused on ensuring paid leave benefits during a time when many people couldn’t work due to illness, quarantine, or caregiving responsibilities caused by the pandemic.

The FFCRA allowed self-employed taxpayers to claim refundable credits on their 1040 tax returns for 2020 and 2021, offsetting lost income due to COVID-related disruptions—like quarantine, illness, or caregiving—up to specified limits (e.g., $511 per day for sick leave, $200 per day for family leave, with caps on days).

The system will automatically maximize your 2021 refund amount. In some cases, clients may also qualify for certain 2020 benefits based on missed workdays due to COVID-19. The system will automatically calculate and maximize your benefit for both 2021 and any applicable carry-forward from 2020. All you need to do is complete the application, and we will handle the rest to ensure you receive the maximum benefit possible.

To check the status of your application and see live updates, simply visit your customer portal at https://myportal.setcpros.com.In the portal, you can track your application’s progress in real-time. If you have any questions or need further assistance, feel free to reach out to us at [email protected]. We’re here to help every step of the way!

Your file status shows "Do Not Qualify" because, based on the IRS transcripts we received, you don't meet the requirements for the Sick Leave Credit for 2021. This could be due to a few reasons:

1) You didn’t have any self-employment income in 2021.
2) The credit has already been claimed.
3) No return was filed for 2021.

We’ve sent you an email specifying which of these reasons applies to your situation. According to IRS regulations, you don’t qualify for the Sick Leave or Family Leave Credit for 2021. Our program works in conjunction with the tax transcripts on file with the IRS.

We recommend consulting with a tax professional for further clarification. Thank you for applying with SETC Pros!

The "Prepared By" section with the signature required is left blank because the calculations for the Sick Leave and Family Leave Credit are performed by our proprietary software. Our software is designed to accurately calculate and maximize your SETC refund, following all IRS rules for qualifying and claiming these credits. To ensure accuracy, our Chief CPA randomly audits files to verify that the software is optimizing refunds for every applicant.

Similar to how TurboTax provides software to help individuals with tax return calculations, we are a software-based company assisting clients with calculations for amended returns. According to IRS guidelines, it would be incorrect for us to sign as an individual preparer, just as TurboTax does not sign returns that their software assists with.

Once you sign and mail your amended return, if the IRS has any questions or needs additional information to process your claim, SETC Pros will continue assisting you throughout the process. If your file requires review by a CPA or enrolled agent, it will be escalated to the appropriate channels.

Yes, if you filed as Married Filing Jointly (MFJ) in 2021, both you and your former spouse must sign the current 1040 and 1040X forms for the SETC refund, even if you are now divorced or separated.

If your former spouse is deceased, you may need to include a copy of their death certificate when mailing the final documents to the IRS.

If you received a letter from the IRS asking you to call them, please reach out to the IRS as soon as possible. Typically, the IRS will need to verify your identity or address in order to complete the processing of your Sick Leave and Family Leave Credit refund.

Taking action quickly will help ensure your claim is processed without further delay.

If the IRS link is not showing your claim as being processed, don't worry — this can happen. Many of our clients who submitted both their 2020 and 2021 amended returns in separate envelopes have reported that the 2021 return shows as being processed, but the 2020 return can take over 16 weeks to even appear as "in process."

In many cases, the IRS will send a letter after 16 weeks, either to verify your address for sending your refund check or to confirm your identity.

If you don't see your 2020 return being processed, it's important to call the IRS immediately to ensure there are no issues delaying your refund. You can reach an IRS live agent at 800-829-1040 or use their automated system at 866-464-2050.

If you've already called the IRS and they reported "No 2020 docs received," please let us know so we can escalate your case for further review.

If you've received an IRS letter requesting additional documentation or a resubmission, please email a copy of that letter to [email protected]. Once we receive it, our team will review the letter and promptly notify you of the next steps to complete the process.

Please make sure to forward any IRS letter requesting additional documentation to [email protected] so we can assist you efficiently.

If your IRS refund has not been received yet, but the transcript shows that the IRS issued payment, we recommend checking both your bank statements and your mail. The IRS may have either directly deposited your refund into your account or mailed you a paper check.

If you can't locate the refund, you can also call the IRS at 1-800-829-1040 for further assistance.

Once you’ve checked your bank statement and contacted the IRS if needed, please feel free to reach out to us again for further support. The processing fee was debited after the IRS payout was issued according to the transcript.

IForm 8821 is a form used by our partner, Chart, to officially request tax transcripts from the IRS. SETC Pros does not send this form to the client or the IRS.

Only Chart sends Form 8821 directly to the IRS for requesting transcripts. The forms that SETC Pros provides to clients are related to the 2021 amendment process, which include the 1040-X, 1040, Schedule 3, and Form 7202.

Additionally, SETC Pros provides Form 8888, which specifies the account for the IRS to deposit your refund.

Form 8821 is a form used by our partner, Chart, to officially request tax transcripts from the IRS. SETC Pros does not send this form to the client or the IRS.

Only Chart sends Form 8821 directly to the IRS for requesting transcripts. The forms that SETC Pros provides to clients are related to the 2021 amendment process, which include the 1040-X, 1040, Schedule 3, and Form 7202.

Additionally, SETC Pros provides Form 8888, which specifies the account for the IRS to deposit your refund.

The IRS stated that “Self-Employed Tax Credit” is not the official name of the program. Instead, it is an industry term used to describe the program, which is officially known as the Sick Leave Tax Credit (for self-employed individuals) and the Family Sick Leave Tax Credit. On the SETC Pros intake page, you will only see questions related to these two categories—Sick Leave Tax Credit and Family Sick Leave Tax Credit.

The IRS also warned about scammers filling out tax documents for individuals who do not qualify, and charging a fee. At SETC Pros, we never charge a fee to qualify clients. We inform you upfront about how much you qualify for, and we only qualify individuals who had self-employment income in 2021. Additionally, we only use IRS-provided transcripts, ensuring that only those who meet the IRS guidelines for self-employment income and missed workdays due to COVID-19 qualify for the credit.

Another concern was scammers applying for the wrong tax year. At SETC Pros, we focus solely on 2021 applications, as outlined by the IRS.

Rest assured, when you apply with SETC Pros, we will only perform calculations and qualify you for a refund if you meet the specific criteria set by the IRS.

Do you have any other questions? Feel free to check your Customer Portal for updates, and don’t hesitate to call us if you need assistance.