I went through this exact same thing earlier this year! Definitely do the ID.me verification online - it's way faster than trying to get an appointment at a TAC office. I had some issues with the facial recognition at first (make sure you're in really good lighting and remove any glasses), but once I got it working the whole process took maybe 30 minutes. After verification, my transcript updated within a week showing the hold was released, and I got my refund about 9 weeks later. Just be patient - I know it's frustrating but the online route is definitely your best bet for getting this resolved quickly!

I actually just completed this process about 3 weeks ago! Definitely go with the ID.me online verification - it's so much faster than trying to schedule an in-person appointment. The TAC offices are booking appointments like 4-6 weeks out right now, which defeats the purpose if you need your refund ASAP. For the online verification, make sure you do it during off-peak hours (early morning or late evening) to avoid the wait queues. Have your driver's license, Social Security card, and a recent utility bill or bank statement ready. The facial recognition can be picky - I had to try it twice because the lighting in my room wasn't great the first time. Once I got verified, my account transcript updated within about 5 days showing the verification hold was released. Still waiting on my actual refund (they said 6-9 weeks from verification date), but at least I know it's processing now. Way less stressful than sitting on hold for hours or waiting weeks for an appointment!

Has anyone successfully claimed the Foreign Tax Credit for Belgian taxes? I keep getting confused because some of the pension is taxed by their social security system and some by their regular tax system. Not sure if both count for the credit.

Great thread everyone! I'm dealing with a similar situation with my grandmother's Belgian pension. One thing I learned from our tax preparer is that you should also check if your state has any specific rules about foreign pension income. Some states don't tax foreign pensions at all, while others follow federal treatment. In our case, we're in a state that doesn't tax retirement income, so even though we had to report it federally and deal with the treaty provisions, there was no additional state tax burden. Also, make sure to keep copies of ALL the Belgian tax documents - not just the pension statements but also any tax certificates showing what was withheld. The IRS may ask for these if they have questions about your Foreign Tax Credit claim. Better to have everything organized upfront than scramble later!

Just want to add a quick point - make sure you file your state tax return too if you worked in a state that collects income tax! People often forget this part. The camp was probably in a specific state that might have its own filing requirements separate from the federal return.

I work for a tax resolution firm and deal with these situations regularly. The good news is that your case is very straightforward and won't impact your ability to travel on ESTA. For a $160 tax liability from 2018, you're looking at roughly $300-400 total after penalties and interest - still very manageable. The key is getting this resolved proactively rather than waiting for the IRS to come after you (which honestly might never happen for such a small amount). Here's what I'd recommend: File Form 1040NR for 2018 as soon as possible. You'll need your W-2 from the camp, so definitely contact them or CCUSA first. If you can't get it, request Form 4506-T from the IRS to get a wage transcript. Most importantly - small tax debts like this are NOT immigration issues. The State Department and IRS are completely separate systems. I've never seen anyone denied entry over a resolved tax matter of this size. Just make sure you have documentation showing you've addressed it when you travel. The depression and financial hardship you mentioned might even qualify you for some penalty relief if you can document those circumstances. The IRS has "reasonable cause" provisions that can reduce penalties in situations like yours.

Something else to consider - if you're buying chargers and phone accessories for employees, make sure you have an accountable plan in place if you're reimbursing them for these purchases. Otherwise, those reimbursements could be considered taxable income to the employees.

This is exactly the kind of question I had when I started my small business! I was putting everything phone-related under utilities and it was such a mess. One thing that helped me was creating a simple spreadsheet to track all these small tech purchases throughout the year. I have columns for date, item, cost, business percentage, and category. For chargers and accessories, I use "Office Supplies" as mentioned by others here. Also, if you're like me and use your phone for both business and personal, don't forget to calculate that business use percentage. I track my business calls/usage monthly to justify my deduction percentage. For accessories that are used 100% for business (like that extra charger you keep at the office), you can deduct the full amount. Keep all those receipts organized - even the small $10 ones add up over the year and every legitimate deduction helps!

Has anyone actually calculated the real tax savings from donations? Like if I donate $1000 worth of furniture (fair market value), how much does that actually save me in taxes? I'm confused because I know deductions aren't the same as credits.

One thing to keep in mind is that since you've been writing off this furniture as business expenses and likely depreciating it, you'll need to deal with depreciation recapture if you sell. This means you might owe taxes on the depreciation you've already claimed if the selling price exceeds your adjusted basis. For a move happening in 6 weeks, I'd honestly lean toward donation for most items unless you have high-value pieces that hold their resale value well. The time and stress of trying to coordinate multiple buyers during a move just isn't worth it for most furniture. Plus, charitable donations give you a clean paper trail for tax purposes. Just make sure to take detailed photos of everything before donating, get proper receipts, and research fair market values using sites like Goodwill's donation value guide. The tax benefit might be less than selling, but the convenience factor during a cross-country move is huge.