I've been on several J1 visas and honestly the tax situation is a nightmare every time. My best advice: if your return is relatively straightforward (just W2 income), try GlacierTax - they're much cheaper than Sprintax and design specifically for international students.

As someone who's gone through this exact situation, I'd recommend checking if your university has any free tax preparation services for international students first. Many schools offer VITA (Volunteer Income Tax Assistance) programs that specifically help J1 visa holders with their non-resident returns. If that's not available, I've had good experiences with both GlacierTax and TaxAct's non-resident option that others mentioned. The key is making sure whatever service you choose can handle Form 1040-NR and knows about tax treaty benefits for your home country. One tip: before you file, double-check if you qualify for any tax treaty exemptions. Many J1 holders don't realize they might be eligible for partial or full exemption on their income depending on their home country's tax treaty with the US. This could save you hundreds or even thousands of dollars. Also, keep all your documents (W2, DS-2019, passport pages, etc.) organized - you'll need them for the non-resident filing process regardless of which service you use.

Has anyone used the free tax record service on IRS.gov to see what gambling forms have been reported for them? I'm wondering if I should check mine before filing to make sure everything matches up.

Great advice from everyone here! Just wanted to add that if you're using TurboTax like you mentioned, they actually have pretty good guidance for gambling income. When you get to the "Other Income" section, there's a specific pathway for gambling winnings that walks you through everything step by step. One thing to keep in mind - even though you won $8,750, you'll be taxed on that amount at your marginal tax rate (so if you're in the 22% bracket, expect to owe around $1,925 in federal taxes on those winnings). State taxes vary depending on where you live, so factor that in too. Also, make sure you keep really good records of your gambling activity going forward. The IRS can be pretty strict about documentation if they ever audit gambling income, so having detailed records of wins/losses, dates, and amounts will save you headaches later.

Just wanted to add another perspective as someone who works in HVAC sales. When you're getting quotes, make sure your contractor understands you'll be splitting the credit and ask them to provide documentation showing the breakdown of equipment vs. installation costs. This can be helpful for your tax records. Also, timing matters for the credit - the system needs to be "placed in service" during the tax year you're claiming the credit. So if you install in December 2024, you'd claim it on your 2024 returns filed in 2025. But if installation spills into January 2025, it would be a 2025 credit. One more tip: some utility companies offer additional rebates for qualifying heat pumps that stack with the federal credit. Check with your local utility before you buy - these rebates sometimes have waiting lists or limited funding that runs out during the year.

Great thread everyone! I'm actually a CPA who specializes in energy credits and wanted to add a few clarifications that might help. First, the splitting approach discussed here is absolutely correct - each unmarried co-owner can claim their proportional share of the credit based on actual financial contribution and ownership interest. The $2,000 cap applies per taxpayer, so you don't split the cap itself. One important detail I haven't seen mentioned: if your total system cost exceeds about $6,667, you'll hit the $2,000 cap anyway (since 30% of $6,667 = $2,000). So for expensive installations, the actual cost split becomes less critical from a credit calculation standpoint, though you still need to report your actual contributions accurately. Also, regarding the utility rebate question - yes, you must reduce your qualified expenses by any rebates received before calculating the federal credit. This is often overlooked and can cause issues if the IRS reviews your return. For the documentation statement, I typically recommend clients include the property address, the date of installation, each person's ownership percentage, each person's financial contribution amount, and a simple statement that the allocation reflects actual ownership and payment. Keep it factual and straightforward. The energy credit rules are quite taxpayer-friendly overall, but accuracy in reporting is key to avoiding any future headaches!

I know this is stressful, but the good news is the IRS is actually NOTIFYING you that someone accessed your transcript. That's the security system working! Years ago they didn't even send these notices and third parties could access your info without you knowing.

I had this exact same panic when I got one of these letters last month! Turns out it was completely legitimate - my credit union had requested it as part of a routine review for a credit line increase I had applied for weeks earlier and completely forgotten about. The key thing is don't ignore it, but also don't assume the worst. Call that IRS number that Liv mentioned (1-800-908-4490) and they'll tell you exactly who requested it and when. In my case, the representative was really helpful and explained that these notifications are actually a good security feature - it means no one can access your tax information without you being informed. If you can't get through on the phone (those lines can be brutal), you can also request a copy of your Account Transcript online through the IRS website, which will show you a record of who accessed your information. Just make sure you're on the official IRS.gov site, not some third-party service.

Quick tip for OP: The IRS has a tax withholding estimator on their website that's been updated for 2025. It takes about 15 minutes to fill out but gives pretty accurate W4 instructions. Just google "IRS tax withholding estimator" and have your recent pay stubs ready. Way less stressful than guessing about that 2c box and finding out you were wrong next April!

This is such a common confusion! I went through the exact same thing when my spouse and I both got new jobs last year. Here's what I learned after talking to our HR department and doing some research: The Step 2c checkbox is basically the IRS acknowledging that the standard "married" withholding rate doesn't work well when both spouses have jobs. It's designed to prevent exactly the underwithholding situation you experienced in 2020. Here's the key thing: if you both have similar incomes, you should BOTH check the 2c box. I know it sounds counterintuitive, but that's what the IRS instructions actually say. The "only check if married filing jointly and both have jobs" applies to your situation as a couple - meaning this option exists specifically for dual-income married couples. When both of you check it, your employers will withhold at the higher single rate, which compensates for the fact that combining two "married" withholding amounts usually falls short of what you'll actually owe. We did this and went from owing $2,100 to getting a small refund of about $300. Much better than that heart attack feeling in April!