Welcome to the US tax system! Your situation is actually pretty common for new green card holders. Just wanted to add a couple of practical tips from my own experience with international transfers: 1. When you do transfer the money, consider doing it in smaller chunks (like $7k-8k at a time) rather than all $21k at once. This won't change your tax obligations, but it can sometimes get you better exchange rates and lower transfer fees depending on your banks. 2. Make sure to get a detailed transfer receipt showing the exchange rate used and any fees charged. These can be useful for your records, especially if you need to document the transaction later. 3. If your German bank charges high fees for international transfers, definitely look into services like Wise or Remitly - they often save hundreds of dollars on large transfers like yours. The good news is that Germany has a tax treaty with the US, so if you did have any taxable income from interest on that account while you were a US resident, you could potentially claim foreign tax credits to avoid double taxation. But for the principal amount you earned while working there, you're all set - no US taxes owed on the transfer itself!

Just wanted to share my experience as someone who went through a very similar situation last year. I moved from Canada to the US with about $35k in savings and was equally confused about the tax implications. The key thing that helped me was understanding the difference between "pre-immigration assets" (money you earned before becoming a US tax resident) and income earned after you become subject to US taxation. Your $21k from working in Germany falls into that first category, so transferring it won't create a US tax liability. However, I'd strongly recommend keeping very detailed records of everything - not just for the FBAR filing, but also in case you ever need to prove the source of funds during future immigration processes or if the IRS has questions. I kept copies of my Canadian employment contracts, tax returns from Canada showing the income was properly reported there, and bank statements showing the money sitting in my account before I moved to the US. One practical tip: when I made my transfer, I used a combination of Wise for the bulk amount and kept about $5k in my Canadian account initially. This way I could test the process with a smaller amount first and also had some buffer time to make sure I understood all the US reporting requirements before moving everything over. The whole process ended up being much less scary than I initially thought, but having good documentation made me feel much more confident about everything!

Something nobody's mentioned yet - check if the foreign country has a tax treaty with the US! This makes a huge difference. I invested in a UK company and because of the tax treaty, my dividend tax rate was reduced from 30% to 15%. Also - watch out for foreign currency gains/losses. The IRS treats these as separate taxable events from your actual investment return. My tax software totally missed this and I had to file an amended return last year.

One important aspect that hasn't been covered yet is the timing of when you recognize income for tax purposes. For foreign investments, you need to be aware of the "constructive dividend" rules that can apply even when no actual cash distribution occurs. If you're investing in a European company as mentioned, also consider whether it's structured as a corporation, partnership, or other entity type under both US and foreign tax law. Sometimes an entity that's treated as a corporation abroad might be considered a partnership for US tax purposes, which completely changes your reporting obligations. Also worth noting - if you're planning to hold this investment long-term, consider the impact on your estate planning. Foreign investments can complicate estate tax filings significantly. The reporting requirements don't go away just because you're not actively managing the investment anymore. I'd strongly recommend getting that consultation with a tax attorney who specializes in international taxation before making the investment, not after. The structure you choose upfront can make a huge difference in your ongoing tax compliance burden.

Have you considered reaching out to the Volunteer Income Tax Assistance (VITA) program? They offer free tax preparation services for people with disabilities, and many locations now provide remote options due to COVID adaptations they've maintained. While they don't offer advances directly, they might be able to expedite your filing to get your refund faster. Do you qualify for any special credits related to your disability that might increase your refund amount? What's your timeline for needing the funds?

I'm really sorry to hear about your Credit Karma situation - that's incredibly frustrating, especially when you're dealing with disability challenges and counting on that advance! 😔 Based on what others have shared, here are a few solid options to consider: **Quick alternatives with advances:** • H&R Block online - seems to have good disability accommodations and 24-48 hour processing • TaxSlayer - another user just got approved for $1,250 in 37 hours • Jackson Hewitt online - also offers refund advances **Things to watch out for:** • Fees can range $25-100, so compare the total cost • Some advances are smaller than advertised • New platforms have learning curves **Alternative approach:** Some folks found that filing with faster services like FreeTaxUSA or TaxAct without an advance actually got their refund in 8-12 days, which wasn't much slower than advances anyway and saved on fees. Given your disability needs, I'd probably start by checking H&R Block's online platform since multiple people mentioned their good accessibility features. Whatever you choose, make sure to read all the fee disclosures carefully before committing. Hang in there - there are definitely workable solutions for your situation! 💪

I'm dealing with my first 570 code too and this thread has been incredibly reassuring! Filed 2/28, completed ID verification in early March, and just got the 570 yesterday with an as-of date of 5/20. No 971 notice here either. What really helped calm my nerves was reading @Anastasia Popova's explanation about automated income matching versus needing additional documentation. I was spiraling thinking they found major errors in my return, but the pattern everyone's describing makes it sound like this is just part of their process this year, especially after verification cases. @Yuki Tanaka - your timeline is super helpful to see laid out like that. The fact that you're only about 2 weeks out from your May 6th date and have congressional backup already in place puts you in a really good position. I'm definitely going to wait and see what happens with my 5/20 date before taking any action. One thing I'm curious about - has anyone here who went through this process noticed if the 570 code typically disappears on the exact as-of date, or does it usually happen a few days before/after? Trying to manage my expectations for when to actually start checking for updates! Thanks everyone for sharing your experiences - this community has been way more helpful than any official IRS resource I've found.

I'm going through something very similar and this thread has been so helpful! Filed 2/15, completed ID verification in mid-March, and got my 570 code on 4/21 with an as-of date of 5/8. Like everyone else here, no 971 notice. What's been most reassuring is reading all the explanations about this being automated income verification rather than a major problem with our returns. I was honestly panicking when I first saw that 570 code appear, especially after already going through the whole ID verification process. @Yuki Tanaka - your proactive approach with congressional contacts is smart, and it sounds like you'll have good backup if your May 6th date doesn't bring resolution. The fact that so many of us are seeing this same pattern (verification completion → gap → 570 without 971) really does suggest it's just part of their standard process this year. One thing I've noticed from reading everyone's experiences is how much the IRS phone agents seem to give different explanations for the same situation. It makes me feel better knowing that the inconsistent information isn't just happening to me - seems like even they don't always have clear visibility into what specific review is happening. Really hoping we all see good news on our respective as-of dates! This community support makes the waiting so much more bearable than trying to figure it out alone.

As a newcomer to this community, I have to say this thread has been incredibly informative! I'm currently dealing with my first 570 code situation - got mine on March 11th (so 16 days ago) and like everyone else here, no 971 notice. I was completely lost about what this meant until I found this discussion. Reading through Matthew's original post and seeing how many others (Oliver at 21 days, Aisha at 19, Liam at 17, Zoe at 20) are all experiencing nearly identical situations with such similar timelines is both reassuring and eye-opening. The consistent 28-32 day resolution pattern that keeps appearing across everyone's stories gives me hope that we're all approaching the light at the end of the tunnel. I need my refund to help cover some unexpected home repairs, so the waiting has been nerve-wracking, but this community has provided so much valuable insight. Going to follow the advice about limiting transcript checks to Fridays and Wednesdays instead of my current daily obsession! Thank you all for sharing your experiences so openly - it's made this stressful process so much more manageable.

As someone completely new to this community and filing taxes for the first time, this thread has been absolutely invaluable! I'm not currently dealing with a 570 code myself, but reading through everyone's experiences has been like getting a masterclass in how the IRS actually works. The consistency across all your timelines is remarkable - Matthew at 23 days, Oliver at 21, Aisha at 19, Zoe at 20, Liam at 17, and Anastasia at 16 days, all with the same 570 code and no 971 notice pattern. What strikes me most is how the 28-32 day resolution window keeps appearing in story after story from different people. It really seems like the IRS has some kind of internal batched review process that just takes time, regardless of individual circumstances. I'm bookmarking this thread for future reference because the advice about checking transcripts only on Fridays and Wednesdays (instead of daily obsessing) and the insights about what different codes mean have been so educational. Thank you all for being so open about your situations - you're creating an amazing resource for people navigating these stressful financial situations. Hoping everyone sees their refunds come through soon!