I'm dealing with this right now too! Got my 570 code about 10 days ago and received the dreaded "60-day review" letter yesterday. This is my first time experiencing this and it's honestly pretty stressful since I was planning to use my refund to pay down some student loans. From what I've been researching, it seems like the IRS has really ramped up their review processes this year. I filed a pretty straightforward return - just W-2 income, student loan interest deduction, and standard deduction. Nothing that should raise red flags, but here we are! One thing that's been helpful is checking my transcript every Friday to see if there are any updates. I've also been keeping a log of the dates and codes just in case I need to reference them later. The uncertainty is the worst part - not knowing if it's going to be resolved in 2 weeks or the full 60 days makes it really hard to plan anything. Hang in there! From what I'm seeing in this thread and other forums, most people are getting resolved within 30-45 days even though they say 60. Fingers crossed we're both in that faster group!

Same exact situation here! Got hit with the 570 code about 2 weeks ago and just received my review letter yesterday. This is my first time dealing with this too and it's honestly nerve-wracking. What's frustrating is that I filed the most basic return possible - just my W-2, standard deduction, nothing fancy. I'm a recent grad too so I was really counting on that refund to help with some expenses while I get settled in my new job. From everything I've been reading here and other forums, it seems like the IRS is just being extra cautious this year. Probably a combination of being understaffed and wanting to crack down on fraud. Unfortunately that means legitimate taxpayers like us get caught in the crossfire. I've been checking my transcript every few days and keeping screenshots just in case. The waiting is the worst part since there's literally nothing we can do except... wait. But it's reassuring to see so many others going through the same thing and most seem to get resolved within 30-45 days despite the scary 60-day warning. Hoping we all get our 571 codes soon! Will definitely update if I see any movement on mine.

Another option: if your spouse was from a country that has a tax treaty with the US, check if there are any special provisions that might help. My wife is from Canada and there were specific rules that applied to our situation when she got her green card.

I went through this exact same situation two years ago when my husband got his green card in July. The key thing to understand is that without making the 6013(h) election, your wife would be considered a "dual-status alien" for 2024 - meaning she'd be a non-resident for the months before getting her green card and a resident afterward. This creates a really complicated filing situation where you'd have to file separately, and she'd need to file a dual-status return (which is basically two tax returns stapled together). The 6013(h) election lets you treat her as a US resident for the ENTIRE year, so you can file jointly and simplify everything. A few important things to keep in mind: First, once you make this election, you can't revoke it for that tax year. Second, as others mentioned, ALL of her worldwide income for the full year becomes taxable in the US. Third, you'll need to attach a statement to your return specifically stating you're making the 6013(h) election. We found it was definitely worth it in our case because the tax savings from filing jointly more than offset the additional income inclusion. But definitely run the numbers both ways to be sure!

Has anybody used care.com or similar services for finding backup childcare? I'm wondering if using an agency vs hiring directly affects the tax deduction situation at all.

One thing to keep in mind is that your irregular 1099 schedule might actually work in your favor for justifying these additional childcare expenses. Since you can't predict when you'll be called in for those 14+ hour shifts or overnight assignments, having backup childcare available becomes a legitimate necessity for maintaining your income. The key is documentation - keep a detailed log of your work calls/assignments and how they correlate with your childcare needs. This will help support your claim that the nanny/au pair expenses are directly tied to your ability to work, especially during times when regular daycare isn't available (evenings, weekends, extended hours). Also consider that with your unpredictable schedule, you might qualify for a higher percentage of the Child and Dependent Care Credit if your irregular income puts you in a lower AGI bracket. The credit percentage can be up to 35% of qualifying expenses for lower income levels.

Great thread everyone! As someone who's been through this exact process, I wanted to add one more perspective that might help newcomers like Andre. The key thing to remember is that this initial complexity is a one-time setup cost. Yes, the W-9 and NR301 forms seem daunting at first, and tracking multiple transfer agents can feel overwhelming, but once you get everything properly documented, the ongoing maintenance is minimal. I'd also suggest starting a simple tax folder (physical or digital) specifically for your Canadian investments. Keep copies of all your forms, correspondence with transfer agents, and quarterly dividend statements showing the withholding amounts. This saved me hours during tax season when I needed to complete Form 1116 for the foreign tax credit. One thing I learned the hard way: if you're planning to expand your Canadian holdings over time, submit the NR301 forms for new positions as soon as you buy them, rather than waiting to see how much dividend income they'll generate. Even a small dividend payment at 25% withholding instead of 15% adds up over time. The investment in time and paperwork upfront really pays off in the long run, both in terms of proper tax treatment and peace of mind that you're handling everything correctly!

As someone who's been navigating Canadian dividend taxation for the past few years, I can definitely relate to your confusion! The good news is that once you understand the process and get the proper documentation in place, it becomes much more manageable. You're absolutely right that both the US and Canada will want to tax your Canadian dividends, but the US-Canada tax treaty helps prevent excessive double taxation. Here's what you need to know: **Forms you'll need:** - **W-9**: Submit this to Vanguard to certify you're a US person for tax purposes - **NR301**: This goes to the transfer agents of your Canadian companies to claim treaty benefits and reduce withholding from 25% to 15% **Key points:** 1. Don't wait - submit these forms as soon as you start investing in Canadian stocks, as it can take 1-3 dividend payment cycles for the reduced withholding to take effect 2. The NR301 forms go to individual transfer agents (not Vanguard), so you'll need a separate form for each Canadian company or their transfer agent 3. Keep detailed records of all Canadian taxes withheld - you'll need this for Form 1116 (Foreign Tax Credit) on your US return **Pro tip:** Start with your largest Canadian positions first to get comfortable with the process, then tackle the smaller holdings. Many companies share the same transfer agents, so it's not always one form per stock. The foreign tax credit on your US return will help offset the Canadian taxes withheld, effectively preventing true double taxation. While the initial setup takes some effort, it's definitely worth it to ensure you're not overpaying taxes on your Canadian dividend income!

Has anyone used TurboTax Self-Employed for their Etsy/eBay sales? I've used regular TurboTax before but never the self-employed version. Does it help with all this confusion or is it worth paying for an actual accountant?

I feel your pain! I went through the exact same confusion when I started my small pottery business on Etsy two years ago. The tax requirements really do feel like they throw you into the deep end without a life jacket. Here's what I wish someone had told me from the beginning: Start simple and build your system as you go. I got so overwhelmed trying to track every penny perfectly that I almost gave up entirely. The most important thing is to separate your business from personal expenses right away - even if it's just a simple spreadsheet or a separate checking account. Track your major expenses (materials, shipping, platform fees) and keep all your receipts. You don't need to be perfect from day one. For the hobby vs business question - if you're actively trying to make money and treating it like a business (marketing, improving your products, etc.), then report it as a business. The IRS looks at your intent and effort, not just profit. The $600 threshold honestly isn't as scary as it sounds. You've always been supposed to report this income anyway, now the platforms just have to tell the IRS about it too. But remember - you're only taxed on PROFIT, not total sales. Don't let the tax stress kill your entrepreneurial spirit! It gets easier once you establish a routine, and there are good resources out there to help. Your side hustle can definitely be worth it - just take it one step at a time.