Has anyone successfully e-filed Form 5329 with HR Block or TurboTax when claiming a waiver? I've tried three different software programs and they all seem to have issues with this specific scenario.

I went through this exact same situation last year with TurboTax having issues with Form 5329. The weird code with ":\\" that you're seeing is definitely a software glitch - I had the same thing happen. I ended up filing my regular return through TurboTax and then mailing Form 5329 separately on paper. It worked perfectly fine. Just make sure to: 1. Fill out your personal info (name, SSN, address) at the top 2. Only complete the sections that apply to your situation 3. Sign and date the form 4. Include a brief explanation letter if you're claiming a waiver 5. Mail it to the address listed in the Form 5329 instructions The IRS processed mine without any issues and I didn't face any penalties. Your regular refund will come through normally since they're processed separately. Don't let buggy software stress you out - the paper route is totally fine for this form!

I'm going through the same thing right now! What tax software are you using? I'm on H&R Block and was confused because when I entered my 1099-K, it automatically wanted to treat it as business income on Schedule C which seems wrong for personal items.

I went through this exact same situation last year and completely understand your stress! The key thing to remember is that the 1099-K is just a reporting document - it doesn't automatically mean you owe taxes on the full amount. For personal items sold at a loss (which sounds like your situation), you'll want to report these on Form 8949 and Schedule D, not as business income. The IRS Publication 544 specifically covers sales of personal property and explains that you can use reasonable estimates for cost basis when you don't have original receipts. Here's what worked for me: I created categories for my items (electronics, clothing, books, household items, etc.) and researched what similar items would have cost when I originally bought them. I documented my methodology and kept screenshots of comparable retail prices as backup. For example, if I sold a kitchen appliance from 2015, I looked up what that model cost new in 2015 and used that as my cost basis. The most important thing is to be honest and consistent in your approach. Since you sold personal belongings rather than running a business, you're not trying to claim business deductions - you're just documenting that these sales resulted in losses, not gains. Keep good records of your estimation process and you should be fine!

My university provides free access to Glacier Tax Prep for international students, so check if yours does too before paying for anything! The international student office usually has this info.

Just wanted to add my experience as someone who went through this exact situation last year! I was also an F1 student with CPT income and was completely overwhelmed by the whole tax process. I ended up using Sprintax and it was definitely worth it for peace of mind. The key documents you'll need are your W-2 from your CPT employer, any 1042-S forms if you had scholarships, your I-20, and your passport/visa pages. One thing I wish someone had told me earlier - make sure to check if your employer incorrectly withheld FICA taxes (Social Security/Medicare) from your CPT income. As an F1 student, you're exempt from these for your first 5 years, but many employers mess this up. If they did withhold them incorrectly, you can get that money back when you file. Also, don't forget about Form 8843 - it's required for ALL F1 students regardless of whether you had income or not. Sprintax will remind you about this, but it's something a lot of people miss. The whole process took me about 2 hours with Sprintax, and having everything explained in simple terms made it way less stressful than I expected. Good luck with your filing!

Has anyone else noticed that OPM is TERRIBLE about explaining the "UNKNOWN" issue to survivors? When my dad passed and my mom started getting the survivor benefits, we called OPM like 5 times and got 5 different answers about how to handle the taxes. One rep told us it was all taxable, another said none was taxable, and one even said "just ask your tax preparer" which wasn't helpful at all! We ended up overpaying taxes for 2 years before a CPA finally explained the Simplified Method to us.

I'm dealing with this exact same situation right now! My father passed away in early 2024, and my mother started receiving OMP survivor benefits in June. We just received her first full-year 1099-R and sure enough - "UNKNOWN" in boxes 2a and 9b. Reading through all these responses has been incredibly helpful. I had no idea about the Simplified Method worksheet, and our tax preparer seemed just as confused as we were. They actually suggested we might need to report the entire amount as taxable, which based on what everyone is saying here would have been a huge mistake. Does anyone know if there are any special considerations for mid-year benefit starts? My mom only received survivor benefits for about 6 months in 2024, so I'm wondering if that affects the Simplified Method calculation at all, or if we just pro-rate based on the actual months she received payments? Also, has anyone successfully amended returns for this issue? We're probably looking at needing to file an amended return too since we may have reported this incorrectly initially.

PSA for everyone: This is exactly why I always pay electronically through the IRS Direct Pay system or EFTPS. No waiting for checks to clear, no wondering if your payment got lost, and you get immediate confirmation. Plus it's free. I learned my lesson years ago after a similar situation.

I'm in almost the exact same boat! Sent my $2,100 check 6 weeks ago and it still hasn't cleared. Reading through these responses is actually making me feel a lot better - sounds like this is pretty normal right now with all the processing delays. I think I'm going to wait another week or two before taking any action, but it's good to know there are options like calling (with help from services like Claimyr if needed) or using those tracking tools people mentioned. For next year I'm definitely switching to electronic payments though - this stress isn't worth it! Thanks everyone for sharing your experiences. It's reassuring to know I'm not the only one dealing with this.