Has anyone actually compared the Lifetime Learning Credit to the American Opportunity Credit for this situation? Sometimes the LLC might be better depending on your circumstances, especially if you're beyond your 4th year of college.

I went through this exact same situation last year and it was so confusing! The key thing to understand is that TurboTax is trying to help you optimize your tax situation, not trick you into claiming something wrong. Here's what's happening: When your scholarships/grants (Box 5) exceed your qualified education expenses (Box 1), you have flexibility in how to allocate those funds. By telling TurboTax that some of your scholarship money went to room and board, you're making that portion taxable income BUT you're also freeing up more of your qualified expenses to count toward the American Opportunity Credit. The math usually works out in your favor - you might pay a little tax on the scholarship money used for room and board, but the increased AOTC more than makes up for it. Just make sure you actually did have room and board expenses equal to what you're claiming the scholarship covered. One tip: Keep good records of all your education-related expenses (tuition, fees, books, room, board) so you can confidently answer these allocation questions. The IRS allows you to choose how to allocate scholarship funds as long as you're truthful about your actual expenses.

Slightly different take - I've been a FreeTaxUSA user for years and they actually have a feature that lets you enter multiple 1099-INTs from the same institution but keeps them as separate line items on the final Schedule B. Look for the "Add Another Interest Payer" button after you enter the first one, and make sure to use the same payer name but fill in the amounts from each form separately.

Great discussion everyone! Just wanted to add that if you're using FreeTaxUSA and decide to enter them separately (which I agree is the safest approach), make sure to double-check that the software isn't automatically combining entries from the same payer. I've seen tax software sometimes consolidate entries behind the scenes, which could create the exact matching issue you're trying to avoid. Also, keep copies of all your 1099-INT forms even for small amounts. If you do get a notice later, having the original documents makes resolving any discrepancies much easier. The IRS automated matching system can sometimes flag things that look perfectly fine to a human reviewer. For $6 in interest, you're probably overthinking it, but your cautious approach will definitely save you potential headaches down the road!

This is such a complex situation that many international students face! Based on your timeline, I think Sprintax might actually be correct about your resident status for 2023, and here's why: Your F-1 visa periods in 2017-2019 would have used up some of your 5-year exempt period as a student. By 2023, when you were on a J-1 visa, you may have exhausted your exempt individual status entirely. Here's what likely happened: Your J-1 internship from July 2023 to January 2024 gave you about 184 days of US presence in 2023. Add to that the weighted calculation from your B-2 tourist visits in 2022 (each day counts as 1/3), and you could easily exceed the 183-day threshold for the Substantial Presence Test. The key insight that others haven't mentioned is that your visa history creates a "bridge" effect - your earlier F-1 time counts toward exhausting exempt years, making your later J-1 and tourist time subject to the substantial presence calculation. I'd strongly recommend getting a second opinion from a tax professional who specializes in international student taxation, because the interaction between different visa types and the timing of your exempt periods can be tricky to calculate correctly. The difference between resident and non-resident filing can be significant for your tax liability!

Your situation is definitely tricky, but I think I can help clarify a few things! As someone who went through a similar visa journey (F1 → OPT → H1B), I learned the hard way that the exempt individual rules are more nuanced than most people realize. The critical factor in your case is determining exactly when your F-1 exempt years were exhausted. Since you had F-1 status in 2017, 2018, and 2019, those would count as 3 of your 5 exempt calendar years. This means you might have had 2 exempt years remaining when you entered on your J-1 in 2023. However, here's where it gets complicated: if you were physically present in the US as a J-1 for more than 183 days in 2023 (which seems likely given your July 2023 - January 2024 timeline), you'd meet the substantial presence test regardless of any remaining exempt years, because J-1 interns typically only get a 2-year exemption period, and this might be applied differently than the F-1 exemption. One thing that might help: check your I-94 records at https://i94.cbp.dhs.gov/ to get the exact entry/exit dates. The precise day count matters a lot for these calculations. Also, don't overlook the closer connection exception that others mentioned - if you maintained stronger ties to your home country throughout 2023, you might be able to file as a non-resident even if you technically meet the substantial presence test. This could save you significant money if you have foreign income that would otherwise be taxable in the US.

Based on your detailed situation, you definitely have a strong case for the Bona Fide Residence Test. Your permanent resident visa status since 2016, long-term property lease, and continuous residence since 2012 are all excellent supporting factors. One thing I'd add to the great advice already given - when you make the switch, be prepared to explain the timing if asked. The IRS might wonder why you're changing methods now after 5 years of using Physical Presence. A simple explanation like "I now realize my situation better qualifies for Bona Fide Residence and want to use the most appropriate test" is perfectly fine. Regarding your concern about not paying local income tax - this actually works in your favor in some ways. It shows you're properly following local tax laws (many countries don't tax foreign-source income for residents), and it doesn't create any conflicting tax obligations that might complicate your US filing. I'd recommend keeping a simple log of your US visits going forward - not because there's a strict day limit with Bona Fide, but because it helps demonstrate that your foreign residence remains your primary home. The flexibility to spend more time with family in the US is exactly why Bona Fide Residence can be superior to Physical Presence for people in your situation.

Your situation looks really solid for the Bona Fide Residence Test! As someone who made a similar switch a few years ago, I'd say go for it. Your permanent resident visa and property lease are huge advantages. One quick tip - when you file Form 2555 using Bona Fide for the first time, make sure to attach a brief explanation of your living situation. I included a one-page summary with mine explaining my visa status, housing arrangement, and community ties. It probably wasn't necessary, but it gave me peace of mind and I never heard anything back from the IRS. The freedom to spend more time in the US is worth it. I went from being stressed about every trip home to being able to attend family events without constantly counting days. Just keep your foreign residence as your clear primary home and you should be fine. Also, don't overthink the local tax situation - many expats are in similar positions where they don't owe local taxes on foreign income. The IRS understands this is common with different countries' tax systems.

I went through this exact situation two months ago with an offset for old federal student loans. The frustrating part is that WMR really is the last system to get updated - I think it took 8 days in my case before it finally showed my actual remaining amount instead of the original full refund. What helped me was setting up text alerts with my bank so I'd know immediately when the remainder hit my account (which happened 2 days before WMR even updated). The offset notice from BFS came about 5 days after my refund was initially approved, and it had all the details about exactly how much was taken and who got it. My advice is to focus more on watching your bank account than refreshing WMR - the money will likely arrive before the tool catches up with reality.

Based on my experience with offsets, WMR typically takes 5-10 business days to reflect the correct remaining amount after an offset is processed. The system seems to prioritize showing your refund status over updating the specific dollar amounts when there's an offset involved. I'd recommend checking your tax transcript on the IRS website - it usually shows the offset details (codes 898 and 776) within 1-2 days of processing, which gives you the exact breakdown while you wait for WMR to catch up. Also keep in mind that your remaining refund will likely be deposited before WMR updates to show the new amount, so don't panic if the tool still shows confusing information even after you receive your money.