This is such a helpful thread! I'm dealing with a similar situation but with a twist - my spouse came here on a K-1 fiancé visa in late 2023, we got married in December, and now he's adjusting status to permanent resident. From reading all these responses, it sounds like the substantial presence test would still apply to determine his tax residency status, even though he entered on a different type of visa. He's been here about 4 months total in 2023, so probably doesn't meet the 183-day threshold for this year. But I'm curious about that "first year choice" election that @Zara Perez mentioned - would that apply to K-1 visa holders who get married and adjust status? It seems like it could be really beneficial for couples in our situation where someone arrives late in the year but will clearly be a resident going forward. Has anyone else navigated the W-4 question with a K-1 to adjustment of status timeline? I want to make sure I'm filling out my work forms correctly!

I went through this exact situation last year with my husband who was adjusting status from a tourist visa overstay (don't judge - we got married and filed everything properly!). The substantial presence test calculations can be really confusing, especially when you're trying to figure out partial years. One thing that helped me was keeping a detailed calendar of exactly which days my husband was physically present in the US. The IRS counts ANY part of a day as a full day for the substantial presence test, so even if someone arrives late at night or leaves early in the morning, those count as full days. For your situation with your husband arriving permanently in July 2023, make sure you're counting ALL days from July through December 31st, plus the brief January visit. That should put you well over the threshold when combined with the weighted days from 2022. Also, just a heads up - when you eventually file your 2023 tax return, you might want to consider making the "dual-status" election if it would be more beneficial. This lets you treat part of 2023 as non-resident (January through July) and part as resident (July onwards). Sometimes this can be better than treating the entire year as resident, depending on your income situations. The good news is that once someone meets the substantial presence test, the W-4 question becomes much clearer for future years!

Based on what I've seen in this community: • Disappearing tax topic = processing movement (usually good) • Can't access transcripts = separate issue (verification problem) • 3 weeks processing = still within normal timeframe • Student filers often see faster processing in May • Most refunds with standard deductions/credits arrive within 21-30 days Don't panic yet! But if it goes beyond 30 days with no updates, then consider taking more action.

I went through the exact same thing about 6 weeks ago! Tax topic disappeared, couldn't access transcripts online, and I was convinced something was wrong. Turns out it was just the normal processing flow. My refund showed up exactly 23 days after filing. The transcript access issue is super common - I had moved apartments and apparently my phone number wasn't updated in their system properly. Once I called the automated transcript line (1-800-908-9946) instead of trying online, I could actually get through and see my account transcript which showed everything was processing normally. For what it's worth, disappearing tax topics during weeks 3-4 after filing is actually pretty typical, especially if you have any credits or deductions that need additional verification. Since you need this for summer tuition, I'd suggest checking your bank account daily too - sometimes the deposit appears before WMR updates with the official date!

Quick note to add to all this great advice - make sure you're clear on your "last day of UK tax residency" and "first day of US tax residency" because those don't necessarily align with your physical move dates! This created a huge headache for me when I moved from UK to US. If you have ongoing UK income (like rental property or investments), you might end up in a situation where both countries claim you as a resident for tax purposes.

This thread has been incredibly helpful! As someone who's been in a similar limbo situation with an L1 visa, I wanted to add one more consideration that hasn't been mentioned yet. Even though you don't have filing requirements now, it's worth starting to document everything related to your US travel and visa status. Keep records of: - Entry/exit dates from the US (I-94 records) - Purpose of each trip (business meetings, etc.) - Your UK tax returns showing UK-sourced income - Employment contracts/payroll records proving UK employment This documentation becomes invaluable later when you do make the transition to US tax residency. The IRS may ask about your prior tax status, especially for the first few years after you become a US resident. Having clear records that demonstrate you were correctly classified as a non-resident alien during your business travel period will save you potential headaches down the road. Also, once you do relocate, consider whether you'll need to report any UK bank accounts or investments on FBAR (Form 114) or Form 8938. The reporting thresholds are different for US residents vs non-residents, so accounts that didn't require reporting before might need to be disclosed after you move.

One thing I learned from my reconsideration (approved last month!) is to include a table of contents and tab/label all supporting documents. My CPA made a cover page for each disputed item with a summary of why the original determination was incorrect and what documents were attached to support our position. Made it super easy for the reviewer to follow.

This thread has been incredibly helpful! I'm a tax professional who's handled about a dozen audit reconsiderations over the past few years, and I want to add one crucial point that I haven't seen mentioned yet. Always include a specific timeline in your reconsideration letter showing when events occurred and when documentation was created. The IRS needs to understand why certain information wasn't available during the original audit. For example, if bank statements were requested but the taxpayer's bank had a processing delay, or if medical records weren't released until after the audit closed - spell this out clearly. I also recommend including a brief "procedural history" section that summarizes what happened during the original audit, what was requested, what was provided, and what the final determination was. This helps the reconsideration reviewer understand the full context without having to dig through the original audit file extensively. One more tip: if you're dealing with multiple tax years, submit separate reconsideration requests for each year even if the issues are similar. The IRS processes these by tax year, and combining them can actually slow things down.

Thank you all for the helpful advice! I went with the simple approach that @Raul Neal suggested - just filled out Step 1 with my basic info and signed it. My HR person confirmed that's all I needed for my situation (single, one job, no dependents). I was overthinking it way too much! The new W4 seemed so complicated compared to the old one, but for basic situations it's actually pretty straightforward. I appreciate everyone taking the time to explain the differences and share their experiences. Hopefully this thread helps other people who are as confused as I was!

I'm also dealing with this exact same situation! Just started a new job and stared at that W4 for like 20 minutes before giving up. It's so different from what I remember filling out years ago. Reading through all these responses is super helpful - I had no idea they completely redesigned the form in 2020, which explains why I was so lost. I think I'll go with the simple approach too since I'm also single with just one job. But I'm curious - should I expect my withholding to be pretty similar to what it was at my old job? I was always happy with getting a small refund, so I don't want to accidentally end up owing money next April.