I went through this exact same situation last year! As an F1 student who had been in the US for 3 years, I was also confused about which form to use. After doing a lot of research and speaking with my university's international student services, I learned that the key is understanding your tax residency status. Since you've been filing Form 1040NR (nonresident tax returns) for the past four years, that confirms you're still considered a nonresident alien for tax purposes. This means you should be using Form W8BEN, not W9. The good news is that this is a very common mistake and employers are usually understanding about corrections. Here's what I did to fix it: I drafted a brief email to each employer explaining that as an F1 visa holder, I needed to correct my tax forms and attached a completed W8BEN form. Most employers responded within a few days and updated their records without any issues. Also, definitely check if your home country has a tax treaty with the US! I'm from Germany and was able to claim treaty benefits that significantly reduced my tax withholding. You can find the treaty information on the IRS website or ask your international student office - they usually have resources about this. Don't stress too much about this - you caught the error and you're fixing it proactively, which is exactly what you should do!

Sofia, I completely understand your stress about this situation! I'm also an F1 visa holder and went through the exact same confusion last year. The fact that you've been filing Form 1040NR for the past four years is actually the key piece of information here - it confirms that you've been correctly classified as a nonresident alien for tax purposes, which means you should indeed be using Form W8BEN instead of W9. Don't panic about having sent W9 forms to multiple employers - this is honestly one of the most common mistakes international students make, and employers who work with contractors are usually very familiar with these corrections. The important thing is that you're addressing it now, before the end of the tax year when 1099 forms get issued. Here's what I'd recommend: Draft a simple email to each employer explaining that as an F1 visa holder, you need to correct your tax documentation from W9 to W8BEN. Attach a completed W8BEN form and briefly mention that this is the correct form for your nonresident alien status. Most employers will update their records without any issues. Also, definitely look into whether your home country has a tax treaty with the US - you might be eligible for treaty benefits that could reduce your tax withholding. Your university's international student office should have resources about this, or you can check the IRS website for treaty information. You haven't messed up your visa status at all by submitting the wrong form - this is purely a tax documentation issue that's easily fixable. You're being proactive about correcting it, which is exactly what you should do!

I'm new to this community but dealing with this exact same W4 confusion right now! Just started a new job and was completely baffled when I couldn't find the allowances section. Reading through all these responses has been incredibly enlightening. I had no idea that the IRS completely redesigned the form in 2019 to make withholding more accurate rather than the old "blunt instrument" approach with allowances. The consensus here seems clear - use the IRS withholding estimator at irs.gov with your pay stub and previous tax return handy. It's reassuring to see so many people share their positive experiences with it, especially the specific examples like filling out Steps 1 & 5 plus adding $30-40 in Step 4(c) for extra withholding. What really helped me understand this change is the explanation that claiming "0" allowances used to result in massive over-withholding, essentially giving the government an interest-free loan. The new system aims to get your withholding closer to what you actually owe, which makes total sense from a taxpayer perspective. Thanks to everyone who shared their real experiences and numbers - this community is amazing for helping newcomers navigate these confusing government form changes! I'm definitely using the estimator this weekend.

I'm a newcomer here but going through this exact same situation right now! Just started a new position and was completely stumped when I couldn't find the familiar allowances on the W4 form. This thread has been absolutely invaluable - I had no idea the IRS completely eliminated the allowances system in 2019. Reading everyone's real experiences and specific examples has made this so much clearer. The explanation that the old system was basically over-withholding by default (giving the government interest-free loans) really helps me understand why they made this change. Based on all the advice here, I'm planning to: 1. Use the IRS withholding estimator this weekend with my pay stub ready 2. For my situation (single, one job), likely fill out just Steps 1 & 5 3. Possibly add some extra withholding in Step 4(c) if I want to maintain that "safe" over-withholding approach I'm used to It's so reassuring to see the consensus around the IRS estimator being reliable and only taking 15 minutes. Thanks to everyone who shared their specific numbers and experiences - it's made what seemed like an overwhelming task feel totally manageable! This community is amazing for helping people navigate these government form changes.

One thing nobody mentioned yet - if you work from home, you might be eligible for the home office deduction. There are strict requirements though - the space must be used "regularly and exclusively" for business, and it's only available if you're self-employed or a gig worker, not for remote employees of a company. But if you qualify, you can deduct a portion of your mortgage interest, property taxes, utilities, repairs, etc. proportional to your office space. Or use the simplified method which gives you $5 per square foot (up to 300 sq ft).

Be careful with mortgage insurance (PMI) deductions. This deduction has been on-again-off-again for years and Congress sometimes renews it retroactively. Also, it phases out if your AGI is over $100,000 and disappears completely at $109,000. And your loan has to be for your primary residence. I learned this the hard way last year when I assumed I could deduct PMI on my house but then found out I made too much to qualify!

I'm so sorry for your loss. Having helped clients through similar transitions, I can share that while there's no strict legal requirement to disclose the reason for practice closure, transparency often prevents complications later. Regarding deadlines - you'll want to notify clients as soon as reasonably possible, especially with tax season approaching. Most state boards expect notification within 30-60 days, but check your state's specific requirements. The IRS doesn't have a specific deadline for CAF updates, but sooner is better for pending client matters. For accessing client data, look for a "client list" or "contact report" function in whatever software he used. Most tax programs (Drake, Lacerte, ProSeries) have export functions under their reports menu. If you're completely locked out, contact the software company's support - they have protocols for these situations and can often help you export essential contact information. One thing to prioritize: secure any pending client work or deadlines. Check his calendar and any pending returns that might need immediate attention before the full transition happens. This will help protect both the clients and avoid any potential liability issues. Consider having the new CPA draft the client notification letter - they'll know the professional language to use and can handle questions about the transition directly.

I'm so sorry for your loss. This must be incredibly difficult for your family to navigate while grieving. From my experience working with practice transitions, I'd strongly recommend being honest with clients about your brother's passing. While your sister-in-law's feelings are completely understandable, clients will likely find out anyway through obituaries or community connections, and discovering they weren't told directly could damage trust and complicate the transition. A simple, respectful approach works best: "We regret to inform you that [Brother's name] passed away unexpectedly. To ensure continuity of service, his practice is being transferred to [New CPA/Firm name], who will maintain the same professional standards you've come to expect." For practical next steps: Look for his practice management software (likely CCH, Thomson Reuters, or similar) - most have client export functions under "Reports" or "Client Lists." If you can't access it, call the software company directly - they have emergency protocols for situations like this. Beyond the state licensing board, also notify: the IRS (CAF system), his E&O insurance carrier, professional memberships (AICPA, state CPA society), and any banks where he had business relationships. The local CPA society may also have transition resources to help guide you through this process. Take care of yourselves during this difficult time.

I'm completely new to this community but just went through this exact situation! My direct deposit was rejected by US Bank last week due to their daily limit (my refund was $9,200 and their limit was $5,000). Code 841 appeared on my transcript 3 days ago and I was really panicking until I found this thread. Reading everyone's experiences here has been so incredibly helpful and reassuring! The consistency in timelines (10-15 days seems to be the standard) gives me confidence that the automatic paper check process really does work reliably. @Brooklyn Foley - I know you posted this over a week ago, so I'm hoping your check has already arrived by now! Your situation is exactly what I'm going through, and this discussion you started has helped so many of us understand the process. Based on all the detailed experiences shared here, here's what I'm expecting: • Paper check will arrive within the next 1-2 weeks • It'll come from "U.S. TREASURY" with "BUREAU OF THE FISCAL SERVICE" return address • White envelope marked as important tax documents • My WMR status probably won't update to reflect the paper check This community is amazing - getting real experiences from people who've actually been through this process is so much more valuable than the confusing generic information on the IRS website. Thanks to everyone who took the time to share their timelines and details! It really helps reduce the stress and anxiety while waiting.

I'm new to this community and just went through this exact same situation! My direct deposit was rejected by my bank (KeyBank) about 10 days ago due to their daily deposit limit, and I saw code 841 appear on my transcript shortly after. I was really stressed about it at first, but reading through everyone's experiences here has been incredibly reassuring! My paper check just arrived yesterday - exactly 10 business days after code 841 appeared on my transcript. The process was completely automatic, just like everyone has described. The check came from "U.S. TREASURY" in a white envelope with "BUREAU OF THE FISCAL SERVICE" as the return address, clearly marked as important tax documents. @Brooklyn Foley - I hope your check arrived by now since you posted this over a week ago! Based on all the consistent timelines people have shared here (10-15 days seems to be the standard), you should have received it already. The waiting is definitely nerve-wracking when you need your money, but the system really does work automatically. What really helped me during the wait was reading all these real experiences from people who've actually been through this process. The IRS website doesn't explain it clearly, but this community has provided so much valuable insight. Thanks to everyone who shared their timelines - it makes such a stressful situation much more manageable when you know what to expect! The key takeaways I learned: it's completely automatic, no action needed on your part, and the Treasury Department handles it efficiently within that 10-15 day window. Hope this helps others going through the same situation!