Don't forget about FBAR requirements if your au pair has foreign bank accounts that exceed $10,000 total at any point during the year! It's separate from the tax return but has serious penalties if missed.

Just wanted to add another perspective here - I've helped several au pairs with their taxes over the years, and one thing that often gets overlooked is making sure all the I-94 entry/exit dates are documented correctly on the 1040NR. Since your au pair is leaving next month, make sure she has a clear record of her entry date and will have documentation of her exit date. The IRS sometimes requests this information during processing, and it's much easier to have it ready than trying to get it later from CBP records. Also, don't forget that she may be eligible for a refund! Many au pairs have taxes withheld from their stipends throughout the year, and with the tax treaty benefits (especially the German treaty provisions mentioned earlier), she might actually get money back rather than owing anything. In my experience, most au pairs end up with refunds rather than additional tax owed. One last tip - if she's planning to return to the US in the future (maybe as a student or on another visa), keeping good records of this tax filing will be helpful down the road.

This is why I always fill out a new W4 claiming ZERO exemptions even though I could claim more. I'd rather get a refund than owe money. Last year I got back almost $3k!

I'm sorry this happened to you! I work in payroll and see this issue more often than you'd think. While it's frustrating, the responsibility for monitoring withholdings does fall on the employee. However, I understand how easy it is to trust that your employer got it right. For future reference, on a $12,700 annual salary, you should expect to see roughly $25-30 per pay period withheld for federal taxes (assuming bi-weekly pay). The fact that you only had $96 total for the year means something was definitely wrong with how your W4 was processed. My advice: Submit a new W4 to HR immediately with clear, legible information. Also ask them to verify what they have on file - sometimes handwriting gets misread or data entry errors happen. Going forward, always check your first 2-3 paystubs after any W4 change to catch issues early. You might also want to make quarterly estimated payments for this year to avoid another surprise tax bill. The IRS has worksheets to help calculate what you should pay.

Think of an amended return like correcting a recipe after you've already started cooking. You don't throw everything out - you just adjust what's needed to fix the dish. I filed an amended return in March 2023 to add a missing 1099. Used TaxAct to e-file it, and the process was pretty straightforward. The software pulled in all my original info, I added the missing form, and it recalculated everything automatically. Got my additional refund direct deposited 14 weeks later.

Don't panic - this is actually a pretty common mistake! Since the missing W2 would increase your refund by $400, you're definitely doing the right thing by filing an amended return. The IRS has gotten much better at processing these electronically. A few tips from my experience: • Wait until your original return shows "processed" on the Where's My Refund tool before filing the amendment • Keep copies of everything, including the missing W2 • The 1040-X form will walk you through showing original vs. corrected amounts • Since you're owed more money, there's no penalty for filing the amendment The 3-week processing delay on your original return is unfortunately normal right now. Once that clears, the amendment should be straightforward. You've got this!

Tbh most of my clients just send me the blank W9 form when they ask for it. Makes it easier for everyone. Not everyone knows where to find the form or which version to use. If u want it done fast just attach the PDF in your email.

From an administrative perspective, you're not required to provide the blank W9 form, but it's often the most practical approach. I work in government contracting and we always include the current W9 form with our initial request - it eliminates confusion about which version to use and removes any barriers for the contractor. The key thing to remember is that you need this information for your 1099-NEC filing, and the contractor is legally obligated to provide it when you've paid them $600 or more. I'd recommend sending one polite email with the blank form attached and a clear deadline: "Please complete and return the attached W9 form by [date] so I can properly report your payment for tax year 2024." If they still refuse after that, document the refusal and proceed with backup withholding as others have mentioned. Most contractors will comply once they understand it's a legal requirement, not just a favor you're asking.

Pro tip: check your transcript instead of WMR. More detailed info anyway and usually updates b4 WMR does

Down for maintenance probably. Classic IRS moment 🙄