Be careful about state taxes too! Even though you're working abroad, some states might still consider you a resident for tax purposes if you maintain ties there (driver's license, voter registration, bank accounts, etc). If you haven't formally changed your domicile, you might need to report those dividends on a state return too.

Great question! I dealt with something very similar last year with my Schwab account. Even without a 1099-DIV, you absolutely need to report those dividends. In TurboTax, when you get to the investment income section, look for "I'll enter investment income that doesn't appear on any tax forms" or similar wording. You'll enter your $7.85 as dividend income - make sure to check your Fidelity account statements to see if any portion was classified as "qualified dividends" vs "ordinary dividends" since they're taxed differently. Since you're already dealing with international tax complexities with Form 2555, you might want to consider upgrading to TurboTax Premier or consulting with a tax professional who handles expat situations. The Foreign Earned Income Exclusion doesn't apply to investment income, so those dividends will be subject to regular US tax rates regardless of where you're living. One more tip: keep detailed records of your account statements showing the dividend amounts and dates, especially since you don't have an official 1099. The IRS may ask for documentation if they have questions later.

This is exactly what happened to me last year! My $2,100 tax debt vanished from my account on a Thursday, and I was panicking thinking there was some kind of error. But then exactly 10 days later, my remaining refund of $890 hit my bank account. The whole process felt like watching a magician - first the debt disappears, then there's this suspenseful waiting period, and finally the refund appears! One thing I learned is that during those waiting days, it's totally normal for the Where's My Refund tool to still show "processing" even though the offset has already been applied behind the scenes. The system updates different parts at different times. I'd recommend checking your account every few days but try not to obsess over it (easier said than done, I know!). Also, keep an eye on your mail for any offset notices - they usually send confirmation that they applied your refund to your previous balance. Good luck, and congratulations on getting that debt cleared!

I went through this exact scenario just two months ago! My $1,650 debt from 2021 disappeared from my account on a Tuesday morning, and like you, I felt like I was solving a puzzle with missing pieces. The "pay in full" button vanishing was actually the moment I knew the offset had been processed - it's like the system saying "we've got this handled now." What really helped me during the waiting period was understanding that the IRS processes these in specific cycles. Mine took exactly 12 days from debt disappearance to refund deposit. During that time, I got a paper notice in the mail (around day 7) confirming the offset amount and showing my remaining refund balance. One tip that saved my sanity: I set up text alerts with my bank so I'd know immediately when the refund hit, rather than checking my account multiple times per day. The whole experience taught me that the American tax system, while complex, does have these predictable patterns once you learn to recognize them. You're definitely on the right track - that disappearing debt is essentially the IRS giving you a green light that your case is moving forward!

For form 8843 question 12, make sure ur counting CALENDAR years not academic years!!! I messed this up before. If u were here even for like 2 weeks in December 2020 and then Jan-May 2021, that counts as 2 calendar years already even tho it's just one academic year.

This is such a helpful thread! I'm in a similar situation but with a twist - I've been here 3 years on F-1, but I also had a brief research exchange program in my home country that was sponsored by a US university. Does that count toward my US presence even though I was physically outside the US? Also, for anyone still confused about the calendar year vs academic year thing - I learned the hard way that even if you leave the US for winter break, as long as you were present for ANY part of December and then came back in January, that's still 2 separate calendar years for Form 8843 purposes. The IRS instructions are pretty clear that it's about physical presence, not continuous residence. One more tip: keep really good records of ALL your entry/exit dates. I use a simple spreadsheet with arrival and departure stamps from my passport. It's saved me so much time when filling out these forms each year.

Just want to clarify something important that nobody mentioned yet - the distribution code in Box 7 of your 1099-R matters a lot for how this gets reported! What code is shown on your form? If it's code G (Direct Rollover), the state reporting is handled differently than if it's code 7 (Normal Distribution) or 2 (Early Distribution).

I just went through this exact scenario last month with my Roth conversion. Here's what I learned after consulting with my tax preparer: The empty boxes 14 and 16 are actually correct for your situation. Since you properly separated the pre-tax growth (rolled to employer plan) from the after-tax contributions (converted to Roth), there's no state tax withholding needed on the conversion portion. However, you absolutely DO need to report this on your state return. The fact that Box 15 shows your state code means the transaction was reported to your state tax authority. Here's the process: 1. Report the full Box 2 amount as a retirement distribution 2. Use your state's equivalent of the federal Form 8606 to show this was from after-tax contributions 3. The distribution will be reported but marked as non-taxable I made the mistake of not reporting it initially because the boxes were empty, and I got a notice from my state asking about the "unreported" distribution they had on file. Had to file an amended return to fix it. Your strategy of rolling the growth portion to your employer plan first was smart - it made the conversion much cleaner from a tax perspective!

One thing to also consider is the timing of when your parents actually transfer the property. If they're doing this for estate planning purposes, they might want to consider the current economic climate and property values. Real estate values have been quite high recently, so gifting now while values are elevated could actually be beneficial from a gift tax perspective - they're using up their lifetime exemption based on today's high valuation, but if property values decline in the future, they've effectively "locked in" the gift at the higher value. Also, make sure you understand what happens with things like homeowners insurance during the transfer process. Some policies need to be updated or changed when ownership transfers, even between family members. You'll want to coordinate with your insurance agent to ensure there's no gap in coverage during the deed transfer process. The combination of gift tax implications, capital gains basis issues, property tax reassessment risks, and insurance considerations makes this a complex transaction that really benefits from professional guidance. Good call on setting up those CPA meetings!

Just wanted to add another important consideration that I learned the hard way - make sure to get a professional appraisal of the property at the time of transfer. The IRS requires fair market value to be established for gift tax purposes, and if they ever audit the transaction, having a certified appraisal from a licensed appraiser will protect you. Don't just rely on online estimates or recent comparable sales - those might not hold up if questioned. A proper appraisal typically costs $400-800 but could save you thousands if the IRS ever challenges the reported value and tries to assess additional gift taxes. Also, keep detailed records of any improvements or major repairs your parents made to the property while they owned it. These can sometimes be added to your cost basis even in a gift situation, which would reduce your potential capital gains exposure if you sell later. Your CPA can help determine which expenses qualify for basis adjustments. The documentation requirements for property gifts are much more extensive than most people realize, so starting that paper trail early will make the whole process smoother!