Be careful about timing here. I tried this route last year and was denied because I waited too long. I filed in February, discovered the offset in March, but didn't contact my loan servicer until May thinking I could take my time gathering documentation. Turns out most servicers have a 90-day window from the offset date, and I missed it by about 2 weeks. Now I'm on an IBR plan but that money is gone for good. The worst part? If I had set up the IBR a month earlier, the offset might never have happened in the first place.

This is such valuable information! I wish I had known about these options when my refund got hit with an offset two years ago. For anyone reading this thread, I want to emphasize what several people mentioned about timing - don't wait like I did. I assumed the money was just gone and didn't even try to fight it. Now I'm kicking myself seeing that there were actually options available. The 60-90 day window seems to be pretty standard across servicers, so if this happens to you, act immediately. Also, document EVERYTHING - take screenshots of your bank balance, save any overdue notices, and keep records of all your calls. Having worked in customer service myself, I know that detailed documentation makes a huge difference in how seriously your case gets treated.

I'm with Republic too and totally feeling this anxiety! 😅 My DD date was 3/14 and I've been obsessively checking since 6am. What's interesting is that I called Republic's customer service yesterday and they mentioned they've been experiencing higher than usual volume of tax refund deposits this year, which might explain some delays. The rep told me to check again after 2pm CST today since that's when their second batch typically processes. I'm trying to stay patient but man, when you're expecting a decent refund it's hard not to refresh every few minutes! Has anyone else noticed if Republic sends any kind of notification when the deposit actually hits, or do you just have to keep checking your balance?

I'm with Republic too and completely understand the anxiety! My DD date was 3/13 and I'm still waiting. After reading through all these comments, I decided to set up those text alerts someone mentioned - wish I'd known about that feature sooner! It's frustrating that we have to wait extra days after the IRS already sent our money, but at least knowing about the 11am-1pm and 4-5pm processing windows helps me stop checking every 10 minutes. Has anyone noticed if Republic posts deposits on weekends during tax season, or should I just plan to wait until Monday if nothing hits today?

Just wanted to add that your tax residency status is super important here. As an F1 student in your 5th year, you mentioned being an "exempt individual" - but this only applies to the substantial presence test for determining if you're a resident or non-resident for tax purposes. If you've been in the US for 5 years already, double-check if you're still non-resident for tax purposes. F1 students typically can claim the exemption for 5 calendar years, so this might actually be your last year filing as a non-resident. If you are indeed still a non-resident, then yes, the 183-day rule applies to your capital gains, and they should be reported on Schedule NEC as others have mentioned.

I went through this exact same issue last year! After hours of frustration with Sprintax not properly handling my capital gains, I found that the key is understanding that as a non-resident who exceeded the 183-day presence test, your capital gains are subject to the 30% flat tax rate under IRC Section 871(a)(1)(A). The problem with most tax software is that they don't automatically recognize this situation. Here's what worked for me: 1. Don't use the 1099-B import feature in Sprintax 2. Go to "Other Income" and select "Income Not Effectively Connected with U.S. Trade or Business" 3. Enter your net short-term capital gains as a single amount 4. Make sure you answer "Yes" to having FDAP (Fixed, Determinable, Annual, or Periodical) income This should generate Schedule NEC and apply the correct 30% withholding rate. Also, since you mentioned you're in your 5th year, double-check your exempt individual status - you might be transitioning to resident alien status soon, which would completely change how your future investment income is taxed. If you're still having issues, consider getting a second opinion from a tax professional who specializes in non-resident returns. The cost is usually worth it to avoid potential problems with the IRS later.

I feel your pain! I've been battling the IRS phone system for years and it's gotten progressively worse. What finally worked for me was a combination approach: First, I tried calling exactly at 7:00 AM Eastern when they open - set multiple alarms because that first few minutes window is crucial. Second, I learned that if you get the "we're experiencing high call volume" message, don't hang up immediately. Sometimes if you wait through the entire message, it will actually put you in a queue instead of disconnecting you. Third, I started keeping a detailed log of every call attempt with timestamps - this helped me identify patterns in when I was more likely to get through. For property tax deduction questions specifically, you might also want to check if your local IRS Taxpayer Assistance Center offers walk-in appointments. I know it's not ideal, but sometimes face-to-face is the only way to get complex issues resolved. Hang in there - the system is broken but persistence usually pays off eventually!

I've had success using a different approach - calling the IRS Practitioner Priority Service line at 866-860-4259 even though I'm not a tax professional. When they ask for your PTIN, just explain you're a taxpayer with a complex question that the regular lines can't handle. About 60% of the time, they'll transfer you to the appropriate department instead of hanging up. Also, try calling on Wednesdays around 2:30 PM - I've noticed that's when they seem to have more available agents, probably because it's mid-week and most people call on Mondays or Fridays. For property tax deduction questions specifically, make sure you have your Form 1098 handy and know your exact question before calling. The agents can help much faster when you're prepared with specific details rather than general confusion.

Does anyone know if the "Mixed straddle election" is permanent? Like if I check that box this year, am I stuck with that choice forever? I'm doing some SPX options along with SPY options and trying to figure out if this counts as a mixed straddle situation.

I've been dealing with Form 6781 for my SPX trading for a few years now, and I totally understand your frustration with the desktop version. Here's what I've learned: For those checkboxes, you're overthinking it - if you're just doing standard SPX and VIX options trading without any complex strategies, you probably don't need to check ANY of the boxes. The normal 60/40 tax treatment (60% long-term, 40% short-term) happens automatically for section 1256 contracts without any elections. Only check "Net section 1256 contracts loss election" if you have losses this year AND you want to carry them back to offset gains from the previous 3 years. This requires amending prior returns, so it's only worth it if you had significant gains in those years. For question 8, I just put "Interactive Brokers Options Account" or whatever your actual brokerage is called. Keep it simple. Pro tip: Make sure you're capturing all your section 1256 positions at year-end market value, even the ones you're still holding. The mark-to-market rules mean you report unrealized gains/losses too, which a lot of first-timers miss.