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Hey guys, wanted to share what worked for me as a 6th-year student from Canada. My statement for Form 8843 was actually pretty simple and got accepted without issues. I basically wrote 2 paragraphs: Paragraph 1: Stated my permanent address in Canada, mentioned my family there, noted that I maintain my Canadian health insurance, bank accounts, driver's license, and voter registration. Paragraph 2: Explicitly stated my plans to return to Canada immediately after finishing my program (with specific date), mentioned the job sector I plan to work in back home, and stated clearly "I do not intend to permanently reside in the United States." I signed and dated it, attached it to Form 8843, and had zero issues. No need to overthink it!
As someone who just went through this process successfully, I want to emphasize that the key is being specific and genuine in your statement. Don't overthink it, but make sure you cover the essential elements the IRS is looking for. Here's what I included in my statement that got accepted without any issues: 1. **Clear statement of intent**: "I do not intend to permanently reside in the United States and plan to return to [country] upon completion of my studies in [specific month/year]." 2. **Permanent residence details**: Address where you maintain your permanent home, who lives there (family members), and how long you've maintained that residence. 3. **Financial ties**: Bank accounts, investments, property, or other financial commitments in your home country. 4. **Personal/family ties**: Immediate family members, dependents, or close relatives who rely on you or whom you support financially. 5. **Professional plans**: Specific career plans, job applications, or professional licensing you're pursuing in your home country. 6. **Cultural/civic ties**: Things like voter registration, professional memberships, religious affiliations, or community involvement that demonstrate ongoing connection to your home country. The statement doesn't need to be lengthy - mine was about 1.5 pages, typed, signed, and dated. Keep it professional but personal. The IRS wants to see that your presence in the US is genuinely temporary and that you have compelling reasons to return home. Remember, this exception exists specifically for students like us, so don't be afraid to use it if you legitimately qualify!
My wife and I had the exact same situation! We solved it by putting up a room divider/bookshelf that physically separated the office area from the Murphy bed area. We made sure to take pictures of the setup and measured exactly what percentage of the room was exclusively used for business. We've been claiming the home office deduction for 3 years this way with no problems. Just make sure the divider is substantial and fixed in place - not something you move around regularly. And only claim the square footage of the office portion.
Did you have to file any special forms or documentation to show the room was divided? Or did you just claim the partial square footage on your tax forms?
One thing to keep in mind is that the IRS has been pretty strict about the "exclusive use" requirement in recent audits. I work as a tax preparer, and I've seen clients get into trouble when they tried to claim spaces that had any dual use, even occasional. If you do decide to go with the physical division approach that others have mentioned, make sure you document everything thoroughly - photos of the divider from multiple angles, measurements of each section, receipts for the divider itself, and maybe even a simple floor plan sketch. The key is showing that there's a clear, permanent separation between your office space and the area with the Murphy bed. Also consider whether the numbers actually work in your favor. If you're only going to be able to claim 60-70% of the room after installing the bed and divider, calculate whether that partial deduction is still worth the hassle compared to just using the simplified method for a smaller but guaranteed deduction.
This is really helpful advice from a professional perspective! I'm curious though - when you say "recent audits" have been strict, are we talking about audits specifically targeting home office deductions, or just general audits where this came up? I'm trying to gauge how much risk there actually is versus just being overly cautious. Also, do you have a rough sense of what percentage of home office deductions get flagged for review? I know it's probably hard to give exact numbers, but I'm wondering if this is something that commonly gets scrutinized or if it's more of a "better safe than sorry" situation.
Just wanted to share that when I went thru this last year the IRS actually processed both of my 8822-B forms at the same time and it caused a huge mess!!! They kept alternating which address they sent notices to and I missed a CP2000 notice which led to penalties. Definitely set up USPS mail forwarding from both addresses like someone suggested above.
This happened to me too! It was a nightmare. I ended up having to request penalty abatement because I missed a notice. Make sure you check both addresses regularly or have someone checking your mail if possible.
I'm dealing with a very similar situation right now! I submitted my Form 8822-B about 5 weeks ago and immediately regretted it. Based on all the advice here, I just submitted a second 8822-B yesterday with my original address listed as the "new" address. A few things I learned from my research that might help others: 1. You can check the status of your address change by calling the IRS at 800-829-4933, though be prepared for long hold times 2. The IRS processes these forms chronologically, so your second submission should override the first 3. DEFINITELY set up mail forwarding with USPS between both addresses - this saved me from missing a quarterly payment voucher One tip I haven't seen mentioned yet: if you have an IRS online account, you can verify which address they have on file by logging in and checking your profile information. It's updated more frequently than their phone system records. Thanks to everyone who shared their experiences - it really helped me feel more confident about handling this situation!
This is such valuable information, thank you for sharing! I had no idea you could check your address status through the IRS online account - that's going to be really helpful for tracking when the change actually takes effect. I'm curious about the timing - you said you submitted 5 weeks ago and just sent the correction yesterday. Did you notice any mail starting to go to the wrong address during those 5 weeks, or did the original form not get processed yet? I'm trying to gauge how much time I might have before my original submission kicks in. Also, when you called to check the status, were they able to tell you definitively whether your first form had been processed or was still pending?
Has anyone dealt with this but for a larger amount? My business property had significant damage from a delivery truck ($15,000+) and they're also demanding a W9. I'm concerned that much money reported as "income" could seriously impact my taxes.
The principle is exactly the same regardless of amount - property damage reimbursement isn't income! But with that much money, it's definitely worth pushing back hard. You might want to have your accountant write a letter explaining why this isn't reportable income. If they insist, consider consulting with a tax professional before signing anything.
Great outcome on getting them to drop the W9 requirement! This is actually a textbook example of why it's important to understand your rights when dealing with insurance and liability claims. For anyone else facing this situation, here are a few key points to remember: 1. Property damage reimbursements that simply restore you to your previous financial position are NOT taxable income 2. Companies often have blanket W9 policies for payments over $600 without considering the nature of the payment 3. You have every right to push back and explain why a W9 isn't appropriate If you're ever in doubt, ask yourself: "Am I better off financially than before the incident?" If the answer is no (which it should be for legitimate damage claims), then it's likely not taxable income. The key is being polite but firm, and having your documentation ready to show this is genuine damage reimbursement, not some kind of payment for services or income-generating activity.
Andre Dubois
Something to also consider - check if your 1099-R has a distribution code in Box 7. If it shows code "G" that indicates a direct rollover to a qualified plan, which helps the IRS systems understand it was non-taxable. If it has a different code, you definitely need to amend and provide documentation explaining the rollover.
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Sean Murphy
โขJust checked and yes it does have code G in Box 7! Does that mean the IRS might not flag it at all? Or do I still need to file an amendment anyway to be safe?
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Andre Dubois
โขEven with code G, you should still file an amendment. While the code does indicate to the IRS that it was a direct rollover, their matching systems will still flag that you received a 1099-R that wasn't reported on your return. Filing the amendment now is mostly about keeping your records complete and accurate. It also prevents you from receiving a notice from the IRS later. The IRS computers are primarily checking that all forms issued with your SSN appear somewhere on your tax return - they don't automatically understand that you just forgot to include it rather than intentionally omitting it.
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Ava Rodriguez
I went through something very similar with a 401k-to-IRA rollover I missed on my return. One thing that helped me was creating a timeline of events to include with my amendment - dates of the original 401k distribution, when the funds were received by the new IRA custodian, and confirmation that no funds were ever distributed to me personally. Also, if you haven't already, contact both your old employer's plan administrator and your new IRA custodian to get written confirmation that this was a direct trustee-to-trustee transfer. Some custodians will provide a letter specifically for tax purposes that clearly states the rollover was completed according to IRS regulations. Having that documentation attached to your amendment makes it crystal clear to the IRS that this was a non-taxable event. The peace of mind from getting this handled properly is worth the small effort of filing the amendment now rather than potentially dealing with IRS notices later.
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