Hey just an FYI - I'm an accountant and this question comes up all the time. For future reunions, you might want to consider setting up a simple "unincorporated association" for your family reunions. It's super easy and doesn't require any formal filings in most states, but gives you a legitimate structure for collecting and spending money for family events.

I went through almost the exact same situation last year organizing our church's annual retreat! Collected about $12,000 through various payment methods and was absolutely panicking about tax implications. Here's what I learned after consulting with a tax professional: since you're acting as a "fiscal intermediary" and not keeping any of the money as profit, this isn't considered taxable income. The key is that you can demonstrate the money flowed directly from collection to expenses for the reunion. A few practical tips: - Pull all your payment statements from the relevant period - Create a simple reconciliation showing money in vs money out - Keep copies of receipts from the camp and other vendors - Note that the payment descriptions (like "Smith family - 4 people") actually help show this was clearly for a family event You can file your taxes normally with just your W-2s. The payment platforms report business income, not family/personal transfers like this. Just keep your documentation in case there are ever questions, but this shouldn't complicate your tax filing at all. Don't stress too much - this is way more common than you think and the IRS understands the difference between actual income and just being the person who handles logistics for family events!

I'm in almost the exact same situation! Filed in late January, had to verify identity in person at the IRS office in early March, and just got that same "delayed beyond normal timeframe" message with Tax Topic 152 this week. My transcripts are still completely blank too. Reading through all these comments is actually really helpful - sounds like we're both making progress even though it doesn't feel like it. The fact that multiple people are saying 1-3 weeks for transcript updates after this message gives me hope. I've been checking daily but I think I need to follow the advice here and just check weekly on Fridays. Thanks for posting this - it's reassuring to know I'm not the only one dealing with this frustrating situation. Hopefully we both see movement soon! 🤞

I'm going through the exact same thing! Filed in early February, had to verify identity in person at the IRS office last month, and just got that same "delayed beyond normal timeframe" message with Tax Topic 152 yesterday. My transcripts are still completely blank too which has been driving me crazy. It's actually really reassuring to read all these responses - sounds like this is a normal part of the process after identity verification and that we should see transcript updates within the next few weeks. I've been obsessively checking every day but I think I need to take the advice here and just check weekly on Fridays. The waiting is so stressful when you're depending on that refund money, but it seems like once things start moving after this message, they move pretty quickly. Fingers crossed we both see some movement soon! Thanks for sharing your experience - it helps to know we're not alone in this.

Has anyone been able to get their amended returns processed faster by visiting an IRS Taxpayer Assistance Center in person? I've heard mixed things about whether this actually helps or if they just tell you to keep waiting.

I'm dealing with a very similar situation as an international student! Filed incorrectly in 2020 using TurboTax before my 5-year waiting period was up, sent in my 1040X amendment in April 2021, and it's still showing "received" status with no progress. What I've learned from calling the IRS multiple times is that international student amendments often get routed to specialized processing units that have much longer backlogs. The agents I spoke with said these cases require manual review because of treaty benefits and residency status changes, which is why they take so much longer than regular amendments. For your 2022 filing, definitely go ahead and file normally based on your original 2021 return (not the amended version). I did this for my 2021 and 2022 returns while my 2020 amendment was still pending, and it didn't cause any issues. The IRS processes each year separately, so the pending amendment won't block your current year filing. One tip that actually worked for me: when you call the IRS, specifically ask to speak with someone in the "International Individual Processing Unit" rather than general customer service. They're much more knowledgeable about F-1 student tax issues and can give you better information about your case status.

Has anyone else noticed that the K-1 equivalent info from DST investments sometimes doesn't match up with the 1099-MISC? My DST sponsor sends a "Tax Information Statement" that shows different amounts than what's on my 1099. Confused about which numbers to use on my Schedule E.

Just wanted to add my experience with DST passive losses since I see a lot of confusion here. I've been invested in DSTs for about 4 years now and initially made the mistake of not properly tracking my suspended passive losses year over year. The key thing to understand is that these losses accumulate on Form 8582 if you don't have other passive income to offset them against. I learned this when I finally sold one of my DST interests and suddenly had a huge passive loss carryforward that I could finally use - it saved me thousands in taxes on the gain from the sale. Make sure you're keeping detailed records of your annual passive losses from each DST investment. When you eventually dispose of a DST interest (whether through sale or exchange), all those accumulated losses become deductible against any type of income, not just passive income. It's actually a pretty powerful tax planning tool once you understand how it works over the long term. Also, don't forget that if you do a 1031 exchange from your DST into another investment, the passive losses stay with you and continue to accumulate. Only an actual taxable sale triggers the release of all those suspended losses.

Another thing nobody mentioned is if your STD is part of a state program (like in CA, NY, NJ, RI) - those are usually taxable federally but might be exempt from state taxes.

Just went through this myself - definitely check your paystub to see if your STD premiums were deducted pre-tax or after-tax. If you can't tell from your paystub, look at your annual benefits enrollment materials or contact your benefits administrator directly. They should be able to tell you exactly how your premiums are structured. Also, keep all your STD payment statements organized - you'll need them for tax time regardless of whether they're taxable or not. The insurance company should send you the appropriate tax forms (1099-MISC or similar) by January 31st if the payments are taxable.