Also worth noting that Form 8843 is ONLY an informational form. It doesn't go with your tax return if you're filing one - it's submitted separately. And there's no payment associated with it. The deadline is still April 15, 2024 for the 2023 tax year though.

Just wanted to add one more important point - make sure you keep copies of all your documentation! Since you're crossing the border frequently from Canada, I'd recommend keeping a simple spreadsheet or calendar tracking your entries and exits. Even if you don't have perfect records now, start documenting going forward. Also, if you're unsure about any specific dates, you can request your I-94 travel history from CBP's website (i94.cbp.dhs.gov). This will show your official entries and exits which can help fill in gaps in your records. As a Canadian, some of your crossings might not show up if you didn't go through formal inspection, but it's still worth checking. The key thing is to be as accurate as possible on Form 8843 since it establishes your tax residency status. Good luck with your filing!

Don't overthink this! Just have your kid help you do your actual taxes this year - best real world experience. Thats how my parents taught me and by college I was doing all my own filing without issues.

Great thread! As someone who works in tax preparation, I'd add that Khan Academy also has some solid tax basics modules that are free and well-structured for beginners. They cover fundamental concepts like gross vs net income, standard vs itemized deductions, and how tax brackets actually work. One thing I always tell parents is to start with the basics before jumping into form-filling. Make sure your daughter understands concepts like why we pay taxes, what different types of income are taxed differently, and how deductions work conceptually. Once she has that foundation, the actual form completion becomes much easier to grasp. Also, since she's already working part-time, this is perfect timing! She can practice with her own real scenarios rather than hypothetical examples, which makes the learning much more meaningful and memorable.

Has anyone addressed whether the next paycheck will have increased withholding to "make up" for what couldn't be taken this time? This happened to my husband last year and it was like a cascade effect - one small check got 100% withheld, then the next check had EXTRA withholding to "catch up," making that one tiny too. Took months to normalize.

This is unfortunately more common than it should be with variable-hour employees. The withholding system wasn't really designed for people who work dramatically different hours from week to week. One thing that might help immediately is to check if your wife's employer offers "annualized payroll" for part-time employees. This calculates withholding based on her expected annual earnings rather than projecting from each individual paycheck. Not all employers offer this, but it's worth asking. Also, make sure to keep detailed records of these zero-dollar paychecks. When you file your taxes next year, you'll need to show that taxes were withheld even though no net pay was received. The IRS will credit you for all the withholding, but having documentation makes the process much smoother. For the immediate term, I'd recommend your wife submit a new W-4 claiming more allowances or using the multiple jobs worksheet to reduce the withholding per paycheck. Even with your installment plan, you're allowed to adjust withholding as long as you're still covering your tax liability for the year.

I'm dealing with this exact situation right now! Filed through TurboTax with direct deposit selected, but WMR switched to showing a paper check last week. What's really frustrating is that my bank information hasn't changed from last year when my refund went through just fine via direct deposit. I called my bank to double-check that my account is active and there are no restrictions - everything looks normal on their end. The uncertainty is the worst part since I need these funds for some upcoming expenses. Has anyone found a way to get more specific information about WHY the IRS made this switch? I keep seeing people mention name mismatches or account issues, but I can't figure out how to verify if that's what happened in my case.

I went through this same frustrating experience two years ago. The IRS converted my direct deposit to a paper check without any clear explanation, and like many others here, I was left guessing why it happened. In my case, I suspect it was because I had recently gotten married and my name on the tax return was slightly different from my bank account (I used my maiden name on the account but filed jointly with my married name). What I learned from calling the IRS multiple times is that they have an automated system that flags potential issues and converts to paper checks as a "safety measure." The agents I spoke with couldn't override this decision or provide specific details about what triggered it. My check arrived exactly 9 days after the date shown on Where's My Refund, which fell right in that 7-14 day window everyone mentions. For your closing situation, I'd strongly recommend having a backup plan ready. Maybe talk to your lender about a short-term bridge loan or see if you can borrow from family temporarily. The uncertainty of mail delivery timing makes it risky to count on for something as important as a property closing. Better to be prepared and pleasantly surprised if it arrives early than to have your closing delayed.

Has anyone else noticed that this seems to be happening more often lately? I'm a freelance developer and THREE of my clients messed up my 1099s this year. One was off by almost $8k. I'm wondering if there's some new accounting software that's causing these errors.

This is such a frustrating situation but you're definitely not alone! The expense reimbursement issue that StarGazer101 mentioned is probably exactly what happened. I've seen this mistake so many times - companies treat reimbursements as contractor payments in their accounting systems. Here's what I'd suggest for your next steps: 1. Send them a formal email (not just a phone call) listing out each expense reimbursement separately from your actual service payments. Be very specific about dates and amounts. 2. Reference IRS guidelines that expense reimbursements under an accountable plan should NOT be included in Box 1 of a 1099-NEC. 3. Give them a reasonable deadline (like 10 business days) to issue a corrected 1099-NEC. 4. If they refuse, you're not stuck! You can still file correctly by reporting the full 1099 amount on Schedule C line 1, then deducting those same reimbursed expenses on the appropriate expense lines of Schedule C. The key is keeping meticulous records of everything - your original invoices showing the separation between fees and reimbursements, receipts for the expenses, and all your correspondence with the company. Don't let this stress you out too much. The IRS deals with 1099 discrepancies all the time, and as long as you have good documentation, you'll be fine!