Has anyone here ever actually filed an SS-8? I'm curious because TurboTax prompted me to file one last year for some side gig work, but after reading about how long they take to process (6+ months!), I decided against it and just paid the self-employment tax instead.

I went through this exact situation last year with my wife's postdoc fellowship at a research university. TurboTax kept prompting us for the SS-8 form, but after doing some research and consulting with our university's international scholar services office, we learned it was completely unnecessary. The key issue is that fellowship stipends have a special tax classification that's different from both employee wages and independent contractor income. When you enter fellowship income under the 1099 miscellaneous section, TurboTax's algorithm incorrectly assumes there might be a worker classification issue that needs to be resolved with an SS-8. Here's what we did: we removed the fellowship income from the 1099 section entirely and reported it as "Other Income" on line 8z of Form 1040 with the description "Fellowship Stipend." This immediately stopped the SS-8 prompts. The fellowship income was still taxable for federal income tax purposes, but it wasn't subject to self-employment tax, which saved us quite a bit of money. One important note for your husband's H1B situation: make sure to keep detailed records showing the clear distinction between the fellowship period (January-August) and the W-2 employment period (September-December). The IRS likes to see clean documentation that explains the change in status and income type.

As someone who's dealt with transcript codes before, I can confirm that transcripts absolutely do NOT update multiple times per day. The IRS processes accounts in weekly batches, and your cycle 05 means Thursday updates only. A 570 code typically indicates they need to verify something on your return - could be income matching, identity verification, or they caught an error that needs manual review. I've seen this process take anywhere from 1-3 weekly cycles to resolve. Since you're filing from abroad for the first time, it's quite possible they're just doing additional verification due to foreign address/income reporting. My advice? Stop checking daily (I know it's hard!) and plan to check again next Thursday. The anxiety is real, but checking hourly won't change anything unfortunately.

As someone who's been through this process multiple times, I can confirm that transcripts only update once per weekly cycle. Your cycle 05 means Thursday updates, so unfortunately you'll need to wait until next Thursday to see any changes. The 570 code is frustrating but common - it just means they need to manually review something on your return. Since you mentioned filing from abroad for the first time, that could definitely be a factor as the IRS often does additional verification for international filers. I'd recommend setting a reminder to check next Thursday rather than checking daily (trust me, I've been there!). In the meantime, you might want to gather any documentation related to your foreign income or address changes just in case they need additional verification. The waiting is tough, but the system is pretty predictable once you understand the weekly cycle pattern.

Side note but really important - tell your sister NOT to lie again on next year's taxes thinking she can "balance it out." Each tax year is separate and trying to fix fraud with more weird reporting just compounds the problem. I've seen people dig themselves into huge holes this way.

Your sister needs to understand this isn't just about "getting caught" - it's about doing the right thing. I work in tax preparation and see this kind of situation more often than people think. The stress and anxiety of wondering if/when the IRS will notice often ends up being worse than just dealing with the consequences upfront. A few practical points: First, the IRS has sophisticated matching systems that compare reported income and expenses across different sources. If she claimed Uber expenses but has no 1099s from Uber, that's an automatic red flag. Second, even if she got away with it this year, these things have a way of catching up - the IRS can audit returns up to 3 years later (6 years for substantial underreporting). The amended return route really is her best option. Yes, she'll have to pay back the money plus interest, but that's infinitely better than potential fraud penalties of 75% of the underpayment plus possible criminal charges. The car purchase actually makes this more complicated since she'll need to figure out how to pay back the refund. Bottom line: encourage her to consult with a tax professional immediately and file that amended return. The longer she waits, the worse this could get.

Based on your detailed situation, you definitely have a strong case for the Bona Fide Residence Test. Your permanent resident visa status since 2016, long-term property lease, and continuous residence since 2012 are all excellent supporting factors. One thing I'd add to the great advice already given - when you make the switch, be prepared to explain the timing if asked. The IRS might wonder why you're changing methods now after 5 years of using Physical Presence. A simple explanation like "I now realize my situation better qualifies for Bona Fide Residence and want to use the most appropriate test" is perfectly fine. Regarding your concern about not paying local income tax - this actually works in your favor in some ways. It shows you're properly following local tax laws (many countries don't tax foreign-source income for residents), and it doesn't create any conflicting tax obligations that might complicate your US filing. I'd recommend keeping a simple log of your US visits going forward - not because there's a strict day limit with Bona Fide, but because it helps demonstrate that your foreign residence remains your primary home. The flexibility to spend more time with family in the US is exactly why Bona Fide Residence can be superior to Physical Presence for people in your situation.

Your situation looks really solid for the Bona Fide Residence Test! As someone who made a similar switch a few years ago, I'd say go for it. Your permanent resident visa and property lease are huge advantages. One quick tip - when you file Form 2555 using Bona Fide for the first time, make sure to attach a brief explanation of your living situation. I included a one-page summary with mine explaining my visa status, housing arrangement, and community ties. It probably wasn't necessary, but it gave me peace of mind and I never heard anything back from the IRS. The freedom to spend more time in the US is worth it. I went from being stressed about every trip home to being able to attend family events without constantly counting days. Just keep your foreign residence as your clear primary home and you should be fine. Also, don't overthink the local tax situation - many expats are in similar positions where they don't owe local taxes on foreign income. The IRS understands this is common with different countries' tax systems.

I went through this exact situation two months ago with an offset for old federal student loans. The frustrating part is that WMR really is the last system to get updated - I think it took 8 days in my case before it finally showed my actual remaining amount instead of the original full refund. What helped me was setting up text alerts with my bank so I'd know immediately when the remainder hit my account (which happened 2 days before WMR even updated). The offset notice from BFS came about 5 days after my refund was initially approved, and it had all the details about exactly how much was taken and who got it. My advice is to focus more on watching your bank account than refreshing WMR - the money will likely arrive before the tool catches up with reality.

Based on my experience with offsets, WMR typically takes 5-10 business days to reflect the correct remaining amount after an offset is processed. The system seems to prioritize showing your refund status over updating the specific dollar amounts when there's an offset involved. I'd recommend checking your tax transcript on the IRS website - it usually shows the offset details (codes 898 and 776) within 1-2 days of processing, which gives you the exact breakdown while you wait for WMR to catch up. Also keep in mind that your remaining refund will likely be deposited before WMR updates to show the new amount, so don't panic if the tool still shows confusing information even after you receive your money.