The W-9 is actually not the correct form for 401k withdrawals. You should be filling out a distribution form from your 401k provider, not a W-9. A W-9 is generally used for independent contractors or when you're receiving certain types of payments where the payer needs your taxpayer info.

I went through this exact same situation last year when I did a 401k withdrawal. The brokerage definitely can require a W-9 even though you're also filling out distribution paperwork with your plan administrator. It's because they need your taxpayer information on file for their own reporting requirements to the IRS. You're absolutely right to select "Individual/sole proprietor or single-member LLC" - that's the correct box for regular employees like us. The form language is confusing because it's designed to cover multiple scenarios, but as an individual taxpayer (not a corporation or partnership), that first option is what you want. One thing I wish someone had told me - make sure you understand exactly how much tax will be withheld from your withdrawal. The default withholding might not be enough to cover what you'll actually owe, especially if the withdrawal bumps you into a higher tax bracket. I ended up owing more at tax time because I didn't plan for that properly.

Dont panic! I went thru this last yr. Just be organized, respond on time, and stay on top of any followup letters. And def get a tax pro if its complicated.

I've been through a similar situation! Your 2024 refund shouldn't be automatically held up just because you have an open 2022 audit - they're separate tax years. However, the IRS might take a closer look at your 2024 return if there are patterns they're investigating from 2022. My advice: Don't delay filing your 2024 taxes. File on time and separately handle the 2022 audit. The key is responding to that March 26th deadline with complete documentation. I'd also suggest calling the IRS practitioner priority line if you have a tax pro helping you, or the regular taxpayer line to confirm they received your response once you send it. One thing that helped me was creating a timeline of all correspondence and keeping detailed records of what I sent and when. The online account tracking is helpful but sometimes lags behind actual processing.

Does anyone know how long it takes for an amended return to be processed? I filed mine to claim the education credit like 2 months ago and the "Where's My Amended Return" tool still just says received.

Hey Freya! I was in almost the exact same situation last year - got my 1098-T weeks after filing and panicked about missing out on the education credit. Don't worry, you can definitely still claim it! You'll need to file an amended return using Form 1040-X. The process isn't too complicated once you understand it. First, gather all your education documents - your 1098-T, receipts for any out-of-pocket education expenses, and records of any scholarships or grants you received. The American Opportunity Credit is probably your best bet if you're in your first four years of college and enrolled at least half-time. It can get you up to $2,500, with up to $1,000 being refundable (meaning you can get it back even if you don't owe taxes). You'll need to complete Form 8863 (Education Credits) along with your 1040-X. Make sure to check how your scholarships/grants were applied - you can only claim the credit for expenses you actually paid out of pocket, not those covered by tax-free aid. The IRS is pretty backed up right now, so expect the amended return to take 12-20 weeks to process. But it's definitely worth it for potentially getting that money back! Don't let the paperwork intimidate you - thousands of students go through this same process every year.

I just wanted to add: if you have a home office deduction normally, make sure claiming this travel doesn't contradict your usual business location. My accountant said if your business is primarily based at your home office, but then you try to claim another location (like your vacation spot) was necessary for business, the IRS might question why you couldn't do the work from your normal office. In your case, client emergencies are a good justification, but just something to be aware of.

One thing I haven't seen mentioned yet is making sure you separate your business activities from any personal activities on each day. The IRS looks at whether each day was primarily business or personal, not just the overall trip percentage. If you worked 8 hours but then went out to dinner or walked on the beach for 2 hours, that's still considered a business day. Also, document not just your work hours but the necessity of doing the work from that location. Client emergencies that required immediate attention are perfect justification - save any urgent emails or messages that show you HAD to work, not just chose to work. This helps establish that the work was truly necessary and not just convenient. Consider getting a letter from your main clients confirming the urgent nature of the work during those dates. This external documentation can be invaluable if you're ever questioned about the legitimacy of the business purpose.

Has anyone here actually gone through the streamlined process and then received confirmation from the IRS that everything is OK? I submitted mine about 10 months ago and haven't heard anything... getting anxious about whether they accepted it or if there's still some problem I don't know about.

I went through the streamlined procedure about 18 months ago as a dual US-German citizen, so I can share some specifics about costs and the process. I ended up paying around $2,800 for a specialist who handled everything, which was actually less than some of the quotes I got from traditional CPAs. A few things that helped keep costs down: I organized all my documents beforehand (bank statements, German tax returns, employment records), which saved billable hours. Also, since you've been paying Austrian taxes, you'll likely qualify for Foreign Tax Credits that should eliminate any US tax owed - this makes the process more straightforward and less expensive. One surprise cost I hadn't anticipated was getting certified translations of some German documents. Not sure if you'll need this for Austrian documents, but budget maybe $200-400 for translations if your tax preparer requests them. Also, if you have any Austrian pension contributions or investment accounts, those can complicate things and increase preparation fees. The peace of mind was totally worth it though. Now I'm compliant and can sleep at night without worrying about surprise IRS issues!