Does anyone know what the timeline is for the Supreme Court decision? I have a client with a similar situation (multiple unreported accounts), and we're wondering if we should delay addressing the issue until after the ruling.

This is such an important case that more people need to know about! I've been an expat in Australia for 8 years and only discovered FBAR requirements 2 years ago when my US-based CPA mentioned them almost in passing. The fact that a simple reporting oversight can result in millions in penalties is absolutely terrifying. What really gets me is how the IRS doesn't do much to educate Americans living abroad about these requirements. There's no automatic notification when you move overseas, no clear guidance sent to embassies or consulates, and most local tax preparers in other countries have never heard of FBAR. Yet they expect perfect compliance with penalties that can literally bankrupt someone. I really hope the Supreme Court rules in favor of limiting these penalties. The current system feels designed to trap honest people who are already dealing with the complexity of dual tax obligations. Even if you owe zero US tax (thanks to foreign tax credits), you can still face financial ruin over paperwork violations.

Quick question about car expenses - is it better to track actual expenses (gas, maintenance, etc.) or just use the standard mileage rate? I've been doing both and it's getting really time consuming.

Great advice from everyone here! One thing I'd add that really helped me as a new consultant - create a simple spreadsheet or use a basic expense tracking app to log everything immediately. I learned the hard way that trying to recreate months of expenses from a shoebox of receipts is a nightmare. For home office, I actually measured my space and took photos showing it's exclusively for business use. This helped when my accountant had questions. Also, if you're just starting out, the simplified home office deduction might be easier - it's $5 per square foot up to 300 sq ft, so max $1,500. No need to track utilities and maintenance costs. One more tip: set up a separate business bank account and credit card if possible. Makes tracking so much cleaner and shows the IRS clear separation between personal and business expenses. Even if you're not incorporated, it's still helpful for record keeping.

I went through almost the exact same situation last year - filed 1040s for three years when I should have used 1040NR forms as an F-1 student. Here's what I learned that might help you: First, don't panic about the immigration concerns. I was terrified about the same thing, but my immigration lawyer assured me that voluntary amendments actually show good faith compliance. The key is that you're fixing it proactively rather than being caught by the IRS. For the order of amendments, I started with the most recent year (2022) and worked backward. This helped because the more recent forms were easier to reconstruct from memory and documents I still had readily available. Regarding 2019 - you might still have options even if Sprintax doesn't show it. I found out that if you filed your 2019 return late (after April 15, 2020), your 3-year window might still be open. You should definitely call the IRS to confirm this - it could save you hundreds or even thousands in missed treaty benefits. One thing I wish I'd known earlier: keep detailed records of everything during this process. I created a spreadsheet tracking which years I amended, when I mailed them, and what refunds I expected. This helped me stay organized and follow up appropriately. The professional vs DIY question really depends on your comfort level with tax forms and how complex your situation is. If you had scholarship income, multiple states, or other complications, professional help is probably worth it. For straightforward wage income situations, Sprintax might be sufficient for the years they support. Good luck with this - it's stressful but definitely fixable!

I'm in a very similar situation right now and reading through everyone's experiences has been incredibly helpful! I've been filing 1040 forms for the past three years as an international student when I should have been using 1040NR forms. One thing I wanted to add that might help others - I discovered that my university's tax clinic actually offers free consultations for international students dealing with amendment issues. They can't prepare the returns for you, but they'll review your situation and tell you exactly which years need amendments and what forms to use. It might be worth checking if your school has something similar before paying for professional help. I'm particularly interested in the experiences people have shared about treaty benefits. I think I may have missed out on claiming benefits under my country's tax treaty with the US. For those who successfully claimed these in their amendments - did you need any special documentation from your home country, or was it just a matter of filling out the right sections on the 1040NR? Also, has anyone dealt with amendments when you had both scholarship income AND work income in the same year? I'm worried this might complicate things since part of my scholarship was taxable and part wasn't, but I don't think I handled it correctly on my original 1040 forms. Thanks to everyone who's shared their experiences - it's making this whole process feel much less overwhelming!

Use the Where's My Refund tool on IRS.gov and see if it gives any explanation. Sometimes it will tell you if there was an adjustment.

This exact thing happened to me last year! The $530 difference suggests it's likely an offset for an outstanding debt rather than a calculation error. The most common reasons are: - Defaulted federal student loans (sounds like this might be your case based on your earlier comment) - Back taxes owed to IRS or state - Unpaid child support - Overpaid unemployment benefits (especially common from the pandemic years) The IRS should mail you a CP49 notice within 2-3 weeks explaining exactly what happened and which agency received the offset. In the meantime, you can call the Treasury Offset Program at 800-304-3107 to get details about what debt was paid with your refund money. If you think it's a mistake, you can dispute it once you get the notice. Don't stress too much - you'll get answers soon and can take action from there if needed!

I was in the same boat, like a ship waiting for wind while the radar shows nothing. Filed on February 10th, WMR showed processing but transcript was empty as a politician's promise. Then suddenly on March 18th, everything appeared at once - like finding your lost keys that were in your pocket all along. Deposit hit my account 3 days later. Sometimes the IRS systems are just playing catch-up, especially when they're swimming in the sea of early filers.

I'm experiencing this exact same issue right now! Filed on February 15th and it's been 3 weeks with WMR showing "being processed" but my transcript still says no record of return filed. Reading through everyone's experiences here is actually really reassuring - sounds like this is way more common than I realized. @Omar Fawaz mentioned the 17-21 day average for transcript population, so I guess I'm right in that window. @Zara Ahmed's point about checking mail carefully is noted - I'll definitely be watching for any letters. Thanks everyone for sharing your timelines, it helps to know this isn't unusual!