Have you tried any of these options yet? • Where's My Amended Return tool on IRS.gov • IRS2Go mobile app • Creating an online account at IRS.gov to view your transcript • Contacting your tax preparer if you used one Just wondering what you've already tried before suggesting more options.

I went through this exact situation last month! The 866-464-2050 number that @Raul Neal mentioned is definitely the right one for amended returns, but here's what I learned the hard way: they literally will not give you ANY information until it's been 16 weeks since you filed. I called at week 10 thinking I was being proactive, and the agent was like "call back in 6 weeks." 🤦‍♀️ Since you're at 8 weeks, I'd honestly recommend just checking the Where's My Amended Return tool online every few weeks and saving yourself the headache of calling right now. The tool updates pretty regularly and will show when they've actually received and started processing your return. If nothing shows up there after 12-14 weeks, THEN I'd start making calls.

Just to add another perspective - I was in a similar situation last year (US resident who moved abroad and then took a retirement distribution). One thing to be aware of is that you may be subject to additional reporting requirements beyond just the 1040 and figuring out how to report the 1042-S income. If you had financial accounts outside the US that exceeded $10,000 at any point, you might need to file an FBAR (FinCEN Form 114). And depending on your total assets abroad, you might also need Form 8938. These have serious penalties if you miss them.

Slight tangent but worth mentioning - when you file as a dual-status taxpayer, be aware that you generally can't file jointly with a spouse, you're limited on which deductions/credits you can claim, and you have to use the standard deduction (itemizing isn't allowed). Also, foreign tax credits work differently.

You might want to consider filing Form 8379 (Injured Spouse Allocation) if you're married filing jointly and your spouse has student loans that could possibly be in default. This form, which I believe could help in certain situations, essentially tells the IRS that part of the refund belongs to you and shouldn't be offset for your spouse's debts. It's perhaps worth noting that the processing time might be longer, possibly 11-14 weeks instead of the usual 3-4 weeks, but it could potentially protect your portion of the refund if there are any student loan issues that might appear later.

Based on my experience dealing with Treasury offsets, if you're showing $0 on the offset hotline right now, you're very likely safe for this tax season. However, I'd recommend double-checking a few things to be absolutely certain: First, confirm with your loan servicer that your student loans aren't actually in default status (270+ days delinquent). If you're making payments, in forbearance, or on an income-driven repayment plan, they typically can't offset your refund even if you're behind. Second, the timing matters - if you just filed recently, there's a small window where an offset could be submitted after you checked. But given that you're doing gig work and really need this refund, I'd suggest calling that Treasury number one more time about a week before you expect your refund to be processed, just for extra peace of mind. The vast majority of the time, no offset showing means no offset taken. Good luck! 🤞

Has anyone used TurboTax or H&R Block software to handle the 1099-C and Form 982? I'm not sure if the basic versions cover this or if I need to upgrade to the premium version.

I went through almost the exact same situation last year with $16k in settled debt and those surprise 1099-C forms. The "phantom income" aspect is really frustrating when you're already struggling financially. One thing that helped me was understanding that the insolvency exclusion isn't all-or-nothing. Even if you can only exclude part of the canceled debt, it still reduces your tax liability significantly. In my case, I was able to exclude about $12k out of the $16k, which saved me roughly $3,000 in taxes. Also, don't panic about the timeline - you have until the tax filing deadline (plus extensions) to figure this out and file Form 982. I'd strongly recommend keeping detailed records of your financial situation from the date the debt was forgiven, as others have mentioned. The IRS worksheet for insolvency can be found in Publication 4681 if you want to try calculating it yourself first. If you're feeling overwhelmed, consider consulting with a tax professional who has experience with debt forgiveness situations. It might cost a few hundred dollars upfront, but it could save you thousands in the long run and give you peace of mind that everything is filed correctly.

Has anyone tried using TurboTax to fix this issue? My employer also included my MBA tuition on my W-2, but I was able to exclude it on my tax return using TurboTax's deduction finder. It asked specific questions about my education and determined I could exclude it as a working condition fringe benefit. I'm just nervous about getting audited.

I went through something very similar as a registered nurse pursuing my BSN while working at a hospital. The IRS distinction between "maintaining/improving current job skills" vs "qualifying for a new profession" can be tricky with nursing education. For your NP program, you'll want to focus on how the advanced coursework enhances your current nursing practice - things like pathophysiology, pharmacology, and assessment skills that make you a better RN even if you don't immediately transition to an NP role. If your hospital has a clinical ladder or specialty certifications that benefit from advanced nursing knowledge, document that connection. The questionnaire you mentioned probably asked whether the degree qualifies you for a "new trade or business." The key is how you frame it - emphasize that it's advanced nursing education that improves your current nursing skills, not preparation for a completely different career. Even if you plan to become an NP later, if the coursework enhances your current RN duties, it can still qualify. Don't give up on getting this corrected. Consider escalating beyond your immediate HR contact or requesting a written explanation of their policy. Sometimes a different HR representative will have better understanding of the tax rules.