Has anyone used TurboTax or H&R Block for filing US taxes from Canada? I'm wondering if the regular versions work or if I need something special for expat taxes.

I was in a very similar situation a few years ago - US citizen living in the UK with no income for several years due to health issues. The anxiety about being "in trouble" with the IRS was really overwhelming! Here's what I learned: Yes, technically you should file even with zero income, but the IRS is generally understanding about people who genuinely didn't know about the requirement, especially when no taxes are owed. The key is getting compliant going forward. Since you have no income, you likely qualify for the Streamlined Filing Compliance Procedures, which is designed for people in exactly your situation. You'll need to file the last 3 years of tax returns (even if showing zero income) and 6 years of FBARs if you have Canadian bank accounts over $10k. The good news is that with zero income, you won't owe any taxes or penalties. I'd recommend getting professional help just to make sure everything is filed correctly and to give you peace of mind. Don't let the anxiety eat at you - this is much more common than you think and very fixable!

Don't forget to consider state taxes too! The federal exclusion is great, but some states have different rules for capital gains on home sales. Where are you located? Some states follow the federal guidelines, but others have their own quirky rules.

I'm so sorry for your loss, Justin. Dealing with tax implications while grieving is incredibly difficult. One additional thing to keep in mind as you navigate this process - make sure you have all the necessary documentation organized before you sell. Beyond what others have mentioned about cost basis and improvements, you'll want to have your wife's death certificate readily available, proof that the home was your primary residence for at least 2 of the last 5 years, and documentation of any major improvements you've made. Since you're in Colorado and within the 2-year window, it sounds like you're in a good position to take advantage of the full $500K exclusion. Given the complexity of your situation and the significant amount of money involved, I'd strongly recommend consulting with a tax professional who has experience with widower exclusions before you finalize the sale. They can help ensure you're maximizing all available benefits and properly documenting everything for when you file. Take care of yourself during this difficult time.

I went through this exact situation with UVXY two years ago and completely understand the panic! One thing I wish someone had told me earlier is that you should check if your broker has any resources specifically for handling ETF K-1s. When I called Schwab about my UVXY K-1, they actually had a dedicated tax help line that walked me through the entire amendment process step by step. They even had sample screenshots showing exactly where to enter the K-1 information in TurboTax. Many brokers offer this kind of support during tax season since K-1 confusion is so common. Also, keep all your documentation from this experience - trade confirmations, the K-1 itself, and your amended return. The IRS sometimes asks for backup documentation on amended returns, especially when partnership income is involved. Having everything organized will save you headaches if they have any follow-up questions. The good news is that once you've been through this process once, you'll know what to expect if you trade these types of ETFs again in the future!

I'm dealing with a similar situation right now with a different ETF that sent me a surprise K-1! Reading through all these responses has been incredibly helpful. I had no idea that certain ETFs were structured as partnerships and would generate K-1s instead of the usual 1099s. One thing I'm curious about - for those who've been through this before, how long does it typically take the IRS to process an amended return? I'm worried about delaying my refund or causing other complications. Also, should I expect to owe additional tax or could this actually work in my favor like some people mentioned? Thanks to everyone sharing their experiences here. It's reassuring to know this is a common issue and not something I messed up personally!

One thing to be careful about - there's a lot of confusion between Economic Impact Payments (the actual stimulus payments) and the Recovery Rebate Credit (how you claim a missing payment on your tax return). Make sure you're using the correct terminology when filing your amended return. If you enter information in the wrong section, it can cause major delays. I learned this the hard way when my first amended return got rejected because I put the information in the wrong place.

Thanks for sharing your experience with FreeTaxUSA - that's really frustrating that they removed your EIP when you amended your return! I went through something similar last year. Just to clarify the process: you're absolutely right that you can still claim missing Economic Impact Payments, but you'll need to file Form 1040-X to amend the appropriate tax year. Since the third EIP was issued in 2021, you'd need to amend your 2021 return to claim it via the Recovery Rebate Credit. Before you start the amendment process, I'd strongly recommend getting your IRS account transcript (you can access this free on irs.gov) to confirm exactly which payments you received and when. This will give you the precise amounts to claim and prevent any errors on your amended return. You can definitely do this yourself without paying H&R Block's fees! The IRS has free fillable forms, or you could use tax software that supports amended returns. Just make sure you're entering the Recovery Rebate Credit information on the correct line (line 30 for both 2020 and 2021 returns) to avoid processing delays.

Has your friend checked his transcript from the IRS? That would show if he actually has any outstanding tax debt from 2013. He can get it online at irs.gov/transcripts if he can verify his identity, or request it by mail. That would be my first step before doing anything else.

This is definitely a red flag situation that needs immediate attention. A few key points that stand out: 1. The timeline is extremely suspicious - a 2019-dated notice for 2013 taxes arriving in 2025 is not normal IRS procedure. 2. Most importantly, if the notice is addressed to a business your friend never worked for or had any connection to, he should NOT be receiving it at all. This could indicate mail fraud, identity theft, or a serious administrative error. 3. Since Performant Recovery no longer has an IRS contract (which you verified), any attempt to collect based on this notice would be fraudulent. Your friend needs to act quickly but carefully: - Do NOT pay anything or provide any personal information to anyone calling about this notice - Contact the IRS directly using the official number from their website (not the number on the notice) - Request his tax transcripts to verify if he actually owes anything from 2013 - File a report with TIGTA (Treasury Inspector General for Tax Administration) about the suspicious notice - Consider contacting a taxpayer advocate as you suggested The fact that he's being reluctant to address this is concerning. Sometimes people avoid tax issues due to anxiety, but ignoring this could make things much worse if there's any legitimacy to it or if someone is using his information fraudulently.