Did you have to file Form 8833 to claim treaty benefits? I heard you need that form if you're claiming certain treaty positions.

No, I didn't need to file Form 8833 in my case. That form is typically required if you're taking a treaty position that affects your tax liability by more than $10,000, or for certain specific treaty benefits. Since we filed jointly, I was treated as a US resident for tax purposes, which meant I wasn't claiming the treaty benefits that would have been available to me as a nonresident. The standard deduction and credits from filing jointly outweighed the treaty benefits I would have gotten filing separately.

Thank you so much for mentioning this! I had no idea about needing to include a statement. Do you just type this up on a regular piece of paper and attach it? Or is there an official form for this?

There's no official form for this statement - just type it up on a regular piece of paper. Make sure to include both your names, Social Security Numbers (or ITIN for the non-resident spouse), the tax year, and both signatures. If you're filing electronically, you'll need to mail this statement separately to the IRS address where you would normally send paper returns. Keep a copy for your records too. Some tax software might have an option to generate this statement for you, but many don't, which is why it's commonly missed.

Is the DirectPay system pretty straightforward to use? And would I need to file any forms or just make the payment?

DirectPay is super easy to use - just go to IRS.gov and look for the "Pay" button. You'll need basic info like your SSN, name, address, and bank info (routing/account numbers). No forms needed to make the payment itself. You should still fill out the 1040-ES worksheet for your own records to calculate the correct amount, but you don't have to mail that in if you pay online. The system will give you a confirmation number - keep that for your records. Come tax time next year, you'll report this payment on your 1040 as estimated tax paid.

This is the approach I use! Way simpler than trying to calculate exact quarterly payments. I just make sure my withholding covers last year's tax bill and then I don't worry about my side hustle income until tax time.

Does the online account show if a check was issued and/or cashed? I'm having a similar issue with a missing refund and wondering if this would tell me what happened to it.

Yes, the online account will show if a refund was issued and the date it was sent. It doesn't specifically show if a check was cashed, but it does show the status as "refund issued" once they've sent it out. If your account shows the refund was issued but you never received it, that's when you need to request a trace (Form 3911) to determine if it was cashed or returned to the IRS. The account information at least confirms whether they actually sent something or if it's still being processed.

This is good to know! Does the interest get added automatically or do you have to request it specifically? And is it taxable income for the year you receive it?

The interest gets added automatically - you don't need to request it. The IRS system calculates it based on how long your refund has been delayed beyond the original due date of your return (not from when you actually filed if you filed late). And yes, unfortunately the interest is considered taxable income in the year you receive it. The IRS will actually send you a Form 1099-INT the following January if the interest is $10 or more, and you'll need to report it on your next tax return. Kind of ironic that they tax you on the interest they pay you for their own delay!

Yikes, that's exactly what I'm afraid of! Did they hit you with a big penalty? I'm definitely not trying to do anything that would trigger an audit... Thanks for the warning!

The penalty wasn't huge - about 20% on top of what I owed back - but I also had to pay interest on the unpaid amount. The bigger headache was going through the entire audit process, which was stressful and time-consuming. The agent actually wasn't mean about it since it's such a common misunderstanding. He explained that even though my employee handbook required me to wear Buckle clothes, they're still considered regular street clothes suitable for everyday wear. The test isn't whether they're required, but whether they could reasonably be worn outside work.

I work at a high-end jewelry store, and we can deduct our required black suits because we're specifically prohibited from wearing them outside work (it's in our contract). But that's different from regular retail clothes that you'd wear anyway.

Is Cash App Taxes really completely free? No hidden fees for filing state returns or anything? Seems too good to be true compared to paying $70+ with H&R Block.

Yes, it's actually completely free for both federal and state returns. No hidden fees or surprise charges. They make their money from the Cash App ecosystem and other financial services they offer, not from the tax preparation. The catch (if you want to call it that) is that it doesn't support some more complex tax situations like multiple state filings or foreign income. But for a basic married filing jointly return with W-2 income, it handles everything perfectly. I've used it for two years now with no issues and got my refunds quickly both times.

I used TaxSlayer last year after switching from H&R Block. It was about $30 cheaper for my situation (married filing jointly with a mortgage). The interface is decent but not as polished as H&R Block. It got the job done though and my refund amount matched what I was expecting.