Has anyone else had issues with Vanguard's online system showing incorrect information about tax forms? I withdrew from my 401k last year too (different reason) and initially got the same message about no forms being available. When I called, they said the form was actually generated but just not showing online for some reason.

I went through something very similar with my Vanguard 401k hardship withdrawal last year. The key thing to understand is that their online portal can be unreliable for displaying certain types of distributions, especially hardship withdrawals. When I called Vanguard directly, I learned that hardship withdrawals sometimes get flagged for manual processing to ensure the proper exception codes are applied. In your case, since you used it for a first-time home purchase, they need to verify this qualifies for the penalty exception on the first $10,000. Here's what I'd recommend: Call Vanguard's retirement services line and specifically ask about "hardship distribution tax reporting" rather than just asking about a 1099-R. Have your withdrawal date, amount, and reason ready. They should be able to tell you the status of your form generation and can often expedite it if there's been a delay. Also, keep in mind that even though you'll avoid the 10% penalty on the first $10,000, you'll still owe regular income tax on the full $28,000. The withholding they took might not cover your entire tax liability, so be prepared for that when you file.

Worked at H&R Block for 7 years. One trick I've seen people use is to look at Schedule A (Itemized Deductions) instructions. It specifically mentions that you can deduct contributions to "A religious organization (church, synagogue, etc.)" without saying they have to be US-based. Some people deduct tithes to foreign religious organizations based on this language. Not sure if that helps with ICRC but thought I'd mention it.

I can add some clarity here from a tax preparer's perspective. The ICRC is actually one of the few foreign organizations that IS deductible for US taxpayers, but the confusion comes from their unique status. They're what's called a "Friends of" organization - they have legitimate US operations through the ICRC Washington Delegation office, which allows them to qualify for deductible donations despite being headquartered in Switzerland. This is different from most foreign charities that don't qualify. The key is that your donation needs to go to their US operations (which it does when you donate through their main website). The outdated 2014 information you found was from before they established their current US status. For future reference, Publication 526 has the official rules, but honestly for international donations, it's worth getting confirmation directly from the organization or the IRS rather than trying to interpret the complex rules yourself. The $350 donation to ICRC should be deductible on your Schedule A.

I think the IRS intentionally makes these forms confusing lol. Has anyone had their Form 8802 rejected? How long did it take to get a response? I'm supposed to start a position in Korea in 6 weeks and I'm worried about timing.

I went through this exact same nightmare with Form 8802 about 6 months ago! For line 4a when you check "Individual," you literally just need to write your full name exactly as it appears on your most recent tax return - nothing more, nothing less. Don't add your SSN, don't add extra info, just your name. Since you're working for a Singapore company, make sure you're also including copies of your most recently filed 1040 and any relevant schedules (like Schedule C if you have any self-employment income). The IRS uses this to verify your U.S. tax residency status for the foreign tax authority. One tip that saved me - call the IRS practitioner priority line if you get stuck. The regular customer service line is useless, but the practitioner line (even though you're not technically a practitioner) sometimes gets you through to someone who actually knows about international forms. Good luck with your deadline!

Just wanted to share something important for S corps - the IRS has been increasingly auditing S corporations that show significant profit but little to no officer compensation. There was a tax court case (Watson v. Commissioner) where the court sided with the IRS on this exact issue. If you've got $500K+ in revenue and aren't paying yourself ANYTHING, you should definitely consult with a tax professional ASAP. The potential tax bill with penalties could be significant if they decide to reclassify business income as wages retroactively.

I was in a similar situation with my S corp and almost got nailed in an audit. Even though the instructions for 1125-E say to file it if gross receipts are over $500K, the bigger issue is definitely the lack of reasonable compensation. My accountant now has me document WHY I'm paying myself the amount I do each year with comparable salary data for my industry. This has been super helpful in justifying my compensation decisions.

9 My accountant gave me a tip that worked for my CP128 payment. In EFTPS, I selected "Installment Agreement" even though it wasn't technically an installment plan. Added my notice number in the comments and it processed correctly. Might be worth trying if you're still struggling.

22 Just an FYI - I called the EFTPS customer service line (not the IRS) at 1-800-555-4477 and they were able to tell me exactly which form to select for my CP128. Only took about 10 minutes on hold. Sometimes the EFTPS folks are more helpful than the IRS for these specific payment questions.