Has anyone successfully gotten both the employer and employee portions of FICA refunded? My university tax advisor told me that even with a W2C, I can only get back the employee portion (my 7.65%) but not the employer portion (the other 7.65%). Is this right or should I be fighting for the full amount?

Just wanted to add another perspective here - I went through this exact same situation last year with FICA withholding on my F1 CPT. One thing that really helped me was keeping detailed records of all communication with my employer about the W2C correction. When I finally got my corrected W2C, there were still some discrepancies in the amounts, and having email trails showing what they promised to correct made it much easier to get them to issue a second corrected W2C. Also, I'd recommend double-checking that your employer didn't withhold state disability insurance (SDI) or other state-specific taxes that you might also be exempt from as an international student - many payroll systems make multiple mistakes at once. The whole process took about 6 months from start to finish, but I eventually got back around $1,200 in incorrectly withheld FICA taxes. Don't give up if it seems like it's taking forever!

When I got my confirmation required letter, it was because someone had attempted to file a return using my name and SSN, but the IRS caught it as suspicious. This identity verification process is how they confirmed I wasn't the one who filed that return. You might want to check your credit reports and put a freeze on them just in case.

I went through this exact same process last year and can confirm it's legitimate - the IRS has really ramped up these identity verification letters due to increased fraud attempts. A few key things that helped me: First, definitely verify the phone number independently through irs.gov as others mentioned. Second, have your complete tax return, prior year return, and a government-issued ID ready when you call. They asked me about specific line items from my current return, my previous address, filing status, and exact refund amount. The whole call took about 25 minutes including hold time. The agent was professional and explained that my return had been flagged for routine verification - nothing I did wrong. After verification, they released my refund processing within 2-3 business days. One tip: call early in the morning (right when they open) for shorter wait times. And don't worry too much - this is becoming pretty standard procedure to protect taxpayers from identity theft.

You know what's interesting about these IRS timelines? They're almost always worst-case scenarios. I had a similar situation in March when they made a correction to my return. The agent told me 6-8 weeks, but I received my refund in 17 days. Why do they do this? Perhaps because they're dealing with millions of returns and want to set expectations low? Or maybe because complex cases can genuinely take that long? Either way, I've found that the actual processing time is usually about half of whatever timeline they quote you.

I went through something very similar last year! Filed in late January, got the "still processing" message for about 6 weeks, and when I finally got through to the IRS they said they had made a "correction" and quoted me 8 weeks. Turns out they had adjusted my withholding amount by about $150 - apparently my employer had reported a slightly different amount than what was on my W-2. The good news is I got my refund in just under 4 weeks from that phone call, not the full 8 weeks they quoted. Since you mentioned needing the refund for medical expenses, I'd definitely recommend checking your transcript weekly rather than relying on WMR - it'll show the actual progress with those transaction codes everyone mentioned. The 8-week timeline really does seem to be their standard "cover all bases" response. Fingers crossed yours processes much faster!

You're absolutely right to be concerned about this situation. As a resident alien who's been here 8+ years, you should definitely be filing Form 1040 (not dealing with 1042-S forms). The $380 in interest income needs to be reported on your amended return regardless of the amount. Here's what I'd recommend: First, file the 1040X to include the interest income and claim credit for any taxes withheld shown on the 1042-S. Second, definitely get your bank to update their records - ask specifically to fill out Form W-9 to establish your status as a U.S. person for tax purposes. The good news is that if they withheld 30% on that $380 (which is typical for 1042-S), you'll likely get most of that back since your actual tax rate on interest income is probably much lower. It's worth doing the amendment both to stay compliant and potentially get money back. Don't ignore it hoping the IRS won't notice - their automated matching systems will eventually flag the discrepancy, and it's much easier to handle proactively than deal with notices later.

I went through almost exactly the same situation last year! Been on an H-1B for 9 years and filed as a resident alien, then got a surprise 1042-S from my credit union months later. The key thing to understand is that this is purely a bank system error - they haven't updated your tax classification in their records. You're absolutely correct that as a long-term resident alien, you should be getting 1099-INT forms, not 1042-S. You do need to file the 1040X amendment, but here's the silver lining: if they withheld 30% federal tax on that $380 (which would be about $114), you'll probably get most of that back since your actual tax rate on interest income is likely much lower. So the amendment might actually result in a refund. For the bank, don't just tell them you're a "resident alien" - that term confuses tellers. Instead, ask to speak with someone about updating your "FATCA classification" and request to fill out Form W-9. Tell them you need to be classified as a "U.S. person for tax purposes." Bring your passport with current visa stamp as documentation. I had to visit two different branches before finding someone who knew what I was talking about, but once I used those specific terms, they fixed it immediately. Haven't had the problem since!

Has anyone considered just asking the seller for a receipt after the fact? I did this when I bought some shelving for my shop. Just messaged the guy, explained I needed it for taxes, and he wrote one up and texted me a photo of it. Worth a try if you still have their contact info.

Great advice from everyone here! I just wanted to add that bank records can be really helpful for supporting your documentation. If you paid with cash, check if you have an ATM withdrawal record from around that date for the same amount. Even credit card or debit card transactions for similar amounts can help establish a pattern of business purchases. Also, don't forget that Facebook Marketplace sometimes keeps a record of your conversations with sellers. Screenshot those messages if they mention the items or price - it's contemporaneous evidence that supports your self-created receipt. The IRS appreciates when taxpayers make good faith efforts to document legitimate business expenses, even when formal receipts aren't available. One more tip: if you're planning to make more private purchases for your business, consider carrying a simple receipt book or using a phone app to create receipts on the spot. Makes everything so much cleaner for tax time!