When is the deadline for F1 students to file taxes? Is it the same April 15 date as everyone else? I'm worried I might be late already.

Yes, F1 students have the same tax filing deadline as US citizens - April 15, 2025 for the 2024 tax year. However, even if you don't owe taxes, all F1 visa holders must file Form 8843 by the deadline. If you need more time, you can request an extension until October 15 by filing Form 4868, but remember that an extension only gives you more time to file the paperwork - if you owe any taxes, you still need to pay the estimated amount by April 15 to avoid penalties and interest.

Is there a way to check if you're considered a resident or nonresident alien without going through the entire tax filing process? I've been here for 4 years on F1 and never filed before (yikes, I know).

Yes, I've been checking "Where's My Refund" for months for my 2022 return. It just says "Your tax return is still being processed" with no other information. I did move in late 2022, but I updated my address with USPS. Do I need to update my address directly with the IRS too?

Yes, you absolutely need to update your address directly with the IRS. The USPS mail forwarding doesn't automatically notify the IRS of your new address. This could definitely explain why you might have missed important letters about your 2022 return! You can update your address with the IRS by submitting Form 8822 (Change of Address). In the meantime, I'd recommend using one of the methods others suggested to contact the IRS directly about your 2022 return - especially now that we know you moved, there's a good chance they've been sending verification requests or other important notices to your old address.

Yes! I received my very delayed 2022 refund about 3 weeks after filing my 2023 taxes. The two systems operate independently so one doesn't affect the other. My 2022 return had some issues with education credits that needed manual review, but they eventually sorted it out without me having to call.

Thank you for mentioning the SECURE Act changes. Does this still apply if the IRA is first transferred to a trust, and then the trust distributes to these different types of beneficiaries? Or does moving it to a trust first eliminate these exceptions? One of the beneficiaries is my aunt's disabled sibling, so I'm wondering if there might be special provisions that could help in that case.

When an IRA is left to a trust, the ability to use these exceptions depends on how the trust is structured. If the trust qualifies as a "see-through" trust and the disabled sibling is an identifiable beneficiary, then yes, that portion of the IRA might qualify for the exception allowing for distributions over that beneficiary's life expectancy rather than the 10-year rule. This would require specific language in the trust that clearly identifies the disabled beneficiary's portion and likely a separate share for that beneficiary. The trust would also need to meet all the requirements to be considered a see-through trust under IRS regulations. This is definitely a situation where specialized estate planning advice is crucial, as properly structuring the trust could result in significantly better tax treatment for that portion of the IRA.

With Roth IRAs going to a trust, the key benefit that can be preserved is the tax-free nature of qualified distributions. Unlike traditional IRAs where distributions are taxable, qualified Roth distributions remain tax-free even when distributed to a trust or through a trust to beneficiaries. The main thing lost is the ability to stretch distributions over a long period - the SECURE Act's 10-year rule typically applies unless beneficiaries qualify for exceptions. But within that 10-year window, growth remains tax-free, which is still valuable. Generally, it's better to keep the Roth intact rather than distributing before death, as this maintains the tax-free growth for as long as possible within allowable limits.

Thanks for the advice! I'll definitely pay what I calculated I owe now. How long did your audit process take from start to finish? I'm worried this is going to drag on for months.

My audit took about 4 months total from first notice to final resolution. However, I made the mistake of sending my initial response by regular mail, and they claimed they never received it, which added about 6 weeks to the process. Once they actually reviewed my documentation, things moved relatively quickly - about 3 weeks for them to send a response accepting most of my explanation. There was one additional clarification they needed, which took another 3-4 weeks to resolve. The whole thing would have been much faster if I'd used certified mail from the beginning and if I'd paid the undisputed amount immediately.

That's bad advice. IRS charges both penalties AND interest, which can add up quickly. The failure-to-pay penalty is 0.5% of the unpaid taxes for each month, plus interest at the federal short-term rate plus 3%. You can always get a refund if you overpay, but you can't get penalties back as easily.

Will the tax software automatically calculate if I owe an underpayment penalty? I'm using TurboTax and it hasn't mentioned anything about penalties yet. How much are these penalties usually?

Most tax software will automatically calculate underpayment penalties, including TurboTax. It should tell you if you owe one before you finish filing. If it hasn't mentioned anything yet, it might be that you qualify for one of the exceptions. The penalty itself isn't usually massive - it's basically an interest charge on the amount you should have paid throughout the year. The current rate is around 3-5% annually, so if you underpaid by $4,000, the penalty might be around $120-200 depending on how long and how much you underpaid. It's annoying but not catastrophic compared to the actual tax bill itself.

This! I had this exact problem after getting married. We both claimed "1" but when our incomes were combined, we jumped up tax brackets. The withholding tables don't account for your spouse's income unless you specifically tell your employer by filling out the "two jobs" section on the new W4.