Have you considered the option of renouncing just before the 8-year mark? If you haven't hit that threshold yet, the exit tax situation is considerably simpler. It's worth looking at exactly where you are in that timeline.

I went through a similar situation about 3 years ago when I moved to Dubai (also 0% crypto tax). The key thing to understand is that as long as you maintain your green card, you're stuck with US tax obligations regardless of any tax treaty benefits. What really caught me off guard was the timing aspect - if you're planning to sell during a bull market, you need to factor in estimated quarterly payments to the IRS even while living abroad. I made the mistake of thinking I could just settle up at year-end and got hit with underpayment penalties. Also, don't overlook state tax implications if you haven't properly established non-residency from your previous state. Some states (looking at you, California) are notoriously aggressive about claiming you still owe state taxes even after moving internationally. My advice: get professional help BEFORE you make any moves. The exit tax calculations are complex, and there are strategies around timing your departure and asset sales that can save you significant money. I wish I'd consulted a specialist earlier instead of trying to figure it out myself.

I see the "just keep calling" advice a lot, and honestly, it reminds me of the time I tried to reach my ex at 2am after a breakup... persistent but not very effective! 😂 Seriously though, I used to be in the "just use the free tools" camp until I had a complicated issue last year. The free tools are great for basic stuff, but they don't really explain what's happening with your specific situation. The IRS transcript looks like it was designed by someone who hates humans - all codes and dates with zero explanation. Sometimes paying a few bucks to save hours of frustration is worth it. But hey, if you've got unlimited time to sit on hold or decipher IRS hieroglyphics, more power to you!

Thanks for asking this question! I'm dealing with something similar and it's good to see I'm not alone. Based on what everyone's saying, it sounds like we're both stuck waiting for the refund to go to our old accounts (if they're still open) or getting paper checks if not. One thing I'm wondering - has anyone here actually tried to contact their bank to see if they can help redirect the deposit once it hits? I know some banks have policies about forwarding funds to new accounts for a certain period after closure. Might be worth a shot before we resign ourselves to the paper check wait time. Also @CosmicCruiser, I saw you mentioned switching banks for medical bills - have you considered just transferring the money once it hits your old account? That might be faster than waiting for a paper check if your old account is still active.

Has anyone used FreeTaxUSA? I switched from TurboTax a couple years ago because of the ridiculous price increases. It only costs like $15 for state filing (federal is free) even with somewhat complex returns. I've been pretty happy with it for my moderately complex situation with some investment income and a small business.

I've been in a similar situation with H&R Block - the inconsistent quality and slow error corrections are really frustrating. Based on everyone's advice here, I'm leaning toward trying the TurboTax + AI review combination for this year. One thing I'm curious about though - for those who've made the switch from H&R Block to self-filing, how do you handle the confidence factor? I always worry I'm going to miss something important or make a mistake that triggers an audit. The errors from H&R Block were annoying, but at least I felt like someone else was responsible if something went wrong. Also, has anyone dealt with estimated quarterly payments through these online platforms? That's been another headache with H&R Block - they never seem to calculate them correctly for my situation.

23 Has anyone used TurboTax or H&R Block software for this type of situation? Do they have good guidance for vacant rental properties or do I need to talk to an actual tax professional?

I went through something very similar with my rental property last year. One thing I learned is that you should keep really detailed records of everything - realtor communications, showing schedules, advertising receipts, maintenance done to prepare for rentals, etc. The IRS wants to see that you're genuinely trying to rent it out, not just claiming rental deductions on a vacant property. Also, don't forget about depreciation! Once you convert to rental use, you can start depreciating the property even if it's vacant. The depreciation basis is usually the lower of your original cost basis or the fair market value when you converted it to rental use. This can be a significant deduction that people sometimes miss. One last tip - consider getting a property management company involved if you haven't already. Even if they don't find tenants immediately, having professional management can strengthen your case that this is a legitimate rental business activity rather than just holding onto a property you can't sell.

Has anyone figured out how to efficiently import historical data from UltraTax to CCH Axcess? We've got about 200 business clients and manually reentering prior year data seems incredibly inefficient.

Going through a similar transition myself right now! One thing that really helped me was creating a comparison spreadsheet mapping the key functions between UltraTax and CCH Axcess. For multi-state returns, I found that CCH's state selection interface is actually more streamlined once you get used to it - instead of having separate screens for each state like in UltraTax, everything flows through the main return with state-specific worksheets. A couple of practical tips: First, spend time in the CCH Axcess demo environment before working on live client files. Second, for Caseware integration, make sure you understand how the trial balance imports work - it's quite different from the Thomson Reuters flow. The working papers sync much better once you get the mapping right. Also, don't hesitate to use CCH's screen sharing support sessions. They're more helpful than the generic training modules for learning the nuances of complex returns. Good luck with the transition!