We got married on December 18th. So based on what others have said, I guess that means I'm considered married for the entire 2024 tax year since we were married on December 31st? Even if she's still in the Philippines?

Yep, December 18th means you're definitely considered married for the entire 2024 tax year. The IRS only cares about your status on December 31st - whether you were married for 11 months or 2 weeks doesn't matter for determining filing status. And yes, this applies even though your wife is still in the Philippines. Her physical location doesn't change your marital status for tax purposes. The more important question will be whether she's a US resident for tax purposes (probably not yet) and whether she has a SSN or ITIN for filing.

You don't need your spouse to be physically present in the US to get an ITIN. When I got one for my wife (from Vietnam), I submitted Form W-7 along with our tax return and certified copies of her passport. You can also use a Certified Acceptance Agent who can verify the documents without sending originals. The whole process took about 8 weeks for us.

19 For actual income or deduction changes, you would need to file an amended return using Form 1040-X. Unlike the 1095-C situation, missing investment income absolutely needs to be reported through an amendment. You can prepare an amended return through most tax software, though some charge extra for this service. File it as soon as you can to minimize any potential interest or penalties. If you owe additional tax, pay it when you file the amendment to stop further interest from accruing.

11 I used eztaxreturn for an amendment last year. It's doable but not as streamlined as their regular filing process. You have to essentially recreate your return and then identify what changed. They charge an additional fee too (I think it was around $30 when I did it). But in this case, since the 1095-C doesn't change anything tax-wise, you shouldn't need to amend at all.

Would reporting it as taxable when it could be exempt cause any issues with visa status or future immigration applications? I've always heard we should be very careful about tax compliance with student visas.

Reporting potentially exempt income as taxable generally won't cause any immigration issues. Immigration authorities are primarily concerned with tax compliance (that you filed when required), not whether you paid slightly more tax than necessary. In fact, it's often considered safer from an immigration perspective to pay tax when in doubt rather than claiming exemptions incorrectly. The risk would be in the other direction - claiming exemptions you're not entitled to could potentially be viewed as tax avoidance. So if you're uncertain and the amounts are small, paying the tax is usually the safest approach.

You need to file both forms. Form 8843 is required for all F-1 students to document your presence in the US and your exempt status, even if you have no income. Form 1040-NR is the actual tax return you file to report income and calculate any tax owed. So in your case with 1042-S income, you'd file both the 8843 and the 1040-NR. They serve different purposes but are both part of your complete tax filing as an F-1 student.

Thanks for these suggestions! Does the Bogleheads wiki cover the differences between holding foreign stocks directly vs through ADRs? That's the part I'm most confused about.

Yes, the Bogleheads wiki has a specific section comparing direct foreign shares vs ADRs from a tax perspective. They break down the pros and cons of each approach and even have country-specific guidance for major markets like UK, Japan, and Germany. They also have a great explanation of foreign tax "reclaim" procedures for when you're taxed at a higher rate than the treaty allows, which is common with direct foreign shares in some European countries.

I found Schwab's international tax guide super misleading though. It claimed I wouldn't need to file Form 1116 for any of their international funds, but then I got hit with excess foreign taxes that required the form. Better to rely on independent sources.

Venmo transactions can absolutely be used for business expenses, but your accountant is right to encourage using business cards when possible. The key with Venmo is documentation. Make sure to: 1) Use a business Venmo account separate from personal 2) Download monthly statements 3) Add notes to each transaction with business purpose 4) Take screenshots of the transactions Venmo doesn't automatically create detailed receipts like credit cards do, so you need to be more diligent about documentation.

Appreciate the straightforward answer! Just to confirm, so I should categorize it specifically as "Meals" rather than something more generic like "Supplies" or "Miscellaneous"? And you're confident this won't create any issues for my friend?

Yes, categorize it specifically as "Meals" because that's what it actually was. Using the correct categorization is always better than trying to hide something in a generic category. Remember that meals are still only 50% deductible (that temporary 100% deduction for restaurant meals expired). And I'm absolutely confident this won't create issues for your friend. Their tax obligations are completely separate from your expense categorization. The IRS doesn't have a system that flags "oh, this business claimed a meal from a non-registered business, let's investigate." Your friend needs to report their income regardless of how you categorize your expense.