I've used both! TaxSlayer has a better interface imo and I never had the AGI verification issue with them. Their deluxe version is like $40 and includes one state return which is way cheaper than TurboTax or H&R Block. FreeTaxUSA is cheaper but TaxSlayer's extra guidance was worth it for me.

Thanks for sharing your experience! The interface quality is important to me, and $40 including a state return sounds reasonable. Did you find TaxSlayer's guidance helpful for more complex tax situations? I have some investment income and a side business I need to report.

Interesting to hear you've had such a good experience! Do you think there might be something specific about certain tax situations that causes the AGI verification issues for some people? Also, have you ever had to amend a return with them, and if so, how was that process?

I think the AGI verification issues might be related to specific scenarios like amended returns or returns with unusual adjustments. Since my tax situation is complex but consistent year-to-year, that might be why I haven't had problems. I did have to amend a return once due to a late-arriving K-1 form. The amendment process with FreeTaxUSA was actually pretty straightforward. They walk you through which forms need to be updated, generate the 1040-X, and provide clear instructions for mailing the paper amendment. They don't offer e-filing for amendments, but that's true for most tax software since the IRS only recently started accepting e-filed amendments.

Thanks for the suggestion! I don't think I qualify for EITC since I don't have kids and my income is a bit too high for a single person. I am taking the standard deduction though. It sounds like my real issue is the self-employment taxes on that gig income that I didn't plan for. Lesson learned for next year - I'll be setting aside money each month from my gig work.

Completely agree! TurboTax kept trying to upsell me to their $120 version to "maximize self-employment deductions." FreeTaxUSA found all the same stuff for like $15. And their interface actually explains things better too.

That's good to know! I felt like I was taking crazy pills when I switched and suddenly found all these deductions TurboTax never mentioned. Their basic version is practically useless for anyone with slightly complicated taxes. FreeTaxUSA actually walks you through the self-employment section with helpful explanations instead of dangling premium features in front of you constantly.

Thank you for this detailed information. I've been worried about the 5-year rule. Since I started school in Fall 2013 and left in March 2019, have I already exceeded the 5-year limit for the student exemption? Or does it work by calendar years rather than academic years?

The 5-year rule works by calendar years, not academic years. So if you were first present as a student in 2013, then 2013, 2014, 2015, 2016, and 2017 would be your five exempt years. Starting in 2018, you would need to count days toward the substantial presence test. However, there's an important exception - you can still claim the exemption beyond 5 years if you can establish that you do not intend to reside permanently in the US and you have substantially complied with the requirements of your visa. Since you left the US and canceled your OPT, you have a strong case that you didn't intend to remain permanently, which might allow you to claim the exemption for 2018 and the partial year 2019 as well.

I tried using TurboTax for my international student filing and it was a disaster. It's really not designed for nonresident aliens or Form 8843. I ended up having to do it manually. H&R Block has slightly better options for international students but still limited.

Thanks for mentioning this! I've already gotten my Michigan driver's license, registered to vote, and changed my car registration. I kept my California bank account open though since they have locations in Michigan too. Should I still consider closing it to be safe?

You don't necessarily need to close the California bank account, but definitely make sure you've changed the primary address on the account to your Michigan address. Having a CA bank account with a CA address could be one factor they look at. The most important things are already done - driver's license, voter registration, and vehicle registration show your intent to permanently reside in Michigan. Also make sure your employer has your Michigan address for your W-2, and that any investment accounts are updated with your new address.

TurboTax Premium worked great for my CA to WA move. It walked me through allocating income between states and explained which income belongs where. It costs more than the basic version but worth it for multi-state situations.

Thanks for mentioning the interest part - I wouldn't have thought of that! Do you typically include bank statements or something to prove when we called the SSA? I'm trying to figure out what kind of documentation would be most convincing.

For documentation, phone records are helpful if you have them, but emails are better since they show the content of the communication. If you have any confirmation emails from when you registered the new employee with the SSA, definitely include those. Screenshots of the registration process showing dates are also useful. The postmarked envelope that contained your PIN is excellent evidence - keep that if you still have it! What really helps is creating a simple timeline document that lines up all your actions chronologically so the IRS can easily see your good faith efforts. The clearer you make it for them, the better your chances.

I did this for a different tax issue. The online setup was pretty easy but there's a small setup fee. I think it was like $130 for the online application but would have been more if I'd done it by phone or mail. Just be aware that interest continues to accrue on the outstanding balance throughout the payment plan.