I've been through the exact same F1 visa tax confusion and want to add some clarity to the great advice already given here. The key thing that helped me understand this was realizing there are actually TWO separate tests working together: 1. **The 5-year exemption rule**: Your first 5 calendar years in F1 status (2013-2017 for you) automatically make you a nonresident alien, regardless of days present. 2. **The Substantial Presence Test**: Starting in 2018, you calculate using the weighted formula. Based on your numbers, you'd likely be a **resident alien** for 2020 tax purposes (Form 1040), but here's what saved me: the **closer connection exception** via Form 8840. Since you were present less than 183 days in 2020 (only 159), and it sounds like you maintained strong ties to your home country, you can likely still elect to be treated as a nonresident. The bank account, family home, and voter registration you mentioned would be strong evidence. **Important warning**: You'll probably need to review 2018 and 2019 too. I made the mistake of filing as nonresident those years when I should have been resident, and had to file amended returns. It was a pain but ultimately got me a refund! My advice: Get help from a tax pro who specializes in international student taxes. The potential amended returns and Form 8840 elections can get tricky, and you want to make sure you're doing everything correctly to avoid future IRS issues.

As someone who went through this exact F1 visa tax maze a few years ago, I can tell you that you're asking all the right questions! The confusion is totally understandable because the rules are genuinely complex. Based on your timeline, here's what I learned when I was in your shoes: **Your 5-year exempt period**: 2013-2017 were your exempt years as an F1 student. During these years, you were automatically a nonresident alien regardless of how many days you were present. **For 2020**: Starting in 2018, you begin using the Substantial Presence Test. Your calculation would be: - 2020 days: 159 - 2019 weighted (÷3): 73.7 days - 2018 weighted (÷6): 36.3 days - **Total: 269 days** Since this exceeds 183 days AND you were present more than 31 days in 2020, you'd technically be a **resident alien** for 2020 tax purposes and should use **Form 1040**. **BUT** - and this is important - since you were present less than 183 days in 2020 (only 159) and it sounds like you maintained strong ties to your home country, you might qualify for the **closer connection exception** using Form 8840. This would let you elect to be treated as a nonresident. **Red flag**: You should also check 2018 and 2019. I made the mistake of filing as nonresident those years when I was actually a resident alien under the test. Had to file amended returns, but it worked out fine. My recommendation? Find a tax professional who specializes in F1 visa situations. The potential amended returns and Form 8840 can get tricky, and you want to get it right the first time!

I'm in a very similar situation with about $2,900 in winnings from Chumba and LuckyLand this year, and this thread has been incredibly eye-opening! I had no idea about the potential tax implications until I started researching it recently. What's really helpful is seeing so many people confirm that reporting as "Other Income" is the safest approach, especially with the direct IRS guidance that several folks obtained. I've been keeping loose track of my redemptions, but clearly need to get much more organized with documentation. One question I haven't seen addressed - for those of you who have been reporting social casino winnings for multiple years, have you noticed any patterns in terms of which platforms eventually start sending 1099-MISC forms? I'm wondering if some companies get more compliant over time as they grow larger or face more regulatory pressure. I'm definitely going to start that detailed spreadsheet approach immediately and plan to report everything when I file. Better to be overly cautious than deal with potential issues down the road. Thanks to everyone who shared their experiences and research - this has been incredibly valuable information that I couldn't find anywhere else!

I've been dealing with this exact situation and wanted to share what worked for me. After winning about $3,200 across Chumba and LuckyLand this year, I was getting nowhere with customer support about tax forms, so I took a different approach. I ended up using one of those AI tax tools someone mentioned earlier (taxr.ai) to analyze my situation, and it was incredibly helpful in understanding the distinction between traditional gambling and these sweepstakes-style platforms. The tool confirmed that these winnings should be reported as "Other Income" rather than gambling winnings, which aligns with what others have shared here. What really helped me was creating a simple system: I exported all my redemption emails into a folder, took screenshots of my account histories from each platform, and organized everything by date and amount. When tax season comes, I'll have everything ready to report, regardless of whether I receive any 1099-MISC forms. The key insight I got from the tax tool and this thread is that the IRS doesn't really care about the technical distinction between "sweepstakes" and "gambling" - they just want you to report the income. Since these platforms are notoriously inconsistent with their own reporting, keeping detailed personal records is absolutely essential. For anyone in a similar boat, I'd definitely recommend being proactive about documentation and reporting. The peace of mind is worth way more than trying to guess whether these companies will handle it properly on their end.

I'm going through this exact same situation right now! Filed my 1040-NR in mid-March as an H-1B holder (was on F-1 status for part of the tax year) and it's been over 2 months with zero updates. The "Where's My Refund" tool just shows the same useless "still being processed" message every time I check. This thread has been incredibly helpful - I had no idea that non-resident returns took so much longer than regular 1040s! I didn't claim any treaty benefits, but I did have income from multiple states which might be complicating things. Reading about everyone's experiences with tax transcripts is really eye-opening - I'm definitely going to request mine this week to see if there are any specific hold codes explaining the delay. One thing I'm wondering about - has anyone here had experience with status changes during the tax year (like F-1 to H-1B)? I'm worried that might be adding extra complexity to my return review since I had to report income under two different visa statuses. My tax preparer said it was filed correctly, but now I'm second-guessing everything! The waiting is so stressful, especially when you see people with regular 1040s getting their refunds in 2-3 weeks. At least now I know what to expect timeline-wise based on everyone's experiences. Thanks for starting this discussion - it's such a relief to know I'm not the only one dealing with this frustrating process!

I'm going through the exact same frustrating situation! Filed my 1040-NR in early March as an F-1 student from Vietnam, and it's now been over 2 months with absolutely no progress. The "Where's My Refund" tool has been completely useless - just the same generic "still being processed" message for weeks. Reading through everyone's experiences in this thread has been both reassuring and nerve-wracking. Reassuring to know this insane wait time is apparently normal for non-resident returns, but nerve-wracking to realize I could be waiting until fall! I also claimed treaty benefits for my teaching assistantship income, so based on what others have shared, that manual review process is definitely adding months to my timeline. I'm absolutely going to request my tax transcript after seeing how helpful it was for others here. The idea that there might be specific hold codes explaining what's actually happening (instead of just wondering if my return disappeared) is incredibly appealing right now. At least then I'll know if there's a real issue that needs addressing or if I'm just stuck in the normal processing queue. One thing that's really helped my stress level is seeing that literally everyone who's posted here eventually got their refund - it just took way longer than expected. I was starting to panic that something had gone wrong with my filing, but it sounds like 4-6 months is unfortunately just the reality for 1040-NR returns with treaty benefits. Thanks so much for starting this discussion @Fatima Al-Farsi - it's such a relief to find others dealing with this same nightmare! The waiting is awful when you're counting on that money, but at least now I have a realistic timeline and some actionable steps to get more information.

Check your loan estimate carefully! Mine had an origination charge of 1% but when i looked at the breakdown it was actually 0.25% for points (deductible) and 0.75% for underwriting fees (not deductible). They lump it all together as "origination" which is super confusing.

Great advice from everyone here! I went through this same confusion last year. One thing that really helped me was getting the HUD-1 Settlement Statement (or Closing Disclosure for newer loans) and looking specifically at line 801 for "Loan Origination Fee" and line 802 for "Loan Discount (Points)". If your 1.25% fee shows up on line 802 or is specifically labeled as discount points, it's likely deductible. If it's on line 801 as a service fee, it's probably not. Also, the IRS has a specific test for deductible points: they must be computed as a percentage of the loan amount, paid for your main home, be customary in your area, and not exceed the amount generally charged. Your lender should be able to confirm which category your fee falls into - don't be afraid to press them for specifics since this affects your taxes!

I'm dealing with a very similar situation! I've been working remotely for a European company while living in the US and regularly transferring my salary back through various services including Western Union. One thing I learned that might help you - the key distinction is between the original income (which you definitely need to report on your US taxes as worldwide income) and the actual transfer of that money between your accounts (which isn't a taxable event itself). For the FBAR reporting that others mentioned, the threshold is if your foreign accounts had a combined balance over $10,000 at ANY point during the year - even if it was just for one day. This caught me off guard initially because I thought it was based on year-end balances. Also, keep detailed records of the exchange rates on transfer dates. While small currency fluctuations usually don't create significant taxable gains, if there are large swings between when you earned the money and when you transferred it, there could be some currency gain/loss to account for. Have you considered using a service like Wise instead of Western Union? The fees are usually lower and they provide better documentation that's easier for tax reporting purposes.

I've been in a similar boat with international transfers and want to share some practical insights that might help. First, you're absolutely right that you shouldn't be paying taxes twice on the same income - the transfer itself isn't taxable, but there are definitely reporting requirements to be aware of. Beyond what others have mentioned about FBAR filing, make sure you understand the timing requirements. The FBAR is due by April 15th (with an automatic extension to October 15th), but it's filed separately from your tax return through FinCEN's website. Missing this deadline can result in significant penalties even if no taxes are owed. For your Western Union transfers specifically, I'd recommend keeping a simple spreadsheet tracking each transfer with the date, amount in foreign currency, USD amount received, and the exchange rate. This documentation will be invaluable if you ever face questions about the source of funds. One thing to watch out for - if your total transfers for the year exceed certain thresholds (like $10,000 from a single foreign source), you might also need to consider Form 3520 reporting requirements depending on the exact nature of your employment arrangement overseas. Also, since you mentioned working remotely for an Asian company, double-check whether you need to file any forms related to foreign earned income exclusion (Form 2555) if you qualify. This could potentially reduce your US tax liability on the original income.