They never really explained it clearly. When I called back to ask questions, they just quickly said they'd cancel everything and deactivated my account. That's what made me most suspicious - like they knew they got caught doing something they shouldn't have been doing. I think I'm definitely going to do my own taxes from now on. I only went to them because a friend recommended them, but now I'm wondering if my friend actually had a good experience or if they might have had something similar happen without realizing it.

Did your son have to repay the entire refund or just the portion that was related to the fake business? I've always been curious what happens in these situations.

Would this also apply if changing from 1040-NR to 1040? I think I might have filed the wrong way (opposite problem from OP). Is there a time limit for fixing this?

Yes, the same general process applies when amending from 1040-NR to 1040, but the tax implications might be more favorable since resident aliens generally have access to more deductions and credits than nonresident aliens. Regarding time limits, you typically have 3 years from the original filing deadline to file an amended return. So for a 2022 tax return originally due in April 2023, you'd have until April 2026 to amend it. However, if there's a significant refund involved, I wouldn't wait - the sooner you correct it, the sooner you'll receive any refund you're entitled to.

This is so important! What countries typically have the best tax treaties with the US? I'm from Brazil and wondering if I should be looking into this.

No special credits this year, just a straight W-2 filing with standard deduction. That's why I'm so confused about the delay. Nothing complicated that should trigger extra review.

That's strange then. Usually simple returns get processed quickly. One other thing to check - did you receive all three stimulus payments correctly? If there's any discrepancy with the Recovery Rebate Credit, that could cause delays too. Also make sure your bank account info was entered correctly in TurboTax.

Can confirm this works. I had an issue with identity verification delaying my refund. Made an appointment at my local IRS office, brought my ID and documents, and they cleared the hold while I was there. Had my refund the next week.

That's really helpful info about Form 3520! I had no idea the penalties could be that severe. €37,500 is under $100,000, but if exchange rates shift or if I decide to bring over some additional savings I have there, it could potentially cross that threshold. Better to know this ahead of time than find out the hard way. Is this form something I file along with my regular tax return or is it a separate filing deadline?

Form 3520 is filed separately from your regular tax return, but it's due on the same date as your individual income tax return (including extensions). So if you file for an extension on your 1040, you also get an extension on Form 3520. Be very careful with the currency conversion rates too. The IRS wants you to use the conversion rate on the date you received the money, not when you transfer it to the US. So document the exact date you legally received the inheritance and the exchange rate on that date.

The US-Greece tax treaty doesn't provide significant advantages for inheritances specifically. For an inheritance that size (€200,000), your biggest concern should actually be proper reporting, not US taxation. You'll definitely need to file: 1. FinCEN Form 114 (FBAR) 2. Form 8938 (Foreign Financial Assets) 3. Form 3520 (since it's over $100,000) The US doesn't typically tax foreign inheritances received by US persons regardless of size, but the reporting requirements become stricter with larger amounts. The penalties for non-compliance with these forms are substantial, so I'd recommend working with a tax professional who specializes in international taxation for an inheritance of that magnitude.

Wait is this for real?? So if my total income including the capital gains stays under that threshold, I pay NOTHING on the gains? That seems too good to be true...

Yes, it's absolutely real! The long-term capital gains tax rate is 0% for income (including the gains themselves) up to that threshold. But there's an important clarification - when figuring out if you're under the threshold, you need to include the capital gains in your income calculation. So if your taxable income from your job is $40,000 after deductions, you could realize about $7,000 in capital gains and still pay 0% on those gains. Once you go over the threshold, the amount over gets taxed at 15% (assuming you don't hit the higher brackets). This is why spreading sales over multiple tax years can be so beneficial.

I've used both. TurboTax Premier is definitely better for complex investment situations. It imports all your trades automatically from most brokerages and calculates everything correctly. H&R Block can do it too but the interface isn't as smooth. If you have lots of transactions, the time saved with TurboTax is worth the extra cost IMO.

thx for the info! sounds like turbotax is worth the extra money in my case since i have like 30+ trades to report. dont wanna mess up and trigger an audit lol