One thing to consider that nobody's mentioned yet is your specific audit situation. If you're facing a correspondence audit (just mail), an EA is probably fine. For an office audit, either EA or CPA works well. But if you're facing a field audit (where they come to you), I'd seriously consider a tax attorney. I've been through two audits - one with an EA (correspondence audit) and another with an attorney (field audit). The difference in approach was significant. The attorney understood procedural protections that the EA didn't, which mattered a lot when the auditor started asking for documents beyond the original scope.

Just to add another data point - price differences between these professionals can be significant. In my area: - EAs typically charge $150-250/hr for audit representation - CPAs usually run $200-350/hr for the same work - Tax attorneys start around $350/hr and can go up to $500+ For a simple audit focused on just a couple issues, this might mean: EA: $500-1000 total CPA: $1000-2000 total Attorney: $2000-5000+ total Most regular tax situations really don't need the attorney unless there's potential criminal issues or six-figure amounts in dispute.

One thing nobody has mentioned yet - make sure you keep proof that you mailed your return! I learned this the hard way last year when the IRS claimed they never received my mailed return. Since I just dropped it in a regular mailbox with no tracking, I had zero proof. I'd recommend calling USPS to see if they can provide any tracking for your mail even after the fact. Or if you have the receipt from the post office with the date stamped, take a photo of it right now before you lose it!

Quick tip from someone who's worked in tax prep - if you're concerned about your return, print another copy and take it to your local IRS Taxpayer Assistance Center. You can schedule an appointment online and they can stamp your return as received and submit it internally. This gives you immediate proof that your return was filed.

The same thing happened to me with a different tax issue! My CPA claimed my home office incorrectly for 2 years and when I questioned it he got super defensive. I ended up reporting him to the state board and got a new accountant who fixed everything. Make sure you document EVERYTHING - save emails, write down details of phone conversations right after they happen (including date, time, who you spoke with), and keep all your receipts and tax documents organized. The state board took my complaint seriously and actually suspended his license for 6 months because they found multiple similar complaints. If you're within the 3-year window, definitely get those returns amended. I got back almost $8,200 after my corrections.

Make sure you check the statute of limitations! Generally you only have 3 years from the original filing date to amend a return and claim a refund. If any of those years are approaching the 3-year mark, file a protective claim immediately even before you have all the documents ready. One option worth considering is having the CPA firm pay for the cost of amendments since it was their error. Some firms have policies for this. Even though your experience with them was terrible, consider sending a formal letter to the managing partner (not the CPA you dealt with) outlining the errors and requesting they cover the costs of amendments.

Just wanted to share that I manually completed my 1040NR and state tax forms last year when I had similar issues with Sprintax. It's not as complicated as it seems if you're in a straightforward situation with single source income and clear tax treaty benefits. The key forms you'll need: 1040NR - the main non-resident tax return 8843 - Statement for Exempt Individuals (all J visa holders must file this) 8833 - Treaty-Based Return Position Disclosure (to claim your treaty benefits) Your state's non-resident tax return form The most important thing is correctly identifying which article of your country's tax treaty applies to your situation. For most research scholars, it's either under the student/trainee provision or the visiting teacher/researcher provision.

Has anyone used TaxAct or TurboTax for 1040NR instead of Sprintax? I'm wondering if they might be more accurate for J1 visa holders with tax treaties.

Another option to consider is the Tuition and Fees Deduction which lets you deduct up to $4,000 from your taxable income. Course materials can qualify if they're paid directly to the educational institution as a condition of enrollment. But since you bought them separately, this might not apply. The American Opportunity Credit is better than Lifetime Learning if you're eligible (must be in first 4 years of post-secondary education), since it's worth up to $2,500 and 40% is refundable even if you don't owe taxes. But again, you need to be paying some tuition yourself usually.

Has anyone actually had success claiming computer equipment for the Lifetime Learning Credit? I tried this last year and got flagged for review because my laptop wasn't specifically listed as "required" in my course syllabus, just strongly recommended.