As someone who's been through multiple deployments and dealt with complicated military tax situations, I'd strongly echo what others have said about avoiding those personal equipment deductions. The IRS is pretty strict about what constitutes a legitimate business expense versus personal equipment. One thing I'd add - if you're looking for ways to maximize your tax benefits as military, focus on the things that are clearly allowed: the moving expense deductions (which are still available for military even after the tax law changes), making sure you're properly excluding combat pay when beneficial, and taking advantage of any state-specific military benefits in your home state. Also, consider contributing to a TSP (Thrift Savings Plan) if you're not already maxing it out. The tax benefits there are substantial and completely legitimate. It's a much better use of your money than risking an audit over equipment that likely won't qualify anyway. The "ask for forgiveness rather than permission" approach with the IRS is definitely not recommended - they don't tend to be very forgiving, and military personnel can face additional scrutiny if there are issues with their taxes.

Active duty Air Force here - I've been dealing with military taxes for about 8 years now and want to emphasize what others have said about being very careful with equipment deductions. The IRS has gotten much stricter about military deductions since the Tax Cuts and Jobs Act. I learned this the hard way when I tried to deduct some tactical gear a few years back, thinking it was job-related. Got a letter from the IRS asking for documentation showing it was "ordinary and necessary" for my military duties. Since I couldn't prove the military required me to purchase it personally (versus issuing it), they disallowed the deduction plus interest. For your specific situation with the pistols and hockey gear - these would almost certainly be classified as personal expenses. The IRS doesn't care if your personal firearms use the same ammo as your duty weapon, or if hockey keeps you in shape for PT tests. They look at whether the military specifically required YOU to purchase these items at your own expense. Focus on the guaranteed benefits instead: TSP contributions, legitimate PCS moving expenses, and if you deploy, make sure you're handling combat pay exclusion correctly. These are worth way more than trying to squeeze deductions out of personal equipment purchases. The audit risk just isn't worth it, especially when there are plenty of legitimate military tax benefits you can take advantage of.

As someone who used to have the exact same anxiety about tax accuracy, I can tell you that what you're feeling is completely normal! I spent years lying awake at night wondering if I'd made some mistake that would trigger penalties or interest charges down the road. Here's what I've learned that might help: The IRS actually has something called the "Taxpayer Bill of Rights" which includes the right to be informed and the right to quality service. While they don't offer voluntary audits, you can absolutely contact them proactively about specific concerns. A few practical approaches that have worked for me: - Call the IRS practitioner priority line if you're working with a tax professional - Use Form 843 to request abatement of penalties if you discover errors later (shows good faith) - Consider the IRS Free File program's audit support if you used their system The thing that finally gave me peace of mind was realizing that the IRS is actually quite reasonable when dealing with honest taxpayers who make good faith efforts. They're mainly looking for people who are deliberately trying to evade taxes, not folks like us who are just worried about getting it right. Your instinct to want certainty is admirable, but try to channel that energy into good record-keeping and maybe working with a tax professional rather than inviting unnecessary scrutiny. Most of us never hear from the IRS again after filing - and that's exactly how it should be!

I completely understand this anxiety! As someone who works in tax preparation, I see this worry all the time. While you can't formally request an audit, there's actually a middle-ground approach that might give you the peace of mind you're seeking. Consider requesting what's called a "reconsideration" of your return through Form 12153 or by writing a detailed letter to the IRS explaining your concerns and asking them to review specific items you're uncertain about. This isn't quite an audit, but it can trigger a review of the areas you're worried about. Another option is to file Form 8275 (Disclosure Statement) along with your return if you have positions you're unsure about. This shows the IRS exactly what you're uncertain about and demonstrates good faith effort to comply. Honestly though, the fact that you care this much about accuracy probably means you're doing everything right. Most audit flags come from obvious inconsistencies or missing income, not from honest taxpayers who are trying their best to comply. Your anxiety itself is actually a pretty good indicator that you're not the type of person the IRS is typically looking for! If it helps, remember that even if you made a mistake, the IRS is generally quite reasonable with taxpayers who clearly made good faith efforts to get things right.

For what it's worth, I had a similar issue with old TurboTax files a few years back and learned that the IRS actually has a free service called "Get Transcript Online" where you can download official copies of your tax returns directly from their website. You just need to create an account and verify your identity. The transcripts aren't formatted exactly like your original returns, but they contain all the key financial information that lenders typically need for mortgage applications. It's completely free and you don't have to deal with phone calls or proprietary file formats. Just go to irs.gov and look for the "Get Transcript" option. This might be easier than trying to convert your .T19 files or paying H&R Block for copies, especially since you mentioned this is for a mortgage application where official IRS documents would probably carry more weight anyway.

I'd strongly recommend trying the IRS Get Transcript service that AstroAdventurer mentioned before going with any of the paid or third-party options. I work in mortgage lending and can confirm that official IRS transcripts are actually preferred by most lenders over copies from tax software anyway. The identity verification process for setting up your IRS online account can be a bit tedious (you'll need to answer questions about your credit history and provide a phone number), but once you're verified, you can instantly download transcripts for multiple years. These transcripts include all the key information from your returns - AGI, taxable income, taxes paid, etc. For mortgage applications specifically, lenders typically want either the official tax transcripts or copies of the actual returns you filed. Since the IRS transcripts are free and immediately available, they're usually the fastest path forward. Save yourself the headache of dealing with proprietary file formats!

I'm also going through this exact same situation and finding this thread has been incredibly valuable! Got my 810 code on April 22nd after filing in early February, which seems to match the pattern everyone else is experiencing. Like so many others here, I have that combination of remote work deductions (first time claiming home office expenses) and some freelance consulting income that appears to be the common trigger for these reviews. What's really striking is how consistent everyone's experiences are - mid-April 810 codes, filed in February, mix of remote work and gig economy income. It definitely seems like we're all caught up in the same systematic review the IRS is conducting on these "new normal" tax situations. I'm taking all the great advice here: already organized all my supporting documents (W-2s, 1099s, home office receipts, consulting contracts) and checking mail daily for that notice. The success stories, especially the 6-week resolution timeline some have shared, give me hope this won't be the months-long nightmare I initially feared. One observation - it's actually reassuring that so many of us are dealing with this simultaneously. It suggests this is more about the IRS adapting their processes to handle new types of tax situations rather than us having done anything wrong. We're just caught in their learning curve for processing remote work and gig economy returns. Thanks to everyone for sharing their experiences and advice. This community support makes dealing with the uncertainty so much easier!

I'm also dealing with this exact situation and really appreciate finding this thread! Got my 810 code on April 19th after filing in early February, and like so many others here, I have that combination of remote work deductions (first time ever claiming home office expenses) and some freelance graphic design income that seems to be triggering these reviews. Reading through everyone's experiences has been both reassuring and educational. The pattern is so clear - mid-April 810 codes for people who filed in February with "new economy" tax situations. It definitely feels like we're all part of the same systematic review process the IRS is conducting. I'm following all the excellent advice shared here: organized all my documents (W-2s, 1099s from design clients, home office receipts, equipment purchases), and I'm checking my mailbox daily for that notice. The success stories, especially the 6-week timeline some have shared, give me hope this will resolve without turning into a months-long ordeal. What's really helping my stress level is realizing this seems to be more about the IRS adapting their processes for remote work and freelance income rather than any red flags on our returns. We're just caught up in their verification procedures for these newer tax situations. Has anyone in this mid-April timeframe started receiving their notices yet? I'm curious about the timing since we all seem to be experiencing this together. Thanks to everyone for sharing - this community support makes dealing with IRS uncertainty so much more manageable!

I'm actually going through this exact same situation right now! I'm on F1 OPT and just discovered my employer has been withholding FICA taxes for the past 8 months. I had no idea I was supposed to be exempt until I started preparing my tax return. Reading through all these responses has been incredibly helpful. It sounds like there are multiple approaches - filing Form 843 myself, using specialized tax services, or working directly with ADP if that's what my employer uses. I'm leaning toward trying to contact my employer's payroll first to stop future withholdings, then filing Form 843 for what's already been taken. Has anyone had success getting their employer to actually reimburse the wrongfully withheld FICA taxes directly instead of going through the IRS? I'm wondering if that might be faster than waiting for the IRS to process a refund claim.

I went through this exact situation two years ago on my F1 STEM OPT! My employer had been incorrectly withholding FICA taxes for over a year before I caught it. Here's what I learned from the process: First, definitely contact your employer's HR/payroll department immediately with documentation showing your F1 status and the IRS regulations about FICA exemptions for non-resident aliens. Provide them with IRS Publication 519 and highlight the relevant sections. This stops future incorrect withholding. For getting your money back, I filed Form 843 myself and received my refund in about 10 weeks. The key is having complete documentation: your W-2 showing FICA withholding, copies of your visa documents, I-94 records, and a clear explanation of why you're exempt. I also included a timeline showing my entry date and length of stay to prove my non-resident alien status. Pro tip: When calculating how much you're owed, don't forget that FICA includes both Social Security (6.2%) and Medicare (1.45%) taxes - so you should be getting back 7.65% of your gross wages that had FICA withheld. In my case, it was about $2,400 for 14 months of incorrect withholding. The IRS was actually quite responsive once I had all the proper documentation together. Don't let your employer's confusion delay you from filing - you can handle this independently!