I went through this exact same situation last year and understand how stressful it is! The 810 freeze basically means your return got flagged for additional review - it's frustrating but doesn't necessarily mean anything is wrong. A few things that helped me while waiting: - The changing "as of" date is totally normal and doesn't indicate a problem - Most 810 freezes resolve within 6-10 weeks without any action needed - If you haven't received a letter by now, there's a good chance it will just clear automatically I tried calling the IRS multiple times but could never get through. Eventually mine just released after about 8 weeks with no explanation. I know $3,700 is a lot of money to have tied up, but try to stay patient. The vast majority of these situations resolve favorably, it just takes time unfortunately. Don't let your tax preparer's lack of response stress you out too much either - they probably just don't have any more information than you do right now. Hang in there!

I'm really sorry you're dealing with this stress! The 810 freeze is unfortunately very common this year - you're definitely not alone. From what I've seen, it typically means your return got flagged for some kind of verification or review, but the good news is that most people eventually get their refunds without having to do anything. A few things to keep in mind: - The changing "as of" date is completely normal and doesn't mean something is wrong - Many 810 freezes resolve automatically after 6-8 weeks without any letters or action needed - Since you filed early and it's only been about 6 weeks since the freeze appeared, you're still within the normal timeframe I'd suggest checking if you can create an IRS online account to see if there are any identity verification requirements or other action items waiting for you. Also, try pulling your wage and income transcript to compare against what you reported - sometimes there are small discrepancies that trigger these reviews. Your tax preparer not responding is frustrating but unfortunately common when they don't have any additional information to share. Try not to panic - the vast majority of these situations resolve themselves with time. I know waiting is hard when you need that money, but hang in there! 🤞

As a newcomer to this community, I wanted to add one more important consideration that could be really helpful for your situation. I recently went through a similar process bringing back funds from selling property in Turkey, and I discovered something that wasn't mentioned in this excellent thread yet. Consider reaching out to international money transfer services like Wise (formerly TransferWise) or Remitly before committing to either cash transport or traditional banking. Even with Greece's banking challenges, these services sometimes have partnerships or workarounds that traditional banks don't offer. When I was dealing with banking restrictions in Turkey, Wise was able to facilitate a transfer that my local bank couldn't handle. Also, I wanted to emphasize something about the timing of your FBAR filing that others touched on - the deadline is April 15th with an automatic extension to October 15th, but there's no further extension available. Given that your property sale involves foreign accounts, make sure you calendar this deadline separately from your regular tax return. One practical tip for the customs declaration: bring multiple copies of all your key documents. I learned this the hard way when a customs agent kept one set of my paperwork and I needed copies for my bank deposit later. Having extras saved me from having to get documents re-certified. The advice in this thread about exploring Greek banking options is spot-on. The combination of proper preparation and professional guidance really seems to be the key to navigating these complex international property situations successfully!

As a newcomer to this community, I wanted to share my recent experience that might be helpful for your situation. I just completed a similar process after selling my family's vacation home in Spain and had to navigate many of the same challenges you're facing. One option that worked well for me was using cryptocurrency exchanges that operate in both Greece and the US. Coinbase and Kraken both have European operations, and I was able to convert my euros to USDC (a stable cryptocurrency pegged to the dollar) in Spain, then convert back to USD in my US account. The whole process took about 3 days and cost less than 1% in fees. This completely avoided the cash transport risks and banking restrictions. For the tax documentation, I found that the IRS was very accommodating with my translated Spanish documents as long as they were professionally translated. The key was having clear documentation of the original purchase price, sale price, and any improvements made to the property. Since you mentioned this is a capital loss situation, make sure to document any selling expenses (legal fees, real estate commissions, etc.) as these can be added to your cost basis. Regarding the FBAR requirements others mentioned - yes, even temporary holding of the sale proceeds in a foreign account counts toward the $10,000 threshold. I filed mine online through the BSA E-Filing System, and it was actually quite straightforward once I had all the account information organized. The most important thing I learned was to keep meticulous records of everything - exchange rates used, dates of transactions, copies of all communications with banks or buyers. The IRS appreciates thorough documentation, especially for international transactions involving substantial amounts. Good luck with your situation - with proper preparation it's definitely manageable!

I'm so sorry for your loss, Landon. Having gone through a similar situation with my mother's property last year, I completely understand how overwhelming this feels when you're already dealing with grief. After reading through all the excellent advice here, I want to add my voice to the overwhelming consensus - you're absolutely handling this correctly. The stepped-up basis rules under IRC Section 1014 are specifically designed for situations exactly like yours, where inherited property is sold relatively quickly after death. What really helped me gain confidence in my approach was understanding that the 6-month timeline you have is actually ideal for using the sale price as evidence of fair market value. The IRS recognizes that arm's length sales occurring close to the valuation date serve as strong evidence of FMV, and this is well-supported by Treasury Regulation 20.2031-1(b). Here's what I did that gave me complete peace of mind: 1. **Created a simple documentation memo** - Just one page explaining that I used the sale price as FMV because the property was sold within 6 months of inheritance with no major improvements or significant market changes 2. **Got the county tax assessment** - Called the assessor's office and got the property tax valuation from around the date of death (this was free and took about 10 minutes) 3. **Asked our realtor for quick comps** - She pulled 2-3 comparable sales from that time period at no charge since we'd worked with her on the sale Having those three data points all align in the same general range made me feel completely confident that I wasn't arbitrarily picking numbers. The key is demonstrating that you made a good faith effort to determine fair market value. Your estate attorney's advice is spot-on, and you shouldn't second-guess yourself about this approach. The fact that your cost basis and sale proceeds are nearly identical isn't suspicious - it's exactly how the stepped-up basis is supposed to work to eliminate capital gains on your mother's lifetime appreciation. Trust that the tax code is actually working in your favor here, and you're handling a difficult situation with great care and attention to detail.

I'm so sorry for your loss, Landon. Having recently joined this community and dealing with my first inherited property situation myself, I wanted to thank you for asking this question - it's helped me understand my own situation so much better. After reading through all the incredibly detailed and consistent advice here, it's clear that you're handling this exactly right. The stepped-up basis rules under IRC Section 1014 are specifically designed for situations like yours, and the 6-month timeline between inheritance and sale is actually perfect for using the sale price as your fair market value evidence. What really stands out to me from everyone's responses is how the seemingly "too good to be true" aspect of having nearly identical cost basis and sale proceeds is actually the intended outcome. The whole point of the stepped-up basis is to eliminate capital gains tax on appreciation that occurred during your mother's lifetime - so having little to no taxable gain is exactly what Congress wanted when they created these rules. The documentation suggestions from the community are so practical and manageable: a simple one-page memo explaining your reasoning, one additional data point like the county tax assessment (which seems to be free and quick), and keeping organized records. This approach demonstrates good faith effort without overcomplicating things during an already difficult time. Your estate attorney's guidance aligns perfectly with everything discussed here, and you should trust that you're not being "lazy" but rather following well-established tax practices that are specifically designed to work in your favor during these circumstances. Thank you for sharing your situation - it's been incredibly educational for those of us facing similar challenges!

I just want to thank everyone in this thread for sharing their experiences! I'm getting ready to file my taxes with FreeTaxUSA next month and this has been incredibly educational. Based on all the advice here, I'm planning to: - Have my promo code ready before I even start the checkout process - Disable my ad blocker temporarily - Look specifically in the fee breakdown section for a small text field - Do a practice run first to familiarize myself with the interface It's frustrating that something as simple as entering a promo code can be so confusing, but at least now I know what to expect. The fact that so many people have had the same issue suggests FreeTaxUSA could really improve their UI design to make this more obvious. Has anyone tried reaching out to FreeTaxUSA directly with feedback about making the promo code field more visible? Seems like it would benefit both customers and the company if fewer people missed out on using their promotional codes.

I'm dealing with this exact same issue right now! I've been going back and forth on the FreeTaxUSA checkout page for the past 20 minutes looking for where to enter my promo code. Reading through all these responses has been super helpful - it sounds like the field is really easy to miss. I'm going to try the suggestion about disabling my ad blocker and clearing my browser cache. I use uBlock Origin which is pretty aggressive, so that could definitely be hiding the promo code field. It's so frustrating when you have a discount code but can't figure out how to actually use it! For anyone else still struggling with this, it seems like the consensus is to look very carefully on the summary page before you get to credit card entry, specifically in the fee breakdown section where it shows your charges. The field is apparently quite small and not very obvious. Thanks everyone for sharing your experiences - this thread is going to save me a lot of headache!

I've been following this discussion and wanted to add my perspective as someone who went through a very similar situation last year. I was the designated "trip treasurer" for a large group ski trip and ended up with over $15,000 flowing through my personal Venmo account for lodging, lift tickets, equipment rentals, etc. What I learned is that the key is thinking of yourself as a "payment facilitator" rather than someone receiving income. I created a simple reconciliation document showing total collected vs. total expenses paid out on behalf of the group. My net was actually negative $200 since I covered some incidental costs that we never bothered collecting for. One tip I haven't seen mentioned yet: if you're coordinating group expenses regularly, consider asking your bank about opening a separate checking account just for these pass-through transactions. It makes the money trail crystal clear and separates your personal finances from your role as group coordinator. Some banks offer free accounts for this kind of thing. The documentation everyone's mentioning is spot-on. I kept a folder with all vendor receipts, screenshots of group planning conversations, and a spreadsheet tracking who paid what. When I filed my taxes, I felt completely confident that I could demonstrate none of this was personal income - I was just the designated person handling logistics for shared expenses. Don't let the anxiety get to you. This is such a common scenario now with digital payments, and the system is designed to handle it properly when you have good records.

This entire discussion has been incredibly enlightening! As someone new to this community, I'm dealing with a very similar situation and the collective wisdom here is exactly what I needed. I've been the "family banker" for our extended family for years - coordinating shared purchases for reunions, holiday gifts for elderly relatives, and group contributions for things like funeral flowers or baby shower gifts. Last year alone, I probably had $7,000+ flow through my Venmo account for these kinds of family coordination activities. What I'm taking away from everyone's experiences is that the key principles are: 1) honest reporting of actual taxable income, 2) good documentation showing the true nature of transactions, and 3) understanding that the IRS recognizes these everyday money-sharing scenarios as legitimate non-income activity. I love the practical tips shared here - the spreadsheet tracking method, the importance of descriptive Venmo notes, keeping receipts for original purchases, and especially the "custodial funds" concept. The separate bank account idea that Liam mentioned is something I'm definitely going to explore for future family events. It's such a relief to understand that this anxiety about Venmo reporting is so widespread and that there are proven approaches for handling it. The fact that multiple people have successfully navigated similar situations with good documentation gives me confidence that this is manageable. Thanks to this community for creating such a helpful resource for those of us trying to figure out these new reporting requirements!