Has anyone dealt with handling PMI deduction in this situation? My boyfriend and I bought last year too and we have mortgage insurance since we put less than 20% down.

This is such a helpful thread! I'm in a similar situation - my partner and I bought a house last year but aren't married yet. One thing I wanted to add is about property tax payments. Even if your mortgage company handles the property tax payments through escrow, you can still deduct those taxes on your return. Make sure to check your annual escrow statement from your lender - it should show exactly how much was paid in property taxes for the year. This amount can be deducted separately from the mortgage interest, and the same rules apply about splitting it between you and your fiancé if you're both contributing to the mortgage payments. Also, don't forget about any points you paid when you got the mortgage - those are typically deductible in the year you bought the house if it was your primary residence. The points would be shown on your HUD-1 settlement statement or Closing Disclosure from when you purchased. Good luck with your taxes and congratulations on the house! The first year of homeownership taxes can be confusing but you'll get the hang of it.

Same exact situation here! Filed through TurboTax, DDD of 3/15 on my transcript, using Chime, and still nothing as of today. Called Chime twice and they keep saying no pending deposits. It's so frustrating because I really need this money too. Reading through these comments gives me some hope that maybe it'll just show up in the next day or two like what happened to Noah with Varo. Going to try to wait until Friday before I start panicking more, but the anxiety is real! 😰

I'm having the exact same issue! Filed with TurboTax, have a DDD of 3/15 on my transcript, and use Chime - still no deposit as of today. Called Chime multiple times and they say there's nothing pending. I've been checking my account obsessively every few hours. It's really stressful because I was counting on this refund to pay some overdue bills. Reading through everyone's experiences here is both reassuring (I'm not alone) and nerve-wracking (this seems to be a widespread problem). Going to try calling the IRS tomorrow if nothing shows up, though based on what others are saying it might be impossible to get through. Really hoping this gets resolved soon for all of us! 🤞

This thread has been incredibly helpful! I'm actually in a very similar situation with IBKR and had been completely unaware of these potential reporting requirements. After reading through everyone's experiences, I immediately logged into my Client Portal to check my statements. Sure enough, I found several of my European stock positions showing "IBKR (U.K.) Limited" as the custodian, and I've definitely been over the $10K threshold for foreign-held assets for at least the past 8 months. I'm kicking myself for not knowing about this sooner! A couple of specific questions for those who've been through this process: 1. When calculating the maximum balance for FBAR purposes, do I need to convert everything to USD using daily exchange rates, or can I use month-end rates for simplicity? Some of my positions are in EUR and GBP. 2. For anyone who filed delinquent FBARs, how long did the "reasonable cause" review process take? I'm worried about getting this sorted out before next tax season. 3. Has anyone tried contacting IBKR directly to get a clear breakdown of which entities hold which assets? I'm finding the statement details a bit confusing to parse. I'm definitely going to start that monthly tracking spreadsheet right away. Thank you all for sharing your experiences - this could have been a very expensive lesson if I'd discovered it during an IRS audit instead!

Being an EU resident my account was opened via Interactive Brokers Ireland Limited. Notwithstanding, IBKR issued Form1099. The form clearly states that there is ‘No’ FATCA Filling Requirement for the account. Thus, I believe there is no need for file FBAR nor FATCA.

I'm dealing with a very similar situation right now! My spouse is also overseas and we received a joint refund check that my bank won't accept without both signatures. After reading through all these suggestions, I'm leaning toward having my spouse properly endorse the check and mail it back to me using a secure, trackable service like DHL or FedEx. The international shipping will cost around $50-80, but for a $3,750 refund it's definitely worth it. I called my bank (Wells Fargo) yesterday and spoke with their treasury department as someone suggested. They confirmed that if both payees properly endorse the check, they can accept it for mobile deposit or in-person deposit. The key is that both signatures need to be genuine - they were very clear about the fraud risks if I tried to sign for my spouse. One thing I learned is that Treasury checks are valid for one year from the issue date, so there is some time pressure but not immediate panic. The bank representative also mentioned that some customers in similar situations have had success getting a notarized statement from their spouse abroad along with the endorsement, which provides additional documentation if the bank has any concerns. Thanks for posting this question - it's reassuring to know others have navigated this successfully!

I actually work for a tax preparation service and deal with this issue fairly regularly during tax season. Here are the most reliable options based on what I've seen work consistently: **Option 1 (Most Reliable):** Have your spouse properly endorse the check overseas and mail it back via secure courier. Make sure she signs exactly as her name appears on the front of the check, and include "Pay to the order of [your full name]" above her signature. Use DHL, FedEx, or similar with full tracking and insurance. **Option 2 (Faster but requires persistence):** Contact the IRS directly at 1-800-829-1040 and request they reissue the check in your name only due to your spouse's non-resident status. Explain that she's never been to the US and has no way to access US banking. This typically takes 6-10 weeks but eliminates the international shipping risks. **Option 3 (Bank-dependent):** Some banks will accept a notarized power of attorney from your spouse allowing you to endorse on her behalf. The notarization would need to be done at a US consulate/embassy overseas. Call your bank's treasury department to ask if they accept this documentation. Whatever you do, never attempt to sign your wife's name yourself - that's check fraud regardless of your marriage status. The IRS and banks have specific procedures for these international spouse situations, so work within those systems rather than trying shortcuts. The $3,750 is definitely worth the effort to recover properly!

I went through identity verification last year and can share some insights that might help ease your concerns! Here's what I learned: **My Timeline:** - Verification completed: March 15th (phone call took about 35 minutes) - Transcript updated: March 28th (13 days later) - Refund deposited: April 2nd (18 days total from verification) **Key tips that helped me:** 1. **Call early (7-8 AM)** - Much shorter wait times 2. **Have these ready:** Prior year AGI, current return copy, photo ID, Social Security card 3. **Stay calm during the call** - The agents are actually quite helpful once you get through 4. **Check your transcript weekly** after verification to track progress **About your medical expenses:** Definitely mention this! The IRS has expedited processing for financial hardship situations. When I explained I needed my refund for essential home repairs, they flagged my account for priority processing. **What to expect after verification:** - Your return goes back into normal processing (but often faster) - You'll see transcript codes change (570 will clear, then 846 appears with refund date) - Most people see movement within 2-3 weeks The verification process itself is straightforward - they're just confirming you are who you say you are by asking questions only you would know from your tax return and previous filings. Once you complete it, you're typically in good shape for a relatively quick resolution. Hang in there - this is much more routine than it feels when you're going through it!

I went through identity verification just this past January and wanted to share my experience to hopefully ease some of your anxiety! Here's my exact timeline: **My Experience:** - Jan 12: Received 5071C letter - Jan 15: Called verification line at 7:45 AM (got through after about 20 minutes on hold) - Jan 15: Completed verification (took about 25 minutes once connected to agent) - Jan 30: Transcript updated with refund date (code 846) - Feb 2: Direct deposit received That was 15 days from verification to transcript update, and 18 days total to money in my account. **What helped me during the process:** - Called first thing in the morning for shorter wait times - Had all documents organized: ID, Social Security card, prior year AGI, and current tax return - The agent was actually very patient and walked me through each question - They asked for basic info like SSN, filing status, refund amount, and a few line items from my return **Regarding your medical expenses:** Absolutely mention this when you call! I had urgent car repairs needed for work and when I explained the situation, the agent noted it as a potential hardship case in my file. The IRS does have provisions for expediting processing in genuine hardship situations. The verification process itself really isn't as scary as it seems. They're just confirming you are who you say you are by asking questions only you would know from your own tax documents. Once you complete verification, your return goes back into normal processing - and often processes even faster than usual. Based on all the experiences shared here, 2-3 weeks seems to be the typical timeframe after verification. You've got this - just make that call tomorrow and get the ball rolling!