This is such a comprehensive thread with so many helpful solutions! As someone who works in IT support, I see similar account recovery issues all the time, and the advice here is spot-on. Just to add one more option that might help some folks: if you're comfortable with technology and want to avoid phone calls entirely, you can also try the IRS's "Get an Identity Protection PIN" process. Even if you weren't previously enrolled in the IP PIN program, going through their identity verification for that service sometimes allows you to update your contact information in the process. It's not widely known, but it can be another pathway to account recovery. The key takeaway from everyone's experiences seems to be: don't panic, be prepared with your tax documents, and use that 800-908-4490 number during optimal calling times. The IRS agents really are more helpful than people expect once you get through to the right department. Great job everyone on turning this into such a useful resource for retirees dealing with account access issues!

I'm currently dealing with this exact same frustrating situation! Just retired in February and my company deactivated my work email faster than I expected. I've been putting off tackling my IRS account access because it seemed so daunting, but this thread has been absolutely invaluable. The consistency in everyone's success using the 800-908-4490 number during Tuesday/Wednesday mornings is really encouraging. I love how @Heather Tyson's AGI tip and @Aaron Lee's detailed follow-up have created such a clear roadmap for the rest of us. One thing I'm wondering about - for those who successfully updated their accounts, did you notice any changes to your IRS online services beyond just being able to log in? I'm hoping to set up some quarterly estimated tax payments for my retirement income, so I want to make sure all the account features will be fully restored after going through this process. Planning to call this Wednesday morning with everything organized. Will definitely report back to help keep this amazing community resource going!

I went through this exact same situation last year! As an F1 student who had been in the US for 3 years, I was also confused about which form to use. After doing a lot of research and speaking with my university's international student services, I learned that the key is understanding your tax residency status. Since you've been filing Form 1040NR (nonresident tax returns) for the past four years, that confirms you're still considered a nonresident alien for tax purposes. This means you should be using Form W8BEN, not W9. The good news is that this is a very common mistake and employers are usually understanding about corrections. Here's what I did to fix it: I drafted a brief email to each employer explaining that as an F1 visa holder, I needed to correct my tax forms and attached a completed W8BEN form. Most employers responded within a few days and updated their records without any issues. Also, definitely check if your home country has a tax treaty with the US! I'm from Germany and was able to claim treaty benefits that significantly reduced my tax withholding. You can find the treaty information on the IRS website or ask your international student office - they usually have resources about this. Don't stress too much about this - you caught the error and you're fixing it proactively, which is exactly what you should do!

Sofia, I completely understand your stress about this situation! I'm also an F1 visa holder and went through the exact same confusion last year. The fact that you've been filing Form 1040NR for the past four years is actually the key piece of information here - it confirms that you've been correctly classified as a nonresident alien for tax purposes, which means you should indeed be using Form W8BEN instead of W9. Don't panic about having sent W9 forms to multiple employers - this is honestly one of the most common mistakes international students make, and employers who work with contractors are usually very familiar with these corrections. The important thing is that you're addressing it now, before the end of the tax year when 1099 forms get issued. Here's what I'd recommend: Draft a simple email to each employer explaining that as an F1 visa holder, you need to correct your tax documentation from W9 to W8BEN. Attach a completed W8BEN form and briefly mention that this is the correct form for your nonresident alien status. Most employers will update their records without any issues. Also, definitely look into whether your home country has a tax treaty with the US - you might be eligible for treaty benefits that could reduce your tax withholding. Your university's international student office should have resources about this, or you can check the IRS website for treaty information. You haven't messed up your visa status at all by submitting the wrong form - this is purely a tax documentation issue that's easily fixable. You're being proactive about correcting it, which is exactly what you should do!

I'm new to this community but going through this exact same W4 nightmare right now! Just got hired at a new company and was completely lost when I couldn't find the allowances section anywhere on the form. This thread has been absolutely incredible - I had no idea the IRS eliminated the entire allowances system back in 2019. Reading through everyone's real experiences and seeing the specific examples (like adding $25-40 extra withholding in Step 4c) has made this whole process so much clearer. What really helped me understand the change is learning that the old "0 allowances" approach was essentially designed to massively over-withhold, creating those huge refunds that felt great but were really just interest-free loans to the government. The new system's focus on accuracy makes total sense from a taxpayer perspective. I'm definitely planning to use the IRS withholding estimator this weekend with my pay stub - the overwhelming consensus here that it's reliable and only takes 15 minutes is exactly the reassurance I needed. For someone who's always been terrified of owing money at tax time, having personalized guidance sounds perfect. Thanks to everyone who shared their actual numbers and experiences. This community is amazing for helping newcomers navigate these confusing government changes! I'll definitely report back on how the estimator process goes.

As a newcomer to this community, I'm going through the exact same W4 confusion right now! Just started a new job this week and was completely baffled when I couldn't find the allowances section that I've been using for years. This entire thread has been incredibly helpful - I had no idea the IRS completely eliminated the allowances system in 2019. Reading everyone's real experiences and seeing the specific numbers people shared (like the $25-40 extra withholding amounts in Step 4c) has made this transition so much clearer. What really clicked for me was understanding that the old "0 allowances" approach was basically designed to massively over-withhold by default, creating those huge refunds that felt amazing but were actually interest-free loans to the government. The new system's focus on precision and accuracy makes so much more sense from a taxpayer perspective. Based on all the advice here, I'm planning to use the IRS withholding estimator this weekend with my most recent pay stub. The overwhelming consensus that it's reliable, personalized, and only takes about 15 minutes is exactly the reassurance I needed. For someone who's always been paranoid about owing money at tax time, having that level of customized guidance sounds perfect. Thanks to everyone who took the time to share their actual experiences and specific numbers - this community is amazing for helping newcomers navigate these confusing government form changes!

As someone new to this community, I've been following this discussion closely since I'm in a similar situation with my own 1098-T. What really strikes me is how unanimous everyone has been about not misrepresenting the scholarship information - and for good reason based on all the experiences shared here. The automated matching systems that several people mentioned are honestly quite sobering. It sounds like the IRS has made it nearly impossible to slip anything past them when it comes to education credits, especially with how schools report directly to them. What I found most valuable was learning about all the legitimate expenses beyond tuition that can qualify for credits. I had completely overlooked things like required software, lab equipment, and mandatory fees that aren't always captured on the 1098-T. After reading through these responses, I'm going to go back through my own expenses to see what I might have missed rather than even considering misrepresenting anything. The peace of mind of filing correctly definitely seems worth more than any short-term financial gain, especially when you factor in the potential penalties, interest, and stress of dealing with an audit down the road. Thanks to everyone who shared their experiences and expertise - it's really helped clarify the smart approach here!

As a newcomer to this community, I want to thank everyone for sharing such detailed and honest experiences about 1098-T issues. Reading through all these responses has been incredibly educational and frankly, quite sobering about how risky it would be to misrepresent scholarship information. What really stood out to me was learning about the automated matching systems between what schools report and what taxpayers claim. I had no idea the IRS had such sophisticated detection capabilities for education credits specifically. The insight from @Zara Rashid about universities actually getting contacted when there are discrepancies really drives home how interconnected these systems are. I'm particularly grateful for all the practical advice about legitimate expenses that often get overlooked - required software, lab equipment, mandatory fees not captured on the 1098-T, and course materials. It's clear that many students (myself included) probably miss out on credits they're actually entitled to because we don't realize what qualifies beyond just tuition. The personal stories about audit experiences and penalties really emphasize that any short-term financial gain isn't worth the long-term stress and costs. I'll definitely be taking the conservative approach and carefully reviewing what legitimate expenses I can claim rather than considering any questionable reporting. This community seems incredibly knowledgeable and supportive - looking forward to learning more from everyone's expertise!

Has anyone had success asking their mortgage company to pay the property taxes in the correct tax year? I'm in a similar situation where my county always sends bills late (usually December) but my mortgage company sometimes waits until January to pay them, which messes up my tax deductions.

I'm dealing with almost the exact same situation! My county sent out 2023 property tax bills in February 2024, and my mortgage company just paid them last month. Really frustrating to potentially lose out on deductions because of government delays. One thing I'm wondering - has anyone looked into whether there's any recourse against the county for the late billing? It seems like their delay is what's causing all these tax complications for homeowners. I know it won't help with this year's taxes, but maybe there's a way to push for more timely billing in the future. Also, for those mentioning the SALT cap issues - I'm curious if anyone has calculated whether it's actually worth switching from escrow to paying property taxes directly to have more control over timing. The mortgage company discount on my rate is pretty small, so it might be worth the flexibility.