Has anyone else had issues with the IRS questioning their physical presence test documentation when splitting the 330 days across two calendar years? I did something similar last year and the IRS sent me a letter requesting additional proof beyond my travel records.

Great question about the FEIE and differential pay! As someone who's navigated similar military tax situations, I can confirm that your differential pay should qualify for the Foreign Earned Income Exclusion as long as you meet the physical presence test. A few key points to consider: 1. **Timing flexibility**: You don't need to complete all 330 days in 2023. You can use any consecutive 12-month period, so starting mid-February 2023 and going through mid-February 2024 could work perfectly for your situation. 2. **Documentation is crucial**: Keep detailed records of every day you're outside the US - deployment orders, passport stamps, travel receipts, etc. The IRS can be thorough when reviewing FEIE claims, especially for military personnel with complex situations. 3. **Coordinate with your employer**: Make sure your civilian employer understands how they should be handling withholding on your differential pay. Some companies automatically adjust for FEIE, others don't. 4. **Consider state taxes**: Don't forget that some states don't recognize the FEIE, so you might owe state taxes even if the income is federally exempt. The proration calculation across tax years can get complex, so you might want to consult with a tax professional who specializes in military situations to make sure you're maximizing your benefits correctly.

Your employer royally messed up here. Don't let them off the hook. They took your money without consent and that's not ok. Make them refund every cent plus any tax implications. This happened to my sister and she ended up getting almost $2000 back.

This is a frustrating situation that unfortunately happens more often than it should. Here's what I'd recommend based on similar cases I've seen: **Immediate steps:** 1. Document everything - save all your pay stubs, the 1095-C form, and any communication with HR 2. Request a meeting with HR in writing and ask for copies of ANY enrollment forms with your signature 3. If they can't produce signed enrollment documents, you have a strong case for getting your money back **Tax implications:** Since the 1095-C shows you had coverage and premiums were deducted pre-tax, this affects your taxable income. You'll need corrected forms (W-2 and 1095-C) if they reverse the enrollment, which could impact your tax return. **Legal considerations:** Most states require explicit written consent for payroll deductions beyond taxes and court-ordered garnishments. Auto-enrollment policies must be clearly communicated with opt-out procedures. If you can prove you never consented and they didn't follow proper procedures, this could be considered unauthorized wage deduction. Don't let them brush this off - $1,700 is significant money and you're entitled to every penny back if you never authorized the deductions.

Have you considered looking for a new job? Any company that messes up your pay and then drags their feet fixing it doesn't deserve your loyalty. Just sayin' 🤷‍♂️

This is definitely frustrating, but you're absolutely right to push back! Your employer made the mistake with your W-4, so they should fix it properly. Altering your W-2 could create tax complications for you down the road. I'd recommend being persistent - document everything in writing, reference the IRS guidelines others have mentioned, and don't accept "20-30 weeks" as reasonable. They have payroll systems that can handle corrections much faster than that. Keep escalating up the chain if needed - this is your hard-earned money we're talking about!

One option nobody's mentioned is cryptocurrency. I used it to send money to my family in Asia and avoided all the hassle with Western Union. No paperwork, no questions, just convert USD to crypto, send it, they convert back to local currency.

As someone who's dealt with large international transfers for business purposes, I can't stress enough how important it is to get this right the first time. The IRS has become much more aggressive about tracking international money movements, and even honest mistakes can result in significant penalties. A few additional points to consider beyond what others have mentioned: 1. Keep detailed records of the source of funds - since you mentioned this came from cash sales at your small business, make sure you have documentation showing you properly reported this income on previous tax returns. 2. If you're sending money to family members abroad, be prepared to explain the nature of the transfer if questioned. "Family support" or "gift" have different implications than business transactions. 3. Consider the timing - spreading $135k over several months might actually work in your favor from a cash flow perspective, but make sure each transfer is properly documented and reported according to the thresholds mentioned by others here. 4. Don't forget about the receiving end - some countries have their own reporting requirements for large incoming transfers that could affect your family members. The peace of mind from doing this correctly is worth any extra paperwork or professional consultation fees. Better to over-report than face an audit later.

One more thing to consider - that interest might bump you into a different tax bracket if you're right on the edge. Probably not with just $14, but still something to keep in mind!

Just wanted to thank everyone for the helpful responses! I was able to log into my IRS account and find the interest payment on my transcript using transaction code 776 like @Jade Lopez mentioned. It was exactly $14.23. For anyone else reading this thread, the transcript method really is the easiest way to find this information. I was overthinking it trying to hunt down that physical letter when the info was right there online all along. Now I can add it to my tax return properly. Really appreciate this community - saved me a lot of headache!