Just wanted to add that if you're doing your taxes yourself using software like TurboTax or FreeTaxUSA, most of them have a section where you can search for "missing tax documents" or "document checklist." They'll ask you questions about your financial activity during the year and help identify what forms you should expect to receive. For bank bonuses specifically, the software usually asks something like "Did you receive any bank account opening bonuses or promotional payments?" and then walks you through how to report it even if you don't have the physical 1099-INT in hand. As long as you have the amount and the bank name, you can usually complete your return. Also, since you found your form online, make sure to save a copy to your computer or print it out for your records. I learned this the hard way when I needed to reference an old 1099 months later and the bank's online system only kept the current year's documents available.

Great advice in this thread! Just wanted to add one more tip that saved me when I was in a similar situation last year. If you're having trouble finding your 1099-INT online through Chase's regular banking portal, try looking for a separate "Tax Center" or "Tax Documents" section that's sometimes only accessible during tax season (roughly January through April). Some banks hide these documents in a completely different area of their website that's not connected to your regular account statements. Chase specifically has had their tax documents in different places depending on when you log in - sometimes it's under "Account Management" and other times it's a standalone "Tax Center" link in the main navigation. Also, if you opened multiple Chase accounts or products, make sure to check each account separately. Sometimes they'll issue separate 1099-INTs for different accounts even if the amounts are small. I almost missed a $25 interest payment from a savings account because I only checked my checking account documents. The good news is that once you find where they keep these documents, you can usually access several years' worth of tax forms, which is helpful for record-keeping!

I literally just dealt with this same issue. The IRS has a "4-year limitation" for the AOTC. For whatever it's worth, the IRS doesn't actually check which years or where you claimed education credits before - they mostly rely on what you report. But lying would be tax fraud, so I'm not suggesting that!

Great question! I went through something similar a few years ago. Since you completed your undergrad in Canada, you've already used up your 4 years of post-secondary education eligibility for AOTC, which means your master's degree won't qualify regardless of where you do it. The AOTC is specifically for undergraduate education AND limited to your first 4 years of post-secondary education total. For your hypothetical 2021 scenario - if someone finished their bachelor's abroad in 2021, they wouldn't be eligible for AOTC on their 2021 US return unless they were also enrolled in a qualifying US institution during that tax year for undergraduate coursework. The good news is that as a grad student, you should definitely look into the Lifetime Learning Credit instead. It covers graduate education, has no "first 4 years" limitation, and can give you up to $2,000 per year (20% of up to $10,000 in qualified expenses). Just make sure your income doesn't exceed the phase-out limits, which are lower than AOTC limits.

@Maya Patel Yes, you can definitely handwrite directly on the receipt! Most FSA administrators actually prefer when you clearly mark eligible items rather than leaving them to figure out what you're claiming. I usually use a pen or highlighter to circle the eligible items and write the amount next to them. Some people worry about "modifying" receipts, but this is actually considered helpful documentation, not tampering. You're just making it easier for the administrator to process your claim. I've been doing this for over 5 years with multiple FSA providers and never had an issue. Just make sure your handwriting is clear and legible. If you're submitting a photo of the receipt, sometimes it helps to use a darker pen so it shows up well in the image. The goal is to make the reviewer's job as easy as possible so your claim gets approved quickly!

Just to add another perspective from someone who's been through the FSA claim process many times - your Kroger receipt should be perfectly fine for the Claritin! I've submitted similar grocery store receipts for allergy medications, pain relievers, and other OTC items without any problems. One thing that might help streamline your claim: if you plan to buy more OTC medications regularly, consider setting up automatic reimbursement through your FSA debit card if your plan offers it. That way eligible purchases get processed immediately at checkout instead of having to submit receipts later. Not all FSA plans have this feature, but it's worth checking with your administrator. For this current receipt though, definitely circle the Claritin, write the amount, and you should be good to go. The fact that it clearly shows "Claritin" rather than some cryptic product code makes it much easier for them to approve quickly.

I've been dealing with a similar issue, but mine seems to be related to a specific error code that pops up right before the system freezes. Are you getting any error messages or codes when it kicks you back to the previous page? I found that sometimes OLT doesn't clearly display validation errors that are preventing submission. Try scrolling through each section of your return one more time to see if there are any red warning indicators or missing required fields that might not be obvious. Sometimes there's a tiny field that's required but not clearly marked. Also, if you're using any tax documents that were amended or corrected (like a corrected 1099), make sure you're using the most recent version. I had an issue last year where I was using an original W-2 instead of the corrected one my employer sent, and it caused submission failures that weren't clearly explained by the software.

I'm experiencing something very similar! The freezing at the final submission step has been happening to me for three days now. I've tried most of the troubleshooting suggestions here - different browsers, clearing cache, trying during off-peak hours - but still no luck. One thing I noticed is that my return seems to get stuck specifically when it's "validating with IRS systems" according to the progress bar. It sits there for about 2-3 minutes, then suddenly jumps back to the review page without any clear error message. Has anyone else seen this specific behavior? I'm wondering if there's something in my return data that's causing the IRS validation to fail, but OLT isn't giving me enough information to figure out what it is. I might try the taxr.ai suggestion to see if it can identify any issues before I attempt submission again. Really hoping this gets resolved soon - the deadline stress is real!

The two 570 codes with the same date is definitely unusual - I've been following tax stuff for years and typically see just one 570 when there's a hold. This could indicate your return triggered multiple review flags simultaneously. The 971 notice will be key to understanding what specific documentation they need. In my experience, EIC reviews with dependents usually focus on verifying custody/residency requirements. Check your mail daily and respond quickly to any IRS correspondence - that's the fastest way to get these holds released. The April date for your EIC suggests they're planning to process it, they just need to complete their verification first.

I see you have dual 570 codes which is pretty rare - this usually happens when your return hits multiple verification checkpoints at once. With your EIC amount and the fact that you mentioned having 2 kids, the IRS is likely verifying both your income eligibility for EIC and your dependent qualifications. The 971 notice will spell out exactly what they need from you. Don't panic about the duplicate codes - I've seen this before with larger EIC claims and it doesn't necessarily mean there's a problem, just that they're being extra thorough. Keep checking your mail for that notice and respond promptly with whatever documentation they request. Your April 16th EIC date suggests they fully intend to process it once verification is complete.