Small tip for J1 physicians: when filling out Form 8843 line 4, I learned from my tax advisor that it's helpful to be specific about your J1 category. So instead of just "J-1, 01/15/2023" you might want to write "J-1 Alien Physician, 01/15/2023" to be extra clear. Also, make sure you're keeping track of all your entry/exit dates if you travel internationally during your program. This becomes really important for calculating your substantial presence test in future years!

Just wanted to add my experience as someone who went through this exact same confusion last year! For Form 8843 line 4, I ended up putting "J-1, 06/12/2022" (using my actual entry date) and it was accepted without any issues. One thing that really helped me was creating a simple timeline of all my entries and exits from the US since starting my J1 program. Even though line 4 only asks for the initial entry date, having that complete record made filling out the rest of the form much easier and helped me understand my substantial presence test status. Also, don't forget that as J1 physicians, we're considered "exempt individuals" for our first two calendar years in the US for substantial presence test purposes, which is different from other visa categories. This status affects not just Form 8843 but also how you calculate your tax residency status going forward.

You're totally fine to file Schedule C without any formal business registration! I've been doing freelance web development for 3 years now and started the same way - just picking up projects here and there with no LLC or business license. The IRS doesn't care about your business structure, they just want you to report the income you earned. Your $8,500 in earnings definitely qualifies as self-employment income, and those business expenses you mentioned (laptop, software, home office) are legitimate deductions as long as you use them for your graphic design work. Just make sure you can prove the business use percentage if the IRS ever asks. One tip: since you made over $400 in self-employment income, you'll owe self-employment tax (about 15.3%) on top of regular income tax, so don't forget to account for that when planning your payment. But the business deductions will help offset some of that burden.

I had the exact same concern when I started doing freelance consulting work! You definitely don't need a business license to file Schedule C - the IRS recognizes you as a sole proprietor automatically once you start earning income from self-employment activities. One thing that helped me feel more confident was organizing all my documentation before filing. Since you mentioned keeping records of payments through Venmo and direct transfers, I'd recommend downloading those transaction histories and creating a simple spreadsheet showing dates, clients, amounts, and brief descriptions of work performed. For expenses, keep receipts and note the business purpose. The home office deduction can be valuable, but make sure you understand the requirements - the space needs to be used regularly AND exclusively for business. If you work at your kitchen table sometimes, that won't qualify, but if you have a dedicated desk area only used for graphic design work, you're good to go. Also, don't forget you'll need to pay quarterly estimated taxes going forward if you expect to make similar or more income this year. The IRS expects self-employed folks to pay as they go rather than waiting until year-end. Good luck with your filing!

Just want to warn everyone - be super careful about claiming ESA expenses. My friend tried deducting her emotional support cat expenses last year and got audited. The IRS made her pay back all the deductions plus penalties. Unless your situation clearly qualifies under the service animal rules, it's probably not worth the risk.

Thanks for sharing this question - it's one that comes up a lot and the answers here are really helpful. I went through something similar with my therapy dog last year. Just to add another perspective: even if you can't deduct the ESA expenses directly, don't forget that you can still deduct your therapy sessions and any other mental health treatment costs (assuming you itemize and meet the 7.5% AGI threshold). The therapy that led to your ESA prescription is definitely a legitimate medical expense. Also, keep really detailed records of everything - receipts, vet bills, your therapist's documentation, etc. Even if you don't claim the ESA expenses this year, tax laws can change, and having good documentation ready is always smart. The IRS appreciates thorough record-keeping if you ever do get questioned about any medical deductions. Hope Milo continues to help with your anxiety and depression - ESAs can make such a difference even if the tax benefits aren't there!

Has anyone tried calling the tax advocate service instead of the main IRS line? I heard they can sometimes help with figuring out what's going on with returns that seem stuck.

I'm going through the exact same thing right now! Filed about 10 days ago and WMR shows "received" but my transcript page is completely blank for 2024. Reading through these comments is actually really reassuring - sounds like this is totally normal and I just need to be patient. @Ravi Kapoor - based on what everyone's saying here, it seems like we're both in the normal processing timeline. The transcript lag behind WMR makes sense when you think about it - they're probably different computer systems that update at different speeds. I'm going to wait another week or two before I start worrying. If my transcripts still don't show anything after 3+ weeks like some others mentioned, then maybe I'll look into those tools people are recommending or try calling. But for now it sounds like we're both right on track for normal processing times. Thanks everyone for sharing your experiences - this thread is way more helpful than anything on the actual IRS website!

Just want to mention from personal experience - even though you technically don't need to use the 1098-T as a non-resident, I STRONGLY recommend keeping a copy of it with your tax records. The IRS occasionally sends verification requests, and having documentation of your tuition and scholarship amounts has saved me a lot of trouble in the past. Better safe than sorry!

As someone who went through this exact same confusion last year, I completely understand your frustration! The key thing to remember is that as a non-resident filing Form 1040-NR, you're not eligible for education credits like the American Opportunity Credit, which is the main reason US residents use Form 1098-T. However, you still need to report any taxable scholarship income. Since your Box 5 amount exceeds Box 1, you likely have some taxable scholarship income - typically the portion used for living expenses rather than qualified educational expenses like tuition and required fees. My advice would be to: 1. Calculate how much of your scholarship went toward non-qualified expenses (room, board, personal expenses) 2. Check if there's a tax treaty between Nigeria and the US that might provide exemptions for students 3. Keep all your documentation even if you don't directly use the 1098-T on your return The Nigeria-US tax treaty does have provisions for students, so definitely look into that. You might also want to consult your university's international student services - many offer free tax help during filing season and they're familiar with these specific situations for non-residents.