Make sure you check if your US company needs to have you fill out Form W-8BEN to certify your foreign status. Many US companies require this form before they'll honor the tax treaty provisions. Without it, some will withhold 30% automatically regardless of the treaty.

As someone who's been through this exact situation as a contractor from Mexico working with US companies, I wanted to add a few practical tips that really helped me: 1. **Get organized early** - Create a folder system now for all your tax documents. You'll need your 1099, contract agreements, proof of Argentine residency, and records of any US visits. 2. **Consider quarterly estimated payments** - Even though your company isn't withholding taxes, you might still owe US taxes depending on how the treaty applies to your specific situation. Making quarterly payments can help avoid underpayment penalties. 3. **Document your work location meticulously** - I keep a simple spreadsheet tracking where I physically perform work each day. This becomes crucial evidence if the IRS ever questions your treaty position. 4. **Connect with other Argentine contractors** - There are some good expat tax groups on Facebook where people share their experiences with the US-Argentina treaty specifically. The nuances can be quite different from other countries' treaties. The learning curve is steep but totally manageable once you get the system down. Feel free to ask if you have specific questions about the filing process!

Has anyone looked into how this affects your homeowners insurance? We did something similar last year and our regular policy didn't cover rental use - had to get a special landlord policy for the months we were renting it out.

Great question about the insurance piece! This is something a lot of people overlook when temporarily renting out their primary residence. I went through this exact situation two years ago when we relocated for 6 months to care for my father. Most standard homeowners policies have what's called a "business use exclusion" that can void coverage if you're renting the property without notifying them. Even short-term rentals can trigger this. I learned this the hard way when a pipe burst during our rental period - thankfully our insurance company was understanding since we had called ahead to discuss it. The good news is that many insurers offer temporary rental endorsements that you can add to your existing policy for situations like this. It's usually much cheaper than switching to a full landlord policy if you're only renting for under a year. Just make sure to get everything in writing and keep those records with your tax documentation. Also worth noting - if you do switch to a landlord policy temporarily, that premium becomes a deductible rental expense on Schedule E, which can help offset some of the rental income you're reporting.

Based on what I've seen in previous years, VA paper checks are taking about 10-14 days to arrive. Last year mine was dated Feb 15 and arrived on Feb 26. The explanation letter is usually attached right to the check, so you'll find out what it was for when it arrives. If you're PCSing soon and need that money ASAP, you might want to call the VA Tax Dept and see if they can tell you over the phone what the offset was for - sometimes you can resolve it faster that way.

Hey Nadia! Military family here too, so I totally get the PCS stress. 🪖 I've been through this exact situation with VA twice now. The paper check usually takes 10-14 business days from when they process the DD portion. Since your DD was processed on 2/9, I'd expect the check sometime around 2/25-3/3. Pro tip: If you're really tight on timing for your PCS move, you can call the VA Tax Department and ask them to expedite the explanation letter via email while the check is still in transit. That way you'll at least know what the offset was for and can start working on resolving it if needed. The number is on their website under "Refund Inquiries." Good luck with your move! 🚛

Make sure when you start this new legit job, you fill out your W-4 correctly! If you've had untaxed income so far this year, you might want to have extra withholding taken out of your new paychecks to cover what you'll owe for the first part of the year. You can put an additional dollar amount on line 4(c) of the W-4 form. Also, open a separate savings account and start putting 25-30% of any "under the table" money aside for taxes. That way you won't be shocked at tax time.

Just want to add - since you're 19 and this is your first real job, don't beat yourself up about not knowing the tax rules. The system is confusing and your employer should have handled this properly from day one. That said, definitely file for this year and consider whether you need to file for any previous tax year where you had income. The good news is that if you're owed a refund from previous years (which is possible if you had other jobs with proper withholding), there's no penalty for filing late returns when the IRS owes YOU money. One practical tip: when you do file, you might qualify for the Earned Income Tax Credit since you're young and likely don't have high income. This could actually get you money back even though no taxes were withheld. Sometimes people in "under the table" situations are pleasantly surprised to find they get refunds rather than owing money.

one other thing to consider is the state tax implications. Some states hav different rules for investment property losses than the federal government. I had a similar situation in California and was able to deduct the loss federally but not on my state return because they had different standards for what constituted an investment property vs personal residence. might want to check your state rules too.

Based on everything discussed here, it sounds like you have a strong case for treating this as an investment property loss. The key factors working in your favor are: 1) Clear establishment of a new primary residence when you moved to the suburbs, 2) Zero personal use of the downtown condo after moving out, 3) Documentation showing investment intent (the staging contract prohibiting personal use is particularly compelling), and 4) The 15-month holding period demonstrating you were waiting for market conditions to improve. For reporting, you'll use Form 8949 and Schedule D to claim this as a long-term capital loss. The $95,000+ loss is substantial and can offset other capital gains or up to $3,000 of ordinary income annually (with carryforward for the remainder). Don't forget that your selling expenses and some of the carrying costs during that 15-month period may also be deductible. I'd recommend keeping detailed records of everything - the staging contract, utility bills showing minimal usage, communications with your realtor about market timing, and any other evidence that supports your investment intent. This documentation will be crucial if the IRS questions the classification. Given the complexity and the large loss amount, it might also be worth having a tax professional review your specific situation to ensure everything is reported correctly.