This is such a helpful thread! I'm in a similar situation - got my green card approved and will be entering the US in December 2024. Reading through all these responses, it's clear that the tax residency starts on the actual entry date with the green card, not during any previous visits. One question I haven't seen addressed - if I have investment income from my home country that's automatically reinvested (like dividends going back into mutual funds), do I need to report that for the period after I become a tax resident? Or only if I actually withdraw/receive the money? My investment account will continue generating returns even after I move to the US, but I won't be actively managing it or taking distributions. Also want to thank everyone who shared the resources about getting IRS help and FBAR requirements - definitely going to bookmark those for when I start preparing my first US tax return!

As someone who just went through this process last year, I can confirm everything that's been said here is accurate! Your tax residency definitely starts on August 30, 2024 when you enter with your green card, not during your earlier tourist visit. One additional tip I wish someone had told me - keep detailed records of your entry and exit dates from the US, especially that August 30 date. The IRS may ask for proof of when your residency began, and having your passport stamps or I-94 records makes this much easier. Also, since you mentioned income from your home country between January-August 2024, make sure to keep all tax documents from your home country for that period. Even though you won't report that income on your US return, you might need those records to prove you properly paid taxes in your home country and to calculate any foreign tax credits for the post-August 30 period. The dual-status filing can be intimidating, but it's actually pretty straightforward once you understand the timeline. Just remember: non-resident rules for January 1 - August 29, resident rules for August 30 - December 31. Good luck with your move!

One thing to remember about AMT is that you might get some of it back as a credit in future years! Form 8801 lets you claim a credit for prior year minimum tax. So if you pay AMT in one year, you can potentially use that as a credit against regular income tax in future years when your regular tax exceeds your AMT. This is especially relevant for ISO exercises - you might pay AMT now, but if you sell the shares later, you can often recover some of that AMT through the credit system. Keep your tax records from previous years!

This is exactly the kind of detailed AMT breakdown I've been looking for! I'm in a similar situation with upcoming ISO exercises and have been struggling to understand the calculation steps. One question about your step 10 - when you say "take the SMALLER of this and the step 9 result," I think there might be a mix-up there. From what I understand, you actually take the LARGER of the two amounts as your tentative minimum tax. The whole point of AMT is that you pay whichever is higher - your regular tax or your AMT calculation. Also, for anyone dealing with AMT planning, don't forget about the timing of when you actually exercise versus when you sell. The AMT hit comes in the year you exercise (based on the spread), but if you do a disqualifying disposition in the same year, you can sometimes eliminate the AMT impact entirely since the ordinary income from the disqualifying disposition removes the ISO adjustment. Has anyone here actually tried the early exercise strategy with 83(b) elections? I'm curious about the practical aspects since my company just started allowing it.

Has anyone actually tried calling the Taxpayer Advocate Service? I'm in a similar situation with denied business expenses from a side gig, and I keep hearing they're supposed to help but I can't get through to them either.

I went through something very similar last year with business equipment deductions that got denied. The key thing is making sure you've actually received that Notice of Deficiency before you can petition Tax Court - it sounds like you might still be in the appeals process rather than at the Tax Court stage. One thing that helped me was requesting a Collections Due Process (CDP) hearing when I got my collection notice. This gave me another bite at the apple to challenge the underlying tax liability, and importantly, if they deny your CDP hearing request, THAT decision can be appealed to Tax Court under a different process. Also, keep detailed records of every interaction you've had with the IRS - dates, times, who you spoke with, what was discussed. This documentation becomes crucial if you do end up in Tax Court or need to show the Taxpayer Advocate Service that you've exhausted normal channels. Don't give up - $6,700 is definitely worth fighting for, especially if you have legitimate documentation for those business expenses.

One additional point worth mentioning: if you're planning to use a tax professional this year, they can request your transcripts on your behalf using Form 8821 or 2848. Back in 2021, I had a similar issue with transcript access and my accountant was able to get everything we needed without me having to fix my online access first. This might be particularly relevant for you as a new homeowner with potentially more complex deductions to consider.

I've been through this same frustrating situation with ID.me and lost phone access. Here's what I learned from my experience: Start with ID.me's account recovery process first since it's usually the fastest route. Go directly to their website (not through the IRS portal) and look for "Can't access your account." You'll need to upload a clear photo of your driver's license and do a video selfie verification. The whole process took me about 3 days during non-peak season, but expect longer waits now. If that doesn't work or takes too long, the Taxpayer Assistance Center appointment is your backup plan - just know you might be waiting 2-3 weeks for an appointment this time of year. Since you mentioned having a mortgage now, getting those transcripts is definitely worth the effort to verify your interest deduction amounts are correct!

I'm going through the exact same thing! Filed my CA return on March 10th and it's been 6.5 weeks now with just the generic "processing" status. My federal refund was deposited within 10 days, so it's definitely a California-specific issue. What's really frustrating is how their website gives zero useful information - just "processing" with no timeline or indication of what's actually happening. After reading through all these comments, it sounds like 6-10 weeks is unfortunately becoming the new normal for CA this year due to their enhanced fraud prevention measures. I'm planning to wait until the 8-week mark before attempting to call, since everyone seems to be having terrible experiences with their phone system. At least it's somewhat comforting to know we're all in the same boat - misery loves company I guess! Definitely going to start checking my mailbox more carefully too after seeing how many people got important notices that never showed up in their online status.

I'm experiencing the exact same issue - filed my CA return on March 5th and it's been over 7 weeks now with nothing but that unhelpful "processing" status. My federal refund came through in 12 days, so this is definitely a California-specific problem. After reading through all these comments, it's clear that CA has major systemic issues this year. The 6-10 week delays seem to be the unfortunate new reality due to their enhanced fraud prevention measures. What's particularly frustrating is how their online system provides zero transparency - just that generic "processing" message with no timeline or explanation. I've been checking my mail religiously after seeing how many people here received important notices that never showed up in their online status. It's concerning that their systems are so disconnected in 2025. Planning to wait until the 8-week mark before attempting to call, though based on everyone's experiences here, it sounds like their customer service is pretty much useless anyway. At least we're all suffering together! Hang in there everyone - hopefully our refunds start showing up soon.