Don't forget to also look into how this might affect financial aid! When my kid got a tuition benefit from my university job, it counted as a resource in financial aid calculations and reduced her eligibility for other university scholarships and grants. In our case, the tuition benefit wasn't taxable, but it did mean she couldn't get need-based aid from the university that she might have otherwise qualified for. We ended up slightly better off financially, but not as much as we initially thought. Also, if your daughter is applying early decision, make absolutely sure you understand how the benefit works beforehand. Once you commit through early decision, you're obligated to attend regardless of the financial package.

As someone who went through this exact situation three years ago, I can confirm that the Section 117(d) qualified tuition reduction for undergraduate education is indeed tax-free with no dollar limit. My daughter's tuition was around $75K and we didn't pay a penny in taxes on that benefit. The key thing that helped me was getting everything in writing from HR before my daughter committed. I asked specifically for documentation that confirmed our benefit was structured as a "qualified tuition reduction under IRC Section 117(d)" rather than taxable compensation. This documentation was crucial when I filed our taxes - my tax preparer needed it to properly exclude the benefit from our income. One tip: ask your HR department for the specific tax code they use when reporting (or not reporting) this benefit. If they're treating it correctly as a Section 117(d) benefit, they shouldn't be issuing you any tax forms for it at all. If they mention Forms 1098-T or W-2 reporting, that might indicate they're treating it as taxable income, which would be wrong for undergraduate tuition benefits for employees' dependents. The early decision timeline does add pressure, but getting this clarity upfront will give you peace of mind. In my experience, most university HR departments understand these rules well once you use the specific tax code language - it's just that they're cautious about giving tax advice.

after 5 months of my transcript being blank and the as of date changing multiple times, i finally broke down and spent money on claimyr.com to actually talk to a human at the IRS. turns out they flagged my return because my 2022 return hadn't fully processed yet due to a clerical error on their end. the agent fixed it right away and I got both refunds within 2 weeks. sometimes you just need to talk to a real person to fix these issues.

I'm going through almost the exact same thing! Filed in March 2023 and my transcript has been blank forever. Just like you, I've had to verify my identity multiple times (twice online and once by phone). My "as of" date also recently changed to a future date in 2025. It's so frustrating because you feel completely in the dark about what's happening. I've been checking my transcript obsessively too, hoping to see some kind of update or code that would give me a clue about the status. From what I'm reading in the other comments, it sounds like the date change might actually be a positive sign that things are moving forward. I really hope that's the case for both of us! Let me know if you see any other updates on your transcript.

Speaking from experience (3 years running a US-based online marketing business while traveling), the technical/practical aspects were actually harder than the legal/tax aspects. Time zone challenges when clients expect meetings during US business hours but you're in Asia was brutal. Internet reliability is another huge factor - I learned to always have backup internet options (local SIM with hotspot capability + regular wifi). Also recommend setting up a good VoIP phone service that lets you maintain a US number. I use Google Voice which lets me make/receive US calls from anywhere. Clients never knew I was responding from a beach in Bali at 11pm my time.

One thing I haven't seen mentioned yet is visa requirements and how they might affect your tax situation. While you can absolutely run your US business from abroad, some countries have strict rules about working on tourist visas, even if it's remote work for a US company. Countries like Thailand, Vietnam, and several European nations are cracking down on "digital nomads" working on tourist visas. Getting caught could result in deportation and future visa denials. Consider looking into digital nomad visas that several countries now offer - Portugal, Estonia, and Barbados have legitimate remote work visas. Also, be aware that spending too much time in certain countries (usually 183+ days) can trigger tax residency there, which could complicate your US tax situation even with the FEIE. Each country has different thresholds and rules. I'd strongly recommend consulting with both a US international tax attorney AND researching the work visa requirements for each country you plan to visit. The $500-1000 you spend on proper legal advice upfront could save you from major legal and tax headaches down the road.

If you're experiencing the SBTPG lag issue, there's an alternative verification method worth trying. Log into your IRS transcript and look for Code 846 with the current cycle date. This Transaction Code indicates the IRS has released your refund to the designated recipient (SBTPG in this case). The date associated with this code typically precedes your actual bank deposit by 1-5 business days. This verification method bypasses SBTPG's system entirely and gives you confirmation directly from the source.

This timing discrepancy has been driving me crazy! I filed three weeks ago and have been refreshing the SBTPG portal obsessively. Based on what everyone's sharing here, it sounds like I should actually be checking my bank account more frequently than the SBTPG site. Has anyone found a reliable pattern for when deposits typically hit accounts versus when SBTPG updates? Like, is it usually overnight deposits that create the biggest lag, or does it happen at all times of day? I'm trying to figure out if there's an optimal time to check my bank account instead of wearing out the SBTPG portal refresh button!

To clarify a point that might be confusing: The Social Security Administration (SSA) and the Treasury Department's Bureau of Fiscal Service (BFS) operate separate collection systems. SSA handles the reduction of your monthly benefits, while BFS manages the Treasury Offset Program that can take your tax refund. This is why you might experience both actions simultaneously - they're administered by different agencies, even though they're collecting for the same debt.

I'm going through something similar right now and wanted to share what I've learned. Yes, they can absolutely take both your monthly benefits AND your tax refund - it's like getting hit from two directions at once. The key thing that helped me was calling SSA and asking specifically about "financial hardship consideration." I explained that taking my entire monthly check was leaving me unable to pay for basic necessities like medication and utilities. They were able to reduce the monthly withholding to $600 instead of the full $1800, which at least gives me something to live on. Also, make sure you're checking your mail every single day - the Treasury Offset notice can come separately from SSA notices and you might only get 30-60 days warning before they take your refund. Don't give up fighting this - there are options even when it feels hopeless!