I just started a PhD program and was confused about taxes too! My advisor told me to check whether my university offers free tax help through the VITA program (Volunteer Income Tax Assistance). Most big universities partner with them to help students file for free. They have actual tax experts who understand the weird situations grad students face. I used them last month and they knew exactly how to handle my fellowship, tuition waiver, and explained which education credits I qualified for.

As someone who went through this exact same confusion as a grad student, I'd strongly recommend against manually filing Form 8863 if TurboTax is telling you that you don't qualify for the American Opportunity Credit. The software is usually right about these eligibility requirements, and filing for a credit you don't qualify for could definitely trigger an audit. The key issue is that the AOC is only available for the first four years of postsecondary education. If you've completed your bachelor's degree, you've likely exhausted this eligibility regardless of whether you actually claimed the credit in previous years. However, don't give up on education credits entirely! Make sure you're exploring the Lifetime Learning Credit, which is specifically designed for graduate students and continuing education. You can claim up to $2,000 per year (20% of the first $10,000 in qualified expenses) and there's no limit on the number of years you can claim it. Also double-check that you're accounting for any tuition waivers or fellowship income correctly - these can affect both your taxable income and your qualified education expenses in ways that aren't always obvious.

I'm wondering if anyone has used TurboTax for handling Form 8283? I'm in the same boat with about $700 in donations to Goodwill and wondering if the software handles this well or if I should do it manually?

I've been dealing with Form 8283 for my charitable donations this year too, and I completely understand your frustration! The instructions really are confusing and seem to contradict each other in different sections. One thing that helped me was realizing that you don't need to be overly detailed in Section A. For your $650 in Goodwill donations, you can absolutely group similar items together - something like "Assorted clothing - shirts, pants, jackets" as one line item, "Household items - kitchenware, linens, small appliances" as another, and "Furniture" as a third category. The key is keeping your receipts and having a reasonable method for determining fair market value. I used the Goodwill valuation guide online, which gives suggested values for common donated items. For dates acquired, I just used "Various 2020-2023" for clothing I'd accumulated over time. Don't let this form stress you out too much - it's more straightforward than it initially appears once you understand you can group items by category rather than listing everything individually. The IRS just wants to see that you have documentation and reasonable valuations for your donations.

Pro tip: if you have to mail in documents, send them to the SPECIFIC address for 5447C letters. It's different from the regular IRS mailing address. Made that mistake and it delayed my process by weeks. 🤦‍♂️

I went through this exact same process about 6 months ago and it was definitely stressful! One thing that really helped me was creating a timeline and keeping detailed notes of every step. I'd also recommend checking the IRS website for processing times - they usually update it regularly so you know what to expect. The whole identity verification thing is a pain, but once you get through it, your refund should process normally. Hang in there! 💪

Just a heads up that you might be eligible for the IRS First Time Penalty Abatement program since this sounds like an honest mistake. When you file your amended return, include a letter requesting this relief. Specifically mention that you had a good filing history before this issue and that the error was unintentional. This won't erase any additional tax you owe, but it could save you hundreds or thousands in penalties. Don't be afraid to ask for this directly - many people don't know about it and the IRS won't automatically apply it unless you request it!

Having dealt with a very similar excess Social Security withholding issue myself, I can tell you that while this feels overwhelming right now, it's definitely manageable! The key is being proactive and systematic about fixing it. First, definitely call the IRS before filing your amended return - explain the situation and ask them to put a hold on any collection actions while you're preparing the amendment. This gives you breathing room and shows good faith. When you file the 1040-X, make sure to include a detailed explanation letter describing exactly what happened (incorrectly assigned W-2s) and attach copies of both W-2s clearly showing which belongs to whom. The IRS appreciates transparency about mistakes. One thing I learned the hard way - double-check that your state return doesn't need amending too, since most states base their calculations on your federal return. And definitely request First Time Penalty Abatement if you have a clean filing history - this alone could save you significant money in penalties. The silver lining is that this type of error is very common and the IRS has seen it thousands of times. They have standard procedures for handling it, so once you get the paperwork sorted, the resolution should be straightforward.

Pro tip: Check if your local Taxpayer Advocate Service office is open. They can sometimes help if you're experiencing financial hardship due to the delay.

Code 570 is definitely frustrating - I'm going through the same thing right now. From what I've learned, it just means your return is under review and they've temporarily frozen any refund processing. The good news is that it doesn't necessarily mean there's a problem with your return, just that they need more time to process it. I've been checking my transcript every Friday and haven't seen any movement yet, but trying to stay patient. Hang in there!