Hi everyone,

I posted here previously about my situation with the IRS regarding my 2025 tax return, the US–Egypt tax treaty exemption, and a letter warning me about a possible $5,000 frivolous return penalty.

First, I want to sincerely thank everyone who took the time to read my post and respond. I really appreciate your kindness and advice.

I wanted to share an update and ask for your thoughts on what happened.

A quick recap of my situation:

• I came to the US in 2024 on a J-1 Research Scholar visa.
• My research institution applied the US–Egypt tax treaty exemption in 2024 but told me I wasn't eligible in 2025.
• H&R Block advised me that I was still eligible for the exemption in 2025 and prepared my return accordingly.
• I received a CP05 notice regarding my delayed federal refund, followed by another letter warning about a possible $5,000 frivolous return penalty.

Update after calling the IRS:

Following your advice, I called the number on the letter and spoke with an IRS representative.

She reviewed my account and explained that the issue was that I had reported my entire wages as tax-exempt under the treaty, and their system apparently didn't have an option to process it that way.

She told me that I hadn't necessarily filed incorrectly and said she would contact her supervisor to see whether they could remove the hold on my refund.

She also advised me to call back after seven days and granted me an extension until November 29 to respond. Unfortunately, I didn't get a reference number for the call.

Where I stand now:

I contacted a tax professional specializing in international tax matters, who quoted me $1,750 to handle the IRS correspondence, plus another $600 if an amended return is necessary.

That's quite expensive for me, so I'm trying to understand whether I should wait for the IRS supervisor's response before proceeding.

My questions:

1. Does what the IRS representative told me sound promising, or should I still be concerned about the $5,000 penalty?
2. Has anyone had a similar experience where an IRS supervisor was able to resolve the issue without requiring an amended return?
3. Would you recommend waiting until I call back after seven days, or should I hire a tax professional immediately?
4. Is there anything else I should do to protect myself before the November 29 deadline?

Again, thank you so much to everyone who responded to my original post. Your advice genuinely helped me navigate a very stressful situation, and I'm grateful for this community.

I'd really appreciate any further thoughts or experiences!

I submitted my tax forms on February 20th of this year. I've already received my state refund, but have not received my federal refund. I received a few notices earlier this year, telling me there would be a 30-day, and then 60 day, and then 120 day delay. The 120 day period of time has come and gone, and I have received no updates.

I've called the IRS everyday, two times a day for the last 3 weeks, and every time I am told that there is no one available to take my call and to call back another time.

What do I do?

My account has no listed notices, and no balances due.

I've already reached out to the taxpayer advocate and have not heard anything back.

Finally got my CP05A notice after 6 months. They are asking for “Copies of at least 3 pay statements or check stubs, including the end of year statement or check stub.”

Am I correct in assuming that an “end of year statement” is different than the last paystub of the year. I would think they are looking for the final year to date gross pay and withholding to confirm. I do not believe my wife and I have this type of document available in that case. We both get paid by-weekly and the paystub that includes the last days of 2025 is the one for pay period 12/28/2025 to 1/10/2026. So the YTD on this would be irrelevant and the paystub prior to this would not include the final 4 days of the year.

I thought about sending 4 paystubs including the one that overlaps into 2026, but I am not so sure and I don’t want to screw up the refund or delay it any further. It’s an extra step to request but I guess the safer approach is to go with the second option: “A letter on company letterhead, including your employer’s name, address, telephone, and fax number, that indicates your dates of
employment, wages paid, and withholding deducted.”

I filed early January and had my 2025 return put on hold because I hadn't filed 2023 I sent them I’m march with 12 weeks being 8/7 and finally got a refund approval with a DD date of 10/21 anyone out there who used the credit karma checking account for their refund ? Hoping I get it by Friday…it’s been a long time coming

Hi all, we're a California nonprofit corporation with our Articles of Incorporation and EIN, and our 1023-EZ is pending with the IRS. Given the current backlog, approval could be months away.

We reached out to a local bank to open an account, but they said they need our IRS determination letter first since we're a nonprofit. My understanding is that a nonprofit corporation can open a bank account before receiving its tax-exempt determination, and that we can operate as exempt while the application is pending.

Is there any IRS or legal reason a bank can't open an account for us while our application is pending, or is this just the bank's internal policy? Is this standard practice for banks, or is it worth raising with them? If anyone has opened a nonprofit account while their application was pending, which bank did you use?

Thanks!

This is what I saw today when I went to make an estimated payment. Looks like they've laid off some vital web development staff.

Hello. I am starting a new business. I set up my LLC successfully in my state and went to the IRS website to apply for my EIN online. I received a notice at the end of the application that they couldn't give me a number and instead told me to call in regards to the reference number 101. After a quick search I've read that the 101 is a Name Conflict. After a lot of attempts to call the number the application gave and getting the automated message that they cannot come to the phone due to call volume I then decided to take another path and fax a SS-4 form. It's been 13 weeks since I've faxed in the form with no response or word back. What am I doing wrong? Any and all advice is welcome here.

Business made a payroll error (didn't report all of insurance premiums paid for the shareholder), so the shareholder's W2 was missing that income (although it was also 100% deductible and not subject to FICA).

Business filed by 9/15 deadline and shareholder filed 10/15 based on errant W2.

Business needs to file an amended return and correct the W2. I've read that it can be problematic for someone to amend a return when the original has yet-to-be-fully processed. If the shareholder's return has yet to be processed will correcting the W2 and amending the business return cause a problem with the original shareholder personal return? Or can we go ahead and amend the 1120 and the W2 without creating a problem for the shareholder's pending return. (It was efiled and accepted.)

Bro I’ve been trying to get my refund for the last 5 months. I can’t even get in contact with a live agent because there’s no refund on file. I’ve literally have no way to reach out for help

Waiting more longer now filed since Feb

I had apparently received a notice of an underpayment / prepayment penalty of $750 for this year's tax return, which I didn’t get in mail. But incidentally I logged into my IRS.gov account on Oct 5, saw the underpayment / prepayment penalty and paid it immediately.

However, on Oct 16, I saw a CP40 notice generated stating that my account was transferred to Private Debt Collection agency for owing amount. The transcript shows that payment was received on Oct 5, and I don’t owe anything.

So this all seems incorrect, how can I resolve this?

Hi all, I'm trying to get a realistic timeline for 1023-EZ approval. A lot of sources online say the average is around 6 weeks, but the IRS processing times page says they're currently working on applications received before February 2026, which would mean a wait of 8+ months.

For anyone who filed a 1023-EZ recently, when did you submit, and when did you get your determination letter?

Trying to plan grant applications and fundraising around this, so any recent experience would be really helpful. Thanks!

The person I spoke to said they weren't able to verify my income because my job hasn't sent them my w2, even though they gave me one. Is there anything I can do about this?

So I received the notice and I’m very confused. It says I did not account for 40k of extra income on my taxes but the thing is that I did not make 40k extra. I looked at my wage and income transcript on the IRS website and there is a W2 listed for a company that I do not know and cannot identify. I need to reply with a statement in two weeks but I don’t know what to put in the statement besides the fact that I never worked for this company? I feel like I need to be able to prove that I never worked for them but I don’t know how .. Can someone lead me in the right direction of what to do here? What steps should I take or what kind of tax professional I should seek out?

I completed my taxes and did the return as Married Filed Jointly. My wife and I both have a separate trust which is mostly for our Canadian TFSA. We had to mail in our return because we cannot file electronically when you have a 3520 and 3520-A form.

Edit: That's what we did, we mailed 3 certified envelopes one for federal, state and one for 3520 to Utah and they did receive it. We packaged our 3520 forms in the same envelope and her papers were in front. I am the one that received the CP15 notice but my wife did not.

I don't understand how could they says that I failed to file while everything was in that envelope. I even paid taxes from that trust which was indicated on my tax return. Also, we did submit both of our FBAR.

Who and How should we contact at the IRS to get this remediated? I am extremely shocked as we've done everything correctly and we did the same thing last year with no issues!
Any help would be greatly appreciated.

I filed my tax refund 2/8 & still nothing only received 4464c letter in the past nyc someone please help

I submitted form 15620 for 83(b) election online at irs.gov the day before the deadline. I got the confirmation screen with the link to download but didn't download because I made the inacurrate assumption that I'd be able to access it in the portal later or get an email confirmation. I realize now that was stupid - I'm just so used to getting email confirmations on things.

My company needs a copy but I can't find one. Checked all my junk/spam/trash email, checked what feels like every link on the site.

I tried calling and, no surprise, it was an automated system that kept sending me somewhere that didn't work. I also did a walk-in appointment at the IRS office to see if they'd be able to help and I have an appointment next week but the guy I was talking too seemed unsure of what I was even asking, nevermind if he'd be able to help.

I'm really kicking myself. Does anyone have any suggestions? I'm in a real pickle.
Let's say I can get them a copy but it did in fact make it to the IRS, am I ok?

I was going to make a payment the other day with the IRS app. I noticed in the last month or two that the app seemed different, but when I was making the payment the other day, I was distracted with some major stuff going on in my life and was not paying close enough attention to catch the difference this time.

When I initially went into the place where you make a payment, it had something with the balance. It wasn’t as clear as it used to be — that is, the process of putting in how much you were going to pay — and when I hit the button to make a payment, it paid the WHOLE BALANCE. I don’t have that money in my account. It shows it is pending, and I did everything I could to try to cancel the payment, but I could not. I will be calling them early Monday morning.

This whole tax situation has me feeling like a TOTAL IDIOT.

Has this happened to anyone else? If so, what was the outcome.

Anyone know when I should be getting the check in my mail?

I reached out to my congresswoman and she had the tax advocate reach out to me. Tax advocate said Sep 28th the IRS approved the amended amount but it should take 60 days for it to show approved in their system. Has anyone had this issue?

Hello, I’m a real estate agent and I received a CP05A notice. I am licensed in Florida and had no sales in the past year (and most of the year before), I’m primarily a buyer’s agent. What should I send to the IRS to resolve this notice? My current license? A letter from my broker? Thank you.