Questions we have answered
Every question below came from someone moving to the US. Each answer shows the sources it came from.
456 answers
- Is It Safe to Give Mint Mobile Card Details by Phone?Giving a verified merchant your card number, expiration date, and CVV by phone can be legitimate, but the request itself proves nothing. Verify Mint through its…
- Can UK Investment Cash Fund a US Charity Deduction?Cash from UK investments can fund a deductible gift to an eligible U.S. charity even though it was not earned in the United States. The sale, foreign-account reporting,…
- Open a SoFi Account With an ITIN: Fix the ErrorSoFi currently accepts an ITIN for Checking and Savings, but applicants must also pass its eligibility and identity checks. Fix the application, complete secure document…
- After I-485 Approval: Green Card, SSN and EAD TimingAfter I-485 approval, USCIS mails the Green Card after a welcome notice, while an SSN requested on Form I-485 should arrive separately within 14 days after the Green…
- NY Car Crash Steps for F-1 Students and Visa ImpactAn ordinary New York car collision—even if you were at fault—does not by itself terminate F-1 status. Learn when to call 911, what information to exchange, how insurance…
- EAD Delivered to Old Address: Recovery and ReplacementIf USPS delivered your EAD to an old address, begin USPS recovery immediately and submit USCIS’s non-delivery inquiry after 30 days from approval. USCIS or USPS error…
- Late FBAR for Two Years: Penalties and Ways to Fix ItA transfer over $10,000 does not itself trigger an FBAR; the rule uses the combined maximum value of reportable foreign accounts. As of September 22, 2026, a 2025 FBAR…
- Japanese Time Deposits: FBAR, Form 8938 & Schedule BSame-number Japanese time deposits are combined only if the bank maintains them as one financial account. Use the highest combined account value, not summed internal…
- PFIC MTM Election After a Same-Year SaleA new PFIC mark-to-market election is unavailable when every share was sold before year-end. Without a valid first-year QEF election, section 1291 applies, but a…
- EAD Arrived but No SSN Card: Who to CallIf your EAD arrived but your SSN card did not, call SSA at 1-800-772-1213, Monday through Friday from 8:00 a.m. to 7:00 p.m. local time. SSA’s current public guidance…
- Affordable U.S. Tax Filing for a Dutch RentalFor a Dutch H-1B holder with Netherlands rental property, splitting the Dutch and U.S. work is usually the best-value first-year approach. Low-cost software can work…
- Renting With Foreign Income and No US CreditA landlord may evaluate documented foreign income, but each property sets its own financial criteria. A professional guarantor can help only when both the provider and…
- Moving from Ireland to Boston: Bags, Housing and JobsFor a light 18–24 month move from Ireland to Boston, start with accompanied suitcases and ship only overflow. Use Boston housing services and MassHire for help, while…
- W-8BEN or W-9 Before Passing the SPT?If you have not yet become a U.S. tax resident, give your bank W-8BEN now rather than waiting. Replace it with W-9 within 30 days after the Substantial Presence Test or…
- G-4 Visa and Joint Brokerage Account Tax FilingA G-4 holder does not automatically file separately for a joint brokerage account. The answer depends on any spousal resident election, the filed status, legal…
- Transferring French Medical Records from Quebec to the USHave your Quebec doctor fax the French source records directly, then use clinic-arranged Section 1557 translation when required or a qualified translator who sends the…
- Foreign Family Gifts and German Bank Reporting in the U.S.A foreign family cash gift is generally not U.S. income, but gifts over $100,000 may require Form 3520. German accounts are aggregated for FBAR purposes, so splitting…
- What to Update After Your I-485 Green Card ArrivesAfter I-485 approval, inspect your Green Card, update Social Security when required, handle any I-9 or tax-form changes, and calendar a two-year conditional-card…
- Can an NRA Open a U.S. Checking Account Remotely?Federal rules do not require an NRA to appear at a U.S. bank in person. Remote checking is possible through HSBC Premier for qualifying countries and finances, or…
- No-Cosigner Loans for F-1 Graduate Students in TexasF-1 graduate students in Texas may qualify for no-U.S.-cosigner loans through Prodigy, restricted Juno eligibility, or Texas CAL after favorable credit. MPOWER is paused…
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