One thing no one's mentioned yet - if you're planning to ever move to the US in the future, getting tax compliant now is SUPER important. My cousin ignored his US filing requirements for years while living in Asia, then tried to move back to the States and had major issues getting a mortgage, credit cards, etc. because he had no US tax history or credit score. Also, while the Streamlined procedures are great, they can change or end at any time. The IRS could decide tomorrow to make the requirements stricter. I wouldn't wait.

I'm dealing with a very similar situation right now! I'm a 35-year-old dual US/German citizen who has lived in Berlin my entire adult life and only recently discovered I was supposed to be filing US taxes. Like you, I never had an SSN and was completely in the dark about these requirements. Here's what I've learned from my research and initial steps: 1. **Don't ignore it** - I know it's tempting (especially seeing your brother's approach), but this problem doesn't go away and can get much worse over time. 2. **SSN application is straightforward** - I got mine at the US consulate in Frankfurt last month. Just needed my birth certificate, passport, and proof of identity. The whole appointment took maybe 30 minutes. 3. **Focus on the Streamlined procedures** - This seems to be the gold standard for people in our situation. My tax advisor confirmed that most people like us end up owing little to nothing after foreign tax credits. 4. **Get professional help** - I initially tried to figure this out myself but quickly realized the complexity was beyond what I could handle alone. A good expat tax specialist is worth every penny. The hardest part for me was overcoming the initial panic and paralysis. Once I started taking concrete steps, it became much more manageable. Your music career income situation might be more complex than my regular employment, but the basic framework is the same. Feel free to reach out if you want to compare notes as we both work through this process!

I went through this exact same situation last year! The IRS processing time for Form 8962 and 1095-A verification can vary quite a bit, but from my experience and what I've seen others report, you're looking at anywhere from 6-12 weeks typically. A few things that might help while you wait: - Check your IRS account transcript online weekly for updates (look for codes 971 or 846 like Brandon mentioned) - Make sure you have that fax confirmation saved - the IRS sometimes claims they didn't receive documents - If you haven't already, create an account on IRS.gov to monitor your case status The marketplace reconciliation is super important since without it, you'll lose eligibility for future premium tax credits. The good news is that once they process your forms, they usually release any held refund pretty quickly. I know the wait is stressful, but hang in there - they will get to it eventually!

Been through this exact process twice now - once in 2022 and again last year. Here's what I've learned: The 6-8 week timeframe is pretty accurate, though I've seen it go as long as 12 weeks during busy season. The IRS is still dealing with backlogs from COVID and they're extra careful with marketplace reconciliations since there's money involved. One thing I wish someone had told me - if your advance premium tax credits were close to what you actually qualified for, the process goes faster. But if there's a big discrepancy (like you got too much in advance payments), they scrutinize it more and it can take longer. Also, don't panic if you see code 570 "Additional Account Action Pending" on your transcript - that's normal for marketplace verifications. The real movement happens when you see 971 followed by 846. Pro tip: If it hits 10 weeks with no movement, call the Practitioner Priority Service line if you have a tax pro, or try calling first thing Monday morning at 7am EST when the phone lines open - you'll get through faster. The wait sucks but they will process it. Just make sure you have that fax confirmation saved in case they claim they never got it (happened to my neighbor).

Don't stress too much about this - it's more straightforward than it seems! I've been doing multiple W-2s plus gig work for years now. Your W-2 jobs get combined automatically when you file - all that income goes on the same lines of your 1040, so you don't need to worry about treating them separately. For your gig work, you're absolutely right to combine the DoorDash and Instacart miles since you were running both simultaneously. The IRS doesn't require you to split miles between similar delivery services - just make sure you have good records showing the total business miles driven. Your 6,800 miles should give you about a $4,216 deduction at 62 cents per mile. One tip: keep your delivery work (DoorDash + Instacart) on one Schedule C and put the umpiring on a separate Schedule C since it's a completely different type of business activity. Also, start setting aside about 25-30% of your 1099 income for taxes throughout 2025 - you'll likely need to make quarterly estimated payments to avoid penalties since there's no withholding on that income. You've got this! The fact that you tracked your miles puts you ahead of most gig workers.

Just wanted to chime in as someone who went through this exact same situation last year! Had 3 W-2s plus Uber Eats and some freelance writing work. The stress was real, but it turned out way simpler than I thought. One thing I didn't see mentioned - make sure you're also tracking other business expenses beyond just mileage. Things like car washes (if you wash your car more frequently because of delivery work), phone accessories like car mounts or chargers, insulated delivery bags, etc. These smaller deductions add up! Also, for your umpiring work, don't forget you can deduct things like uniform costs, equipment, and travel expenses to games. Since it's on a separate Schedule C from your delivery work, you want to make sure you're capturing all the relevant expenses for that business too. The good news is once you get through this year's filing, you'll have a template for how to handle it going forward. Keep better records starting now for 2025 and it'll be much less stressful next year!

Hi, Aisha, did you ever get this resolved? I have the same situation, and saw Stripe has this on their website saying the do not support disregarded entities, which is what my (and your) company is. https://support.stripe.com/express/questions/how-do-i-enter-my-disregarded-entity-that-needs-to-sign-the-w-8-or-w-9 I'm just wondering if you found a way around it.

@Write Angles I ran into the exact same issue with Stripe's policy on disregarded entities! After all the helpful advice here, I contacted Stripe support multiple times with the IRS documentation about W-8BEN-E being the correct form for foreign-owned single-member LLCs. What finally worked was escalating to their merchant services team (not just regular support) and providing them with official IRS guidance that clearly states disregarded entities owned by foreign persons should use W-8BEN-E. I also included the tax treaty information for my country of residence. It took about 3 weeks of back-and-forth, but they eventually created an exception for my account. The key was being persistent and providing official documentation rather than just explaining the situation. If you're still stuck, I'd recommend trying the Claimyr service that others mentioned to get official IRS confirmation in writing - that seemed to carry more weight with Stripe's compliance team.

Has anyone tried negotiating a stipend with their employer for home office expenses since the tax deduction isn't available? My company gives us $150/month tax-free for internet, utilities, etc because they don't have to pay for office space for remote workers.

Great advice about negotiating a stipend! I'm definitely going to bring this up with my employer. Since they're saving money on office space, it seems like a win-win situation. One other thing I've found helpful as a remote W2 employee is keeping detailed records of any work-related expenses throughout the year, even if you can't deduct them federally. You never know when tax laws might change, and having good documentation is always valuable. Plus, if you do switch to 1099 status in the future, you'll already have a system in place. Also worth mentioning - if you're taking any online courses or certifications to improve your job skills, those educational expenses might still be deductible as a Lifetime Learning Credit, depending on your income level. It's not the same as a home office deduction, but every bit helps!