This entire thread has been incredibly comprehensive and helpful! As someone new to this community, I'm really impressed by the quality of guidance being shared here. I wanted to add one perspective that might be worth considering - since your cousin is only 16 and this process involves significant complexity with international tax law, it might be beneficial for her parents to document this entire journey. Not just for compliance purposes, but because this experience could actually become valuable content for her platform once everything is resolved properly. Many young creators and their families face these exact same challenges, and sharing the legitimate process of navigating international creator monetization (once she's successfully through it) could help others avoid the mistakes she initially made with the VPN usage. It could even become a unique niche for her content - helping other international creators understand proper compliance. The systematic approach everyone has outlined here really is the gold standard: ITIN application with full parental involvement, transparent communication with TikTok about the VPN issue and compliance efforts, professional tax guidance covering both US and home country implications, and proper record-keeping systems from day one. Your cousin is incredibly fortunate to have family support in doing this the right way rather than looking for shortcuts. The foundation being built through this proper compliance process will serve her well throughout her entire creator career, and the lessons learned could potentially help countless other young international creators facing similar challenges.

This thread has been absolutely incredible to read through! As someone new to this community, I'm amazed by how thoroughly everyone has covered the legitimate path forward for your cousin's situation. I wanted to add one more practical consideration that might help during the waiting period - while the ITIN application is processing, your cousin could use this time to start building relationships with other international creators who've successfully monetized through proper compliance. Many creator communities have Discord servers or forums where people share their experiences with different platforms' verification processes. Also, something I learned recently is that some countries have specific tax advantages for creative income earned by minors that could significantly impact the overall tax picture. Having her parents research these potential benefits in their home country could influence how they structure everything once the US compliance is sorted out. The systematic approach everyone has outlined here - ITIN with parental involvement, transparent TikTok communication about the VPN issue, professional tax guidance for both jurisdictions, and proper record-keeping from day one - really should be the standard playbook for any international creator facing similar challenges. Your cousin is so fortunate to have family support in doing this properly rather than looking for shortcuts. This legitimate foundation will serve her incredibly well throughout her creator career!

I'm dealing with this exact authentication loop right now and this thread has been absolutely incredible! As a complete newcomer to this nightmare, I was starting to think I was doing something fundamentally wrong when ID.me shows "verified" but the IRS keeps asking me to verify over and over again. The technical explanations about OAuth handshakes and orphaned authentication tokens have been so enlightening - it finally explains why regular customer service keeps saying they "can't see any issues" when there's clearly a major problem. They literally don't have access to the backend authentication systems! I've already tried the browser clearing approach (cleared everything for both sites and switched from Chrome to Firefox) but still got stuck in the same loop. Based on all the success stories here, I'm definitely going to call the Taxpayer Advocate Service at 877-777-4778 first thing tomorrow morning and use the magic words: "authentication token synchronization error" and ask them to "reset the OAuth handshake." It's so reassuring to know this is a legitimate technical issue affecting tons of people rather than user error. This thread should honestly be the official troubleshooting guide! Thank you to everyone who shared their experiences and solutions - you've turned what felt like an impossible situation into a clear action plan. I'll report back once I try the Taxpayer Advocate approach!

I'm currently trapped in this exact same authentication loop and finding this thread has been such a relief! I've been dealing with this nightmare for almost two weeks now - ID.me shows I'm fully verified, but every time I try to access my IRS account, it kicks me back to the verification screen. Like so many others here, I made the mistake of calling the regular IRS customer service line multiple times and got the classic runaround - each rep either couldn't see the issue or insisted it was ID.me's problem, while ID.me support just points right back to the IRS. It's the most frustrating bureaucratic ping-pong game ever! The technical explanations in this thread about OAuth handshakes and orphaned authentication tokens finally make this whole mess make sense. No wonder the regular customer service reps keep saying they can't help - they literally don't have access to the backend systems that are causing the problem. Based on all the success stories here, I'm skipping any more attempts with regular customer service and going straight to the Taxpayer Advocate Service at 877-777-4778. I'll use the exact terminology that multiple people have confirmed works: "authentication token synchronization error" and request them to "reset the OAuth handshake." This thread should honestly be featured prominently on the IRS website - it's become the most comprehensive resource for solving this widespread but poorly documented issue. Thank you to everyone who shared their experiences and solutions! I'll definitely update once I try the Taxpayer Advocate approach.

I'm a little confused by some of the responses here. The $5,000 threshold is just about whether you get a 1099-K form, not whether you need to report the income. ALL income is taxable regardless of amount or whether you got a tax form. The only exception would be if you're selling personal items at a loss (like used clothes for less than you paid for them). That's not taxable because there's no profit. But if you're making and selling crafts on Etsy, that's income even if it's just $50. The honest answer to the question is "yes" you received payments through a third party network.

Is nobody going to mention the hobby loss rule? If this is truly a hobby (not a profit-seeking activity), you can report the income but you CANNOT deduct any expenses against it anymore. The Tax Cuts and Jobs Act eliminated hobby expense deductions. If you're regularly trying to make money from your Etsy store, it might be better to treat it as a business so you can deduct your expenses. Otherwise you're paying tax on the full $875 with no deductions for your supplies.

One important detail. Timing matters. Most services require final acceptance within 72 hours of initial submission. Beyond that window, advance might need reapproval. Check your service's specific terms. Different lenders have different policies. Document everything. Keep screenshots of your acceptance. Made a huge difference for me last month.

I went through something very similar just two months ago! Had a rejection for error code 0503 (AGI mismatch) and was panicking about my $2,800 advance. Here's what I learned from the experience: The good news: Your advance eligibility should remain intact since this is just a verification error, not a change to your actual refund amount. The 0503 error is super common and tax services expect it. What I did: • Immediately called my tax preparer to confirm the advance was still queued • They assured me that as long as resubmission happened within 48 hours, I was fine • Got my IRS acceptance notification 18 hours after resubmission • Advance hit my account the next business day Pro tip: Screenshot your acceptance notification when it comes through - some people have had to provide proof to their lender that the return was ultimately accepted. Better safe than sorry when you're counting on those funds! You should be good to go, but definitely touch base with your preparer just to confirm everything is still on track. The stress is real when you need that money! 🤞

I think a lot depends on what kind of disability pension you have from France. I went through this with my Spanish disability pension. There are two main types: contributory (based on what you paid into their system) and non-contributory (more like social benefits). They're treated differently under most tax treaties. If it's a government pension (paid because you worked for the French government), that's another category with different rules. Article 18 vs. Article 19 of the treaty applies differently. Also check if it's considered "not taxable in France" - some disability pensions aren't taxed in the country of origin, which affects how the US treats them.

The key thing to understand is that US citizens are subject to worldwide income taxation, so yes, you do need to report your French disability pension on your US return. However, you're absolutely right that this creates a double taxation issue - and that's exactly what tax treaties are designed to prevent. Since your pension is contributory (you paid into the French system) and partially taxed in France, you should be able to claim a Foreign Tax Credit on Form 1116 for the French taxes already paid. This will reduce your US tax liability dollar-for-dollar. Make sure your accountant is familiar with the US-France tax treaty, particularly Article 18 which covers pensions. Some disability pensions may qualify for reduced taxation or exemptions under the treaty provisions. You might also need to file Form 8833 if you're claiming specific treaty benefits. The IRS Publication 514 (Foreign Tax Credit for Individuals) has detailed guidance on how to calculate and claim the credit. Don't let the complexity discourage you - proper application of the treaty and foreign tax credit should prevent true double taxation.