Same here! Got the 570 code about a week and a half ago and have been refreshing my transcript and checking the mail constantly. It's so nerve-wracking not knowing what's going on with your refund. Reading all these responses is actually really comforting though - sounds like most people get straightforward requests for verification. Really hoping mine is just something simple like what Emma and Landon dealt with. The waiting game is brutal but at least we're not alone in this! 😅

Just wanted to add my experience to help ease some anxiety! I had a 570 code last year and was freaking out for about 3 weeks before I got the letter. Turned out they just needed me to verify my identity online through ID.me - took maybe 20 minutes total and my refund was released within a week after that. The waiting is absolutely the worst part but try not to stress too much. From what I've seen here and in my own experience, it's usually something pretty routine that gets resolved quickly once you know what they need. Hang in there everyone! 💪

I would caution about one thing that happened to me last year: Credit Karma's tax preparation service was acquired by Cash App Taxes, and during that transition period, some refunds experienced unusual delays. While your situation sounds like a normal processing delay, it's worth keeping in mind that sometimes system changes or updates on their end can affect processing times. If it goes beyond 3-4 business days, I'd definitely start making calls to both SBTPG and your bank.

I'm going through the exact same thing right now! Filed through Credit Karma, SBTPG shows funded as of yesterday, but still no deposit in my account. It's so frustrating when you're counting on that money. Based on what everyone's saying here, it sounds like this is pretty normal during peak season. I'm going to try to be patient and wait until Monday before I start panicking. Thanks for posting this - at least I know I'm not alone in dealing with this delay!

Great question Mei! As someone who went through this exact same situation last year, I totally understand the overwhelm. Here are some key points that really helped me: **Start with the basics:** You'll file Schedule C with your regular tax return. The good news is you don't need any special permits for federal tax purposes - just treat it like any other business. **Essential deductions to track:** Transportation to clients (huge one!), professional development (workshops, courses), business use of your phone/internet, photography equipment for portfolio work, business cards/marketing materials, and any styling tools or equipment. **Organization tip:** I wish someone had told me this earlier - set up a separate business checking account even if it's just a free one. It makes tracking so much cleaner and shows the IRS you're treating this as a legitimate business. **Self-employment tax:** This caught me off guard my first year! You'll pay about 15.3% on your net profit for Social Security/Medicare, plus regular income tax. Setting aside 25-30% of each payment you receive is a good rule of thumb. The most important thing is to start tracking everything NOW, even if you're not perfectly organized yet. You've got this! Feel free to ask if you have specific questions about any deductions.

Hey Mei! I'm a newer freelance stylist too (about 18 months in) and I remember feeling exactly the same way about taxes. Here's what I wish I'd known starting out: **Get organized NOW:** Even if your receipts are messy, start sorting them into basic categories - travel/mileage, equipment, marketing, education, etc. I use a simple accordion folder with labeled sections until I can enter everything digitally. **Home office deduction:** If you use part of your home exclusively for work (even just a corner desk for admin stuff), you can deduct that! I use the simplified method which is $5 per square foot up to 300 sq ft. **Fashion-specific deductions I've learned about:** Professional styling tools, garment bags, steamers, measuring tapes, color wheels, subscriptions to trade publications, networking events, and even some client entertainment costs if you're taking them to lunch to discuss their styling needs. **Estimated taxes:** Start making quarterly payments even in your first year if you're earning decent income. I learned this the hard way and got hit with penalties! Use Form 1040-ES or tax software to calculate. **Track client gifts separately:** If you give clients small gifts (like a nice hanger or accessory), those are deductible business expenses up to $25 per person per year. The most important thing is just to start somewhere - you don't have to be perfect right away! Consider getting at least one consultation with a tax pro who understands creative businesses, even if you file yourself.

Quiet disclosures are risky. My accountant told me the IRS has algorithms that flag sudden new international form filings and compares them with prior years. If you're not in Streamlined program but suddenly show foreign accounts that have existed for years, they might look closer at your past returns.

I was in a very similar situation about two years ago - had foreign accounts for several years, reported all the income properly, but completely missed the Form 8938 requirement. The stress was unreal once I realized my mistake. After consulting with a tax attorney, I decided to go through the Streamlined Domestic Offshore Procedures rather than just start filing going forward. The key factor for me was that I could honestly certify my non-compliance was "non-willful" - I genuinely didn't know about the Form 8938 requirement since I was already reporting the income. The Streamlined process required filing amended returns for the last three years with the missing 8938 forms, plus a detailed statement explaining why I hadn't filed them before. The 5% penalty on the highest account balance was much better than potentially facing the $10-50k penalties per form if they discovered it later through an audit. One thing that helped my case was keeping good documentation showing I'd always reported the income accurately - bank statements, tax returns, etc. This demonstrated I wasn't trying to hide anything, just didn't understand the separate reporting requirement. Would definitely recommend talking to a tax professional about your specific situation, especially with $175k across multiple countries. The peace of mind from getting compliant through an official program was worth it for me.

Chime user here in NY - got my state refund yesterday! Filed Jan 30th so about 2.5 weeks total. Seems like some states are definitely moving faster than others. CA and TX folks might just need to hang in there a bit longer based on what I'm seeing in the comments.

Still waiting on mine too - Chime user in FL here. Filed my state return on Feb 1st and nothing yet. It's reassuring to see I'm not alone in this waiting game! My federal came through Chime super fast (like 6 days) but state is definitely taking its sweet time. Seems like it really varies by state based on everyone's experiences here.