This thread has been incredibly helpful! I just wanted to add my experience as someone who recently went through this process. I got my EIN about 6 months ago specifically for affiliate marketing, and it's been one of the best decisions I made. One thing I learned that might help others - when you're filling out W-9 forms for affiliate programs, make sure you select the correct tax classification. As a sole proprietor with an EIN, you'll typically check "Individual/sole proprietor" and then write your EIN in the tax ID field instead of your SSN. Some people get confused and think they need to check "LLC" or something else, but if you haven't formed a separate business entity, you're still an individual/sole proprietor even with an EIN. Also, I'd recommend keeping a simple log of which affiliate programs you've provided your EIN to and when. This has helped me anticipate which 1099s to expect at the end of the year and follow up if any seem to be missing. The organization aspect really does make tax season much less stressful! For anyone still hesitant - the whole process took me maybe 15 minutes on the IRS website, and the peace of mind has been worth so much more than that small time investment.

I've been doing affiliate marketing for about 3 years now and can confirm that having an EIN has definitely helped with program applications. Many of the premium affiliate networks seem to view applicants with EINs as more serious about their business, which can help with approval rates. One practical tip I'd add - when you get your EIN, consider opening a separate business checking account even if you're just a sole proprietor. Many banks will let you open a business account with just your EIN and operating agreement (which can be as simple as a one-page document stating you're doing business as yourself). This makes tracking your affiliate income and business expenses much cleaner for tax purposes. Also, don't forget that once you start earning significant affiliate income (generally $600+ from a single program), you'll receive 1099-NEC forms. Having all these going to your EIN rather than mixed in with your personal tax documents makes everything so much more organized. The psychological benefit of separating your business and personal finances really can't be overstated - it helps you take the venture more seriously and make better business decisions.

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 had issues with the limitations on Form 1116? I'm in a similar situation but with clients in multiple countries, and I'm getting confused about how to handle separate forms for different types of income and different countries. Some tax software doesn't seem to handle this very well.

For Australian contractor payments, make sure you're aware of the tax treaty benefits between the US and Australia. The 5% withholding rate your client is using suggests they're applying the treaty rate for personal services income, which is actually beneficial for you. One thing to watch out for - if you're working remotely from Colorado but your client is treating this as Australian-source income subject to withholding, you may want to verify this is correct. Under the tax treaty, income for personal services performed outside Australia (like remote work from the US) may not be subject to Australian tax at all, depending on the specifics of your arrangement. If the withholding is incorrect based on the treaty, you might be able to get a refund directly from the Australian Tax Office and wouldn't need to claim the foreign tax credit. But if the withholding is proper, then yes, definitely claim it on Form 1116 as others have described. Just wanted to mention this potential issue since it could significantly impact your tax situation!

Has anyone had success getting the IP PIN issue resolved by visiting an IRS Taxpayer Assistance Center in person? I made an appointment next week because I'm tired of the phone runaround, but wondering if it's worth the time off work.

I had this exact same issue last month! Turns out the IRS had flagged my account for identity protection after someone tried to use my SSN to file early. The frustrating part is that I never received the CP01A notice with my PIN because it was sent to an old address (even though I filed a change of address form). Here's what worked for me: I called the IRS Identity Protection line at 800-908-4490 first thing in the morning (around 7 AM) and actually got through after only 20 minutes on hold. The agent was able to verify my identity using questions about my previous tax returns and issued me a new PIN over the phone that I could use immediately. Pro tip: Have your last 2-3 years of tax returns handy when you call, along with your current address, phone number, and any recent W-2s. They use this info to verify your identity. Once I had the PIN, I went back into TurboTax, entered it in the IP PIN field, and my return was accepted within hours. Don't give up - it's definitely frustrating but very solvable once you get the right person on the phone!

Filed Feb 7th and just got my refund this morning after 11 weeks! For anyone still waiting, I wanted to share what finally worked for me. After reading all these comments about the taxpayer advocate program, I decided to give it a shot at week 9. The advocate discovered my return was stuck because of a minor discrepancy with my W-2 wages (off by like $15 due to a rounding error). She was able to override it within a few days and my refund processed immediately after that. The regular customer service reps never mentioned this specific issue - they just kept saying "processing." Definitely recommend the advocate route if you're past 8-10 weeks. Also keep checking your bank account even if the "where's my refund" tool doesn't update - mine never changed from "processing" until the money was already in my account!

Filed Feb 4th and just hit the 12 week mark today - this thread is both reassuring and terrifying at the same time! It's good to know I'm not alone but holy crap, some of y'all have been waiting even longer than me. The taxpayer advocate program seems to be the way to go based on all these success stories. I've been calling the regular line every week and they just keep giving me the same "your return is being reviewed" nonsense with no actual timeline or explanation. Really wish I had found this thread sooner - could have saved myself weeks of stress just waiting around. Definitely calling the advocate program Monday morning. Thanks everyone for sharing your experiences, this is way more helpful than anything on the official Maryland tax website! 🙏