Just wanted to share my experience since I was in almost the exact same situation as you. I'm also waiting on my Green Card approval but have had an SSN for years and been filing taxes properly. I was really confused about that backup withholding checkbox too. I ended up calling a tax professional who confirmed what others here are saying - your immigration status doesn't matter for this specific question. Since you have an SSN and have been filing taxes without issues, you should definitely check the box saying you're NOT subject to backup withholding. The key thing to understand is that backup withholding is basically a penalty for people who haven't been compliant with tax reporting in the past. If you've been filing your returns and paying taxes properly (which it sounds like you have), then you're exempt from it regardless of whether your Green Card is still pending. Don't overthink it - just check the box and move forward with transferring your investments to Fidelity like you planned. Robinhood's sketchy practices are definitely a good reason to switch!

This whole thread has been incredibly helpful! I'm actually in a very similar situation - waiting on my Green Card but have had an SSN for about 5 years now and always filed my taxes properly. I was stressing about this same Robinhood W9 confirmation because I wasn't sure if my immigration status would affect it. Reading through everyone's responses, it's clear that backup withholding is purely about tax compliance history, not immigration status. Since I've never had any issues with the IRS and have always reported my investment income correctly, I should definitely check the box saying I'm NOT subject to backup withholding. Thanks especially to the tax professional who explained that this is essentially a penalty system for people who haven't been compliant in the past. That really cleared up my confusion. Now I can confidently handle this form and stop procrastinating on it!

Have you tried using the TPG Tax Refund Status page at https://taxpayer.sbtpg.com/login rather than the regular SBTPG portal? Sometimes they have different databases that don't sync properly. Also worth checking the IRS2Go app which sometimes shows different information than the website version of Where's My Refund. If you filed with TurboTax, you should also check your account there as they sometimes have more detailed status information.

I'm dealing with a similar situation right now! Filed 1/28 and got IRS acceptance same day. My WMR tool showed "Refund Approved" on 2/18, but when I check the SBTPG tracker, it says "No records found" no matter what combination of SSN, filing status, or refund amount I try. It's been 6 days since the IRS approval and I'm starting to worry. Has anyone found that calling SBTPG directly actually helps, or do they just tell you the same thing their website says? I'm wondering if I should wait a few more days or start making calls now.

Pro tip: If you end up having to pay penalties, make sure you understand how they're calculated for 1099-NEC forms. The penalties are PER FORM and increase the later you file: $50 per form if you file within 30 days of the due date $110 per form if you file more than 30 days late but before August 1 $280 per form if you file on or after August 1 or don't file at all And those are for "unintentional" failures. If the IRS decides you intentionally disregarded the requirements, it jumps to $570 per form! With 40 forms, that adds up fast. Get those forms out ASAP to minimize the damage.

I went through this exact scenario two years ago with about 35 1099-NECs that I completely missed due to a similar staffing crisis. Here's what I learned: The IRS did approve my late extension request, but as others have mentioned, it only covered the filing with them - not the recipient copies. I still got hit with penalties for the late recipient delivery, but documenting everything helped significantly when I later requested penalty abatement. My advice: Send those 1099-NECs to your contractors TODAY if you haven't already. Every day you wait increases the penalty tier you'll fall into. I made the mistake of waiting for the extension approval first and it cost me an extra $1,100 in penalties. For the penalty abatement request (which you'll want to file after this is all sorted), keep detailed records of your staffing situation - termination dates, job postings, interview schedules, anything that shows the legitimate business disruption you faced. I was able to get about 60% of my penalties waived by demonstrating it was truly beyond my control and that I took immediate action once I realized the oversight. The whole process was stressful but manageable. The key is acting fast now rather than waiting to see how the extension plays out.

call ur state tax office asap! they might be trying to contact u about something. dont be like me and wait 3 years to figure it out 😭

Check if you actually owe money to your state first! Sometimes they'll intercept your refund to pay off old debts, unpaid tickets, child support, student loans, etc. You won't get any refund until those are settled. Log into your state's tax portal or call them directly - they should be able to tell you exactly what's happening with your returns.

One thing nobody has mentioned yet is that the streamlined procedures require you to file FBARs (FinCEN Form 114) for the last 6 years and amended tax returns for the last 3 years. You'll need to gather statements showing maximum account balances for each year. Does anyone know if they're strict about getting the exact maximum balance to the penny? Some of my older foreign statements are hard to read and the currency conversion is confusing me.

I went through the streamlined domestic offshore procedure last year for unreported foreign interest income and want to share some practical tips that helped me through the process. First, regarding your question about risks of just starting to report now - don't do it. The IRS has sophisticated matching systems and if they discover the prior non-compliance during an audit, you could face substantial penalties including willful FBAR penalties that can be 50% of your account balance. The streamlined procedures give you protection from these penalties. For the non-willfulness determination, the IRS looks at several factors: your background, education level, prior tax compliance, whether you used preparers, and most importantly - the specific circumstances that led to non-compliance. Since you mentioned you "had no idea this was required," that's actually a strong foundation for non-willfulness, especially if you can explain why (recent immigrant, inherited accounts, etc.). The key is being thorough and honest in your certification statement. Explain your background, when you became aware of the requirements, why you didn't know before, and demonstrate that your failure was due to genuine ignorance rather than intentional evasion. Given your income amounts ($14-15k annually), this seems like a straightforward case for streamlined procedures. The peace of mind is worth it, and you'll sleep better knowing you're fully compliant going forward.