Make sure you document EVERYTHING about your working conditions! I made the mistake of not keeping enough evidence when I was in a similar situation. The more documentation you have about schedule control, micromanagement, etc., the stronger your SS-8 case will be. The fact that he controlled bathroom breaks is a HUGE red flag that proves employee status. Also, the firing after asking for a rate increase that accounted for self-employment taxes shows bad faith. The IRS takes these misclassification cases very seriously now since they lose so much tax revenue from it.

This is a textbook case of employee misclassification! The level of control your employer had over your work environment - mandatory schedules, micromanaging bathroom breaks, controlling your work location, and even timing your breaks - clearly indicates you were an employee, not an independent contractor. A few key points to consider: 1. **Don't sign the W-9** - By signing it now, you'd be validating their misclassification. You have every right to refuse. 2. **File Form SS-8 immediately** - This asks the IRS to make an official determination about your worker status. Given the facts you've described, it's very likely they'll rule in your favor. 3. **Document everything** - Save all communications, schedules, payment records, and any evidence of the micromanagement you described. 4. **Consider Form 8919** - You can file this with your tax return to pay only the employee portion of Social Security and Medicare taxes while the SS-8 is pending. The fact that he's paying everyone through Venmo and requiring W-9s from all staff while maintaining complete schedule control suggests systematic misclassification. This could result in significant penalties for the employer. You're absolutely doing the right thing by questioning this situation - employee misclassification costs workers thousands in extra taxes and lost benefits.

Azlo Bank used to be perfect for this situation but unfortunately they shut down. I've had good luck with both Novo and BlueVine for clients with similar situations. They're primarily concerned with the business's legitimacy rather than your personal banking history. Just make sure your LLC paperwork is completely in order. They'll want to see your Articles of Organization and EIN letter at minimum. Some tips: - Have a clear business description ready - Be prepared to explain expected monthly transaction volume - Having a professional website or social media for the business helps

I went through a similar situation about 18 months ago after bankruptcy. Here's what worked for me: **Novo Bank** was by far the easiest approval. They focus heavily on your business documentation rather than personal credit. I was approved within 2 days with a 520 credit score and multiple ChexSystems flags. No monthly fees, decent online platform, and they've been reliable for my home-based consulting LLC. **For building business credit separately**, I'd recommend starting with: - Net-30 vendor accounts (Uline, Grainger, etc.) once you have your business account - Dun & Bradstreet business credit file (free to establish) - Consider a secured business credit card from Capital One or Wells Fargo after 3-6 months of banking history **Pro tip**: When you apply, emphasize that you're running a legitimate business operation and be ready to explain your business model clearly. Banks want to see you're not just trying to hide personal finances behind an LLC. Also, since you're filing as S-Corp, make sure you understand the payroll requirements - you'll need to pay yourself a reasonable salary and handle payroll taxes. This actually helps with business credit building since it shows regular business activity. Don't let the past financial struggles discourage you. I'm now at a 720 business credit score and have access to $50K in business lines of credit. It takes time but it's absolutely doable!

My construction company received around $230k in ERC, and we're currently under audit. One thing I learned that might help others - if your business grew during the pandemic compared to 2019, the IRS is automatically flagging those claims for review. We qualified based on supply chain disruptions and project delays due to government restrictions, but the IRS auditor is arguing that because our total annual revenue increased, we couldn't have been significantly impacted regardless of the specific rules.

This is exactly why I've been telling other business owners to be extremely cautious about ERC claims. The program was marketed as "free money" by so many firms, but the reality is that the IRS is now applying much stricter interpretations than what many businesses were told. What's particularly frustrating is that the government created this program during a crisis, encouraged businesses to apply, and now they're essentially penalizing people who relied on professional advice. The shifting interpretations make it feel like the rules are being changed retroactively. For anyone reading this who claimed ERC - document everything about your situation during the pandemic. Keep records of any government orders that affected your business, revenue comparisons, and the specific reasoning your tax preparer used. If you're having second thoughts about your eligibility, the voluntary disclosure program might be worth considering before the IRS contacts you. The difference between proactive disclosure and getting caught in an audit can be tens of thousands of dollars in penalties and interest.

I encountered TC 766 on my Account Transcript during the current filing season. In my specific case, it represented a $2,000 Child Tax Credit allocation with a cycle date of 20241105. The Transaction Code 766 appeared simultaneously with TC 768 (Earned Income Credit) and was followed by TC 846 (Refund Issued) approximately 9 days later. The processing sequence typically follows: TC 150 (Return Filed) → TC 766/768 (Credits Applied) → TC 846 (Refund Issued). The presence of code 766 without accompanying code 570 (additional account action pending) is generally a positive indicator that your return is progressing normally through the IRS processing pipeline.

Code 766 is actually a really good sign! It means the IRS has applied credits to your account - things like Child Tax Credit, Earned Income Credit, or other refundable credits you qualified for. The fact that you're seeing this code means your return is being processed normally and the IRS has calculated your credits correctly. Since you mentioned being an international filer, this won't affect your processing timeline differently than domestic filers. Just keep checking your transcript for code 846 "Refund Issued" - that's when you'll know your refund is actually on its way to you. The 766 code is just one step in the process, so you're making progress!

Has anyone received their trace number faster by calling them directly instead of waiting? I've heard some people say calling makes no difference while others claim it speeds things up.

Based on everyone's experiences here, it sounds like Santa Barbara TPG is definitely running behind their normal processing times. I'm in a similar situation - got funded last Tuesday with a 02/27 DDD and still waiting for my trace number. What's frustrating is the lack of transparency from TPG about these delays. They should be proactively communicating with customers about extended processing times instead of leaving everyone in the dark. I've been checking my bank account obsessively, which isn't helping my stress levels. For those mentioning calling - I tried their customer service line yesterday and after a 2-hour wait, they basically just confirmed what we already know: they're backed up and processing in batches. The rep couldn't give me a specific timeframe for my trace number. At this point, I'm just planning for the worst-case scenario timeline mentioned here (3-5 business days) and hoping for the best. Thanks everyone for sharing your experiences - it's reassuring to know this is a widespread issue and not something specific to my return.