I'm in a similar situation - been waiting since early February and it's so frustrating! The 60-day timeline seems to be pretty standard this year from what I've been reading. Your code 766 with the 4/15/24 date is interesting - that's typically when credits get applied to your account, but like others mentioned, it doesn't always mean that's your refund date if you're still under review. I've been checking my transcript obsessively and noticed that the IRS seems to be taking longer with reviews in 2024. Have you received any correspondence from them asking for additional documentation? Sometimes they'll request more info during the review process which can extend the timeline even further. Hang in there - I know the waiting is brutal!

The 60-day review period is unfortunately calendar days, not business days, so you're looking at the full two months. I went through this exact same situation last year - filed early February and didn't get my refund until mid-April. The code 766 with 4/15/24 is actually a good sign though! It means the IRS has processed your credits and that date is when they'll be officially applied to your account. While it doesn't guarantee your refund will be released that exact day, it usually means you're getting close to the end of the review process. In my experience, once you see that 766 code with a future date, the refund typically follows within 1-2 weeks after that date. The review process this year has definitely been slower than usual - I think they're being extra cautious with verification. Keep checking your transcript for a code 846 (refund issued) - that's what you're really waiting for! Hang in there, you should hopefully see movement soon after 4/15.

This is great information everyone is sharing! I'm also a service-based business owner (handyman services) and was completely unaware I could deduct mileage. I've been driving to client locations for two years now and never claimed any of these miles because I thought it was just "commuting." I do have a dedicated office space in my basement where I handle all my scheduling, invoicing, and business planning. It sounds like I need to start tracking my mileage immediately and possibly look into amending previous tax returns? One question though - do I need to track mileage for every single trip, or can I estimate based on regular routes to frequent clients? Some of my clients are repeat customers where I go to the same address multiple times per month.

Great thread with lots of helpful information! I'm also self-employed (freelance marketing consultant) and this discussion has been really eye-opening. I've been missing out on mileage deductions for client meetings because I thought since I work from home, any driving was just "personal" travel. One thing I want to add that I learned from my accountant last year - if you're using the standard mileage rate, make sure you're using the correct rate for the tax year. The rates change annually. For 2024, it's 67 cents per mile for business use (up from 65.5 cents in 2023). Also, don't forget that you can deduct mileage for business-related trips beyond just client visits. This includes driving to the bank for business deposits, to the office supply store for business purchases, to networking events, etc. As long as the trip has a legitimate business purpose and you're traveling from your home office (principal place of business), it should qualify. The key is really having that qualifying home office and keeping meticulous records. I use a simple spreadsheet with columns for date, starting location, destination, business purpose, and miles. Takes 30 seconds to log each trip but can save hundreds or thousands at tax time.

This thread has been incredibly helpful! As someone relatively new to multi-state compliance, I'm overwhelmed by all the different tools and resources mentioned. For those just starting out with multi-state clients, what would you recommend as the absolute minimum toolkit? I'm thinking we need at least one comprehensive compliance calendar system, but I'm not sure if we should start with a free solution like Noah's spreadsheet or invest in something like taxr.ai right away. Also, how do you handle the client education piece? I find that many business owners don't realize the scope of compliance requirements when they expand to new states, and then they're shocked by all the ongoing filing obligations. Any tips for setting proper expectations upfront?

As someone who's been managing multi-state compliance for about 8 years now, I completely feel your pain! One resource that hasn't been mentioned yet is the Multistate Tax Commission's uniformity resources - they maintain excellent comparison charts for various state requirements that can help you quickly identify differences between jurisdictions. I'd also strongly recommend setting up Google Alerts for phrases like "[state name] tax law changes" and "business compliance updates" for each state where you have significant client activity. It's not perfect, but it's caught several important changes that might have otherwise slipped through the cracks. One practical tip: I maintain a simple "red flag states" list for new client consultations. States like California, New York, and Illinois tend to have more complex ongoing requirements, so when a client mentions expansion into these jurisdictions, I know to budget extra time for the compliance setup process. This has helped me avoid underbidding on projects and ensures clients understand the complexity upfront. The learning curve is steep, but once you develop systematic processes, it becomes much more manageable!

This is such a relief to read! I'm dealing with the exact same thing right now - verified through ID.me about a week ago and went from seeing my refund amount to getting that dreaded "refund status unavailable" message. It's honestly been keeping me up at night wondering if I did something wrong during verification or if my return got flagged for some reason. But reading everyone's experiences here makes it clear this is just how the IRS system works after identity verification - terribly designed but apparently normal. The part about checking transcripts instead of obsessively refreshing WMR is great advice. I've been guilty of checking multiple times a day and driving myself crazy. Going to try the transcript route and maybe download that IRS2Go app someone mentioned. Thanks to everyone who shared their timelines and experiences - it's so helpful to know this disappearing act typically resolves in 1-3 weeks. Definitely going to try to be more patient (easier said than done!). Will update if I see any movement on my end!

I just went through this exact scenario about 6 weeks ago! The "refund status unavailable" message after ID.me verification is honestly one of the most anxiety-inducing parts of the whole tax process, but I can confirm it's completely normal. What helped me during the wait was understanding that when you see your refund amount initially (like your $3,456), that means the IRS has already calculated and essentially approved your refund. The verification step is just confirming you are who you say you are - it's not re-reviewing your entire return. After verification, your return gets moved from the automated processing system to a manual review queue, which is why WMR can't display anything. Think of it like your file being physically moved from one department to another - during the transfer, nobody can access it to give you status updates. In my case, it took about 2.5 weeks after verification for WMR to suddenly update with a direct deposit date. No gradual progress bars or status changes - just went straight from "unavailable" to "your refund was sent on [date]." The hardest part is the waiting, but you're definitely in the final stretch. Since you verified on April 10th, I'd expect to see movement within the next week or two. Your refund is still coming - it's just taking the scenic route through manual processing!

One crucial aspect that hasn't been fully addressed is the potential impact of France's CFC (Controlled Foreign Corporation) rules on your US LLC. Even if you're not currently a French tax resident, if you return to France in the future, the French tax authorities could potentially look back at your LLC structure and apply CFC rules retroactively. Under French CFC rules, if you control more than 50% of a foreign entity (which you would with a single-member LLC) and that entity is subject to a tax rate below 50% of what French corporate tax would be, France may tax the LLC's profits directly. This could create complications even years down the road. Additionally, be aware that France has been increasingly aggressive about digital nomads and crypto/online entrepreneurs. They've been pushing for EU-wide coordination on taxing digital nomads, and there's ongoing discussion about creating a "digital nomad tax" framework. My recommendation would be to document everything meticulously - where you are physically located each day, what work you're doing, client locations, etc. This paper trail will be invaluable if any tax authority challenges your residency status or LLC structure later.

This thread has been incredibly helpful! As someone who's been navigating similar international tax complexities, I wanted to add a few practical considerations that might help. First, regarding the "zero tax" scenario you're hoping for - be very careful about this assumption. Even if you avoid French taxation due to non-residency and US taxation due to foreign ownership, you might still trigger tax obligations in countries where you're physically present while working. Many countries have "source rules" that can create tax liability based on where services are actually performed, regardless of where your business is incorporated. Second, consider the compliance burden even if your tax liability is minimal. Between US Form 5472 filings, potential FBAR requirements if your LLC accounts exceed $10K, and various foreign business reporting requirements in countries where you establish temporary residence, the administrative overhead can be significant. I'd also suggest looking into the Malta or Cyprus tax residency programs if you want a more structured approach to European tax planning. Both offer attractive tax regimes for non-domiciled residents and have clear rules that could provide more certainty than the nomad lifestyle. Finally, given the rapid changes in international tax law (especially around digital services), consider building flexibility into your structure from day one. What works today might need adjustment as regulations evolve.