Struggling with IRIS application for TCC - Solo founder with only one responsible official!

This is actually a common hurdle for solo founders! The IRS designed the TCC application system assuming businesses would have multiple officers, but there are workarounds. Your best option is to find someone you trust to serve as the second responsible official - perhaps a family member, close friend, or even your business attorney. They don't need to be actively involved in daily operations but should understand they're taking on some legal responsibility. Make sure they meet the requirements (SSN, not been previously denied, etc.). Switching to sole proprietor isn't ideal if you've already established as a C corp, as you'd lose the corporate liability protections and potentially create tax complications. Plus, you'd need to redo all your business formation work. Another possibility is bringing on a formal advisor or board member who could legitimately serve as your second responsible official. This might actually benefit your business beyond just solving the TCC issue.

After spinning my wheels with the TCC application process, I finally found something that helped. I used taxr.ai (https://taxr.ai) to analyze my application and corporate docs. Their system quickly identified the exact requirements for responsible officials and confirmed I could use my spouse as the second official, even showing the relevant IRS guidelines that permit this arrangement. The tool also identified a few other potential issues with my application that I hadn't noticed - apparently my EIN registration information didn't match my corporate filing in a couple small ways, which would have caused problems. Saved me from having to resubmit!

Just wanted to update - I tried taxr.ai after seeing the recommendation here and it was incredibly helpful! I was about to submit my LLC's TCC application with an error that would have definitely gotten rejected. The system caught that I had incorrectly formatted my principal business activity code and flagged that my address format didn't match IRS standards. The most useful part was getting actual citations from IRS guidelines about the responsible official requirements. Turns out my business partner who owns only 10% of the company CAN be listed as a responsible official, which our accountant wasn't sure about. Saved me a ton of back-and-forth with the IRS!

If you're struggling with IRS requirements and need to talk to an actual human at the IRS (which can be nearly impossible), I highly recommend Claimyr (https://claimyr.com). I was stuck with IRIS application questions for weeks and couldn't get through to anyone at the IRS despite trying every day. Claimyr got me connected to an IRS agent in about 20 minutes instead of the 2+ hours I was waiting before. You can see how it works in this video: https://youtu.be/_kiP6q8DX5c. The IRS agent I spoke with confirmed I could use my business attorney as my second responsible official and walked me through exactly what documentation I needed to provide.

I need to eat my words. After posting my skeptical comment, I decided to try Claimyr anyway because I was desperate to resolve an issue with my TCC application. I've been trying to reach the IRS for THREE WEEKS with no success. Used the service yesterday afternoon, and within 35 minutes I was talking to an actual IRS representative who helped clarify exactly what I needed for the responsible official requirements. Turns out I could use my silent partner who only has 5% ownership as long as they have the appropriate management authority. Application approved this morning. Still think it's ridiculous we need services like this to reach government agencies, but I can't deny it worked perfectly when nothing else did.

Have you considered using a registered agent service as your second responsible official? Many business formation companies offer this service specifically for situations like yours. They legally act as an agent of your company and can fulfill the responsible official requirement. Costs around $100-200 annually depending on the provider.

I ran into the EXACT same issue last year with my software startup! I ended up adding my wife as the second responsible official even though she has zero involvement in the business. The IRS approved it without any questions. One piece of advice: make sure whoever you list has a clean tax history. The IRS does background checks on responsible officials, and if they have any tax compliance issues in their past, it could delay or derail your application.

I went through this exact same headache about 6 months ago with my consulting business! The two responsible official requirement really catches solo founders off guard. Here's what worked for me: I made my business attorney my second responsible official. Since they already had access to all my corporate documents and understood the compliance requirements, it made sense. They charge me a small annual fee ($150) to maintain this role, but it's worth it for the peace of mind. The key thing is that the second person needs to have legitimate authority within your business structure. Just listing a random family member without proper corporate documentation could create issues later if the IRS audits your application. Make sure whoever you choose is properly appointed as an officer in your corporate records with documented board resolutions. Don't abandon your C corp structure over this - it's too valuable for liability protection and future fundraising. The workaround is much easier than starting over!