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If I could give 10 stars I would If I could give 10 stars I would Such an amazing service so needed during the times when EDD almost never picks up Claimyr gets me on the phone with EDD every time without fail faster. A much needed service without Claimyr I would have never received the payment I needed to support me during my postpartum recovery. Thank you so much Claimyr!
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Really made a difference, save me time and energy from going to a local office for making the call.
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An incredibly helpful service
An incredibly helpful service! Got me connected to a CA EDD agent without major hassle (outside of EDD's agents dropping calls – which Claimyr has free protection for). If you need to file a new claim and can't do it online, pay the $ to Claimyr to get the process started. Absolutely worth it!
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Used this service a couple times now. Before I'd call 200 times in less than a weak frustrated as can be. But using claimyr with a couple hours of waiting i was on the line with an representative or on hold. Dropped a couple times but each reconnected not long after and was mission accomplished, thanks to Claimyr.
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I tried for weeks to get thru to EDD PFL program with no luck. I gave this a try thinking it may be a scam. OMG! It worked and They got thru within an hour and my claim is going to finally get paid!! I upgraded to the $60 call. Best $60 spent!
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- DO NOT post call problems here - there is a support tab at the top for that :)
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protip: sign up for informed delivery with usps. even tho ur doing direct deposit you'll get notifications if they decide to mail u anything
good idea! gonna do that rn
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I'm dealing with a very similar situation and want to thank everyone for sharing their experiences! I had to repay about $11,000 in wages from 2022 to my former employer last year, and like many others here, I figured out the income tax portions but was completely lost on the FICA piece. Based on what I'm reading, it sounds like my best bet is to start by contacting my former employer's payroll department directly. The point about them being able to recover their matching portion through Form 941 adjustments is really helpful - I hadn't realized there was a financial incentive for them to cooperate. If that doesn't work out, I'll need to go the Form 843 route with the IRS. One question I have - for those who filed Form 843, did you include any calculation worksheets or just rely on the narrative explanation in Part II? I want to make sure I provide enough detail without overwhelming them with paperwork. Also, has anyone dealt with a situation where the original wages included both regular pay and commission? I'm wondering if that affects how the FICA refund is calculated or if it's all treated the same way. This community has been incredibly helpful - much more so than the generic advice I've found elsewhere online!
Welcome @Nia Jackson! Your situation sounds very similar to what many of us have dealt with here. For Form 843, I'd definitely recommend including a simple calculation worksheet as an attachment - it makes it much easier for the IRS to understand exactly what you're claiming and shows you've done your homework. Regarding regular pay vs commission, the FICA refund calculation should be the same since both types of compensation are subject to the same Social Security and Medicare tax rates (6.2% and 1.45% respectively). The IRS doesn't typically distinguish between different types of wages for FICA purposes as long as they were properly reported on your W-2. One tip from my experience - when you contact your former employer's payroll department, be prepared with the exact dates, amounts, and tax periods involved. Having everything organized upfront really helped move the process along. Good luck with reaching out to them first - hopefully they'll be more cooperative than you expect!
I'm new to this community but found this thread while researching my own wage repayment situation. I had to return about $6,200 in wages to my former employer earlier this year, and like many others here, I was completely unaware that I could recover the FICA taxes that were withheld. After reading through all these helpful experiences, I have a couple of questions. First, for those who successfully contacted their former employer's payroll department - how did you phrase your initial request? I want to make sure I approach this professionally and include all the necessary details. Second, I'm curious about timing. My wage repayment happened in March 2024 for wages I received in late 2023. Does the fact that this crossed tax years affect my ability to claim the FICA refund, or is the process the same regardless of when the repayment occurred? Thanks to everyone who has shared their stories - this thread has been incredibly educational and gives me hope that I can recover money I didn't even know I was entitled to!
Welcome to the community @Roger Romero! Your timing situation is actually quite common, and crossing tax years shouldn't affect your ability to claim the FICA refund. The IRS looks at the substance of the transaction - that you're returning wages that were previously subject to FICA withholding - rather than the specific timing. For your initial request to the payroll department, I'd suggest being direct and professional. Something like: "I'm writing to request a refund of FICA taxes withheld when I repaid wages in March 2024. The original wages of $6,200 were received in late 2023, and FICA taxes of approximately $474 were withheld at that time. I understand you can recover your matching portion by adjusting your quarterly Form 941, making this beneficial for both parties." Include the specific dollar amounts, dates, and any documentation you have about the repayment. Many payroll departments handle these requests routinely once they understand what you're asking for. If they're not cooperative, you can always file Form 843 with the IRS as a backup option. Good luck!
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As someone who's been through this decision process, I'd strongly recommend avoiding Express1040's refund advance. The math just doesn't work in your favor - you're essentially paying premium interest rates for money that's already yours and will arrive soon anyway. Since you mentioned your refund is substantial and you're not desperate for cash, you're in the perfect position to simply wait for the standard processing time. File electronically with direct deposit and you'll typically see your refund in 10-21 days without sacrificing hundreds of dollars in fees. The peace of mind of keeping your full refund amount is worth the short wait, especially when these advances often come with hidden costs that aren't immediately apparent during signup.
This is exactly the kind of clear-headed thinking we need more of! I'm actually in a similar boat - decent sized refund coming but not in any rush. The whole "get your money now" marketing really tries to create urgency where there doesn't need to be any. I've been doing some research and it seems like these advances are basically designed to prey on people's impatience. The fact that you called out the hidden costs is spot on too - I've noticed they advertise "low fees" but then there are processing charges, preparation upgrade requirements, and other add-ons that pile up quickly. Thanks for the reality check!
I've been doing tax prep for small businesses for about 8 years now, and I always tell my clients to avoid these refund advances if they can. The effective interest rates are astronomical when you break down the math - sometimes over 100% APR for what's essentially a 2-3 week loan. What really gets me is how these companies market them as "free money" or "your refund early" when you're literally paying to borrow your own money that the IRS is already processing. If you're not in a financial emergency, just file electronically with direct deposit and wait the 2-3 weeks. You'll keep every penny of your refund instead of handing over $100-200+ to Express1040 or similar services. The only time I'd even consider recommending an advance is if someone truly needs emergency funds and has exhausted all other options, but even then there are usually better alternatives like a small personal loan from a credit union.
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I just want to say thank you to everyone who contributed to this thread! I was having the exact same issue and was about to miss the tax filing deadline. Between Tyler's directions to check under "Myself" > "Pay" > "Tax Documents", Amy's search function tip, and Paolo's suggestion to clear browser cache and log back in, I finally found my W2. It's really frustrating when companies make these interface changes without proper communication, but seeing how this community came together to help each other figure it out gives me hope. I'm bookmarking this thread for next year because let's be honest - they'll probably move everything around again by then! Special thanks to Andre for the HR insider tips - that explanation about Employee Self Service permissions probably explains why some of us had more trouble than others finding the documents. This kind of information should really be communicated better during system updates.
This thread has been incredibly helpful! I just joined this community because I was having the same UKG Pro issue and found this through a Google search. It's amazing how everyone came together to solve this problem - from Tyler's initial guidance about the new menu structure to Amy's simple but brilliant search function tip. I tried the search method first and it worked perfectly! Just typed "W2" in the search bar and boom - direct link to my tax documents. Saved me hours of clicking through menus. Really appreciate how supportive this community is, especially Andre sharing those insider HR tips. Definitely staying active here for future questions!
I'm dealing with this exact same issue right now! Been searching for my W2 in UKG Pro for the past hour with no luck. Reading through all these responses has been super helpful - I had no idea about the search function trick. Just tried typing "W2" in the search bar like Amy suggested and found it immediately! Can't believe something so simple worked when I was clicking through every menu for nothing. Also really appreciate Andre's HR insights about the Employee Self Service permissions - that probably explains why some of my coworkers could access their W2s earlier while I couldn't. Going to try the logout/login method Paolo mentioned too just to make sure I'm seeing the updated interface properly. This community is amazing for helping each other navigate these system changes. UKG really should have sent clearer communication about where they moved everything after the update. Thank you everyone for sharing your solutions!
Destiny Bryant
Is anyone else worried about claiming this energy credit? I'm eligible for about $1300 in energy credits for my new windows and insulation, but I've heard these credits can trigger audits. I'm thinking about just skipping it to avoid the headache. Thoughts?
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Dyllan Nantx
•I wouldn't skip it! Yes, some tax credits have higher audit rates, but if you have the proper documentation (receipts, manufacturer certifications for the energy efficiency, etc.), you have nothing to worry about. Just make sure you keep all your paperwork organized in case of questions.
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Destiny Bryant
•Thanks for the advice. I do have all the receipts and certifications from the manufacturer, so I guess I should be okay. Just nervous since this is my first time claiming this type of credit. I'll go ahead and claim it - $1300 is too much to leave on the table just because of audit anxiety!
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CosmicCrusader
Great news - I just checked my TaxAct account and Form 5695 is now available! Like Hattie mentioned, they updated the software recently. I was able to complete my residential energy credit form and claim my full $1600 credit for the heat pump installation I did last year. For anyone still waiting, try logging out completely and logging back in. You might see a notification about updated forms when you return to your tax return. If you're using the desktop version, make sure to check for software updates manually. One tip - make sure you have all your manufacturer certifications handy when filling out the form. The energy efficiency requirements are pretty specific, and having the documentation ready makes the process much smoother. Good luck everyone!
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Ahooker-Equator
•This is such a relief to hear! I've been checking my TaxAct account daily for weeks waiting for Form 5695 to become available. I just logged out and back in like you suggested and sure enough, there was an update notification. The form is now showing up in my deductions section. Quick question though - when you mention manufacturer certifications, do you mean the ENERGY STAR documentation that came with my new HVAC system? I saved all the paperwork but want to make sure I'm looking at the right documents before I start filling out the form. Thanks for sharing this update - you probably just saved a lot of us from more waiting!
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