One other thing to consider - if this tax preparer is still advertising herself as a CPA, you should absolutely file a complaint with your state's board of accountancy. What she's done is highly unethical and potentially illegal. Not filing returns she claimed to file and then withholding documents are serious violations of professional standards.

I'm so sorry you're dealing with this frustrating situation on top of losing both parents. What that tax preparer did is absolutely unacceptable. In addition to all the excellent advice about getting transcripts and contacting financial institutions directly, I'd also suggest checking if your parents had any retirement accounts (401k, IRA, etc.) that might have required minimum distributions in 2020. The account custodians can provide 1099-R forms showing these distributions, which are often overlooked but crucial for tax filing. Also, don't forget about state tax obligations - you'll likely need to file state returns too. Most states have their own transcript request processes, though they're often easier to navigate than the IRS. One last tip: if you discover significant tax liabilities, you may want to consult with a tax attorney about whether filing Form 706 (estate tax return) is necessary. The estate might be responsible for the tax debt, but there are protections and procedures for executors that you should understand before proceeding. Hang in there - you're doing everything right by being so persistent in trying to resolve this properly.

Anyone know if hardware wallets like Ledger complicate this? I transfer from Coinbase to my Ledger for security, then sometimes back to an exchange if I want to sell.

Just to add some clarity from an accounting perspective - the key concept here is "constructive receipt." When you transfer crypto between exchanges or wallets you control, you haven't actually disposed of the asset or received anything new of value. You still own the same crypto, just stored in a different location. Think of it like moving cash from your checking account to your savings account - you're not creating a taxable event, just relocating your asset. The IRS Publication 544 covers this under "Sales and Other Dispositions of Assets" if you want the official guidance. One important note though: always verify the receiving address before transferring. Unlike traditional banking, crypto transfers can't be reversed if you send to the wrong address. That would actually be a loss you could potentially deduct! Keep detailed records of all transfers including transaction IDs, timestamps, and wallet addresses. While transfers aren't taxable, having complete documentation protects you if the IRS ever questions your reporting.

Something important to remember that no one mentioned yet - the $3,000 limit is for deducting capital losses against ordinary income. There's no limit on using capital losses to offset capital gains. So if you had $10,000 in losses and $8,000 in gains, you'd first offset the entire $8,000 in gains, then you could deduct up to $3,000 of the remaining $2,000 loss against your ordinary income. The remaining $1,000 would carry forward to next year. This is why tax loss harvesting can be such an effective strategy for high-income earners. Selling losers strategically can help offset gains from winners.

I just wanna add one more thing about wash sales since people keep mentioning them. The rule applies across ALL your accounts, even retirement accounts! I found this out the hard way. Sold TSLA at a loss in my regular brokerage account then bought it back in my Roth IRA 2 weeks later thinking I was being clever. Nope! IRS disallowed the loss. The wash sale rule doesn't care which account you rebuy in - if it's within 30 days and substantially identical, the loss gets disallowed.

Has anyone used FreeTaxUSA for filing with Form 4852? I'm having a similar issue with missing W-2s and wondering which free service handles this best.

I went through this exact situation two years ago and completely understand the stress! Here's what worked for me: First, don't panic about the accuracy of your Form 4852 estimates. The IRS knows you're working with limited information and they're reasonable about good faith estimates. Use your bank statements to calculate gross income, and for withholding estimates, you can use online calculators based on your filing status and number of allowances. One thing that really helped me was checking if my employers filed electronically with the IRS. Even though I couldn't get my physical W-2s, the information was already in the IRS system. You can request a wage and income transcript from the IRS website (irs.gov) which shows exactly what employers reported for you. This gives you the precise numbers for Form 4852 instead of guessing. For California extensions, yes you need to file separately - Form FTB 3519. The federal extension doesn't automatically cover state filing. Also, if you do file an extension, remember it's just for filing the return, not for paying any taxes owed. If you think you'll owe money, try to estimate and pay that by April 15th to avoid penalties. You've got this! The IRS deals with missing W-2 situations all the time and Form 4852 exists exactly for cases like yours.

Pro tip: If you filed for your EIN online through the IRS website, you would have received a confirmation PDF immediately. Search your email for "EIN Confirmation" or check your downloads folder from that time period. I almost paid an accountant to help me find mine before realizing I had the PDF saved in my Google Drive all along!

Lauren, don't feel embarrassed about reaching back out to your accountant! They've probably seen this situation many times before and would likely be happy to help you get back on track. Most accountants understand that business owners can get overwhelmed, especially in the first year. That said, if you really want to avoid that conversation for now, I'd definitely recommend calling the IRS Business & Specialty Tax Line at 800-829-4933 as Daniel mentioned. The wait times can be brutal, but they can absolutely provide your EIN over the phone once they verify your identity. One thing to prepare before calling: gather any documentation you do have about your LLC (Articles of Organization, Operating Agreement, any correspondence from your state, etc.). Having your business's exact legal name and formation date will help speed up the verification process. Also, don't beat yourself up too much about the paperwork situation. Starting a business is overwhelming and you're definitely not the first person to lose track of important documents. The important thing is you're taking steps to get organized now!