I'm really glad to see this thread has generated so many helpful suggestions! As someone who works in tax preparation, I want to emphasize that the IRS wage and income transcript really is your golden ticket here. It's free, reliable, and contains all the information you need from your missing W2s. One thing I'd add that hasn't been mentioned yet - when you do get your transcript and file that 2017 return, make sure to file it as soon as possible even if you can't pay any taxes owed immediately. The failure-to-file penalty is much steeper than the failure-to-pay penalty (5% per month vs 0.5% per month). You can always set up a payment plan with the IRS later if needed. Also, don't be surprised if the wage transcript shows slightly different numbers than what you remember from your original W2s. Sometimes employers make corrections after issuing the original forms, and the transcript reflects the final reported amounts. This is actually better for your filing since it matches exactly what the IRS has on record. The advice about VITA programs is spot-on too - they're incredibly helpful for situations exactly like this and won't cost you anything. Good luck getting everything sorted out!

This has been such a helpful thread! I'm in a similar situation with missing W2s from 2019 and was feeling pretty overwhelmed about where to start. Reading through everyone's experiences and suggestions has given me a clear roadmap forward. I think I'm going to start with the IRS wage and income transcript like most people suggested, then check my old email accounts and phone photos as backup. The VITA program sounds like a great resource too - I had no idea free help was available for situations like this. One question for anyone who's been through this process - when you requested the wage transcript online, did you need any specific information beyond just your SSN and address to verify your identity? I'm wondering if I need to gather any other documents before I start the online process. Thanks again to everyone who shared their experiences and advice. It's so reassuring to know that other people have successfully gotten through this same situation!

I'm so glad I stumbled across this thread! As a complete newcomer to corporate tax forms, I was having the exact same panic about Form 8879-Corp that everyone else described. I kept staring at Line 3 thinking I was missing some crucial piece of knowledge about how to determine if something was a loss or not. Reading through all these explanations has been like having a lightbulb moment - I was completely overthinking what should have been a simple copy-and-paste operation! The key insight for me was understanding that Form 8879-Corp isn't a calculation form at all, it's purely administrative. All the heavy lifting has already been done on the main corporate return (like Form 1120), and this form is just pulling key numbers for verification before e-filing. The "(Loss)" notation that was confusing me so much is literally just telling me how to format negative numbers - use parentheses. It's not asking me to analyze whether the corporation made or lost money, because that's already been determined in the main return preparation. Thanks to everyone who shared their experiences and broke this down so clearly! This community is amazing for helping newcomers understand these intimidating forms. I feel so much more confident approaching other tax documents now, knowing that it's okay to feel confused initially and that there are always helpful explanations available here.

This thread has been absolutely amazing to read through! I just joined this community and was having the exact same confusion about Form 8879-Corp Line 3 that everyone else described. I kept getting stuck on that "(Loss)" notation and thinking I needed to somehow evaluate the corporation's financial performance myself. The breakthrough for me was reading all the explanations about how Form 8879-Corp is purely administrative - it's not asking me to calculate anything new, just to verify numbers that already exist on the main corporate return. The "(Loss)" part is just formatting instructions, not a question I need to answer! I love how this community breaks down complex tax concepts into understandable language. As someone who's completely new to corporate forms, it's incredibly reassuring to see that confusion is normal and that even experienced members went through the same learning process. The analogy of Form 8879-Corp being like a "receipt" or "verification sheet" really helps frame what this form is actually for. Thanks to everyone who shared their experiences and explanations - you've turned what felt like an impossible puzzle into something I can actually understand and work with!

Just wanted to share another approach that worked for me - if you have access to your employer's HR department or benefits administrator, they might have the complete TIN information on file. I was dealing with a similar issue where I couldn't get the full TIN for my Prudential 401(k) distribution, and after trying all the phone number suggestions here, I reached out to our company's benefits team. They had all the tax identification numbers for our retirement plan providers in their records and were able to give me the correct TIN within an hour. This might be especially helpful if your 1099-R is related to a workplace retirement plan rather than an individual account. The HR/benefits folks deal with this stuff regularly during tax season and usually have quick access to the information we need.

I've been following this thread and wanted to add one more tip that saved me a lot of headache. If you're still unable to get through to Prudential or find your 1099-R, you can actually request a wage and income transcript directly from the IRS that will show the complete TIN information they received from Prudential. You can get this transcript online at irs.gov/individuals/get-transcript, by phone at 800-908-9946, or by mailing Form 4506-T. The transcript will show all the 1099-R information that was reported to the IRS, including the full TIN. This is especially useful if you're dealing with multiple retirement accounts and need to verify which TIN goes with which distribution. The online transcript is usually available immediately, and it's free. This way you can get the official information directly from the IRS without having to navigate multiple customer service departments. Just make sure to request the "Wage and Income Transcript" for the specific tax year you need.

Great question! I've been working remotely for about 3 years now and this exact situation comes up all the time. Just to reinforce what others have said - you're definitely on the right track thinking about this upfront. Since you're working from Michigan, that's where you'll pay state taxes regardless of where your employer is based. The federal W-4 is the same everywhere, but you'll need Michigan's state withholding form (MI-W4) for state taxes. One thing I'd add is to double-check your employment contract or offer letter to see if there's any language about tax responsibilities or if they mention anything about "tax equalization" - some companies have policies about handling multi-state tax situations for remote workers. Also, keep in mind that Michigan requires you to pay taxes if you're a resident OR if you earn income from Michigan sources while living there, so you're definitely in Michigan tax territory. Lucky for you that Nevada has no state income tax - makes things much cleaner! The most important thing is making sure your employer's payroll system knows you're physically working from Michigan so they set up the withholdings correctly from day one. Good luck with the new remote position!

Just wanted to add one more consideration that I learned about recently - if you ever work from a different location temporarily (like visiting family in another state for a few weeks while working), you may need to track those days for tax purposes. I found out the hard way that some states consider you liable for taxes if you work there for even a short period. Since you mentioned you might occasionally visit the Nevada office, this shouldn't be an issue since Nevada has no income tax. But if you ever work while traveling to other states, it's worth keeping a simple log of where you're physically located when working. Also, when you do your taxes next year, you'll likely only need to file a Michigan state return (plus federal), which is much simpler than remote workers who have to deal with multiple state filings. The Michigan/Nevada combination is actually pretty ideal from a tax complexity standpoint! One last tip - save all documentation about your remote work arrangement and correspondence with HR about tax withholding. If there are ever any questions from tax authorities about your work location, having that paper trail makes everything much smoother.

@Maya Patel Yes, you can definitely handwrite directly on the receipt! Most FSA administrators actually prefer when you clearly mark eligible items rather than leaving them to figure out what you're claiming. I usually use a pen or highlighter to circle the eligible items and write the amount next to them. Some people worry about "modifying" receipts, but this is actually considered helpful documentation, not tampering. You're just making it easier for the administrator to process your claim. I've been doing this for over 5 years with multiple FSA providers and never had an issue. Just make sure your handwriting is clear and legible. If you're submitting a photo of the receipt, sometimes it helps to use a darker pen so it shows up well in the image. The goal is to make the reviewer's job as easy as possible so your claim gets approved quickly!

Just to add another perspective from someone who's been through the FSA claim process many times - your Kroger receipt should be perfectly fine for the Claritin! I've submitted similar grocery store receipts for allergy medications, pain relievers, and other OTC items without any problems. One thing that might help streamline your claim: if you plan to buy more OTC medications regularly, consider setting up automatic reimbursement through your FSA debit card if your plan offers it. That way eligible purchases get processed immediately at checkout instead of having to submit receipts later. Not all FSA plans have this feature, but it's worth checking with your administrator. For this current receipt though, definitely circle the Claritin, write the amount, and you should be good to go. The fact that it clearly shows "Claritin" rather than some cryptic product code makes it much easier for them to approve quickly.