I went through this exact situation with my late uncle's custodial account shares from the 1990s. What finally worked for me was a combination approach: First, I contacted the company's transfer agent (not just the brokerage) - they often have deeper historical records than your current broker. For dividend reinvestments, most transfer agents can provide a complete history of all DRIP transactions if you can prove ownership. Second, I used the Social Security Administration's earnings records to help establish a timeline. If your grandfather ever reported dividend income on his tax returns, that information might be reflected in his SSA records, which can help corroborate when he owned the shares. The key thing I learned is that the IRS doesn't expect perfection - they expect "reasonable effort" to determine basis. Document everything you try, keep records of who you contacted and when, and use the best information available. I ended up using a conservative estimate based on historical prices from the earliest date I could reasonably establish ownership, and included a detailed explanation with my return. One more tip: if the stock has been through multiple corporate actions, check EDGAR filings on the SEC website. Companies are required to file details about how stock splits and mergers affect shareholder basis calculations.

Another approach worth considering is checking with your state's unclaimed property division. When custodial accounts are transferred or when brokerages go out of business, sometimes historical records or even forgotten dividend payments end up there. Many states have online databases where you can search by name. Also, if your grandfather used a tax preparer or CPA during the years he held these shares, they might have copies of old tax returns that show dividend income. This could help you piece together the ownership timeline and potentially estimate share quantities based on dividend payments received. For the dividend reinvestment piece specifically, don't forget that many companies switched transfer agents over the decades. The current transfer agent might not have complete records, but they can often tell you who the previous agents were. Sometimes you need to trace through 2-3 different agents to get the full picture, especially for shares going back to the 1990s. One last thing - if you're still stuck after trying all these approaches, consider consulting with a tax professional who specializes in complex basis calculations. The cost might be worth it given the potential tax implications, and they often have access to specialized databases and resources that aren't available to individual taxpayers.

I'm so sorry you're dealing with this frustrating situation! One alternative approach that has worked for some of my clients is requesting help through your local Taxpayer Advocate Service. They can sometimes intervene when a return has been stuck beyond normal processing times. You'll need to demonstrate financial hardship to qualify for their assistance - things like pending eviction, utility shutoffs, or medical bills can qualify. I've seen them get movement on cases that were seemingly lost in the system for months! You can find your local office at taxpayeradvocate.irs.gov and request Form 911 for assistance.

I feel your pain - went through almost the exact same timeline earlier this year. Filed in early February, got the dreaded "errors department" notice after 6 weeks, then waited through their initial 10-week estimate only to be told about another 6-week extension. What finally broke things loose for me was getting my account transcripts (you can request them online at irs.gov). The transcript showed specific codes that revealed what was actually holding up my return - turned out to be a simple W-2 verification issue that I could have resolved months earlier if anyone had just told me what they needed. Once I had that information, I was able to call with specific details about my case rather than just asking for a general status update. The whole experience was incredibly frustrating, but having those transcript codes made all the difference in getting actual answers instead of generic responses.

I had a very similar situation last year! Got a completely blank W-2C from my former employer about a month after I'd already filed using my original W-2. It was so confusing because like yours, it only had the basic identifying information filled in. I ended up calling their HR department and they told me it was generated automatically by their payroll system when they were trying to correct someone else's W-2 in their system, but somehow my information got pulled into the batch by mistake. They confirmed that no correction was actually needed for my taxes and that I should ignore the blank form. Since you haven't filed yet, I'd definitely recommend reaching out to your former employer first to confirm it was sent in error. If they confirm there's no actual correction needed, then you can proceed with filing using your original W-2 information from the portal without checking the "corrected" box in FreeTaxUSA. The key thing is that a W-2C should show what's being corrected - if it's completely blank, there's literally nothing to correct! Save yourself the headache and just get confirmation from them that it was a mistake.

This is definitely a frustrating situation! I've seen this happen before - it's usually a payroll system error where the W-2C gets generated automatically but doesn't actually contain any corrections. Here's what I'd recommend: First, definitely contact your former employer's payroll or HR department to confirm this was sent in error. Get that confirmation in writing (email is fine) for your records. In the meantime, you should be safe to file using the W-2 information you downloaded from their portal. Don't check the "corrected" box in FreeTaxUSA since you're not actually using corrected information - you're using the original data. The general rule is that a W-2C should show both the original incorrect amounts and the corrected amounts. If it's completely blank except for identifying info, there's literally nothing being "corrected" so it shouldn't affect your filing. Just make sure to keep both the original W-2 and the blank W-2C in your tax records along with any confirmation from your employer that it was sent in error. This way you're covered if any questions come up later.

Try clearing your cache and cookies before logging in. Sometimes that fixes the 6000 error. Worked for me last year!

Error 6000 is super frustrating! I had the same issue last month. If clearing cache doesn't work, try using a different browser or incognito mode. Also make sure you're using the direct IRS.gov link and not going through any third-party sites. Sometimes the verification system gets confused if you've been bouncing between different entry points. The 7-10 day wait for the letter is accurate in my experience - got mine on day 9.

I went through this exact same thing when I moved states last year! Address changes, especially cross-state moves, almost always trigger ID verification. Here's what worked for me: 1. Start with the online verification through ID.me on irs.gov - it's way faster than trying to get an in-person appointment 2. Have your documents ready: driver's license, Social Security card, and your lease agreement (that definitely counts as proof of address) 3. The facial recognition can be tricky - make sure you have good lighting and be patient if it doesn't work the first time 4. Take screenshots of everything like someone else mentioned - I learned that the hard way! My verification took about 25 minutes online and my refund came through exactly 12 days later. The whole process is annoying but pretty straightforward once you get started. You should definitely be able to get your $3,800 before the holidays if you do the online verification soon!

I went through this exact situation last month when I moved apartments! The address change definitely triggered the ID verification for me too. Here's what I learned: The online verification through ID.me on the IRS website is definitely your best bet - it's much faster than trying to get an in-person appointment. Your apartment lease will absolutely work as proof of address, along with your driver's license and Social Security card. A few tips that helped me: - Make sure you have really good lighting when doing the facial recognition part - Have all your documents laid out and ready before you start - Take screenshots of every confirmation page (seriously, this saved me when there was a glitch) - Be patient with the system - it can be a bit slow but it does work The whole process took me about 20 minutes online, and I got my refund deposited exactly 10 days later. Given that your refund is $3,800, it's definitely worth doing ASAP so you can get it before the holidays. The online route should be much quicker than waiting for an in-person appointment, which are booking pretty far out right now. Good luck! The process is annoying but straightforward once you get through it.