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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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An incredibly helpful service! Got me connected to a CA EDD agent without major hassle (outside of EDD's agents dropping calls ā 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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Dyllan Nantx
Don't forget to check your email! Most companies send emails when your tax documents are ready with a link to download them. I completely missed mine because it went to my spam folder. Search your email for "1099-R" or "tax documents available" or the name of your retirement company.
Thais Soares
ā¢That's a good idea! I didn't even think to check my spam folder. I just found the notification email from February 1st buried in there. Clicked the link and got my form downloaded right away. Thanks everyone for the help! Between checking my spam folder and learning about those services if I need them in the future, this has been super helpful.
If all else fails, you can file Form 4506-T with the IRS to request a transcript that shows all income reported to your SSN. It'll show who issued your 1099-R. Takes a few weeks though so not great if you're in a hurry.
Anna Xian
ā¢This is what I had to do last year. The transcript doesn't give you the actual form but at least tells you the amount and who reported it, which you can use on your tax return. The IRS "Get Transcript" online service is faster than mailing the form if you can verify your identity.
Good point about the online Get Transcript service being faster. I always forget that's an option since I had trouble verifying my identity in their system. The transcript does give you the box 1 amount (gross distribution) which is often all you need for basic tax filing if you know the distribution code. But you're right that it's not a replacement for the actual form if you need all the detailed breakdown.
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Caden Turner
One thing to consider - there are income limits for claiming the full AOTC. For 2024 (filing in 2025), if your modified AGI is over $80,000 (single) or $160,000 (married filing jointly), the credit starts phasing out. It's completely phased out at $90,000 (single) or $180,000 (married). Since your income is likely higher than your son's, if you're close to these thresholds, it might make mathematical sense for him to claim the credit on his own return where he can get the full benefit without phase-out issues. Also, don't forget that AOTC is partially refundable (up to $1,000), so even if your son doesn't owe much tax, he could still benefit from it.
Sunny Wang
ā¢That's a really good point about the income limits! Our household income is around $175,000, so we'd be in the phase-out range. My son's income (even with the tuition benefit counted) is well under the limit. Is there a calculator somewhere that would help us determine exactly how much we'd lose to the phase-out versus him claiming it?
Caden Turner
ā¢The phase-out calculation reduces your eligible AOTC by a ratio based on how far into the phase-out range you are. Since your household income is $175,000 and the phase-out range for married filing jointly is $160,000-$180,000, you're 75% through the phase-out range ($15,000 of the $20,000 range). That means your maximum AOTC would be reduced by approximately 75%. So instead of the full $2,500 maximum credit, you'd be looking at around $625 remaining. Whereas if your son claims it on his own return, he could get the full $2,500 (assuming the qualified expenses are high enough). Many tax software programs have built-in calculators for this, but you can also use the IRS's Interactive Tax Assistant on their website to get a more precise calculation for your specific situation.
Don't forget about the Lifetime Learning Credit as an alternative to AOTC! If for some reason your son doesn't qualify for AOTC (maybe he's been in school more than 4 years or isn't at least half-time), the LLC might be an option. It's worth up to $2,000 (20% of the first $10,000 in qualified expenses). The same principle applies - since the tuition is included in his taxable income on the W-2, those expenses should qualify for education credits.
Harmony Love
ā¢But LLC is less valuable than AOTC, right? AOTC gives you $2,500 for $4,000 in expenses (100% of first $2k, 25% of next $2k) while LLC only gives $2,000 for $10,000 in expenses (20% rate). Plus AOTC is partially refundable.
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One trick I used when my W-2 got lost was checking my online account on the payroll service my company uses. Companies like ADP, Paychex, Gusto, etc. often have employee portals where they post digital copies of W-2s. My company never told employees this was available - I just googled the payroll company name + "employee login" and discovered I could create an account using my employee ID. Had access to my W-2 in like 5 minutes after struggling for weeks! Worth checking if your company uses any of the major payroll providers.
Cedric Chung
ā¢This is so helpful! Do you need any special information to create an account on these payroll sites? My company uses ADP I think but I've never logged in before.
For ADP, you usually need your company code (ask HR for this), your employee ID or SSN, and sometimes other identifying information like your date of birth or zip code. Some companies pre-register employees so you just need to set up your password, while others require you to go through a registration process. If you're not sure about the process, you can go to ADP's main website and look for "employee login" or "first time user" options. They have different portals (like Workforce Now, iPay, etc.) depending on what service your employer uses, so it might take a bit of trial and error to find the right one.
Talia Klein
Just a heads-up that if all else fails, you can contact the IRS directly after February 15th to request your W-2 info. They'll contact your employer for you and also send you Form 4852 (substitute W-2). Also, your employer is legally required to provide your W-2 by January 31st and can actually face penalties for not doing so. Sometimes just mentioning this fact to HR or your payroll department can motivate them to get your W-2 to you faster lol. Worked for me last year!
I tried calling the IRS but couldn't get through at all... just constant busy signals. Is there an email or specific number to use for W-2 issues?
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Another thing to try - if you created an online account on the IRS website, you can actually view your processed tax transcripts from previous years. The transcript will show your official AGI as processed by the IRS, which might be different from what's on your copy of the return. Go to irs.gov and search for "Get Transcript Online" - you'll need to create an account if you don't have one already. It's a bit of a process to verify your identity, but once you're in, you can see exactly what the IRS has on file.
Does this actually work? I tried creating an IRS account last year and they couldn't verify my identity online so I had to mail in a form. Never heard back after that.
It can definitely work, but not everyone can successfully create an online account. The IRS has pretty strict identity verification requirements. If you have certain credit freezes, recently moved, or don't have specific types of accounts they use for verification, you might get rejected. In that case, you can request a transcript by mail, but that defeats the purpose of getting quick access to solve an e-filing problem. Using the $0 AGI trick or calling the IRS directly might be faster options.
Emma Morales
Has anyone tried just mailing in their return instead? I know it takes longer to process but at least you don't have to deal with all these e-file rejections and verification problems.
Don't mail your return if you can avoid it!!! I paper filed last year and it took 9 MONTHS to get my refund. The IRS is still processing paper returns from last year. Electronic is way faster if you can solve the AGI issue.
Isabella Costa
One important thing nobody has mentioned: make sure you're using the CURRENT version of Form W7! The IRS updated it recently and they can reject your application if you use an outdated form. Also, if you're filing multiple years with one W7, consider getting a Certified Acceptance Agent to help. They can verify your ID documents so you don't have to mail in originals of your passport or other identification. Saved me a lot of stress about losing important documents in the mail.
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Malik Jenkins
ā¢Where can you find these Certified Acceptance Agents? Are they at all H&R Blocks or is it a special place you need to go to?
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Isabella Costa
ā¢Not all H&R Block locations have Certified Acceptance Agents (CAAs), but many do - you need to call and ask specifically. You can also find a complete list of CAAs on the IRS website by searching "IRS certified acceptance agent list" which shows all authorized agents by location. Some CAAs only work with certain types of clients though (like some only help businesses, others only help individuals), so make sure to ask if they handle individual ITIN applications when you call. Most charge a fee on top of any tax preparation services, usually around $50-100 for document verification, but it's worth it to avoid sending original documents.
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Freya Andersen
did anybody here actually get an ITIN and then later get a social security #? im in that situation now and confused about what to do with my taxes this year...used an ITIN last year but now have SSN. do i need to tell the irs somehow??
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Eduardo Silva
ā¢Yes, you should notify the IRS when you switch from an ITIN to an SSN. Complete Form 8996 "Reconciliation of ITIN and SSN" and send it to the address on the form. You should file future tax returns with your SSN only and reference your previous ITIN on the form.
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