One thing nobody has mentioned - if the refund is under $5,000 (you mentioned about $4,800), the IRS might be a bit more flexible. When I was handling my mom's refund last year (similar trust situation, no probate), I called the IRS and they told me that smaller refunds sometimes have simplified requirements. Make sure you're filing with a copy of the death certificate regardless of what else you include. In my experience, that was the most important document. Also, if you're e-filing the amended return, know that you'll need to mail Form 1310 separately afterward - you can't e-file both together.

I went through this exact situation with my mother's estate two years ago - executor named in will, assets in trust, no probate court involved. The key thing to remember is that Form 1310 Part II is asking specifically about court appointment, not whether you're the legitimate executor. You're absolutely correct to check "No" on line 2a since no court appointed you. Then "Yes" on 2b since you're named in the will as executor. For line 3, also check "Yes" since as the executor you have the legal right to receive the refund on behalf of the estate. I'd recommend including both a copy of the will (showing your executor designation) and the relevant pages of the trust document (showing how assets are held). This gives the IRS a complete picture of why no probate was necessary. Also include a death certificate copy. One tip from my experience: write a brief cover letter explaining that the estate was designed to avoid probate through the trust structure, but that you remain the legal executor per the will for tax purposes. This context helped smooth my processing - I received the refund in about 6 weeks with no follow-up questions from the IRS.

I'm currently dealing with my father's estate and also had issues with the EIN system. One trick I found - the system actually opens a few minutes before 7am Eastern and sometimes stays up a bit after 10pm. If you're trying right at the cutoff times, you might get lucky. Also, the system is less busy on Tuesdays and Wednesdays in my experience. Mondays are a nightmare with everyone trying after the weekend.

I went through this exact same frustration when I needed an EIN for my dad's estate two years ago. The restricted hours are infuriating when you're dealing with grief and time-sensitive financial matters. Here's what worked for me: I called the IRS Business & Specialty Tax Line at 800-829-4933 right when they opened at 7am Eastern. Have all your paperwork ready - the estate's legal name, your SSN as the responsible party, the decedent's info, and the reason you need the EIN (estate administration). The whole call took maybe 15 minutes once I got through, and I had the EIN immediately. The key is calling RIGHT at 7am - I mean have your phone dialing at 6:59am. After 8am the wait times get brutal. I also found Tuesday mornings had the shortest hold times. Sorry for your loss, and I hope you get this sorted quickly so you can focus on more important things during this difficult time.

Don't forget that you'll need to document everything carefully. When my brother went through this, he didn't keep proper records of the buyout payment to his ex-wife and got flagged for audit when he eventually sold the property. Make sure your dad gets everything in writing - the divorce decree, the buyout agreement, proof of payment, etc. The IRS can look back many years if you claim primary residence exclusion later.

I think everyone is overlooking something important - the timing matters a lot here. The post says they bought it in Sep 2023, split up right after, and now he's buying her out. For the divorce-related transfer rules to apply, this has to be "incident to the divorce" which generally means within 1 year after the divorce or "related to the cessation of the marriage." If the buyout happens more than 1 year after the divorce is final, there might be an argument that regular capital gain/loss rules apply instead of Section 1041. The timing could change the entire tax treatment.

I've been following this thread closely since I'm having the exact same issue! After reading everyone's suggestions, I wanted to share what I'm planning to try and maybe we can update each other on what works. My approach is going to be: 1. First, try the early morning submission (around 5-6 AM) with a completely clean browser and wired internet connection 2. If that fails, use the taxr.ai tool to check for any hidden validation errors that might be causing the IRS system rejection 3. As a last resort, consider switching to TaxAct or using the Claimyr service to get through to OLT support What's really helpful about this thread is seeing that this isn't just a "wait it out" situation - there are actual technical issues and data validation problems that can be fixed. The fact that @Chloe Green and @Mila Walker had success with taxr.ai after struggling with the same submission freezing gives me hope. I'll report back on what works for me. In the meantime, has anyone tried contacting their bank or credit card company about getting a refund from OLT if we end up having to use a different platform? Seems unfair to pay twice for the same tax filing.

I'm experiencing the exact same freezing issue with OLT! This thread has been incredibly helpful - I had no idea so many others were dealing with this problem. Based on everyone's experiences, it sounds like there are multiple potential causes: server overload during peak hours, hidden validation errors in our tax data, browser/connection issues, or even antivirus software interference. I'm going to try @Admin_Masters suggestion about completely clearing all browser data first, then attempt submission during early morning hours like @Zoe Gonzalez recommended. If that doesn't work, the taxr.ai tool that helped @Chloe Green and @Mila Walker seems worth trying to identify any data validation issues that OLT isn't catching. Has anyone had success with OLT's live chat feature, or is phone support the only way to reach them? I noticed their website mentions live chat during business hours, but I haven't seen anyone mention trying that route yet. Really appreciate everyone sharing their troubleshooting experiences - it's reassuring to know this isn't just user error on our part!

Hey Darcy! This is super frustrating, but you're definitely not alone in dealing with this. A $320 difference is significant enough that there's likely a specific reason for it. A few things to check immediately: 1. **Look for offset codes on your transcript** - TC 898 is the big one that indicates money was taken for debts like student loans, child support, or state taxes. This code might not have shown up initially but could appear now. 2. **Check if you used a tax preparation service** that deducted fees from your refund. Sometimes these fees aren't immediately obvious when you're calculating your expected refund. 3. **Review for late adjustments** - The IRS can make corrections after your return is initially processed, especially for things like Earned Income Credit calculations or math errors. Since you mention you're good with finances and tracking investments, I'd suggest downloading a fresh copy of your Account Transcript (not just Return Transcript) to see if any new codes have appeared. The timing suggests this might be an offset that just processed, and you should receive a notice in the mail within the next 1-2 weeks explaining exactly what happened. If nothing shows up on your transcript, definitely call the IRS - but consider using a callback service to avoid the wait times. You deserve to know where that $320 went!

Hey Darcy! I totally get how frustrating this is - the same thing happened to me about 6 months ago with a $285 difference. Here's what I learned from that experience: The most likely culprits for a $320 reduction are: 1. **Treasury Offset Program** - This is probably the #1 reason. Federal student loans, state tax debts, child support, or even old unemployment overpayments can cause offsets 2. **Tax prep fees** - If you used a service like H&R Block or TurboTax and paid fees through your refund, those get deducted 3. **IRS corrections** - Sometimes they catch math errors or EIC/CTC calculation issues after processing Here's what I'd do immediately: - Log into IRS.gov and pull your **Account Transcript** (not Return Transcript) - Look for transaction code TC 898 which indicates an offset - The transcript might take 24-48 hours to update with the offset details In my case, it was an old student loan I thought was in forbearance but had actually defaulted. The offset notice came in the mail exactly 10 days after my reduced deposit. The good news is there's definitely a specific reason for the $320 - it's not some random processing error. You should get a clear explanation soon, either on your updated transcript or through a mailed notice. Hang in there! These mysteries always get solved eventually.