I'm dealing with a very similar situation right now! My mother passed away 8 months ago and we're still waiting on probate court to finalize some asset transfers. We also filed for the extension on Form 706, but I had the same confusion about whether we'd need to file again next year. Reading through these responses has been incredibly helpful - I had no idea about the difference between Form 706 and Form 1041. We definitely have some rental income coming in from her properties, so it sounds like we'll need to handle the 1041 annually while the estate is being administered. The portability election information is also really valuable - my parents were married so we'll need to make sure we don't miss that opportunity. It's frustrating how complicated this process is when you're already dealing with grief and family dynamics. Thanks to everyone who shared their experiences!

I've been through this exact situation with my father's estate in 2022, and I completely understand the confusion and stress you're experiencing. The timing issues with Suffolk County probate are unfortunately all too common - we had similar delays that pushed everything back by months. One thing I wish someone had told me earlier: even though you filed for the extension on Form 706, make sure you're keeping detailed records of all estate expenses during this extended administration period. Things like legal fees for the probate delays, property maintenance costs, and even storage fees for personal property can often be deducted on the 706, which can significantly reduce the estate tax liability. Also, since your brother is just now being appointed as executor, he should immediately obtain a new EIN for the estate if one wasn't already obtained. This will be needed for opening estate bank accounts and for any future Form 1041 filings if the estate generates income during administration. The good news is that once you file that Form 706 (hopefully with your extension), you're essentially done with estate tax filings unless there are subsequent distributions that require amended returns - which is rare. The key is getting it filed correctly the first time with proper valuations and taking advantage of all available deductions. Hang in there - the administrative burden does eventually end, and having this community to ask questions makes a huge difference in navigating the process.

This is exactly why I love this community - so many people sharing practical solutions to complex payroll issues! I'm in a very similar boat where my employer gave everyone a "back-to-work" advance in January that was fully taxed, but now they're collecting it back through after-tax deductions. After reading through all these responses, I now understand that I'm essentially being double-taxed on this money. When I received the advance, I paid income tax, Social Security tax, and Medicare tax on it as if it were regular wages. But now when they're deducting the repayment from my net pay, I'm paying back the full pre-tax amount while having already lost money to taxes. I'm definitely going to use the direct approach mentioned by Ethan - asking payroll specifically "Are you reducing my gross wages or taking an after-tax deduction?" That seems like the clearest way to identify the problem and explain why it needs to be fixed. For anyone else in this situation, I think the key is to act quickly. The longer this incorrect method continues, the more complicated it becomes to track and potentially correct. I'm also going to request all my pay stubs from the advance period to make sure I have proper documentation of exactly what happened. Thanks to everyone who shared their experiences - it's reassuring to know this is a common (and fixable) problem rather than something unique to my company!

This thread has been incredibly helpful! I'm dealing with almost the exact same situation - my company gave everyone a "holiday advance" in December that was taxed like regular income, but they're now taking back the full amount through post-tax payroll deductions. Reading through everyone's experiences really clarified what's happening. When I got the advance, I paid federal taxes, Social Security, and Medicare taxes on it. But now they're deducting the repayment from my take-home pay, so I'm essentially paying back money I already paid taxes on - classic double taxation. I'm planning to approach our payroll department this week using the direct question approach that several people mentioned: "Are you reducing my gross wages or taking an after-tax deduction?" I love how straightforward that is - it gets right to the core issue without needing a lengthy explanation. If they won't fix it, I'm definitely going to document everything carefully. I've already started tracking the advance amount, taxes paid, and each incorrect deduction so I have clear records for tax filing if needed. Thanks to everyone who shared their solutions and experiences - it's reassuring to know this is a common problem with proven fixes rather than something I'd have to figure out on my own!

17 This happened to me with a different payroll company last year. If you're filing your taxes soon and don't want to wait for this to get resolved, you can use the information from your physical W-2 and attach Form 4852 (Substitute for Form W-2) to your tax return. You'll need your last pay stub from ADP to verify the information. This puts the issue on record with the IRS and allows you to file on time even if ADP is dragging their feet on fixing their mistake.

This is a serious compliance issue that unfortunately happens more than it should when companies switch payroll providers. As a tax professional, I've seen this exact scenario multiple times with ADP and other major payroll companies. Here's what I recommend for immediate action: 1. **Contact your former employer's HR department first** - they have the strongest leverage with ADP since they were the client. ADP is still legally obligated to correct W-2 reporting errors regardless of current client status. 2. **Document everything** - keep records of all your attempts to contact ADP, including dates, times, and any reference numbers. This creates a paper trail if you need to escalate. 3. **File a complaint with the SSA** if ADP doesn't respond within a reasonable timeframe. You can report employers who fail to file W-2s at ssa.gov/employer/ssnv.htm. 4. **Consider involving your state's labor department** - many states have regulations about timely W-2 reporting and can put additional pressure on ADP. The fact that this affected 35 employees makes it a significant violation. ADP faces penalties of $50-$280 per W-2 for late or missing filings, so they should be motivated to fix this quickly once properly notified. Don't wait too long to address this - while you can file with Form 4852 as others mentioned, it's much cleaner to get the actual W-2 properly reported to the government systems.

What an incredible thread! As someone who works in benefits administration, I can confirm that the tax savings calculations shared here are spot-on. At your $130k household income, you're absolutely looking at $1,000+ in annual tax benefits that would be costly to abandon. The administrative issues you're experiencing are unfortunately common, but I love seeing all the practical workarounds everyone has developed. From my professional perspective, I'd add a couple additional tips: 1. Most FSA administrators have peak volume periods around open enrollment and year-end. If possible, front-load your routine claims (annual physicals, prescription refills) in Q1 when their systems are less stressed. 2. When appeals are necessary, reference specific IRS Publication 502 sections that justify your expense. FSA administrators often approve claims faster when you cite the exact regulatory basis. 3. Consider setting up automatic monthly reimbursements if your administrator offers that option - it reduces the paperwork burden and creates predictable cash flow. The HSA + Limited Purpose FSA strategy mentioned earlier is excellent if your employer offers it. But even with your current frustrating administrator, $1,000 in tax savings represents about 33% of your medical expenses being "free" - that's hard math to argue with. Don't let bad customer service cost you legitimate tax benefits. The systems and strategies shared here can absolutely make this manageable!

This thread has been absolutely invaluable! As someone who's been dealing with FSA frustrations myself, seeing the detailed breakdown of tax savings ($1,000+ at your income level) really puts things in perspective. That's real money that's hard to justify walking away from. What strikes me most is how everyone has transformed this from a venting session into a comprehensive strategy guide. The practical solutions shared here - document scanner apps, strategic file naming conventions, the "claims kit" approach, timing submissions early in the year - these are proven tactics from people who've actually made it work despite difficult administrators. I'm particularly interested in the HSA + Limited Purpose FSA combination mentioned earlier. For someone consistently spending $3,050+ annually on medical expenses, that could provide even better long-term value while avoiding some of the FSA administrative headaches. The key insight seems to be treating your FSA as a system to manage proactively rather than reactively. Yes, your administrator sounds terrible, but essentially paying an extra $1,000 in taxes just to avoid paperwork doesn't make financial sense when there are clear strategies to work within their flawed process. Given your consistent usage pattern and substantial tax savings, I'd definitely recommend keeping the FSA for 2025 but implementing all these battle-tested organizational strategies. Check with HR about rollover options, set up that claims tracking system, and go in prepared for the administrative challenges rather than being blindsided by them. Thanks to everyone who shared their experiences - this discussion should be bookmarked by anyone dealing with FSA decisions!

According to Internal Revenue Manual 21.4.1.3, transcript updates and refund issuance operate on separate processing schedules. Have you verified your refund status through the Where's My Refund tool rather than just checking transcripts? Are you claiming any credits that might delay processing under PATH Act provisions?

This happened to me. Transcripts were blank. Money appeared in my account. Transcripts updated two days later. Different software doesn't matter. IRS processes returns the same way. Tax software just formats and submits your information. After that, it's all IRS systems.