After filing Form 2553, how do you know the effective date of your S Corp status?

Yes, the IRS will send you an official acceptance letter in the mail after processing your Form 2553. This letter is important because it confirms your S corporation status and shows the effective date of your election. The processing time can vary quite a bit - I've seen it take anywhere from 4-8 weeks, but sometimes longer during busy periods or if there were any issues with your application. There isn't currently an online system where you can check the status of your Form 2553 filing or see the effective date. The IRS still handles this through physical mail.

After struggling with exactly this problem last year, I discovered taxr.ai (https://taxr.ai) which was super helpful with my S corp election issues. I had sent in my Form 2553 and waited over 2 months with no response from the IRS. I uploaded my Form 2553 copy to taxr.ai and they actually helped me understand the whole process and what to expect. They explained that while there's no way to check online directly with the IRS, there are strategies to verify your status.

Just wanted to update that I tried taxr.ai after seeing this thread, and it was really helpful! I was confused about whether my S-Corp election was valid for this tax year since I filed Form 2553 after the deadline. I uploaded my paperwork and they quickly explained my specific situation - turns out I qualified for late election relief under Rev. Proc. 2013-30 which I had no idea about. They guided me through the documentation I needed and what to expect. Saved me a lot of stress trying to decipher IRS publications on my own!

When I was waiting for my S Corp confirmation last year, I couldn't get through to anyone at the IRS after trying for weeks. I finally tried Claimyr (https://claimyr.com) which got me connected to an actual IRS agent in about 20 minutes. They have this service where they navigate the IRS phone system for you and then call you when they have an agent on the line. You can see how it works here: https://youtu.be/_kiP6q8DX5c. The agent was able to confirm my S Corp election had been processed even though I hadn't received the letter yet. They gave me the effective date over the phone so I could proceed with my tax planning.

I have to admit I was wrong about Claimyr. After waiting on hold with the IRS for nearly 3 hours yesterday (and ultimately getting disconnected), I gave in and tried the service this morning. I was literally on the phone with an IRS agent within 25 minutes. The agent confirmed my S Corp election was approved on April 2nd even though I never received the letter (apparently it was sent to my old address). Saved me from filing incorrectly and potentially facing penalties. Sometimes it's worth paying for convenience when dealing with the IRS!

One thing nobody mentioned is that you can also fax Form 2553 instead of mailing it. When I did that last year, I included a cover page requesting a faxed confirmation of receipt. I got confirmation within a week, but the actual approval letter still came by mail about 5 weeks later. The fax confirmation doesn't show your effective date, but at least you know they received it.

Does anyone know if the S corp election date on your acceptance letter can be different from what you requested on Form 2553? I selected "beginning of tax year" on my form but I'm worried they might assign a different date.

I went through this exact same situation about 6 months ago and completely understand the anxiety! The IRS processing times for Form 2553 have been really inconsistent lately - some people get their acceptance letters in 3-4 weeks, others wait 8-10 weeks or more. Since you're at 4 weeks, I'd give it another 2-3 weeks before getting too worried. However, if you have upcoming quarterly filings that depend on knowing your S Corp status, here are a few things that helped me: 1. Keep detailed records of when you submitted Form 2553 (certified mail receipt, fax confirmation, etc.) 2. If you need to file quarterly taxes before receiving confirmation, you can proceed based on your intended election date, but include a note explaining the situation 3. The IRS Business Tax Line (800-829-4933) can sometimes provide status updates, though wait times are brutal The acceptance letter will definitely show your effective date clearly, so once you get it, you'll have everything you need. In my case, my effective date matched exactly what I requested on the form since I submitted within the proper timeframe. Hang in there - the letter should arrive soon!