Can't access our W2's after restaurant fire and owner's death - What should we do?

Do you know if there's a waiting period for the Wage and Income Transcript? Like will it show my 2024 earnings already or does it take time to update in their system? Also, will this transcript show exactly what would be on my W2?

There is typically a delay before current year information appears on the Wage and Income Transcript. For 2024 income, it might not be fully available until late May or June 2025, which could be after the filing deadline. That's why using Form 4852 with your best estimates from your final paystub might be better for timely filing. The transcript won't look exactly like your W-2, but it contains the same tax information - your wages, federal income tax withheld, Social Security and Medicare wages and taxes, and any other reported income. It has all the data you need for filing your return, just in a different format.

How accurate was it really? I'm a bit skeptical about using AI for something as important as taxes. Did you have to make any corrections later when you finally got your real W2?

Does it work for other missing tax documents too? Like if I'm missing a 1099 from a side gig, would it help with that situation as well?

It was surprisingly accurate! The final numbers were within $20 of my actual W-2 amounts when I finally received it. The tool estimates tax withholdings based on your pay stubs and tax brackets, so it was pretty spot-on. I didn't need to file any corrections. For 1099s and other documents, yes it absolutely works with those too. It can analyze bank statements, payment processor reports (like from PayPal or Venmo), or any documentation showing your earnings. It then helps calculate what should go on your substitute forms for practically any missing tax document.

Wait, how exactly does this work? I thought the IRS phone system was just...broken. How does some outside service magically get you through?

Sounds too good to be true honestly. If it actually worked, everyone would use it. I've called the IRS like 15 times this month and never got through. No way some random service can fix that.

It works by navigating all the phone trees and waiting on hold for you. You sign up, and their system calls the IRS and waits through the queue. Once they reach a live person, you get a call connecting you directly to that agent. No need to start over with the automated system or wait on hold yourself. It's definitely real - the IRS phone system isn't "broken," it's just overwhelmingly understaffed. The service essentially does the waiting for you. I was skeptical too, but when you need to talk to someone urgently about something like missing W-2s, waiting 3+ hours on hold yourself isn't realistic for most people.

That's actually a really good idea I hadn't thought of. I believe the owner's sister is handling his affairs, but honestly we've all been keeping our distance out of respect while she's grieving. Maybe I could reach out carefully and just ask if she has any information about the business accounts or records. The restaurant was doing well financially, so there must be some kind of bookkeeping or records somewhere.

Approaching with sensitivity is definitely the right move. You might frame it as wanting to properly close out your employment relationship with the business rather than just tax documents. The executor likely has legal access to business records that could help everyone involved. If there was a business accountant or bookkeeper separate from Paycom, they might also have records that would be helpful. Many businesses keep separate financial records beyond what their payroll service maintains.

This is 100% the way to go. I worked payroll for years and the YTD on your final December paystub should match your W2 exactly for most regular employees. Only difference might be if you had taxable benefits added after the last payroll was processed.