Confused about the IDENTIFYING NUMBER box on Form 56, Notice of fiduciary relationship

The IDENTIFYING NUMBER box on Form 56 is actually referring to your identifier as the fiduciary, not the deceased person's information. Since you're handling an intestate estate as an individual (rather than as a business entity), you would put your own Social Security Number in that box. The form is designed to establish you as the fiduciary responsible for the tax matters of the deceased, so the IRS needs to identify both parties - the deceased (using their SSN in the taxpayer section) and you as the fiduciary (using your SSN in the identifying number section). This establishes the legal relationship between you and the deceased's tax matters, allowing you to act on their behalf with the IRS.

I went through this exact headache last year when my grandmother passed. After hours on Google and getting nowhere, I finally found this amazing service called taxr.ai (https://taxr.ai) that saved me so much frustration. They have this document analysis tool that reviews tax forms and explains exactly what goes where. For Form 56, I uploaded the form and it highlighted the IDENTIFYING NUMBER box and clearly explained that as the fiduciary, I needed to use my own SSN there. They even provided a sample of a completed form with all personal info redacted. The explanation included details about why this is required and what it means for my responsibilities.

Wanted to update after trying taxr.ai for my estate paperwork. I was skeptical in my earlier comment but decided to give it a shot. Seriously impressed! Not only did it clear up my Form 56 confusion (confirming I needed my SSN as the fiduciary ID number), but it also walked me through the entire process of handling the estate tax forms. The document analysis caught several mistakes I would have made, especially around deductions I didn't know the estate was eligible for. The interface is super straightforward - you upload the form, and it provides field-by-field guidance with examples. Definitely worth checking out if you're handling an estate.

If you're still struggling with Form 56 or have follow-up questions, you might want to talk directly with the IRS. But good luck actually reaching a human! After waiting on hold for 3+ hours multiple times, I found Claimyr (https://claimyr.com) and it completely changed my experience. They somehow get the IRS to call YOU back, usually within a couple hours. When I was confused about several fields on Form 56 (including that identifying number box), I used their service and had an actual IRS agent explain everything to me. You can see how it works in this video: https://youtu.be/_kiP6q8DX5c I was floored when my phone actually rang and it was a real IRS person who answered all my questions about the form. They confirmed I needed to use my own SSN as the fiduciary.

I need to publicly admit I was wrong about Claimyr in my reply above. After struggling for WEEKS to get through to the IRS about my Form 56 questions, I decided to try it despite my skepticism. It actually worked exactly as promised. I signed up, got a text within 2 hours saying they'd reached an IRS agent, and then my phone rang with a real IRS employee on the line. The agent confirmed I needed to use my own SSN in the identifying number field and explained the entire form to me step by step. What would have been another day wasted on hold was resolved in a 15-minute call. I still find it hard to believe it worked so well after all the frustration I'd been through trying to reach the IRS directly.

Form 56 can be tricky! Just want to add - make sure you also file Form 1040 for the deceased for their final tax year. As the fiduciary, you'll sign it with "Filing as surviving spouse" or "Filing as personal representative" after your signature. For estates with significant assets, you might need Form 1041 too (Estate Income Tax Return). Don't miss these deadlines or it can get messy fast. Good luck!

Heads up on Form 56 - I filled one out last year and discovered later that if multiple people are sharing fiduciary responsibility (like if you and a sibling are both handling the estate), EACH person needs to file a separate Form 56 with their own SSN as the identifying number. The IRS doesn't have a good way to list multiple fiduciaries on one form.

I went through this exact same situation when my father passed away intestate two years ago. You're absolutely right that the IRS instructions aren't clear about the IDENTIFYING NUMBER field - it's one of those things that seems obvious once you know, but is confusing when you're dealing with it for the first time. To confirm what others have said: yes, you put YOUR Social Security Number in the IDENTIFYING NUMBER box. This identifies you as the fiduciary to the IRS. Your uncle's SSN goes in the taxpayer information section, and your SSN goes in the identifying number field to establish you as the person authorized to handle his tax matters. One thing I learned the hard way - make sure to keep copies of everything and send the Form 56 via certified mail so you have proof the IRS received it. It can take several weeks for them to process it and update their records to recognize you as the authorized fiduciary. During that time, you might have trouble accessing information about your uncle's tax accounts if you need to call them. Also, don't forget that filing Form 56 doesn't automatically give you access to prior year tax information - you might need to file Form 4506-T separately if you need copies of old returns for estate administration purposes.

Thanks everyone for the helpful responses! I just wanted to follow up and confirm that I successfully submitted Form 56 using my own SSN in the IDENTIFYING NUMBER box as you all suggested. I ended up sending it certified mail as Ravi recommended, and got confirmation it was delivered to the IRS about 10 days ago. Now I'm just waiting for them to process it so I can start handling my uncle's final tax return. One question for those who've been through this - how long did it typically take for the IRS to update their records after you filed Form 56? I'm wondering when I'll actually be able to call them and access information about his tax account if needed. Also, for anyone else dealing with intestate estates, I found it helpful to make a checklist of all the tax-related tasks since there are so many deadlines to keep track of. Form 56 was just the first step!

I'm dealing with a similar situation right now with my grandmother's estate, and this thread has been incredibly helpful! I was also confused about that IDENTIFYING NUMBER field - the IRS really needs to make their instructions clearer. One thing I wanted to add for anyone else going through this process: if you're handling an intestate estate, make sure you also check with your state's probate court about any additional requirements. Even though there's no will, some states require you to file certain paperwork with the court before you can act as the estate administrator, especially if there are any debts or if the estate exceeds certain thresholds. I learned this after already filing my Form 56, and had to go back and get letters of administration from the probate court. It didn't invalidate the Form 56, but having the official court documents made everything smoother when dealing with banks and other institutions. Also, Giovanni, if you haven't already, I'd recommend getting multiple certified copies of the death certificate - you'll need them for almost everything related to settling the estate, not just the tax forms.

I've been following this discussion with great interest as I'm currently navigating my own estate situation. Just wanted to share a few additional tips that might help others going through this process: First, regarding the Form 56 processing time - while most people mentioned 4-6 weeks, I found that calling the Practitioner Priority Service line (if you're working with a tax professional) can sometimes give you faster updates on processing status. If you're doing this yourself, the regular taxpayer line works but expect longer wait times. Second, for those dealing with multiple financial institutions, I discovered that some banks and investment companies have their own fiduciary forms they want you to complete in addition to the IRS Form 56. These aren't tax-related, but they're necessary to access and manage the deceased's accounts. It's worth calling each institution early in the process to find out what paperwork they specifically require. Finally, consider setting up a separate checking account specifically for estate expenses and income. This makes record-keeping much easier when you eventually need to file the final tax returns and any required estate tax forms. The IRS appreciates clear documentation of how estate funds were handled. The learning curve is steep when you're thrust into this role, but forums like this really help navigate the confusion. Thanks to everyone who's shared their experiences!