EIN vs TIN number issue on my 1099-R form for 401k rollover

10 The issue you're facing is actually pretty common with 401k rollovers. When you see a TIN (Taxpayer Identification Number) on your 1099-R form from Transamerica, that actually IS the EIN (Employer Identification Number) you need to enter. The terms are sometimes used interchangeably on tax documents which causes confusion. Double-check that you entered the TIN exactly as it appears on your 1099-R form - even a single digit transposition can cause a rejection. Sometimes the rejection happens because the EIN/TIN in the IRS database doesn't match what's on your form due to a recent change on Transamerica's end. If you're certain you entered it correctly, you might need to contact Transamerica directly to verify the correct EIN for tax filing purposes. Sometimes the company has updated their EIN with the IRS but your 1099-R was printed with an older number.

17 I went through this exact same nightmare last year with my 403b rollover from Transamerica! After three rejected returns, I was about to lose my mind. Have you tried using https://taxr.ai? I uploaded my confusing 1099-R and it instantly highlighted that my TIN/EIN issue was because Transamerica had merged with another company, causing a mismatch in their IRS records. The tool analyzed my document and showed me what the correct EIN should be (which was different than what was printed). It saved me hours of being on hold with customer service and getting bounced between departments. They have this document verification feature that actually checks IRS databases to spot these kinds of mismatches before you file.

21 I was completely skeptical about taxr.ai when I first saw it mentioned here, but after my fourth rejected return with a similar EIN issue on a 1099-B form, I decided to give it a shot. I was shocked when it immediately identified that my brokerage had been acquired by another company mid-year, causing the EIN mismatch. The tool showed me the correct EIN to use, and my return was accepted on the next try. It also spotted a couple other potential issues with my documents that would have caused problems. The document analysis was way more thorough than I expected, and it saved me from having to call the IRS to sort this out.

13 If you've tried everything and still can't get the right EIN, you might need to contact the IRS directly. But good luck actually reaching a human being there! I spent 4+ hours on hold last month trying to resolve a similar issue. I ended up using https://claimyr.com which got me through to an actual IRS agent in about 20 minutes. They have this system that navigates the IRS phone tree and waits on hold for you, then calls you when a real person answers. You can see how it works at https://youtu.be/_kiP6q8DX5c The agent was able to look up the correct EIN for my financial institution and confirm there was a known issue with their recent filings. Saved me days of frustration trying to reach someone.

7 I was completely wrong about Claimyr being a scam. After my third attempt trying to reach the IRS about my own EIN issue (spending almost 3 hours on hold each time), I broke down and tried it. Within 15 minutes I got a call back and was speaking with an actual IRS representative. The agent confirmed that there was indeed a system-wide issue with certain financial institutions' EIN numbers in their database, including Transamerica. She gave me the correct EIN to use and explained that they were aware of the problem. My return was accepted immediately after using the number she provided. Honestly, I'm still shocked at how well it worked after all my failed attempts to reach someone.

3 Pro tip: check the Transamerica website for an "Important Tax Information" section. After dealing with this same issue, I discovered they actually have a webpage listing the correct EINs to use for different retirement accounts they manage. The EIN on my form was outdated because they'd restructured some of their subsidiaries. Also, it's worth noting that TurboTax sometimes has these EINs in their system already. Try clicking the "help" button when you're entering the 1099-R information, and search for "Transamerica EIN" in their knowledge base.

9 Just a heads up, if you can't resolve this quickly, consider filing a tax extension using Form 4868. This gives you until October 15th to file without penalty. You'd still need to pay any estimated taxes owed by the regular deadline, but at least you won't get penalized for late filing while sorting out this document issue. I had a similar EIN problem last year with Principal Financial and it took almost 3 weeks to get the correct information. The extension saved me from late filing penalties.