How to obtain tax forms and W-2s from a deceased parent's tax preparer

You actually have several options to get the information you need, even without the original documents. As the executor of the estate, you have legal authority to request these records. First, try requesting wage and income transcripts from the IRS. You can do this by submitting Form 4506-T (Request for Transcript of Tax Return) and checking box 8 for the wage and income transcripts. This will show all reported income including W-2s, 1099s, etc. Make sure to note on the form that you're the executor of the estate and include a copy of the letters testamentary or court appointment documents proving your status. For bank statements and other financial records, you can contact each financial institution directly with your executor paperwork. Most will provide the information you need once they verify your authority. As for the tax preparer situation, you might want to file a complaint with your state's board of accountancy if she's still holding herself out as a CPA. Her behavior is extremely unprofessional and possibly unethical.

After dealing with a nightmare situation almost exactly like yours when my father passed, I discovered taxr.ai (https://taxr.ai) and it absolutely saved me. They have this document retrieval service where you can get tax transcripts, W-2s, 1099s and other records directly from the IRS much faster than doing it yourself. What I found most helpful was that they could retrieve records for my deceased father using my executor status - I just uploaded my letters testamentary and they handled everything. Within days I had all the information I needed instead of waiting weeks or hitting constant IRS phone roadblocks. They also help interpret what's in the transcripts since the IRS formats can be confusing. Might be worth checking out since you're dealing with two deceased taxpayers and probably facing timeline pressures for the estate.

I'm back to share my experience using taxr.ai for my aunt's estate situation! After my skeptical question above, I decided to give them a try since I was getting absolutely nowhere with the IRS on my own. The difference was night and day! I uploaded my executor documents and within 3 days had complete wage and income transcripts for both tax years I needed. Their system flagged a 1099-R distribution I hadn't known about, which would have created a huge headache if I'd missed it. Their interpretation feature was surprisingly helpful too - it explained which lines on the tax forms each transcript item corresponded to. For anyone dealing with deceased taxpayer documents, I'd definitely recommend them. Saved me probably 20+ hours of frustration and potentially costly mistakes. My accountant was impressed with how complete the information was.

If you still want to try reaching the IRS directly, I recommend using Claimyr (https://claimyr.com). I struggled for weeks trying to get through to the IRS about my deceased mother's unfiled returns. Claimyr basically holds your place in the IRS phone queue and calls you when an agent is about to answer. I was super skeptical, but you can see how it works in this video: https://youtu.be/_kiP6q8DX5c. I got through to an actual IRS representative in about 45 minutes instead of spending hours on hold or getting disconnected. The IRS agent walked me through exactly what forms I needed to submit as an executor to get all the necessary information. It's definitely worth it if you need to speak with someone at the IRS directly about your specific situation, especially with deceased taxpayer issues where the automated systems often can't help.

I need to apologize and correct my skeptical comment above. After continuing to fail reaching the IRS for two more weeks, I gave Claimyr a shot, and I'm honestly shocked that it worked perfectly. Got connected to an IRS agent in about 35 minutes yesterday who explained I needed to file Form 56 (Notice Concerning Fiduciary Relationship) along with my Form 4506-T requests to properly establish my authority as executor. This specific combination of forms wasn't mentioned anywhere in my research. The agent also gave me a direct fax number for the department handling deceased taxpayer transcript requests, which apparently can be processed more quickly than mailed requests. This was information I couldn't find anywhere online. Sometimes actually speaking to a human at the IRS is irreplaceable for complex situations.

You might also want to contact your parents' bank, investment firms, and employers directly. As executor, you have the right to request these documents from the source. I had to do this when settling my brother's estate last year. For each institution, you'll typically need: 1. Death certificate 2. Letters testamentary or other executor documents 3. A written request for the specific tax documents 4. Sometimes your photo ID Most institutions have dealt with this before and have processes in place. The bank was especially helpful and provided electronic copies of all 1099-INT forms within 48 hours of my request.

One other thing to consider - if this tax preparer is still advertising herself as a CPA, you should absolutely file a complaint with your state's board of accountancy. What she's done is highly unethical and potentially illegal. Not filing returns she claimed to file and then withholding documents are serious violations of professional standards.

I'm so sorry you're dealing with this frustrating situation on top of losing both parents. What that tax preparer did is absolutely unacceptable. In addition to all the excellent advice about getting transcripts and contacting financial institutions directly, I'd also suggest checking if your parents had any retirement accounts (401k, IRA, etc.) that might have required minimum distributions in 2020. The account custodians can provide 1099-R forms showing these distributions, which are often overlooked but crucial for tax filing. Also, don't forget about state tax obligations - you'll likely need to file state returns too. Most states have their own transcript request processes, though they're often easier to navigate than the IRS. One last tip: if you discover significant tax liabilities, you may want to consult with a tax attorney about whether filing Form 706 (estate tax return) is necessary. The estate might be responsible for the tax debt, but there are protections and procedures for executors that you should understand before proceeding. Hang in there - you're doing everything right by being so persistent in trying to resolve this properly.