How to submit Form 2848 for a deceased person's 2023 final tax return?

For a deceased taxpayer's final Form 1040, you'll want to use the deceased individual's Social Security Number on Form 2848. Since you're seeking the transcripts for his personal income prior to death (for the 2023 tax year), the SSN is the correct identifier. Make sure to write "DECEASED" at the top of the Form 2848 along with your father-in-law's name and date of death. In Part I of Form 2848, you'll list the deceased person as the taxpayer. In the signature section (Part II), since the taxpayer cannot sign, you'll sign as the authorized representative for the estate with your title as estate administrator. Also, be sure the form specifies the exact tax year (2023) and tax form (1040) you're requesting authorization for. This approach will allow you to get the transcript information needed to complete his final return.

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Just wanted to update that I ended up trying taxr.ai after all, and I'm actually really glad I did. My situation was slightly different (deceased parent, missing W-2s from multiple employers), but their guidance was incredibly specific and helpful. The most valuable part was how they helped me structure the special language needed on Form 2848 for a deceased taxpayer. They pointed out several places where I would have made mistakes that would have gotten my form rejected. Plus, they gave me a checklist for all the documentation I needed to include with my submission. I submitted everything last week, and I've already been able to successfully request the transcript. Now I'm working on the final return with the actual income information. Definitely saved me several weeks of trial and error.

If you're having trouble getting through to the IRS after submitting your Form 2848, I highly recommend using Claimyr (https://claimyr.com). I went round and round trying to follow up on my deceased mother's Form 2848 submission and couldn't get anyone on the phone for weeks. Claimyr got me connected to an actual IRS representative in under 30 minutes when I'd been trying for days on my own. They have this smart system that navigates the IRS phone tree and waits on hold for you, then calls you when an agent is actually on the line. You can see how it works in this video: https://youtu.be/_kiP6q8DX5c The agent confirmed they received my Form 2848 but flagged it for additional review because I had forgotten to attach the letters of administration. Was able to straighten it all out in one call instead of waiting another month.

I was absolutely skeptical about Claimyr (commented above), but I tried it yesterday out of desperation. I had submitted my deceased father's Form 2848 three weeks ago and needed to know if they received it. I'm honestly shocked at how well it worked. I got a call back in about 45 minutes with an actual IRS representative on the line. Found out they had received my form but needed additional documentation (they needed the original death certificate, not just a copy). The agent even gave me a direct fax number to send the document to and noted my case. For anyone dealing with deceased taxpayer issues, this saved me weeks of back-and-forth. I was able to clear up the issue in one conversation and now expect to get the transcript within 10 days. Definitely worth it when you're handling time-sensitive tax matters for an estate.

Just a quick tip - when filing Form 2848 for a deceased taxpayer, make sure you check Box 6 in Part I and attach proof of your fiduciary capacity. I learned the hard way that skipping this step gets the form rejected immediately. Had to resubmit and wait an extra 3 weeks.

Has anyone actually requested a transcript for a deceased taxpayer successfully? I'm in a similar situation and wondering how long the whole process realistically takes from submitting Form 2848 to actually getting the transcript?

I just went through this exact process for my grandmother's estate last month. One thing I wish someone had told me upfront is to request Form 4506-T along with Form 2848 - you can use 4506-T to get tax return transcripts directly once your 2848 is processed, which is often faster than waiting for the IRS to mail them. Also, make sure you're very specific about what tax years and forms you need authorization for on the 2848. I initially put "all years" thinking it would be helpful, but the IRS actually prefers specific years listed out. Put "2023 Form 1040" exactly. One more tip - if your father-in-law had any business income or was self-employed, you might also need transcripts for Forms 1099 that were issued to him. The wage and income transcripts can be requested separately and will show you all the 1099s, W-2s, and other income documents that were filed with his SSN for 2023.