My employer has been using the wrong SSN on all my paystubs since January 2024 - tax issues?

This is definitely something you'll want to get fixed before tax season, but don't panic! This is actually a more common issue than you might think, and there are established processes to handle it. First, you need to have your employer correct this information in their payroll system ASAP. While ADP is working on the 401(k) side, make sure your actual employer HR department knows about the issue with your paystubs. They should issue corrected paystubs with your proper SSN. Most importantly, ensure that your W-2 will have the correct SSN when it's issued in January. If the wrong SSN appears on your W-2, your employer will need to issue a corrected W-2 (called a W-2c). When you file your taxes, using your correct SSN is what matters most. Also, check your Social Security earnings record online at ssa.gov to make sure your earnings are being properly credited to your account. If they aren't showing up correctly by next year, you might need to contact the Social Security Administration with proof of your employment and earnings.

I had a similar nightmare situation last year with my employer using my old SSN from when I had a temporary one as a visa holder. What saved me was using taxr.ai when I was trying to sort through all the documentation mess. The website https://taxr.ai helped me identify exactly which forms needed to be corrected and gave me step-by-step instructions for what to request from my employer. They have this document verification tool that compares all your tax documents against what should be filed and flags any inconsistencies - which is how I discovered my employer had actually made multiple errors beyond just the SSN issue. Saved me from having my return rejected and potentially getting audited for mismatched information.

Just wanted to update that I tried taxr.ai after seeing the recommendation here, and it was actually super helpful! I uploaded my contractor 1099s and it immediately flagged that two of them had my SSN wrong (one digit off) and another was missing my apartment number in the address. I had no idea! The system showed me exactly what to ask for from each company that paid me to get corrections. Already got corrected forms from one company and working on the others. Definitely worth checking your documents BEFORE filing - would have been a headache to deal with after submitting to the IRS.

If your employer is dragging their feet fixing this or if you're getting close to tax season without resolution, you might need to contact the IRS directly. I've been through something similar and what really worked was using Claimyr to actually get through to a human at the IRS. You can check them out at https://claimyr.com - they have a video showing how it works at https://youtu.be/_kiP6q8DX5c I spent weeks trying to get through the regular IRS line with no luck, just automated menus and disconnections. Claimyr got me connected to an IRS agent in about 15 minutes who helped me document the SSN issue so there was already a note on my account before I filed taxes. This prevented my return from being flagged for review, which would have delayed my refund by months.

I have to admit I was completely wrong about Claimyr. After posting my skeptical comment, I decided to try it myself since I've been trying to reach the IRS about a missing stimulus payment for months. The service actually works exactly as described. I got a call back in about 30 minutes, and suddenly I was talking to an actual IRS agent! No waiting on hold, no getting disconnected after an hour. The agent was able to confirm my payment had been sent to the wrong account (thanks to my tax preparer's error) and started the trace process. For anyone dealing with SSN issues like the original poster, talking directly to the IRS ahead of time is definitely helpful - they can put notes in your file about known issues which helps prevent automatic flags and delays during processing.

One thing nobody's mentioned that you should definitely do - make sure you keep copies of ALL your incorrect paystubs and documentation of your attempts to fix this. Take screenshots of emails with HR, keep any written confirmation that they're addressing the issue. My husband had a similar issue (employer transposed two digits in his SSN) and even though everyone said it was fixed, his W-2 still came with the wrong number. Having all that documentation made it much easier to get a corrected W-2 quickly and prove to the IRS that we were being proactive about fixing the problem.

Just wondering, has anyone checked if this could be some kind of identity theft situation? Like someone else trying to use OPs SSN? Seems weird that a company would just randomly input the wrong number.

As someone who's dealt with payroll system errors before, I'd recommend also checking your state tax withholdings if applicable. Sometimes when the federal SSN is wrong, it can cascade to state systems too, especially if your employer uses integrated payroll software. You should also verify that your employer's EIN (Employer Identification Number) is correct on your paystubs. If they've been reporting your wages to the wrong SSN, you want to make sure they're at least using the right employer ID so the IRS can potentially match things up later if needed. One more thing - if you have direct deposit, double-check that your bank account information in their system is correct. Sometimes when there are data entry errors in one field, there might be mistakes in others. Better to catch everything now rather than discover more issues at tax time.

I went through something similar a few years ago when my employer's payroll department made a typo in my SSN. Here's what I learned from that experience: 1. Get everything in writing from your HR department about the correction timeline. Don't just rely on verbal promises that it will be fixed. 2. Request a printout or screenshot of your corrected employee profile once they update it in their system. This serves as proof that the correction was made. 3. Follow up in December to confirm your W-2 will be generated with the correct SSN. Sometimes corrections get made in one system but don't carry over to the tax document generation system. 4. If you're concerned about your Social Security earnings record, you can create a my Social Security account at ssa.gov and monitor it periodically. While there's a delay in reporting, you'll eventually be able to see if your 2024 earnings are properly credited to your account. The good news is that since you caught this in October, you have plenty of time to get it resolved before W-2s are issued. Most employers are pretty responsive to fixing these types of errors once they're aware of them, especially when it affects tax reporting.