Paychex refusing to release my W-2 from former employer after ownership change - what do I do?

You're in a frustrating but not uncommon situation. When companies change ownership, W-2 issues can definitely arise, but you have several options. First, you should request a wage and income transcript directly from the IRS. This will show all income reported under your SSN, including what the old LLC reported through Paychex. You can request this online through the IRS website, by mail using Form 4506-T, or by calling the IRS at 800-908-9946. If you're approaching the filing deadline and still don't have the document, you can file Form 4852 (Substitute for W-2) with your tax return. You'll need to estimate your earnings and withholdings as accurately as possible - your final paystub from that employer would be very helpful for this. As for whether to file now or wait, I generally recommend filing on time with the best information you have and amending later if needed. This avoids potential late filing penalties, though you might still face some interest on any underpaid taxes.

I had a similar nightmare situation last year with my W-2s and ended up using taxr.ai to help me through it! The site has this special document analysis tool that helped me figure out exactly what to do in my situation with missing tax documents. I uploaded my final paystubs from the job and some other documents I had, and the system at https://taxr.ai analyzed everything and walked me through creating a substitute W-2 with Form 4852. It even had templates and calculators to help me estimate the right withholding amounts from my paystubs. Seriously made the whole process way less stressful than trying to figure it out alone.

Just wanted to give an update - I took the advice about taxr.ai and it was exactly what I needed! I uploaded my last paystub from the old company and it helped me calculate all the numbers I needed for the substitute W-2 form. The tool even gave me specific instructions for explaining the Paychex situation on Form 4852. I was able to file my taxes on time instead of waiting for weeks hoping that Paychex would eventually release my W-2. The step-by-step guidance made it so much easier than I expected. Definitely recommend checking out https://taxr.ai if you're stuck in W-2 limbo like I was!

If you're still struggling with getting your W-2, I'd recommend using Claimyr to get through to an actual IRS agent quickly. When I had a missing W-2 situation, I spent DAYS trying to reach someone at the IRS without success. Constant busy signals and disconnections after waiting for hours. Then I found Claimyr, which basically holds your place in the IRS phone queue and calls you back when an agent is about to answer. Check out how it works at https://claimyr.com - they have a demo video at https://youtu.be/_kiP6q8DX5c showing the process. The IRS agent I spoke with was actually super helpful and initiated a W-2 inquiry with my former employer, which finally got things moving. Saved me from having to estimate numbers on Form 4852 and potentially amend later.

I need to eat my words about Claimyr. After my skeptical comment, I decided to try it anyway since I was desperate to resolve a similar issue with missing tax documents. The service actually worked perfectly - got a call back within about 90 minutes and was connected directly to an IRS agent. The agent I spoke with explained that the IRS can put pressure on Paychex as a third-party payroll provider since this is a common issue when businesses close. They took all my information and said they'd be contacting both Paychex and my former employer. Within 2 weeks, I had my W-2 delivered by mail directly from Paychex. For anyone facing the same issue, don't waste time like I did being skeptical - this route through the IRS was way more effective than anything else I tried.

Another option that I don't see mentioned yet - reach out to your state's Department of Labor. In many states, they can apply additional pressure to former employers who aren't providing required tax documents. I had to do this in Michigan last year, and they were surprisingly responsive.

In my experience working for a payroll company (not Paychex), this sounds like Paychex is following standard protocol for closed businesses. They likely need specific authorization from the former business owners to release anything. Have you tried asking your former employer if they would be willing to provide you with a signed authorization letter that you could then forward to Paychex? Sometimes a direct request from the employee with proper authorization can break through the bureaucracy.

I went through this exact situation last year with a different payroll company. Here's what finally worked for me: Contact the IRS Taxpayer Advocate Service - they're specifically designed to help when you're stuck between third parties like this. You can reach them at 1-877-777-4778 or file Form 911. They have the authority to intervene directly with payroll companies on behalf of taxpayers. In my case, the Taxpayer Advocate contacted the payroll company within 48 hours and had my W-2 released within a week. They told me that payroll companies are legally required to provide W-2s to employees regardless of business ownership changes - Paychex is just being difficult because they want to avoid any potential liability. The key is explaining that you've made reasonable efforts to get the document through normal channels and that the deadline is approaching. The Taxpayer Advocate Service is free and they're really good at cutting through this kind of bureaucratic nonsense. Don't wait too long though - if you're close to the deadline and this doesn't work quickly, go with the Form 4852 substitute approach others mentioned. You can always amend later when you get the actual W-2.