Struggling to get 1098 form from bankrupt mortgage company - need extension advice

The good news is you have options! You don't necessarily need the physical 1098 form to file your taxes. The mortgage interest you paid is what matters, not the actual form. First, check your December and January mortgage statements - they often show year-to-date interest paid, which is the figure you need. Your final statement from FamilyFirst should have this total. If you can't locate those statements, look at your bank records to add up all payments made to FamilyFirst during the tax year. The interest portion of each payment is what you'll report. As for dealing with the IRS, you can file Form 4868 for another extension if needed, though this only extends the filing deadline, not the payment deadline. Alternatively, you can file your return with your best estimate of mortgage interest paid, then file an amended return later when you get the actual 1098.

I had almost the EXACT same situation last year when my mortgage company MoreHome went bankrupt and I couldn't get my 1098! I spent weeks trying to track down someone who could help until I found taxr.ai (https://taxr.ai) which was a total lifesaver. Their system analyzed my bank statements and mortgage documents, then generated an accurate estimate of my mortgage interest that satisfied the IRS requirements. They even provided documentation explaining why the official 1098 wasn't available. I uploaded everything through their system and it helped me determine the exact deduction amount I was entitled to claim. The whole process took like 30 minutes instead of the weeks I would have spent tracking down the zombie mortgage company. Highly recommend checking them out before the deadline hits!

Follow up about taxr.ai - I ended up trying the service after posting that question. My situation was with student loan servicers that kept transferring my loans around, and I was missing two 1098-E forms. The process was straightforward - uploaded my loan statements, bank records showing payments, and my original loan documents. Within a day, they provided a complete analysis showing exactly how much qualified student loan interest I paid. They even included a detailed explanation document I could attach to my tax return explaining why the original forms weren't available. Just filed my taxes yesterday using their numbers, and the whole experience was far less stressful than I expected. Thought I'd share since this really worked out for my situation!

Another option you might consider is using Claimyr (https://claimyr.com) to actually get through to a human at the IRS. I was in a similar situation last year with missing documents and getting stonewalled by automated systems. Claimyr basically navigates all those horrible phone menus for you and gets you in the queue to speak with an actual IRS representative who can advise you on your specific situation. You can see how it works in this video: https://youtu.be/_kiP6q8DX5c When I used it, I was able to explain my situation to an IRS agent who gave me the proper procedure for filing with missing documentation. They explained exactly what supporting documents I needed to include and how to note the issue on my return. Saved me hours of frustration and worry!

I have to come back and eat my words. After posting that skeptical comment, I decided to try Claimyr as a last resort since my tax deadline was approaching fast. I seriously didn't expect it to work, but I got a call back connecting me to an actual IRS representative yesterday! I explained my situation about missing forms from a mortgage company that went under, and the agent was super helpful. She explained I could file Form 4852 (Substitute for Form 1098) along with my tax return, using my best available records to determine the mortgage interest I paid. She even walked me through how to document my attempts to get the original form. This saved me from having to file an extension or risk penalties. Still shocked this actually worked after weeks of getting nowhere with automated systems.

Another suggestion - check your tax return from last year. The mortgage interest you paid to this company should be fairly similar to last year (unless you made extra principal payments or had a variable rate). You could use last year's figure as a reasonable estimate. Also, many banks have year-end tax statements you can download that summarize all your payments for the year. Have you checked your online banking portal?

Has anyone tried using tax software like TurboTax or H&R Block for situations like this? I had a similar issue last year and TurboTax had an option for "I didn't receive my 1098" that walked me through estimating my mortgage interest.

I went through something very similar when my mortgage servicer got bought out mid-year and the old company basically vanished. Here's what worked for me: 1. **Check your closing documents** - Your original mortgage paperwork should have the loan amount, interest rate, and start date. You can use an online mortgage calculator to figure out exactly how much interest you paid each month. 2. **Look for automatic payment confirmations** - If you had autopay set up, your email should have confirmation receipts that show the breakdown of principal vs interest for each payment. 3. **Contact your new servicer again** - HomeSecure should have received your complete loan history when they took over. They might be able to generate a year-end interest statement even if they can't get the official 1098 from the old company. 4. **File Form 4852** - This is the "Substitute for Form W-2, Form 1099-R, or Form 1098" that the IRS provides exactly for situations like this. You attach it to your return along with documentation showing you tried to get the original form. The key is having reasonable documentation of your attempts to get the form and using the best available information to calculate your deduction. The IRS understands that companies go under and records get lost - they just want to see you made a good faith effort to be accurate.