Ian Bryzek, CPA
Final paycheck and tax records
A last paycheck can include wages, reimbursements, and year-to-date totals that matter later.
Payroll departments may issue a final check weeks after the last day worked. Save the stub even if the deposit looks routine.
Final wages belong in the year-of-death income picture and should be reconciled to W-2 reporting when it arrives.
What to keep with the file
Final wages belong in the year-of-death income picture and should be reconciled to W-2 reporting when it arrives.
What to do next
Reconcile the final paycheck to the W-2 when the form arrives.
What to gather
- Final pay stub
- Deposit confirmation
- Employer payroll contact
- Year-end Form W-2 when issued
- Note of any amounts paid to the estate versus a joint account
Who usually handles what
- Ian can organize the tax reporting question and the supporting records.
- The executor, trustee, or account custodian supplies records and confirms who has authority to act.
A practical next step
Reconcile the final paycheck to the W-2 when the form arrives.
Related guides
This is general tax information, not tax or legal advice. Outcomes depend on the documents, ownership, timing, and law that apply to the particular facts.