Lost Your W-2? Here’s What To Do
Filing taxes annually is an important part of being an American citizen. But you typically need W-2 forms to do it. That can leave you wondering what to do if you have a lost W-2.
The good news is, there are a few simple steps you can take to recover a lost W-2. There may also be a way for you to recover older W-2s or file taxes without your missing W-2s.
See: What To Do if You Owe Back Taxes to the IRS
Here’s what you should know about each of these options.
What To Do If You’ve Lost Your W-2
Whether your W-2 was lost in the mail or misplaced at home, it can be challenging to complete your taxes without it. While getting a duplicate of a W-2 is possible, it may take a little legwork.
Here are the three main ways you can replace your W-2.
Contact your employer
Contact the IRS
Check your tax software
1. Contact Your Employer
You can start by reaching out to your employer. They should have a record of your employment history, which may allow them to issue you a duplicate W-2 form. Even if you no longer work for the same company, your previous employer should be able to provide a W-2 for the time you worked there — especially if it was within the last 12 months.
Employers are legally required to distribute W-2s to their employees by January 31st. If your employer sends you a digital copy of your W-2, you’ll receive it no later than January 31. However, if your company is still distributing W-2s by mail, you may receive your form later, as you have to allow for mail delivery times.
If it is past January 31 and you haven’t yet received your W-2, you can ask your employer how and when you can expect it.
2. Contact the IRS
If your employer can’t help, your second option is to contact the IRS. You can use the agency’s “Get Your Tax Record” webpage to find the federal tax information that your employer submitted to the IRS when issuing your original W-2.
You can also call the IRS at 1-800-829-1040. The agency will send your employer a letter requesting that they provide you with your W-2 within 10 days. You’ll need to have some information handy to verify you are who you say you are during your call, including your:
Personal information: Name, address, phone number and Social Security number.
Employer information: Your employer’s name, address and phone number.
Employment information: The dates you worked for the employer, an estimate of your wages and federal income tax withheld last year, and the last pay stub of the tax year.
Be aware that even if the IRS contacts them, your employer may still not send the W-2 in time for the tax deadline. If you won’t have your W-2 in time, make sure you file for an extension.
3. Check Your Tax Software
Finally, if you use self-prepared tax software, such as Intuit’s TurboTax, you may have previously uploaded the W-2 to your account. If so, it could be saved and still accessible via your online dashboard. For this option to work, you need to have uploaded or imported your W-2 to the software at some point in the past.
Filing Your Taxes Without a W-2
If you still can’t find your W-2, then you have two additional options available to you. The first is to use IRS Form 4852 to file your taxes without a W-2. This lets you share your income and tax information with the IRS even when you can’t find the original W-2 for the income.
The second option you have is to apply for an extension to file your taxes. Although tax returns are due on Apr. 15, 2024, you can delay your filing deadline until October 15th, 2024, by using Form 4868.
Just keep in mind that this option only gives you an extension on filing your tax forms — not making your tax payments. You’ll still need to estimate your tax liability and pay the amount due on time.
What To Do for a W-2 Received After Filing Your Tax Return
If you estimated your income incorrectly and filed your return based on that information, you’ll need to correct the return. Amend your return using Form 1040X, Amended U.S. Individual Income Tax Return.
Filing an amended return could impact your refund or even require additional payment of taxes owed. It can also take up to 16 weeks for your amended return to be processed.
How To Obtain a W-2 for a Previous Year
If you’re looking for a W-2 issued by your current employer for a prior year, your employer may be able to provide you with a duplicate copy or access to download it electronically.
Some employers use payroll software or third-party payroll companies that allow employees to access payroll information from a secure web portal. Tax documents, including W-2s, are often saved on such sites throughout your tenure, and you may be able to access your W-2 online as a result. Your employer will direct you to this resource if it’s available.
If, however, you are looking for a W-2 from a previous year for an employer you are not presently employed with, obtaining a duplicate can get a bit tricky. Most companies only keep tax records for a few years, so they may no longer have the W-2 you’re looking for.
Contact the IRS
For previous tax years, you can also request a transcript copy from the IRS. This option assumes you filed your taxes for the tax year.
The IRS won’t be able to issue an exact copy of your W-2, but it can provide a wage and income transcript. This transcript will contain the federal tax information your employer reported to the Social Security Administration for the corresponding year . Transcripts are available for up to 10 years prior. Allow 10 business days from the day the IRS receives your request to get a copy of the transcript.
Final Take on Lost W-2s
Losing a W-2 form isn’t the end of the world. You can get a replacement by reaching out to your employer, contacting the IRS, or accessing the saved documents in your tax preparation software. If all else fails, you can also request a tax deadline extension or submit Form 4852 to file taxes without a W-2.
Caitlyn Moorhead and Sabah Karimi contributed to the reporting for this article.
This article originally appeared on GOBankingRates.com: Lost Your W-2? Here’s What To Do
