With tax season here and many workers having quit their jobs this year, they may have to report their income through more than one W-2. If your employer still has your address on file they may mail you your W-2. The IRS says that collecting your W-2 through your employer is the easiest way to receiving it because they submit "Form W-2 to SSA; after SSA processes it, they transmit the federal tax information to the IRS. Show
How to request a W-2 from the IRS?If there is no way for them to contact you, a request can be sent to the IRS and a copy will be sent to you directly. A copy of your W-2 can be accessed by logging onto the IRS' Get Your Tax Record webpage. Through this link you will be provided a transcript of your W-2 which also includes "Form 1099 series, Form 1098 series, and Form 5498 series; however, state or local information isn't included with the Form W-2 information." Additionally, you can request your W-2 you will need to submit Form 4506-T and be sure to check the box for the tax year you are requesting. The form can be submitted by mail or fax. Once submitted, one should wait at least ten days for the document to be received. For those looking to get a W-2 from previous years should be aware that a "Wage and income transcripts are available for up to 10 years but current tax year information may not be complete until July." Meaning that those looking to get a W-2 for their work so far in 2022, will need to wait until July. When are taxes due?The Federal tax filing deadline in Monday 18 April, 2022. However, there are a few states and regions that have seen the deadline extended after facing catastrophic natural disasters. To receive your refund without delays, the IRS advises tax payers to submit their returns as soon as possible. However, this does mean that you should rush to submit. The agency has said that one of the greatest causes for delay are simple errors on a return that require the tax filer to make changes. Requesting a transcript from the IRS may be beneficial if you are looking for wage and income information reported on a tax return within the past 10 years. A transcript will include information reported on Form W-2, Form 1099 series, Form 1098 series, and Form 5498 series. To request a transcript, a taxpayer must complete Form 4506-T. Up to eight years may be requested on one Form 4506-T. A check or money order made payable to the "United States Treasury" for $50 must be included for each year requested. Your social security number and the words "Form 4506-T" should be included on the memo line of your check. If a full transcript is not required, taxpayers have the option to request only a copy of Form W-2. In this case, taxpayers must request full copies of their tax returns for the year(s) needed. The same $50 fee per tax year as above applies. However, you will only receive an actual copy of Form W-2 if in fact a paper return was filed and a copy of Form W-2 was submitted with the return. If the tax returns were e-filed and unavailable from the IRS, Form W-2 can also be requested from the Social Security Administration for a fee. The simplest way to request a copy of Form W-2, would be to ask your employer, when possible. Top Updated for Tax Year 2022 • November 9, 2022 09:52 AM OVERVIEW With tax season picking up, taxpayers across the country are eagerly awaiting their W-2s so they can file their returns and claim any refunds they might be owed. But, if you haven’t received your W-2 yet, you might be wondering where your W-2 is as the tax deadline gets closer and closer. These simple steps will help you track down your W-2 or file without it. Missing W-2While employers have until January 31 to issue W-2s to employees, some drop them in the mail on that date while others experience difficulties in getting them out on time. If you haven’t received your W-2 yet, there’s no reason to worry. There are still plenty of options to ensure you file accurately and on time. Before we walk through what to do if you haven't received a W-2, we'll start with the basics—what it is and who receives one. What is a W-2?Form W-2 is completed by an employer and contains important information that you need to complete your tax return. It shows your total wages for the year and the amount of federal, state, and other taxes withheld from your paycheck. It may also contain information about:
Who receives a W-2?Usually, you'll receive a W-2 if you're considered an employee (not an independent contractor). You may also receive multiple W-2s if you:
However, if you work as an independent contractor, the company will likely send you Form 1099-NEC rather than a W-2.
If you’re waiting for your W-2, here are the steps you can take to find it. Step 1: Check onlineMany employers now issue Form W-2 electronically to employees. But that doesn't mean they'll always email the form to you, as it isn't particularly secure. Instead, they'll email you a link to an online portal where you can download the form yourself.
Tax software like TurboTax can import your W-2 electronically and will actually notify you when your W-2 is available to start your taxes. Step 2: Ask your employerIf your online search leaves you empty-handed, contact your employer's payroll or human resources department to ask when and how they issued your W-2. If they mailed it to an old or incorrect address, the post office may have returned it to the employer.
Step 3: Contact the IRSWhat happens if your employer truly never issued your W-2? Perhaps they went out of business or aren’t responding to your request for a W-2? In that case, it's time to try contacting the IRS.
Whether you call or visit a TAC in person, be ready to provide the following information:
The IRS will contact your employer on your behalf to request the missing form and remind the employer of the penalties for failing to issue Form W-2. Step 4: File Form 4852 with your tax returnIf IRS intervention still doesn't produce the form you need and you want to file by the tax deadline, fill out Form 4852. Form 4852 is a substitute for Form W-2 that taxpayers can complete if:
When you use TurboTax, we'll ask you a few questions to estimate your total wages and withholding using your final pay stub, and fill out Form 4852 based on your answers. The IRS doesn't allow Form 4852 to be filed electronically, so you'll need to print out the necessary forms and mail them to the IRS. It might take the IRS longer than normal to process your return while it verifies your information. If you don't mind waiting, you can request an extension. This gives you additional months to get your W-2 and file a return.
Step 5: Request a Wage and Income TranscriptIf you filed your return using Form 4852 and want to verify that the information you included on your return agrees with the income your employer reported to the IRS, you can request a Wage and Income Transcript from the IRS. This transcript shows data from the informational returns that the IRS receives from issuers like your employer, including Forms W-2 and 1099.
Step 6: Amend your return (maybe)If you receive a W-2 or order a Wage and Income Transcript after filing your tax return and the information you receive is different from what you reported on your tax return, you may need to amend your tax return. TurboTax can help you make any necessary corrections and file Form 1040-X easily and accurately. File with confidence—with or without a W-2It's always easier to file a tax return with an accurate W-2 than without it, but if you haven't received your form and need to file, you have options. The steps above can help you get the information you need to file a complete and accurate return, even if your W-2 is tough to track down. File your own taxes with confidence using TurboTax. Just answer simple questions, and we’ll guide you through filing your taxes to get your maximum refund, guaranteed. All you need to know is yourselfAnswer simple questions about your life and TurboTax Free Edition will take care of the rest. For simple tax returns
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The above article is intended to provide generalized financial information designed to educate a broad segment of the public; it does not give personalized tax, investment, legal, or other business and professional advice. Before taking any action, you should always seek the assistance of a professional who knows your particular situation for advice on taxes, your investments, the law, or any other business and professional matters that affect you and/or your business. |