Similar thing happened to me - found out the small business I worked for had closed down, which is why I never got a W-2. I used the address from my paystub and sent a letter requesting my W-2 that got returned as undeliverable. Called the IRS, and they suggested filing Form 4852 (substitute W-2) based on my last paystub. I was missing some info though, like the employer's EIN, so I had to estimate some parts. Even with the estimates, my return was processed without issues and I got my refund about 3 weeks later. Just make sure to check "yes" to the question about having all your tax forms before filing if you're using tax software. You can explain the missing W-2 situation and use the substitute form.

Hey Sean! I actually had a very similar situation with a short-term job where the employer never sent my W-2. Here's what I learned from the experience: First, definitely try contacting the coffee shop one more time - sometimes small businesses are just disorganized rather than deliberately ignoring you. If that doesn't work, you have a few good options: 1. Call the IRS at 800-829-1040 (as Zara mentioned) - they can contact the employer and help you get Form 4852 2. File Form 4852 yourself using your last paystub - this is totally legitimate and the IRS accepts it as a W-2 substitute Since you mentioned you're expecting a refund from other jobs, you'll definitely want to include this income to avoid any issues later. Even though the amount is small, the IRS systems do flag missing W-2s when they have records from employers. The key is having your last paystub - it shows your total earnings and any withholdings, which is exactly what would be on your W-2. Don't stress too much about it, this happens more often than you'd think and there are established processes to handle it!

I've been a tax professional for about 8 years and want to echo what others have said - the Schedule D Tax Worksheet really is designed to benefit you, not confuse you (though it certainly does the latter!). One thing I'd add to the excellent explanations here is about timing and planning. Since you mentioned you sold investment property and collectibles this year, it's worth understanding how this affects your planning for future years. The reason the unrecaptured Section 1250 gains exist is because you likely claimed depreciation deductions on that rental property over the years, which reduced your taxable income. The 25% maximum rate is essentially the government's way of "recapturing" some of that benefit - but still at a rate that's usually lower than what your ordinary income rate would be. For collectibles, the 28% rate reflects Congress's view that these aren't "productive" investments in the same way that stocks or bonds are, so they don't get the full preferential capital gains treatment. Understanding this can help with future planning. If you're thinking about selling more property or collectibles, you can estimate whether you'd benefit from spreading sales across multiple years to stay in lower tax brackets, or whether it makes sense to bunch them in a single year. The worksheet calculations are complex, but the underlying policy is actually quite logical once you understand the "why" behind these special rates.

This entire thread has been incredibly enlightening! As someone who's been dreading tackling my Schedule D situation, reading through all these explanations has finally made the Tax Worksheet feel manageable rather than terrifying. The "cake layers" analogy from Hannah really clicked for me, and Aisha's explanation about the special rates being maximums (not minimums) was a total lightbulb moment. I've been assuming I'd automatically pay 25% on my unrecaptured 1250 gains, but now I understand that if I'm in a lower bracket, I'll actually pay that lower rate instead. What strikes me most is how this worksheet, despite being confusing, is actually designed to help taxpayers by ensuring we always pay the lowest rate possible. The IRS instructions make it seem like some punitive complex calculation, when really it's a mathematical safety net. I think I'm going to try the hybrid approach that Christopher mentioned - let my tax software handle the actual calculations while I work through a simplified version manually just to verify I understand the logic. That way I can feel confident about the results without getting lost in every single line calculation. Thank you all for turning what felt like an impossible tax puzzle into something I can actually wrap my head around. This community is amazing!

For the W4 specifically, don't overlook the "Additional income" section in Step 4(a). If you leave this blank, the system assumes your current job is your only source of income. If that's true, then your withholding will be calculated assuming all your income is in lower tax brackets. But if you have a second job or significant investment income, you should fill this out to avoid a surprise tax bill. For someone with only one job trying to maximize take-home pay, make sure this section is blank (unless you do have other income).

My company's payroll system has an option where you can just request a specific additional dollar amount to be withheld, rather than messing with all the dependent stuff. Maybe look for something like that? I just put in "-$100" and got an extra hundred bucks per paycheck. Been doing it for years with no issues.

Just wanted to add a helpful tip from my experience handling my grandfather's taxes last year - if you're checking transcripts on Saturday mornings, try to check between 6-8 AM ET for the most reliable results. I noticed that heavy traffic later in the morning (9-11 AM) sometimes caused the transcript system to be sluggish or temporarily unavailable. Also, while you're managing your mom's finances during her recovery, it might be worth noting that if her refund does get delayed beyond the normal processing time, the IRS will automatically pay interest on delayed refunds. It's not much, but it's something to be aware of. The Saturday update pattern has been incredibly consistent in my experience - I tracked it for about 6 months and saw updates roughly 80% of Saturday mornings when there was movement to report. Much more reliable than the random weekday checking I used to do! Sending good thoughts for your mom's quick recovery! 💙

This thread has been incredibly helpful! I'm dealing with a similar situation - helping my elderly aunt with her taxes while she's dealing with some health issues. Based on everyone's insights, I'm going to stop my random daily checking and switch to the Saturday morning approach around 6-8 AM ET. One question for the group: has anyone noticed if there are certain types of returns that tend to update on different days? My aunt has a pretty simple return (just Social Security and a small pension), but I'm wondering if different return types follow different update patterns within that Saturday morning cycle. Also, thank you to everyone who shared the tip about transcripts being more detailed than WMR - I had no idea they were pulling from different systems! This community is amazing for breaking down all these IRS processes that seem so mysterious when you're dealing with them alone. 🙏

Just wanted to add some perspective as someone who works in international tax compliance - the anxiety you're experiencing is completely normal and understandable. I've seen dozens of expats in similar situations, and the fear of airport detention is always their biggest worry, despite it being extremely unlikely for simple non-filing cases. What you're describing - living abroad without filing US taxes - is incredibly common among American expats. The IRS estimates that millions of US citizens abroad are non-compliant, mostly due to lack of awareness rather than willful evasion. The enforcement resources simply aren't there to pursue every non-filer at border crossings. That said, I do strongly recommend using the Streamlined Filing Procedures once you're settled back from your family emergency. The program was specifically designed for situations like yours where the non-compliance was non-willful. You'll likely need to file 3 years of tax returns and 6 years of FBARs, but given your overseas residence, you may qualify for exclusions that significantly reduce or eliminate any tax owed. Safe travels, and try not to let tax anxiety overshadow what's clearly an important family matter that needs your attention right now.

I completely understand your anxiety - I was in a nearly identical situation about two years ago. US citizen living in Germany for 6 years, hadn't filed a single return or FBAR, and was terrified about flying back for my father's funeral. The reality is exactly what everyone else has said here - there are no IRS agents at airports checking tax compliance. I flew into Miami International and the CBP officer literally spent 30 seconds checking my passport and asking basic questions about my trip purpose. Zero mention of taxes, filing status, or anything related to the IRS. However, I learned something important that might help you: even if you can't get fully compliant before your trip, you can at least start the process. I began gathering my documents and researching the Streamlined procedures before I left, which gave me some peace of mind. It showed me that there was a clear path forward and that my situation wasn't as hopeless as I'd imagined. The Foreign Earned Income Exclusion ended up covering most of my overseas income when I finally filed through the Streamlined program. What felt like an insurmountable tax disaster turned out to be mostly paperwork with minimal actual tax owed. Focus on your family emergency first - that's what matters right now. The tax situation can wait a few more weeks, and honestly, having this conversation here has probably done more to educate you about your options than months of worrying in silence ever could.