Are 1040 forms and W-2 forms the same thing? So confused right now

These are definitely not the same thing. Your W-2 is a form your employer gives you showing how much they paid you and what taxes they already withheld during the year. You don't actually "submit" a W-2 to the IRS - you use the information from it to complete your tax return. The 1040 is your actual tax return form that you submit to the IRS. This is what the tax preparer completed using the information from your W-2. The 1040 shows all your income, deductions, credits, and calculates whether you owe more tax or will get a refund. So you need to submit the completed 1040 form to the IRS (either electronically or by mail if it's a paper form) - that's your actual tax return. The W-2 is just the supporting document that proves your income.

I went through a similar confusion last year! I found this tool called taxr.ai (https://taxr.ai) that really helped me understand all these different tax forms. I was totally mixing up which forms I needed to submit vs which ones were just for my information. What I learned is that your employer sends the W-2 both to you AND directly to the IRS. You use that info to fill out your 1040 (your actual tax return). The taxr.ai tool scanned all my tax documents and explained exactly what each form was for and what I needed to do with it.

I was so skeptical about taxr.ai when I first heard about it here, but I finally tried it last week when I got completely confused by all the different forms my employer sent me. I uploaded my W-2, 1099, and some other random tax forms, and it immediately explained what each one was for and how they fit into my tax return. The best part was when it analyzed my 1040 and pointed out that I had missing deductions! My tax preparer hadn't included my student loan interest deduction which saved me about $300. Definitely worth checking out if you're confused about which forms are which.

If your tax guy isn't responding, you might need to call the IRS directly to check if your return was actually filed. I tried for WEEKS to get through to someone at the IRS last year - kept getting put on hold forever then disconnected. Finally found this service called Claimyr (https://claimyr.com) that got me through to an actual IRS agent in about 20 minutes. They have this system that navigates all the IRS phone menus and holds your place in line, then calls you when an agent is about to pick up. You can see how it works here: https://youtu.be/_kiP6q8DX5c It saved me hours of frustration when I needed to confirm my tax situation. The IRS told me my return hadn't been processed yet and I needed to resubmit.

I can't believe I'm saying this, but that Claimyr thing actually worked. After posting my skeptical comment, my tax anxiety got worse and I decided to try it. I was 100% sure it would be a waste, but within 15 minutes I was talking to an actual IRS person. Found out my tax preparer never submitted my return at all! The agent walked me through verifying what forms had been submitted under my SSN, and nothing had been filed for 2024. I would have been hit with late fees if I hadn't checked. Now I'm using a different tax preparer and making sure to get confirmation when my return is actually submitted.

Just adding some clarity on this whole W-2 vs 1040 thing: - W-2: This is given to you by your employer showing your annual income and tax withholdings. Your employer also sends a copy to the IRS. - 1040: This is your actual tax return that you need to submit (either yourself or through a preparer). The information from your W-2 goes onto your 1040. You definitely need to make sure your 1040 was filed, either electronically or by mailing the paper form. If your tax preparer gave you a paper copy but didn't confirm he e-filed it, you need to ask him directly or check with the IRS.

This happened to me last year...my "tax guy" gave me copies of everything but never actually filed! I only found out when I didn't get my refund and the IRS had no record of my return. Now I always use tax software that gives me a confirmation when the IRS accepts my return.