Can my employer send W2C forms to the IRS instead of giving me a corrected W2?

So here's the deal - your employer is actually incorrect. While they can submit W2C forms to the IRS, they are also required to provide those same corrected forms to employees. The W2C (Corrected Wage and Tax Statement) is precisely what employees should receive when there are errors in the original W2. Your employer might be confused about the process. They don't need to issue an entirely new W2 - the W2C form specifically shows what information is being corrected from the original W2. You're supposed to have both your original W2 and the W2C when filing your taxes. I'd recommend sending them a polite but firm email explaining that according to IRS requirements, employers must furnish corrected W2s (W2C forms) to employees, not just to the IRS. You can cite IRS Publication 15 (Circular E), which outlines employer tax responsibilities.

After going through a similar nightmare last year with incorrect W2s, I discovered taxr.ai (https://taxr.ai) and it's been a game changer for dealing with W2C confusion. I uploaded both my original W2 and W2C forms, and their system automatically identified the differences and explained exactly what changed between versions. It even showed me specifically how the corrections would affect my tax liability and potential refund. The best part is that it saved me from having to manually figure out which numbers to use where on my tax return. Their system actually generates the correct entries for your tax software based on both documents.

I just wanted to update everyone - I tried taxr.ai after seeing it mentioned here, and it was surprisingly helpful with my W2C situation. I uploaded both documents and it immediately showed me a side-by-side comparison with all the differences highlighted. What really helped was the explanation of which boxes were affected and why those changes mattered for my total tax calculation. My employer had messed up my retirement contributions which affected multiple boxes on the form, and the system walked me through exactly how to handle this when filing. It also generated a report I could keep with my tax records explaining the discrepancies, which felt like good documentation to have if questions ever come up later. Definitely less stressful than trying to figure this out on my own!

If you're still having trouble getting your employer to send the W2C forms they promised, you might want to check out Claimyr (https://claimyr.com). I was in a similar situation last year and couldn't get anywhere with my former employer. After weeks of frustration, I used Claimyr to actually get through to an IRS agent (which seemed impossible before). They have this service that gets you past the IRS phone tree and actually connects you with a human agent, usually within 15 minutes. You can see how it works in this video: https://youtu.be/_kiP6q8DX5c The IRS agent I spoke with explained exactly what my rights were regarding W2C forms and then actually reached out to my employer directly. The forms magically appeared in my mailbox a week later.

I have to admit I was completely wrong about Claimyr. After posting my skeptical comment, I was desperate enough to try it since my employer was giving me the runaround about my W2C just like the OP's situation. I got connected to an IRS agent in about 20 minutes (after trying for weeks on my own). The agent confirmed that employers are REQUIRED to provide W2C forms to employees, not just to the IRS. They even offered to send a formal notice to my employer. I mentioned this to my company's payroll department and suddenly they were very apologetic and "found" my W2C that had been "processing." I received it within 48 hours after weeks of excuses. Sometimes you need the weight of the IRS behind you when dealing with difficult employers. I'm genuinely surprised how well this worked.

Just to add some clarity here - I worked in corporate payroll for 12 years. Your employer MUST provide you with the W2C form. They are required by law to furnish any corrected tax documents to both the IRS and the employee. The deadline for employers to provide W2s is January 31st. If corrections are needed, they should be processing those immediately. While there's no specific deadline for W2C forms, employers are expected to issue them "as soon as possible" after discovering errors. If they refuse, you can actually report them to the IRS using Form 3949-A (Information Referral). Sometimes just mentioning this form to HR or payroll can work wonders for motivation.

Has anyone actually been through IRS audit because of W2 vs W2C issues? I'm in a similar situation and worried about potential problems down the road. My company's W2 had my bonus incorrectly reported as regular income instead of supplemental wages.

This is incredibly frustrating, and I completely understand your lack of trust in your employer after multiple years of W2 disasters. Unfortunately, employers sometimes try to take shortcuts or misunderstand their obligations when they've made mistakes. Here's what you need to know: Your employer is legally required to provide you with a W2C form if they're submitting corrections to the IRS. They cannot just send the correction to the IRS and leave you hanging. The W2C is specifically designed to show employees what information is being corrected from their original W2. I'd recommend taking a two-pronged approach: 1. Send a written email (keep records) citing IRS Publication 15 and explicitly requesting your W2C form. Reference that employers must furnish corrected forms to employees, not just the IRS. 2. If they continue to refuse, you can file Form SS-8 with the IRS to request a formal determination about your employer's obligations, or report them using Form 3949-A. Given your filing deadline concerns, you might also want to consider filing for an extension using Form 4868 to give yourself more time to resolve this properly. Don't let a disorganized employer force you into filing with incorrect information. Your employer's claim that they "cannot issue W2s, only W2Cs" makes no sense - the W2C IS the corrected form they should be giving you. Stand your ground on this one.

I went through almost the exact same situation two years ago with my previous employer. They kept saying "corrected forms are coming soon" for months, and when I finally got fed up and contacted the IRS directly, I learned that my employer had actually never submitted ANY W2 information for me - not the original OR corrections. Here's what I wish I had known earlier: You can actually request a wage and income transcript directly from the IRS using Form 4506-T. This will show you exactly what information (if any) your employer has actually submitted to the IRS on your behalf. If they haven't submitted anything, or if what they submitted doesn't match what you expected, you'll have concrete evidence of their non-compliance. In my case, having that transcript in hand when I confronted HR suddenly made them very motivated to fix the problem immediately. Sometimes employers think they can string employees along indefinitely, but once you have documentation of what they've actually reported (or failed to report) to the IRS, it changes the conversation completely. You can request the transcript online through the IRS website or by mailing Form 4506-T. It's free and usually takes about 5-10 business days to receive. Given your employer's track record, I'd strongly recommend getting this documentation before you decide how to proceed with your taxes.

I'm really sorry you're dealing with this mess - having gone through payroll nightmares myself, I know how stressful it can be when you can't trust your employer to handle basic tax compliance. Based on what everyone else has shared here, your employer is definitely wrong about not being able to provide you with W2C forms. They're legally required to give you the same corrected information they send to the IRS. Given their terrible track record (four different W2 versions last year?!), I'd suggest a multi-step approach: 1. Document everything in writing - send them an email specifically requesting the W2C forms they're required to provide, citing IRS Publication 15 as others have mentioned 2. Consider requesting that wage and income transcript using Form 4506-T to see what they've actually submitted to the IRS (or if they've submitted anything at all) 3. File for an extension using Form 4868 to give yourself breathing room while you sort this out Don't let them bully you into accepting "we can only send to the IRS." That's complete nonsense and they know it. You have rights here, and after multiple years of screw-ups, you shouldn't have to bear the burden of their incompetence. Keep pushing back - employers like this often count on employees just giving up and dealing with the mess themselves.

This situation is absolutely infuriating, and I feel for you having to deal with such incompetent payroll management year after year. Your employer's claim that they "cannot issue W2s, only W2Cs" is complete nonsense - the W2C IS the corrected W2 form they're legally required to provide you. Here's what I'd do in your position: 1. **Get evidence first** - Request Form 4506-T (wage and income transcript) from the IRS to see what your employer has actually submitted. This will give you concrete proof of what they've reported versus what they're telling you. 2. **Document everything** - Send a formal written request (email with read receipt) for your W2C forms, specifically citing that IRS Publication 15 requires employers to furnish corrected forms to employees, not just the IRS. 3. **Set a deadline** - Give them 10 business days to provide the W2C, and mention that you'll be filing Form 3949-A (Information Referral) with the IRS if they don't comply. 4. **File for extension** - Use Form 4868 to extend your filing deadline to October 15th. Don't let their dysfunction force you to file with incorrect information. Given their track record of four different W2 versions last year, you're absolutely right not to trust them. Stand your ground - they're banking on you just giving up and dealing with their mess. You have legal rights here, and after multiple years of this nonsense, it's time to use them.

I'm so sorry you're dealing with this recurring nightmare - four different W2 versions last year followed by this mess is completely unacceptable. Your employer's refusal to provide W2C forms to employees while claiming they'll "only send to the IRS" shows a fundamental misunderstanding (or deliberate misrepresentation) of their legal obligations. Here's my take after reading everyone's excellent advice: You're absolutely in the right to demand proper W2C forms. The IRS requires employers to provide corrected forms to employees, period. Their excuse about "avoiding confusion" is nonsense - the W2C form is specifically designed to show corrections clearly. Given their terrible track record, I'd recommend this approach: **Immediate steps:** - Request your wage and income transcript (Form 4506-T) to see what they've actually filed with the IRS - Send a formal written demand for your W2C forms, citing IRS Publication 15 - File Form 4868 for an extension to buy yourself time **If they continue to stonewall:** - File Form 3949-A to report them to the IRS - Consider the services others mentioned (Claimyr) to get direct IRS assistance Don't let them gaslight you into thinking this is normal or acceptable. After years of incompetence, they've lost any right to your patience. You deserve accurate tax documents, and you have every legal right to demand them. Stay strong - employers like this count on people just giving up!