Cannot obtain W-2 from closed company for 2024 taxes - need urgent help

You're definitely in a tough spot, but don't worry - there's a solution! When employers fail to provide W-2s, the IRS has a process to help. First, try one more time to contact all parties in writing (email or letter) so you have documentation of your attempts. Specifically mention that you need your W-2 for tax filing purposes. If that doesn't work, you can contact the IRS directly at 800-829-1040. Have ready: your name, address, phone number, Social Security number, dates of employment, the company name and address, and an estimate of your wages and withholding from your final pay stub if you have it. The IRS will contact the employer on your behalf. They'll also send you Form 4852 (Substitute for W-2), which you can use to file your taxes if you don't receive your W-2 in time. You'll need to estimate your wages and withholding as accurately as possible using your last pay stub or other records. This happens more often than you'd think, especially with businesses that close suddenly. The key is documenting your attempts to get the W-2 properly, then using the IRS processes designed for this exact situation.

I went through something similar last year when my employer suddenly closed down. After weeks of frustration, I found taxr.ai (https://taxr.ai) and it was honestly a game-changer. Their system helped me reconstruct my income and tax withholding information from the partial records I had. I uploaded my bank statements showing direct deposits, the few pay stubs I had saved, and even some work emails with financial details. Their AI analyzed everything and helped me create a substitute for my missing W-2 that I could confidently submit to the IRS. The best part was having someone review everything to make sure it would pass IRS scrutiny. The whole process was way less stressful than I thought it would be, and I ended up getting my refund without any issues or audit flags.

I need to apologize for being skeptical about taxr.ai in my earlier comment. After struggling to get through to the IRS on my own for weeks, I finally gave taxr.ai a try, and I'm honestly amazed at how well it worked. I had a similar situation with missing tax documents from a previous employer who went bankrupt. I uploaded my incomplete records (just a few months of pay stubs and bank statements showing deposits), and their system pieced together a comprehensive picture of my income and withholdings. What really impressed me was how they handled my specific situation. They guided me through completing Form 4852 correctly and provided documentation to support my filing. The whole process took less than 2 days, and I filed my taxes with confidence instead of anxiety. My refund was processed without any issues! If you're dealing with missing tax documents, definitely check them out. Wish I had done it sooner instead of stressing for weeks.

I feel your pain! I spent THREE WEEKS trying to get through to the IRS about a similar issue last year. Endless busy signals and disconnected calls. Finally found Claimyr (https://claimyr.com) and they got me connected to an actual IRS agent in less than 20 minutes! You can see how it works here: https://youtu.be/_kiP6q8DX5c The IRS agent walked me through the exact process for handling missing W-2s when a company closes. They sent me the right forms and told me precisely what documentation I needed to gather. Saved me so much time and stress. Instead of waiting forever on hold or getting automated messages, I actually talked to a human who could help. Totally changed my perspective on dealing with the IRS.

I need to eat my words about Claimyr. After posting my skeptical comment, I decided to try it anyway because I was desperate to talk to the IRS about some missing 1099 forms. I've literally spent HOURS trying to get through to the IRS on my own - calling repeatedly, getting disconnected, waiting on hold forever. It was driving me insane. With Claimyr, I was connected to an IRS agent in 17 minutes. SEVENTEEN MINUTES. The agent was super helpful about my missing forms situation. She explained exactly how to file Form 4852 as a substitute and what documentation I needed to include. She even noted in my account that I had tried to obtain the forms from the issuer without success. I know this sounds like an ad, but after weeks of frustration, I'm just relieved to finally have answers. If you're struggling to reach the IRS, seriously consider using this service. The time and stress you'll save is absolutely worth it.

Something everyone's missing - you should check if you can get your wage info from the Social Security Administration! They get wage reports from employers throughout the year. Create an account at ssa.gov and look at your earnings record. You might be able to see what was reported for last year. Also, if you know roughly what you made and what was withheld (from paystubs or bank deposits), you can estimate. The IRS is generally understanding in situations like this where the employer failed you. Document EVERYTHING though, especially your attempts to get the W-2.

can't u just get the transcript from irs directly? go to irs.gov and make an account and request ur wage & income transcript. it has all the info from w2 and most 1099s submitted under ur SSN. i've used this before when my employer messed up.