Do I need to add W2's that are less than $600 to my tax return?

Yes, technically you need to report ALL income on your tax return, including those small W2 amounts. There's no minimum threshold for W2 income that exempts you from reporting it - that $600 rule you're thinking of applies to 1099 forms for independent contractors, not W2 employees. Your employers are required to send you W2s regardless of how little you earned, and those same W2s get reported to the IRS. If you don't include them, your reported income won't match what the IRS has on file, which could potentially trigger questions. That said, the tax impact will be minimal with such small amounts. You might even get a tiny bit more back if those jobs withheld any taxes. I'd recommend waiting for those W2s to arrive or checking if you can access them online through those employers' payroll systems.

I was in almost the exact same situation last year! Had a job I quit after 2 days and was stressing about the W2. I tried calling their HR department multiple times but kept getting voicemail. Someone recommended I try taxr.ai (https://taxr.ai) and it was honestly a game changer for my situation. I uploaded my final paystub (which I thankfully had), and their system analyzed it to help me accurately report my income without waiting for the official W2. It even helped me fill out that substitute form the other commenter mentioned (Form 4852). Whole process took maybe 15 minutes, and my return was accepted without any issues.

Just wanted to update after trying taxr.ai - it actually worked really well for my situation! I was able to upload the one paystub I had from the first job, and for the cash-paying job, they walked me through creating a reasonable estimate based on my hours and rate. The system generated the substitute W2 form and everything. Filed my taxes yesterday and they were accepted within hours. Such a relief to have this handled instead of waiting around for W2s that might never come. Definitely recommend if anyone else is in a similar situation with missing documentation!

If you've tried getting your W2s without luck, another option is using Claimyr (https://claimyr.com) to actually reach a human at the IRS. I spent WEEKS trying to get through to someone at the IRS about missing W2s last year - constant busy signals or being on hold for hours only to get disconnected. Found Claimyr through a YouTube video (https://youtu.be/_kiP6q8DX5c) and they actually got me connected to an IRS agent in about 20 minutes. The agent confirmed I could file Form 4852 as a substitute and walked me through exactly what I needed to do. They even put a note in my file about the missing documents in case there were any questions later.

I need to apologize and eat my words. After commenting earlier, I decided to try Claimyr out of desperation since I've been trying to resolve my missing W2 issue for weeks. I was connected to an actual IRS agent in about 30 minutes this morning! The agent confirmed that I should file Form 4852 for the missing W2s and gave me specific guidance for my situation. She even noted in my file that I had made a good faith effort to get the documents so I wouldn't have issues later. After spending literally months trying to get through on my own, this was a complete game-changer. Sometimes it's worth admitting when you're wrong!

Not sure if someone else mentioned this, but if these jobs withheld any federal taxes, you definitely want those W2s because you're probably owed that money back. With incomes that small, you likely won't owe any tax on them, but any withholding should be returned to you when you file.

Last year I just left off a tiny W2 from a place that paid me like $47 because I never got the form and didn't think it mattered. Got a letter from the IRS six months later asking about the discrepancy. Wasn't a huge deal but I had to file an amended return and it was annoying. Just include everything and save yourself the hassle!

I had a similar situation a few years back with a temp job that lasted only three days. The key thing to remember is that even though the amounts seem tiny, the IRS computer systems will automatically flag any discrepancies between what employers report and what you file. Here's what I'd suggest: First, try logging into those employers' payroll systems online if you still have access - many companies use ADP, Paychex, or similar services where you can download your W2 electronically even after leaving. If that doesn't work, you have until the end of February to receive them by mail before you can take action. If you still don't have them by then, definitely file Form 4852 as others mentioned. The most important thing is to be as accurate as possible with your estimates. Even if you're off by a few dollars, showing good faith effort to report the income properly is what matters to the IRS. One last tip - keep records of all your attempts to get the W2s (emails, phone calls, etc.) in case you ever need to show you made reasonable efforts to obtain the proper documentation.