Employer changed W4 by mistake, now wants to alter W2 instead of paying difference. Help!
Hey everyone, I'm in a bit of a pickle with my employer and could use some advice. They accidentally changed my W4, causing way too much to be withheld from my paycheck. They've admitted the mistake, but now they're talking about changing my W2 instead of just paying me back the difference. They're saying it'll take 20-30 weeks to fix! I thought they could just adjust my pay without messing with the W2. Anyone dealt with something like this before? What should I do?
21 comments
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Benjamin Johnson
Ugh, that sucks! Your employer should definitely be able to just pay you back without changing your W2. Changing the W2 is gonna mess with your taxes big time. Have you tried showing them something from the IRS website about this?
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Victoria Scott
•I've been looking, but I'm having trouble finding the exact info. Do you know where on the IRS site I should be looking?
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Benjamin Johnson
•Try searching for "Publication 15 (Circular E)" on the IRS website. It's the Employer's Tax Guide and should have info on correcting withholding errors. Good luck!
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Victoria Scott
•Thanks! I'll check that out. Fingers crossed it helps me convince them to just pay me back 🤞
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Zara Perez
I had a similar issue last year. My company tried to pull the same thing, saying they had to change my W2. I stood my ground and insisted they just correct the pay. Took some back and forth, but they eventually did it. Don't let them push you around!
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Victoria Scott
•That's encouraging to hear! Did you have to get HR involved, or was it just between you and payroll?
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Zara Perez
•I started with payroll, but when they kept stonewalling me, I went to HR. That seemed to light a fire under them. Don't be afraid to escalate if you need to!
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Daniel Rogers
20-30 weeks?! That's ridiculous. They're just trying to avoid admitting they screwed up. Stand your ground and demand they fix it ASAP. It's your money, after all!
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Aaliyah Reed
Here's what you need to do: 1. Document everything. Save emails, write down phone calls. 2. Look up the relevant IRS guidelines (others have mentioned Publication 15). 3. Write a formal letter to your employer explaining the situation and requesting immediate correction. 4. If they still refuse, consider contacting your state's labor board. 5. As a last resort, you might want to consult an employment lawyer. Remember, this is YOUR money. Don't let them jerk you around. Good luck!
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Victoria Scott
•Wow, thank you for the detailed advice! I'll definitely start documenting everything right away. Hopefully it doesn't come to needing a lawyer, but it's good to know my options.
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Ella Russell
•This is solid advice. I'd add one thing: check your employee handbook or contract. There might be something in there about payroll errors that could help your case.
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Mohammed Khan
lol welcome to corporate America where they always find a way to screw the little guy 🤡 good luck getting your money back anytime soon
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Gavin King
•Cmon man, don't be so negative. Not every company is out to get you. Sometimes mistakes happen.
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Mohammed Khan
•found the corporate shill 🙄
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Nathan Kim
Hey, I know this is frustrating, but I found a way to actually get someone on the phone when dealing with stuff like this. I used this site's (claimyr.com) calling tool that dials the phone menu, stays on hold, waits for a live agent to pick up, then sends the call to my phone. It does cost $20, but it works. Here's a video about it: https://youtu.be/_kiP6q8DX5c
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Eleanor Foster
•Sounds interesting. How long did you have to wait before they connected you?
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Nathan Kim
•It varied, but usually around 30-45 minutes. Way better than sitting on hold myself!
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Lucas Turner
•Idk man, sounds kinda scammy. You sure it's legit?
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Nathan Kim
•I get the skepticism, but it's totally legit. Saved me hours of frustration. Give it a shot if you're ever stuck on hold hell.
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Kai Rivera
Have you considered looking for a new job? Any company that messes up your pay and then drags their feet fixing it doesn't deserve your loyalty. Just sayin' 🤷♂️
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Omar Fawzi
This is definitely frustrating, but you're absolutely right to push back! Your employer made the mistake with your W-4, so they should fix it properly. Altering your W-2 could create tax complications for you down the road. I'd recommend being persistent - document everything in writing, reference the IRS guidelines others have mentioned, and don't accept "20-30 weeks" as reasonable. They have payroll systems that can handle corrections much faster than that. Keep escalating up the chain if needed - this is your hard-earned money we're talking about!
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