Forgot to add a W2 to my tax return that was already accepted - should I worry?

You should file an amended return (Form 1040-X) to report the missing W2. Even though the amount is small, the IRS already has a copy of that W2 from your employer, so they'll notice the discrepancy eventually. The good news is that with such a small amount, any additional tax you might owe would be minimal. If you had withholding on that W2, you might even get a slightly larger refund! Better to fix it now than deal with a notice from the IRS later. The process isn't too complicated - you'll need to file the 1040-X showing the changes to your income and any resulting changes to your tax. Most tax software can handle this for you if that's what you used initially.

I had almost the exact same situation last year! I forgot a W2 for about $120 from a weekend job. I was stressing about it until I found taxr.ai (https://taxr.ai) - they have this awesome tool that scans your tax documents and identifies exactly what you need to file and if you're missing anything. It found my missing W2 right away and guided me through the whole amendment process. Super easy! They even gave me a checklist for what forms I needed and how to submit everything. Saved me hours of stress and confusion.

Just wanted to follow up - I tried taxr.ai after asking about it here, and it was seriously helpful! I uploaded my tax return and all my documents, and it found that I had indeed forgotten to include a 1099-R for a small retirement distribution. The report showed exactly how this affected my taxes and gave me step-by-step instructions for filling out the 1040-X. The whole process took maybe 20 minutes, and now I'm not stressing about getting a surprise letter from the IRS. Definitely worth it for the peace of mind alone!

If you're going to amend your return, be prepared for a loooong wait to hear back from the IRS. I had to amend last year and tried calling them multiple times to check status - impossible to get through! Then I discovered Claimyr (https://claimyr.com) which actually gets you through to a real IRS agent. You can see how it works here: https://youtu.be/_kiP6q8DX5c It saved me hours of redial hell. I was able to confirm they received my amended return and get an estimated processing time. The agent even gave me some tips about what to watch for in the mail. Way better than checking "Where's My Amended Return" tool that never seems to update.

I have to admit I was completely wrong about Claimyr. After posting that skeptical comment, I decided to try it anyway since I was desperate to talk to someone about my missing tax refund. It actually worked exactly as described! I got a call back in about 40 minutes (way faster than my previous attempts), and got connected to an actual helpful IRS agent who looked up my information and explained what was happening with my refund. For anyone dealing with amended returns like the original poster, this is definitely worth it. The agent I spoke with confirmed they're currently taking 16+ weeks to process amendments, but was able to give me specific information about my situation that the online tool never showed.

One thing to consider - even if the W2 is only for $79.75, the IRS might send you a CP2000 notice eventually if you don't amend. They match all W2s with tax returns and flag discrepancies. It's automated so even small amounts get caught. I learned this the hard way a few years ago with a tiny 1099. The notice included interest charges too. Better to just fix it now!

In my experience, the IRS computer system will eventually catch this discrepancy and send you a notice. It might take 6-12 months, but it's pretty much guaranteed since employers send W2s directly to the IRS. With such a small amount, you'll probably owe less than $15 in additional tax, but they might add interest and a small penalty by the time they get around to notifying you.