Got a W-2 from a company I quit back in 2019...what do I do with this??

Should they also file an identity theft report with the FTC? Because getting a W-2 from a company you no longer work for seems like a red flag for potential identity theft to me.

That's a good point about potential identity theft. While it's not necessary to file an identity theft report immediately (since this could just be a clerical error), it is something to consider if the employer confirms they have no record of employing you recently or if they confirm someone was working under your SSN. If you do suspect identity theft after speaking with the employer, then yes, file an Identity Theft Affidavit (Form 14039) with the IRS and report it to the FTC at IdentityTheft.gov. You might also want to check your credit report to see if there's any other suspicious activity.

How accurate is this service? I've got three weird tax documents this year that make no sense to me - one from a state I've never lived in!

Wait, so did you still have to report the income even though it was an error? Did you need to get a corrected W-2 or did you use that substitute form the first commenter mentioned?

The service is extremely accurate - it uses the same identification systems that professional tax preparers use, but gives explanations in normal human language. It caught details I would have completely missed, like a code that indicated it was from a deferred compensation plan rather than regular wages. In my case, I did have to report the income but I attached an explanation letter with my return. The company wouldn't issue a corrected W-2 because technically the payment was valid (an old benefit that had finally processed), but I was able to offset it by claiming the related business expense. Every situation is different though, which is why having the AI analyze your specific documents is so helpful.

How does this even work? The IRS phone system is literally designed to be impenetrable. Is this actually legit?

Yeah right. Nothing can get through to the IRS during tax season. This sounds like complete BS to me. I've tried calling over 25 times last year and never got through once.

It works by using a special callback technology that navigates the IRS phone tree and holds your place in line. When an agent is about to be available, it calls you and connects you directly to the agent. It's completely legitimate - I was skeptical too until I tried it. The key thing is that it gets you past all the disconnects and "call back later" messages that the IRS system throws at callers during high volume periods. It essentially does the frustrating part of waiting on hold for you, which during tax season can literally be hours if you can even get into the queue at all.

Terrible advice. The IRS computers automatically match ALL W-2s against your filed return regardless of amount. Skip it and you're pretty much guaranteed to get a letter demanding the additional tax plus interest and penalties. The system is fully automated for this kind of matching, it's not about them "choosing" to come after you.

You're probably right, and I wouldn't recommend anyone else do what I did. I got lucky that year, but it's not worth the risk. The IRS matching system doesn't catch everything immediately, so sometimes issues like this can surface years later with added penalties. Better to deal with it properly upfront rather than potentially having a bigger headache down the road.

Great question! The reason tax professionals generally advise reporting it is because the IRS has already received a copy of that W-2. If you don't report it, their automated systems will flag the mismatch. The ideal solution is absolutely to get the company to issue a corrected W-2, but that can take time and companies aren't always responsive. If you can't get it corrected before the filing deadline, you have two options: 1) File Form 4852 (Substitute for W-2) explaining the discrepancy, or 2) Report the income and then file an amended return later if the company issues a correction. Either way, it's important to document your attempts to resolve the issue with the employer. Keep copies of emails, names of people you spoke with, and dates of your communications. This documentation is valuable if the IRS questions the situation later.

That makes sense! So it's more about avoiding the automated flag than actually paying tax on money you never received. I guess $63 wouldn't be much tax anyway, but it's the principle of the thing. Thanks for explaining!