Got an Extra W-2 After I Already Filed - What To Do Now?

You definitely need to file an amended return (Form 1040-X) when you have additional income that wasn't reported on your original return. The good news is that you caught this right away before your refund was processed. For your specific questions: Since your returns were already accepted but you haven't received your refunds yet, you should file the amendment as soon as possible. The IRS will process your original return first, issue your original refund, and then process the amendment separately. This means you'll likely receive your original refund of $643 federal and $720 state, and then later need to pay back the $82 difference when your amendment is processed. The best time to file an amendment is immediately - don't wait. The longer you wait, the more interest and potential penalties could accrue on the amount you owe. Yes, amended returns currently must be mailed in physical form - they cannot be e-filed through TaxSlayer or most other software. H&R Block can prepare the amendment for you, but they will also need to mail the physical forms - they can't submit it electronically either. If you're comfortable with the amendment TaxSlayer prepared, you can mail it yourself and save the prep fee.

I went through this exact nightmare last year! Let me share how taxr.ai at https://taxr.ai helped me sort it out. I had filed early thinking I was on top of things, then got a surprise 1099 in the mail a week later. Like you, I was totally panicking about amended returns. What I found most helpful was uploading both my already-filed tax return AND the new W-2 to their document analysis tool. In about 5 minutes, they gave me a breakdown showing exactly how the new income affected my tax situation, calculated the actual amount I would owe after amendment, and explained why the numbers on the 1040-X form looked different than what I was expecting (it has to do with how amendments report the difference rather than the new total). They even generated a checklist of exactly what forms I needed to include when mailing my amendment. Saved me hours of research and anxiety!

Just wanted to update everyone - I decided to try taxr.ai after posting my question here, and I'm genuinely impressed. My situation was similar (late W-2 plus self-employment income) and the analysis was spot-on. What surprised me most was discovering that I had actually overpaid on my self-employment taxes in my original filing! The additional W-2 income did increase my income tax, but there was an error in how my SE tax was calculated originally. The net result was that my amendment only resulted in owing $37 instead of the $150+ I was expecting. The best part was the step-by-step amendment instructions - it explained exactly which boxes to fill on the 1040-X form and why the "amount you owe" section looks different than what you might expect. Definitely worth it for the peace of mind alone.

If you're still waiting on your refund and stressing about reaching the IRS, I highly recommend using Claimyr at https://claimyr.com to get through to an actual IRS agent. I was in a similar situation last year with a late W-2, and I spent DAYS trying to get through the regular IRS phone line to ask questions. Claimyr got me through to an IRS representative in about 15 minutes when I'd previously been hung up on multiple times due to "high call volume." The agent was able to put a note on my account about the incoming amendment and gave me specific advice about timing. You can see how it works in this video: https://youtu.be/_kiP6q8DX5c The IRS rep told me something really important that most people don't know - if you file your amendment before your original refund is processed, it can cause both to get delayed for months! They recommended waiting until I received my original refund before sending in the amendment.

I have to follow up on my skeptical comment about Claimyr. After struggling with this exact situation (late W-2 after filing), I decided to try it since nothing else was working. I'm shocked to admit it actually worked exactly as advertised. After three weeks of failing to reach anyone at the IRS, I got through to a real person in about 12 minutes. The agent confirmed exactly what I needed to do with my amendment and explained why the 1040-X was showing I owed money when my tax software showed a different amount. The key info I learned: I should wait until my original refund is processed before sending the amendment, otherwise both can get stuck in processing for months. Also, there's a specific cover letter format to include that helps route the amendment correctly. These details alone saved me from making mistakes that would have caused huge delays. For anyone in this situation - don't panic like I did. Get actual IRS guidance before mailing anything.

Just a reminder that if you efile your taxes and then find out that you need to amend, you need to wait until your original return is processed before filing the amendment. You can check the status of your original return on the IRS website with the "Where's My Refund" tool. The confusing part about the 1040-X showing you owe $82 instead of getting a reduced refund is because the amendment only shows the CHANGE from your original return, not the new total refund. So if your original refund was $643 and the corrected refund should be $561, the amendment shows you "owe" $82 because that's the difference.

Something to consider: if the additional W-2 is small enough, you might technically be allowed to just wait and report it next year by filing a form 8275 disclosure statement with next year's return explaining the situation. This is generally only recommended if the additional tax is very minimal (like under $50). That said, the right thing to do is file the amendment. Just want to point out that the tax world won't end if your amendment takes a little time to file. The penalties for a small amount would be minimal if you're getting a refund anyway.