How do I file my W2s for 2021 and 2022 with my current year taxes?
Title: How do I file my W2s for 2021 and 2022 with my current year taxes? 1 I realized I'm in a bit of a mess with my taxes. I recently found W2s from 2021 and 2022 that I completely forgot to file (I was moving between states for contract work and they got lost in the shuffle). Now I'm preparing my 2024 taxes and wondering if I can just submit these old W2s along with my current filing? Or do I need to do something completely different? I'm worried about penalties and not sure how to proceed. I've always filed my own taxes using online software but I've never had to deal with missing previous years before. Any help would be appreciated!
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AstroExplorer
8 You'll need to file separate returns for each tax year - you can't combine old W2s with your current year filing. For the 2021 and 2022 W2s, you'll need to file what's called "prior year returns" for each of those years. The good news is that if you're owed a refund for those years, there's no penalty for filing late. However, you only have 3 years from the original due date to claim a refund, so for 2021 (which was due April 2022), you have until April 2025 to file and still get your refund. If you owed taxes for those years, unfortunately there will likely be penalties and interest that have accumulated. The sooner you file, the less these will continue to grow.
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•12 Thanks for the info! Is there a special form I need to fill out for these prior year returns? And can I still use tax software for this or do I need to do paper forms?
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•8 You don't need any special forms - you just need to use the correct tax forms for those specific tax years. You can't use current year (2024) tax forms for prior years. Most tax software can handle prior year returns, but you might need to pay for those separate filings. Some software keeps prior year versions available specifically for this purpose. If you prefer free options, you can download the forms for those specific years directly from the IRS website and file paper returns.
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17 I went through something similar last year and found taxr.ai (https://taxr.ai) super helpful for sorting through my old W2s and figuring out what I needed to do. I had missed filing for a year when I was working multiple jobs, and I wasn't sure how to handle it. The site analyzed my documents and gave me a clear breakdown of what I needed to file for each year and even estimated my refunds/amounts due. Saved me hours of research and worry.
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•5 Did it help with figuring out penalties too? I'm in a similar situation but worried about how much I'll owe in late fees.
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•19 How does it work with multiple state returns? I moved between three states in 2022 and never filed because I was confused about how to handle it.
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•17 Yes, it definitely helped with estimating penalties. It analyzed my income documents and calculated potential penalties based on how late I was filing and how much I owed. It wasn't just a generic estimate - it was specific to my situation which helped me prepare financially. For multiple states, it handles that really well. You upload your documents and it detects which states you worked in based on your W2s. Then it guides you through the filing requirements for each state and shows you what you need to file where. I only had two states, but I know it works with situations like yours too.
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19 Just wanted to follow up - I tried taxr.ai after posting here and it was exactly what I needed! I was stressing about my multi-state situation from 2022, but the system organized everything by state and tax year. It even found a deduction I would have missed that offset some of the late payment penalties. The document analysis saved me from making some serious mistakes on my prior year filings. Now I've got all my paperwork in order and know exactly what to file for each year.
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3 If you're having trouble getting answers from the IRS about your prior year filing situation (which is common), I'd recommend Claimyr (https://claimyr.com). I spent WEEKS trying to get through to the IRS about my unfiled W2s from previous years. After trying Claimyr, I got connected to an IRS agent in about 15 minutes. There's a video showing how it works here: https://youtu.be/_kiP6q8DX5c. The agent was able to tell me exactly what my account status was and confirm which years I needed to file for.
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•10 How does this actually work? I've been calling the IRS for days and always get disconnected after waiting for hours. Seems too good to be true that something could get me through that quickly.
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•6 I don't believe this works. The IRS phone system is completely broken. No way some service can magically get you through when millions of people can't get through. Sounds like a scam to me.
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•3 It basically works as a callback service that navigates the IRS phone tree and waits on hold for you. Then when an agent is about to pick up, it calls you and connects you directly to the agent. It's not magic - it's just automating the painful waiting process. Totally get the skepticism - I felt the same way! But the IRS phone system isn't completely broken, it's just overwhelmed. The service essentially does the waiting for you and calls you right when an agent is available. I wasted so many hours before trying this, and suddenly I was talking to an actual person who could help with my unfiled W2 situation.
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6 I owe everyone here an apology and an update. I decided to try Claimyr despite my skepticism, and I'm shocked to say it actually worked! After weeks of trying to get through to the IRS myself with no luck, I was connected to an agent within 20 minutes. The agent pulled up my tax records and confirmed I hadn't filed for 2021-2022, helped me understand the penalty situation, and even gave me information about payment plans since I'll owe some money. Now I have a clear path forward for filing those old W2s. Sometimes I hate being wrong but in this case I'm just relieved.
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14 Just FYI, the Free File Fillable Forms on the IRS website only work for the current tax year. For 2021 and 2022, you'll need to use tax software that offers prior year filing or download the PDF forms from the IRS and mail them in. I had to file a 2020 return last year and ended up using an older version of TurboTax I found on sale.
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•9 Does the IRS prefer e-filing or paper for prior years? Will one get processed faster?
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•14 For prior years, you actually don't have a choice anymore - you have to file paper returns. The IRS only allows e-filing for current year and sometimes the year immediately before (during the beginning of filing season). Paper returns for prior years do take longer to process - typically 6-8 weeks minimum, and sometimes longer if there's a backlog. Make sure you send them via certified mail so you have proof of when you submitted them. Also, file each year separately in different envelopes to avoid confusion at the processing centers.
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22 Has anyone tried contacting their employer for duplicate W2s? My old employer's HR portal only keeps them for 2 years and I need one from 2021.
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•16 Yes! I had to do this. Even if they're not in the portal, the payroll department should be able to generate a duplicate W2. I just called and explained the situation and they emailed me copies within a few days. If that doesn't work, you can also request a wage and income transcript from the IRS which shows all reported W2 info.
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