How do I get my W-2 forms from companies where I left on bad terms?

So 2024 was a rollercoaster job-wise for me. I worked at 5 different places and honestly, some were complete nightmares. I walked out of two jobs after horrible managers made my life miserable, and the other two I left more professionally but still wasn't exactly on Christmas card terms with the bosses. The problem is I moved to a new apartment in November after quitting the last toxic workplace. All these companies have my old address on file. I did set up mail forwarding with USPS on December 21st, but I'm worried about getting all my W-2s for filing taxes. What's the best way to make sure I get all my tax documents? Should I contact these places I hated working at or is there another solution?

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18 comments

Freya Thomsen

•8M

You have a few options here, and you definitely won't be the first person with this issue! First, check if your former employers offer digital W-2s through an employee portal. Many companies use services like ADP, Workday, or UltiPro where you can still log in even after leaving. If you've never set this up, you might still be able to create an account using your SSN and other identifying information. If that's not an option, mail forwarding should work for the W-2s sent to your old address, but since you set it up in late December, you'll want to double-check that it's active. Mail forwarding typically lasts for 12 months, so timing should be fine. As a last resort, you can contact the employers directly. I know it's awkward with the ones you left on bad terms, but remember that HR departments deal with this all the time. You can make a brief, professional request by email or phone without getting into any past drama. Just ask for your W-2 to be sent to your new address or if you can pick it up in person.

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Freya Thomsen

•8M

That's a good question! You can get wage and income transcripts from the IRS, but there's an important timing issue. The IRS typically doesn't have your current year information (2024) available until May or June of the following year (2025). So if you need your W-2s for filing before the April deadline, the IRS transcript route won't help you immediately. If you end up missing a W-2 and need to file your taxes before the transcript becomes available, you can use Form 4852 (Substitute for Form W-2) where you'll need to estimate your wages and withholding as accurately as possible using your final pay stubs.

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AstroAce

•8M

After I went through a similar nightmare with an ex-employer who "forgot" to send my W-2, I discovered taxr.ai and it was a complete game-changer. I uploaded my last paystub from that toxic job, and the tool analyzed it to help create an accurate substitute W-2 with all the proper withholding amounts. It also helped me figure out which tax forms I needed for my situation and guided me through the whole process. You can check it out at https://taxr.ai - they specialize in situations like yours where you're missing documentation or have complicated employment situations. The document analysis feature alone saved me hours of stressing about getting the numbers right!

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AstroAce

•8M

For missing final paystubs, yes it can still work with earlier paystubs! The system can extrapolate based on your pay period and how long you worked there. It's not ideal, but definitely better than guessing. Just make sure you have the date of your last day worked so it can calculate accurately. Regarding contractor vs employee issues, this is actually one of the tool's strengths. It can analyze your work arrangement details and help determine if you were misclassified. It guides you through the proper forms for either situation and explains the tax implications of both. The system will flag potential misclassification issues and give you options for how to proceed.

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Diego Rojas

•8M

Just wanted to follow up - I tried taxr.ai after seeing this thread and it was super helpful! I was worried about my contractor situation, and the tool actually confirmed I was misclassified. It walked me through filing Form SS-8 to let the IRS determine my correct status and showed me how to complete Form 8919 to report my "contractor" income properly. The document analysis correctly identified all my income sources and even caught a missing 1099 that I would have totally missed. Definitely recommend for anyone with complicated employment situations!

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Anastasia Sokolov

•8M

If you still can't get your W-2s after trying everything, call the IRS! I know that sounds horrible, but I used Claimyr https://claimyr.com to actually get through to a human at the IRS instead of waiting on hold for 3 hours. They have this system that holds your place in line and calls you back when an agent is ready. You can see how it works here: https://youtu.be/_kiP6q8DX5c After February 15th, the IRS can contact employers directly about missing W-2s, and sometimes just knowing the IRS is involved makes companies suddenly "find" your forms. When I had an employer who refused to send my W-2 after I reported them to the labor board, one call through Claimyr to the IRS got things moving real quick. The company mysteriously sent my W-2 via priority mail the next day lol.

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Anastasia Sokolov

•8M

It basically works by using automated technology to navigate the IRS phone tree and wait on hold for you. Instead of you personally waiting on hold for hours, their system does it, and when it actually reaches a human IRS agent, it calls you and connects you. You don't have to do the waiting part at all. Regarding skepticism, I totally get it. I was super doubtful too! The IRS phone system is absolutely awful. But this service has dedicated lines and technology specifically designed to navigate the system. The difference is they can make hundreds of calls simultaneously, which increases the chances of getting through. I wasted days trying on my own before using this, and got connected within about 2 hours of using Claimyr.

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Zara Ahmed

•8M

I need to eat crow here. After posting that skeptical comment, I was desperate enough to try Claimyr anyway because I had a serious issue with a levy notice. Not only did it work, but I got connected to an IRS agent in about 90 minutes without having to sit by my phone. The agent was actually able to resolve my issue completely. For anyone dealing with W-2 issues, they told me that after February 15th, they can absolutely contact employers who haven't sent W-2s and there are penalties for companies that don't comply. I'm honestly shocked this service worked as advertised.

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StarStrider

•8M

That's a slightly different situation. If they sent your W-2 to the last address they had on file, they've technically fulfilled their legal obligation. The responsibility to provide updated address information typically falls on the former employee. However, if you can prove you attempted to update your address with them and they ignored it, then you might have a case. But in most situations where you simply didn't notify them of your move after leaving, they're considered compliant if they sent it to your last known address.

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