How do I retrieve old W2s from previous employers for back tax filing?

You've got several options for retrieving old W2s! The IRS transcripts you already accessed are a great start, even with the encrypted EINs. For the employers you can't remember, try checking your email for any onboarding documents or pay stubs that might mention company names. Also check your bank statements from those years - deposits might help you identify forgotten employers. The Social Security Administration (SSA) keeps a complete record of your work history with all employers. You can request a "Detailed Earnings Information" report from them which will show all employers who reported your wages. This costs about $92 but gives you everything you need including the employer names and EINs. If you know the years but not the employers, you can file Form 4506-T with the IRS requesting "Wage and Income Transcripts" which will show the actual W2 information.

After struggling with a similar situation last year, I found taxr.ai (https://taxr.ai) to be incredibly helpful! I had accessed my transcripts like you did, but couldn't make sense of all the encrypted info. Their system helped decode my tax documents and identified all my previous employers from the partial information available on my transcripts. The tool analyzed my transcript data and was able to match the encrypted EINs with actual employer names by cross-referencing with their database. It even organized everything by tax year which made it super easy to file my back taxes. They have a feature specifically for reconstructing employment history when you're missing documentation.

I wanted to follow up about my experience with taxr.ai after seeing it mentioned here. I was really doubtful it would work, but I was desperate to figure out my employment history. It actually worked surprisingly well! I uploaded my IRS transcript PDFs and within about 20 minutes, they had identified 5 of my 6 previous employers, even with those partially redacted EINs. The system matched the wage amounts and partial EIN data with employer information in their database. For the one employer they couldn't automatically identify, they provided a short questionnaire about the industry and location, which helped narrow it down. I was able to get all the information I needed to file my back taxes without having to wait weeks for the SSA report.

If you're having trouble reaching the IRS to get more help with those transcripts, I'd recommend using Claimyr (https://claimyr.com). I spent DAYS trying to talk to someone at the IRS about getting complete W2 information, but kept getting disconnected or waiting for hours. Claimyr got me connected to an actual IRS representative in about 20 minutes who was able to provide more details about my wage information that wasn't showing correctly in the online transcripts. You can see how it works in this video: https://youtu.be/_kiP6q8DX5c. The IRS agent I spoke with was able to read off the actual employer names that matched the encrypted EINs on my transcript.

I need to apologize for my skepticism about Claimyr. After posting that comment, I decided to try it since I was desperate to resolve an issue with some missing W2s from 2021. It actually worked exactly as described. I was connected to an IRS agent in about 25 minutes (they estimated 30). The agent was able to see all my employer information including the full company names that were encrypted on my transcript. They even offered to mail me complete wage and income transcripts with the unredacted information, which solved my problem. I'm still somewhat shocked at how well it worked after spending weeks trying to get through on my own.

Another option nobody's mentioned is contacting your state's unemployment office. I went through this last year and discovered that because employers report wage data to state unemployment agencies, they often have records of all your past employers. In my state, I was able to create an online account and view my complete employment history, including company names and dates.

Has anyone tried just using previous years' tax software accounts? I realized that even though I never filed, I had started the process in TurboTax a couple times and it had saved some of my W2 info from employers where I had entered it but never completed filing.

Don't panic about the penalties - the IRS is generally understanding about first-time filers, especially when you're making a good faith effort to catch up. You might qualify for first-time penalty abatement if you do end up owing anything. For tracking down those mystery employers, try checking your old resumes or LinkedIn profile - sometimes we forget about short-term jobs but they're still listed there. Also, if you have any old performance reviews, reference letters, or even business cards tucked away somewhere, those could help jog your memory. One thing that worked for me was going through old social media posts from those years - I found posts about new jobs, complaining about work, etc. that reminded me of places I'd completely forgotten about. Sometimes we document our lives without realizing it could be useful later! The unemployment office suggestion is solid too - that's probably your fastest free option while you're waiting on other documentation.

I went through almost the exact same situation a couple years ago - multiple years of unfiled returns and lost W2s. Here's what I learned that might help you: First, don't stress too much about the penalties. The IRS has several penalty relief options, especially for first-time filers. Look into "First Time Abate" (FTA) which can waive penalties for the first year you file late if you have a clean compliance history. For those mystery employers, try these approaches I used: - Check old email accounts for job application confirmations or onboarding emails - Look through your credit reports - sometimes employer background checks show up and can jog your memory - If you moved around, check old lease applications where you would have listed employers - Contact former coworkers on social media - they might remember places you worked together The state unemployment office suggestion is gold - that's how I found 3 employers I'd completely forgotten about. Most states let you view your wage history online once you create an account. Also, don't overlook the IRS Taxpayer Advocate Service if you get stuck. They're free and can help navigate the system when you're trying to get compliant after multiple years. Good luck - you're doing the right thing by getting caught up!

I'm in a very similar boat and have been putting this off for way too long! Reading through all these suggestions is giving me hope that it's actually doable. I particularly like the idea of checking old bank statements for employer deposits - that seems like the most reliable way to jog my memory about places I might have forgotten. One thing I'm curious about - for those who have successfully filed multiple years of back taxes, how did you handle the process? Did you file them all at once or spread it out over time? I'm worried about triggering some kind of audit red flag by suddenly filing 4-5 years worth of returns simultaneously. Also, has anyone dealt with situations where an old employer has gone out of business? I know at least one of my previous jobs was at a small company that I think closed down, so getting a W2 from them might be impossible. Would the IRS wage transcripts be enough in that case, or do I need to track down who took over their records? Thanks everyone for sharing your experiences - this community is incredibly helpful for those of us trying to get our tax lives back on track!

I want to add another angle that might help - check if you have any old tax preparation software on your computer or cloud storage. Even if you never completed filing, programs like TurboTax, TaxAct, or H&R Block often save partial returns as you work on them. I found a couple of my missing W2s this way when I discovered old .tax files buried in my Documents folder. Also, if you had direct deposit for any of those jobs, your bank might be able to provide more detailed transaction history than just basic statements. I called my bank and they were able to give me employer names and ACH details for deposits going back 7 years, which helped me identify two companies I'd completely forgotten about. One more thing - if you're still stuck after trying these methods, consider hiring a tax professional who specializes in unfiled returns. Yes, it costs money, but they often have access to databases and resources that can help reconstruct your tax history more quickly than doing it yourself. Sometimes the cost is worth it to avoid the stress and get everything resolved properly. You're taking the right steps by getting this sorted out now. The IRS really does work with people who are making genuine efforts to become compliant, so don't let anxiety paralyze you from moving forward!

I've been through a similar situation with missing W2s from years of poor record keeping! One resource that really saved me was the IRS's Get Transcript tool - you can request "Wage and Income Transcripts" for specific years which will show all the W2 information that was reported to the IRS, even if the employer names are partially masked. Here's what worked for me: I cross-referenced the wage amounts and dates from the transcripts with my old bank statements to identify which employers they came from. Even though the EINs were encrypted, the combination of wage amounts, pay periods, and deposit dates usually made it clear which job was which. If you're still missing some, you can also file Form 4852 (Substitute for Form W-2) for any employer you can't track down. You'll need to include whatever information you have (employer name if you remember it, your best estimate of wages and withholdings based on bank records, etc.). The IRS accepts these when you've made reasonable efforts to obtain the actual W2. Don't stress too much about the penalties - there are several relief options available, especially for first-time filers. Focus on getting compliant first, then work with the IRS on any penalty issues. You're doing the right thing by tackling this now rather than continuing to put it off!

I need 2021-2023

For 2021-2023, you're in a good position since those are recent years and within the 3-year window for claiming refunds! Here's what I'd recommend: First, try the IRS Get Transcript tool online - you can access wage and income transcripts for all three years which will show your W2 information even if employer names are partially masked. Since these are recent years, the records should be complete and accessible immediately. For 2021-2023, most employers are still in business and their payroll systems should have your W2s on file. If you remember any of the companies, contact their HR departments directly - they're required to keep W2 records and can usually reissue them. Check your email accounts for any job-related communications, offer letters, or onboarding documents from those years. Also look through your phone for any work-related contacts or apps you might have used. Since you're only dealing with 3 years, this is much more manageable than some of the longer timeframes others have mentioned. The state unemployment office suggestion would work great for this timeframe too - their records for 2021-2023 should be easily accessible online. Don't stress about penalties for these recent years - if you're owed refunds (which is common), there are no penalties for filing late refund returns. Focus on getting the W2 information and file as soon as you can!