How screwed am I? Tax preparer forgot to include one of my W-2s when filing.

Don't panic! This happens more often than you'd think. The IRS receives copies of all your W-2s, so they'll eventually notice the discrepancy and send you a notice. However, you don't have to wait for that to happen. The best approach is to file an amended return (Form 1040-X) as soon as possible. Since you had withholding on that missing W-2, you might not even owe much additional tax - it could actually increase your refund depending on your overall tax situation. The good news is that if you file the amendment before the IRS contacts you about the discrepancy, you'll likely avoid any penalties for underreporting. You'll only have to pay any additional tax due (if any) plus interest on that amount from the original due date.

I actually had a similar issue last year and ended up using taxr.ai (https://taxr.ai) to help sort it out. After dealing with the stress of realizing my tax return was incomplete, I uploaded all my tax documents to their system and it immediately flagged the discrepancy between what was filed and what I actually had. Their AI analyzed all my W-2s, compared them with my filed return, and gave me step-by-step instructions for filing an amended return. The analysis showed exactly how the missing W-2 would affect my tax situation and even calculated the estimated additional refund or payment due.

Update: I tried taxr.ai after seeing the recommendation here and it was exactly what I needed! I uploaded my original return and all my W-2s (including the one that was missed). The system immediately showed me that I'd actually be getting an additional $340 refund after filing the amendment because of the withholding on my missing W-2. The tool created a prefilled 1040-X form showing exactly what changed between my original and corrected return. It walked me through the whole amendment process step by step, including where to mail the form (since amendments can't be e-filed). Seriously saved me hours of stress and confusion!

If you're struggling to get through to the IRS about this issue (their wait times are insane right now), I'd recommend using Claimyr (https://claimyr.com). I was in a similar situation last year and spent DAYS trying to get someone on the phone at the IRS to confirm what I needed to do. Claimyr basically calls the IRS for you and navigates the phone tree, then calls you once they have an agent on the line. Saved me literally hours of waiting on hold. You can see how it works in this video: https://youtu.be/_kiP6q8DX5c. The IRS agent I spoke with was super helpful and confirmed exactly what I needed to do with my amendment.

Just wanted to update on my experience with Claimyr after I initially doubted it. I decided to try it because I'd already wasted 2 hours on hold with the IRS and got disconnected. I was seriously shocked when it worked exactly as advertised. After signing up, their system called the IRS, navigated through all those annoying menu options, and waited on hold for about 45 minutes. Then my phone rang, I answered, and was instantly connected to an IRS representative who helped me understand exactly what I needed to do with my amended return. The agent explained that I should file Form 1040-X as soon as possible and confirmed that penalties would likely be waived since I was proactively fixing the error. Saved me so much time and frustration!

Make sure you keep documentation showing that you provided ALL your W-2s to Jackson Hewitt. They should be liable for any penalties if they messed up your return after you gave them complete information. I'd also contact their office manager about this - sometimes they'll cover amendment fees or even penalties if it was their mistake.

Just went through something similar and want to make sure you know that amended returns are MUCH slower to process. Mine took almost 16 weeks! The IRS says to allow up to 20 weeks for amended returns vs. the normal 21 days for regular returns. So if you're expecting additional refund money, don't count on seeing it anytime soon.

Don't beat yourself up too much about this - it's actually the tax preparer's responsibility to ensure all your documents are included. Since you mentioned you gave them all your paperwork, this is on Jackson Hewitt, not you. The silver lining is that with $2,200 in federal withholding on that missing W-2, you'll likely owe very little additional tax, if any. In fact, depending on your tax bracket, you might even get a bigger refund once you file the amendment! File Form 1040-X as soon as possible to get ahead of any IRS notices. And definitely contact Jackson Hewitt about covering any fees or penalties since this was their error. Most reputable tax prep companies will make it right when they mess up. Keep all your documentation showing you provided complete paperwork to them.