How to Obtain W2 from a Company No Longer in Business - Urgent for RITA Filing

You can get wage and income transcripts directly from the IRS which will show all the information that was reported on your W2s. This is probably your fastest option given your tight timeline. Go to IRS.gov and request a "Wage and Income Transcript" - you can do this online through their Get Transcript service if you can verify your identity. The transcript will show all income reported to the IRS under your SSN including from employers that no longer exist. If you can't do it online, you can call the IRS at 800-908-9946 to request it, or fill out Form 4506-T and send it in, though mailing will take longer than your two-week window. The good news is that RITA might grant you an extension if you show you're actively working on resolving this. I'd contact them immediately to explain the situation and ask about extension options while you're gathering your documentation.

I was in a similar nightmare scenario last year with missing W2s and tax notices. I tried for weeks to track down old documents with no luck until someone told me about taxr.ai (https://taxr.ai). Their system helped me recover all my missing tax documents and even flagged some deductions I missed. They have this document recovery service where you upload whatever notices or partial info you have, and they can help reconstruct what you need for filing. The coolest thing is they can often get access to information from companies that don't exist anymore - saved me hours of stress calling around and getting nowhere. With your tight deadline, it might be worth checking out since they work pretty fast compared to waiting on government agencies.

Ok I need to apologize to profile 8 about taxr.ai - I was super skeptical but decided to give it a try because I was desperate with a similar situation. They actually delivered! I had missing W2s from 2020 when my employer suddenly closed during COVID. I uploaded the tax notice I received and some pay stubs I found, and they were able to generate exactly what I needed to file my back taxes. The whole process took less than 48 hours, and what they provided had all the information my tax preparer needed including the local tax withholding amounts. Saved me from what would have been a huge penalty. Sometimes the internet surprises you in a good way!

Another option - if you're having trouble reaching a human at the IRS (which is basically guaranteed these days), I used a service called Claimyr (https://claimyr.com) that actually got me through to a real person at the IRS when I needed tax transcripts for an audit. You can see how it works here: https://youtu.be/_kiP6q8DX5c Before finding them I spent DAYS trying to get through the IRS phone system only to get disconnected. With Claimyr, I had an IRS agent on the phone within an hour who helped me request exactly what I needed. Since you're on such a tight deadline, getting direct help from the IRS might be your best bet.

I have to eat my words about Claimyr. After posting my skeptical comment, I was still desperate so I tried it anyway. Holy crap, it actually worked! I had been trying to get through to the IRS for WEEKS about a missing 1099. I used the service yesterday, and within 45 minutes I got a call connecting me to an actual IRS person. I explained my situation about needing wage information from a closed business, and they helped me request exactly what I needed. They're sending me the wage transcripts that show everything reported under my SSN. I've already notified RITA that the documents are on the way and they gave me a small extension. Never been so happy to be wrong about something!

Another approach - check your online Social Security account at ssa.gov. They keep records of all wages reported by employers. It might not have the tax withholding info, but at least it will show how much you earned at that company which is a starting point. Also, if you filed federal taxes for those years, look at your old returns. You might have copies of the W2s attached or at least the income info from them entered into your 1040.

Quick tip if you filed your federal taxes for those years - go to the Ohio Department of Taxation website and look at your state tax transcripts. Since RITA is for Ohio municipalities, your state returns might have the info they need to verify your local tax obligations.