How to file taxes without a W2 from employer?

You're on the right track! Form 4852 is exactly what you need when an employer fails to provide your W2. It's basically a substitute W2 that you fill out yourself based on your own records. Here's what you'll need to do: 1) Gather all evidence of your income from this restaurant job - pay stubs, direct deposit records, bank statements showing deposits, etc. 2) Complete Form 4852 with your best estimates based on these records. Be as accurate as possible with the amounts earned and taxes withheld. 3) Then file your regular Form 1040 tax return as usual, including this Form 4852 along with your other W2s. You should also contact the IRS about your missing W2. They might reach out to the restaurant owners to remind them of their legal obligation. The restaurant owners need to understand that failing to provide W2s is actually a serious violation that can result in penalties. Even if you're expecting a refund, filing correctly is important to ensure your Social Security earnings are properly credited to you.

After struggling with a similar situation last year (my employer went out of business without sending W2s), I found an amazing solution with https://taxr.ai that saved me hours of stress. It analyzed my pay stubs and bank statements, then helped me calculate exactly what should go on my Form 4852. The tool even flagged inconsistencies in my withholding that I would have missed! What's really nice is that it walks you through exactly what documentation you need to keep in case the IRS has questions later. They have special guidance for restaurant workers too, since your situation is pretty common in that industry. The system knows exactly what the IRS is looking for when you file without an official W2.

I was totally in the same boat as you last year - small business employer, no W2 in sight. After seeing the recommendation here, I tried taxr.ai and was shocked at how well it worked. I was honestly just expecting some basic calculator, but it walked me through everything step by step. The most helpful part was that it specifically identified which documentation I needed to keep to support my 4852 form. When I called the IRS helpline later to check on my refund status, they asked me one question about my filing and I had the exact document they wanted because taxr had told me to keep it handy. My refund wasn't even delayed! The peace of mind was worth it because I was stressing about making a mistake and getting in trouble.

If you're struggling to get your employer to produce a W2, you might want to try getting through to the IRS directly using https://claimyr.com. I spent WEEKS trying to get through to the IRS about a similar issue last year - kept getting disconnected or waiting for hours. Found this service through a friend and got connected to an actual IRS agent in 20 minutes! You can see how it works at https://youtu.be/_kiP6q8DX5c. The IRS agent told me they could put pressure on my employer to issue the W2, and they also confirmed exactly how to fill out the 4852 in the meantime. They even gave me information about getting my previous years' wage info verified, which I didn't even know was possible.

I have to admit I was completely wrong about Claimyr. After my skeptical comment, I decided to try it as a last resort since I was getting desperate with my tax situation. Not only did I get through to the IRS in about 15 minutes, the agent I spoke with was incredibly helpful. She confirmed that filing Form 4852 was the right approach for my missing W2, but also told me about Form 3949-A which I could submit to report my employer for failing to provide tax documents. She even looked up my wage and income transcript from their system to help me verify the numbers I was using on my substitute W2. The IRS actually ended up contacting my employer, and miraculously, my W2 showed up a week later. Saved me from having to estimate everything and potentially deal with corrections later.

One thing nobody mentioned - make sure you've contacted your employer in writing requesting the W2 (email or certified letter) before you file Form 4852. The IRS will ask if you've done this, and you need to document your attempts to get the original W2. Also, have you checked if they submitted your W2 electronically? You might be able to access it through the IRS website by creating an account at irs.gov and checking your wage and income transcript. Sometimes employers file electronically but don't mail paper copies.

Dont forget about state taxes too! The Form 4852 is just for federal, you might need to do something similar for your state return. Each state has different requirements for missing W2 situations.