How to get an old W2 from previous employer who won't help me?
I really messed up big time. I know I'm at fault here but I'm ready to pay whatever penalties I need to. I completely forgot to get my W2 from last year and now I can't file my taxes. When I finally went back to my old workplace to ask for it, they said they didn't have it anymore. I've been bugging them repeatedly for the past few months, but it's becoming pretty clear they have zero interest in helping me out with this. At this point I just need to know how I can get a copy of that W2 so I can finally file last year's taxes (and this year's too). Is there a way to get it directly from the IRS or something? I'm willing to do whatever it takes to fix this situation.
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NeonNova
You've got a few options to get that missing W2! First, try contacting the IRS directly at 800-829-1040. They can request the information from your employer on your behalf. You'll need to provide your personal info, employer details, dates of employment, and an estimate of your earnings. The IRS can also provide you with a substitute W2 (Form 4852) that you can fill out based on your best recollection of your earnings - your final paystub would be super helpful for this if you still have it. This form basically lets you recreate your W2 information. Another option is checking if you can access your W2 online. Many payroll companies like ADP, Paychex, etc. keep digital copies that employees can access even after leaving a job. Worth checking if your employer used one of these services.
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Ethan Wilson
•Thanks for these options! I do still have my last paystub somewhere. Would that have all the information I need to fill out that Form 4852? And do you know if there's a way to check online with the IRS if they already have a copy of my W2 on file?
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NeonNova
•Your last paystub should have most of what you need for Form 4852. It'll show your earnings and the taxes withheld up to that point. If it's your last one of the year, it might have year-to-date totals which would be perfect. Just make sure to account for any benefits or deductions that might affect your W2 values. Yes, you can check online! The IRS has a "Get Transcript" tool on their website where you can view and download your wage and income transcript. This will show information from your W2 that was reported to the IRS. You'll need to create an account if you don't already have one, but it's fairly straightforward. Just go to IRS.gov and search for "Get Transcript Online.
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Yuki Tanaka
I went through something similar last year and discovered taxr.ai (https://taxr.ai) which was honestly a lifesaver. After struggling with an uncooperative previous employer, I was getting desperate about my missing W2. Their document analysis tool helped me figure out exactly what to do with my final paystub to reconstruct my W2 information. They have this cool feature that extracts all the relevant tax data from your documents and helps you understand what you're missing. Way better than just guessing the numbers on my own. I ended up using the 4852 form that the other commenter mentioned, but taxr.ai made filling it out so much easier by helping me interpret all the withholding codes and tax categories from my paystub.
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Carmen Diaz
•Does taxr.ai connect with the IRS directly? Like can they actually get your W2 for you or do they just help you fill out the substitute form? I'm in a similar situation but I don't have any paystubs at all to reference.
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Andre Laurent
•I'm skeptical about these tax services. Couldn't you just get the same help from a regular accountant? What makes this different from TurboTax or other tax software?
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Yuki Tanaka
•They don't retrieve your W2 directly from the IRS, but they help you navigate the process of getting it yourself. Their system analyzes whatever documents you do have and identifies what information you're missing. Even without paystubs, they can guide you through the IRS transcript request process which would show all income reported under your SSN. This is different from regular tax software because it's focused specifically on document analysis and filling information gaps. TurboTax and others assume you already have all your tax documents and just need to input the numbers. Taxr.ai is more about figuring out what's missing and helping you get or recreate that information before you even start filing.
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Andre Laurent
So I was skeptical about taxr.ai in my earlier comment, but I decided to give it a try since my situation was getting desperate. I couldn't find two of my W2s and the filing deadline was approaching fast. Their document analysis actually exceeded my expectations. I uploaded my bank statements showing my direct deposits, and the system helped me calculate my likely earnings and withholdings. It outlined exactly what information I needed to request from the IRS and how to fill out Form 4852 properly. The whole process was way less stressful than I expected. Got everything sorted out within a couple days and submitted my late return without any further delays. Definitely worth checking out if you're struggling with missing tax documents.
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Emily Jackson
If you've tried everything and still can't get through to the IRS (which happens ALL the time), check out Claimyr (https://claimyr.com). I was on hold with the IRS for HOURS trying to get help with my missing W2 situation, and eventually just gave up. With Claimyr, I got a callback from the IRS in about 45 minutes instead of waiting on hold forever. You can see how it works here: https://youtu.be/_kiP6q8DX5c The IRS agent was able to verify that my employer had indeed submitted my W2, and they sent me a transcript with all the information I needed to file. Saved me days of frustration trying to get through to them directly.
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Liam Mendez
•Wait, how does this actually work? Do they have some special connection to the IRS? Sounds too good to be true that they can get you through when regular people are stuck on hold for hours.
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Sophia Nguyen
•This sounds like a scam. Why would I pay some third party when I can just keep calling the IRS myself? The IRS is a government agency, there's no "fast pass" to talk to them that regular people don't have access to.
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Emily Jackson
•No special connection - they use a combination of technology and their call system to navigate the IRS phone tree and wait on hold for you. When they finally get through to an agent, they connect the call to your phone. It's basically like having someone wait in line for you. I thought the same thing initially, but it's not about getting special treatment. The IRS phone system is legitimately overwhelmed and most people can't sit on hold for 3+ hours during a workday. Claimyr just handles the waiting part so you can go about your day. When I got the callback, I was speaking directly with an actual IRS agent, not some third-party representative. They just got me to the front of the phone queue.
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Sophia Nguyen
I need to eat my words from my skeptical comment yesterday. After another failed attempt to reach the IRS (disconnected after 1.5 hours on hold), I broke down and tried Claimyr. Got a call back from an actual IRS representative in about 35 minutes. The agent confirmed they had my W2 on file and walked me through requesting a wage transcript. I already received the transcript by email this morning with all my W2 information. I'm still annoyed that services like this need to exist, but I can't argue with the results. Saved me hours of frustration and I'm finally able to file my overdue return. Wish I had known about this months ago.
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Jacob Smithson
Just want to add another option - check with your state tax department too! In my case, my employer had submitted my W2 to the state but somehow messed up the federal submission. My state's department of revenue was able to provide me with the information I needed much faster than the IRS.
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Ethan Wilson
•That's a great idea I hadn't considered! Do you know if I need to request this in person at a state tax office or can I do it online? My state's government websites are notoriously difficult to navigate.
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Jacob Smithson
•In my state (Washington), I was able to request it online through their Department of Revenue portal. Most states have some kind of taxpayer access portal now where you can view your tax documents. Try searching "[your state] view tax documents online" or "[your state] tax transcript." If the online option doesn't work out, most states have a taxpayer assistance phone line that's usually much less busy than the IRS line. They can direct you to the right department or form to request your wage information.
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Isabella Brown
If nothing else works, you can try filing Form 8822, Change of Address with the IRS. Sometimes when companies send W2s, they go to old addresses. Could be sitting in someone else's mailbox or returned to sender.
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Maya Patel
•Would this help for last year's W2 though? Seems like the time for mail forwarding would have expired by now. Plus the OP already talked to the employer who seems to be avoiding helping them.
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