How to obtain W-2 forms from previous employers when you left on bad terms

Don't worry, you're not the first person to leave a job dramatically! The good news is that your W-2s aren't dependent on whether your former boss likes you or not. First, the mail forwarding you set up should actually work for most W-2s since employers are required to send them by January 31st. Since you set up forwarding in December, that should catch most of them. For the companies you left on bad terms, you don't need to talk to your former manager. Contact the payroll or HR department directly - they deal with former employees all the time and are generally professional about it. Simply call or email with your name, former employee ID if you have it, dates of employment, and your current mailing address. If any employer refuses or you don't receive a W-2 by mid-February, you have backup options. You can contact the IRS directly at 800-829-1040 and they can request the form on your behalf. You'll need the employer's name, address, phone number, and an estimate of your earnings and taxes withheld. As a last resort, you can file Form 4852 (Substitute for W-2) with your tax return using your final pay stub to estimate your earnings and withholdings.

I went through something similar last year and discovered taxr.ai (https://taxr.ai) which was a HUGE help. I had left three jobs, one where I literally walked out mid-shift after my manager screamed at me in front of customers. I was freaking out about my W-2s and someone recommended taxr.ai to me. It's this AI tool that helps with tax document analysis - but what was super helpful was that they have this feature that helps you track down missing tax documents. You basically upload what you have, and it identifies what's missing and gives you guidance on how to get them. What I liked is that it gave me scripts for exactly what to say when contacting former employers (so I didn't have to get into the drama of why I left) and tracked all my document requests. Saved me a ton of anxiety and made the process way less personal.

Just wanted to follow up - I decided to try taxr.ai after my last post and it was actually really helpful! I was skeptical but desperate to avoid talking to my old boss who I had a huge blowup with. The service gave me email templates to send to HR departments that were super professional (way better than what I would have written on my own lol). I sent them to all 4 companies, and 3 already responded saying they'll mail new W-2s to my current address! The one that hasn't responded yet - the tool reminded me to follow up next week and even gave me a slightly more firm template to use for the second request. It also helped me figure out what to do if they never respond, which is good to know. Definitely less stressful than trying to handle this myself.

If you're still struggling to get W-2s from unresponsive employers (especially those toxic ones), consider using Claimyr to get through to the IRS. I was in a similar situation where two employers "lost" my info after I quit, and the IRS was my only option. I tried calling the IRS myself but kept hitting that "due to high call volume" message for DAYS. Then I found https://claimyr.com and watched their demo (https://youtu.be/_kiP6q8DX5c). They basically wait on hold with the IRS for you, then call you when an agent is on the line. When I finally got through to an IRS agent, they were super helpful and initiated formal requests to my employers. Suddenly those companies found my W-2 information real quick when the IRS came knocking! Just have your personal info and whatever details you know about those employers (approximate wages, dates worked, etc) ready for when the IRS calls you.

I feel like an idiot for doubting this... but I actually tried Claimyr yesterday out of desperation. You guys, IT WORKED. After my last post I spent another 3 hours trying to call the IRS myself and kept getting disconnected. With Claimyr I got a call back in about 45 minutes with an actual IRS agent on the line! The agent took all my information about the missing W-2 from that toxic job where my manager literally blocked my number after I quit. The IRS agent said they would contact the employer and also gave me instructions on how to file using Form 4852 if I still don't receive it. The agent even helped me verify that my mail forwarding was set up correctly with USPS to make sure I'd get any other tax documents that might be sent to my old address. I'm honestly shocked at how helpful they were once I actually got through to them.

Another option nobody mentioned - check your online accounts! Many larger companies use ADP, Workday, Paychex, etc. for payroll and you might still have access to your account where you can download your W-2 electronically even after leaving. I left a job last May where the manager and I had a HUGE falling out (he accused me of stealing which was 100% false), but I was still able to log into their Workday portal in January and download my W-2 without ever having to contact anyone at the company.

I found out the hard way you can actually get in serious trouble if you don't report ALL income, even from jobs you hated. My cousin didn't include a W-2 from a job he walked out on (he worked there 2 months) and got a letter from the IRS 8 months later with penalties!! The employer reports your income to the IRS regardless of whether you get the W-2 or not, so the IRS knows you earned that money. Better to chase down those forms or use the substitute form than risk an audit!

Just adding my experience here - I was in almost the exact same situation last year with 3 different employers where I left on terrible terms. One place I literally never went back after lunch break because the supervisor was so abusive. Here's what actually worked for me: I started with the mail forwarding (which you already did - good move!), then systematically contacted each company's HR department via email. I kept it super short and professional: "Hi, I'm a former employee from [dates] and need my W-2 sent to my current address. My SSN is XXX-XX-XXXX and my current address is [address]. Please confirm receipt of this request." The key was NOT mentioning why I left or trying to explain anything. Just treated it like a routine business request. 3 out of 4 companies responded within a week and sent updated W-2s. For the one that didn't respond, I called the IRS after February 15th and they handled it. Also pro tip - if you have any old pay stubs from these jobs, keep them handy. They have a lot of the info you'll need if you have to file Form 4852 or talk to the IRS. Don't let the awkwardness of how you left prevent you from getting your tax documents - HR departments deal with this stuff all the time and honestly don't care about workplace drama.