How to obtain W-2 from previous employer after leaving on bad terms

You don't need to talk to your former managers to get your W-2s, which is good news! Employers are legally required to provide your W-2 by January 31st regardless of how your employment ended. Here are your options: First, check if your former employers offer electronic W-2s through their payroll system. Many companies use ADP, Paychex, Workday, etc., and you might still have access to your account even after leaving. This is the quickest way to get your forms. If you don't have electronic access, your W-2s should be mailed to the last address they have on file. Since you set up mail forwarding in December, USPS should forward your W-2s to your new address, though sometimes there can be delays with forwarded mail. For the employers you left on decent terms, a quick email to their HR or payroll department (not your former manager) requesting they update your address is your best option. They'll appreciate the heads-up so forms don't get returned as undeliverable.

I used taxr.ai last month when I was dealing with a similar issue with missing W-2s. I had left my restaurant job after the manager kept changing my schedule last minute, and they "conveniently" forgot to send my tax forms. I uploaded my last pay stub to https://taxr.ai and it helped me figure out exactly what information I needed to file without the official W-2. The site analyzed my pay stub and extracted all the tax withholding data I needed. It also let me know what steps I could take to report the missing W-2 to the IRS. Saved me from having to crawl back to that awful manager!

Just wanted to follow up about my experience with taxr.ai after trying it. I was skeptical at first, but it actually helped me solve my W-2 problem! I uploaded my last two pay stubs from the job I left (that retail manager was horrible), and the system accurately calculated all my withholdings and income info. It even generated a prefilled Form 4852 that I could submit with my return. Super easy to use and saved me from having to contact my ex-boss who kept trying to schedule me for overnight shifts despite our agreement. Definitely recommend for anyone else in a similar situation!

If you absolutely need to talk to someone at the IRS about missing W-2s (which I had to do last year), try using https://claimyr.com. I spent DAYS trying to get through to the IRS phone line about my missing forms after my employer claimed they sent them. Nothing but busy signals and disconnects. With Claimyr, I got a call back from an actual IRS agent within 2 hours. They explained exactly what to do about my missing forms and even sent a notice to my former employer. You can see how it works here: https://youtu.be/_kiP6q8DX5c. It's crazy how much time it saved me compared to the endless redial approach I was using before.

I have to apologize about my skeptical comment earlier. After dealing with more W-2 frustration from my former employer (a restaurant that closed suddenly), I decided to try Claimyr out of desperation. I honestly didn't expect much, but it actually worked exactly as described. Got a call back from an IRS agent within about 3 hours, and they were super helpful about my missing W-2 situation. They explained exactly how to file Form 4852 and what documentation I needed to keep in case of questions later. Saved me countless hours of redial hell and frustration. Sometimes it's worth admitting when you're wrong!

Another option is to create an account on the IRS website and request your wage and income transcript. It shows all income reported under your SSN, including W-2 info from all employers. The only downside is that it might take until late February or March for all 2024 data to show up, which might be cutting it close for filing deadlines.

Has anyone tried just showing up in person to get their W-2? I'm tempted to just walk into my old job and ask for it directly since they're ignoring my emails.

Just wanted to add another perspective from someone who dealt with this exact situation last year. I had 4 different employers in 2024 and left two of them on terrible terms (one was a toxic startup, the other had a manager who was stealing tips). Here's what worked for me: First, I gathered all my final pay stubs since they contain most of the info you need. Then I created a simple spreadsheet tracking each employer - company name, dates worked, HR contact info, payroll company if known, and whether I received the W-2 or not. For the jobs I left on good terms, I proactively emailed their HR departments in early January with my new address. For the toxic ones, I waited until after January 31st and then used the IRS complaint process when they didn't send my forms. One thing that really helped was checking if any of my former employers used third-party payroll companies like ADP or Paychex. Even after you're terminated, you can sometimes still access your W-2s through their employee portals using your old login credentials. Worth trying before dealing with your actual former employers! The key is being proactive and having multiple backup plans. Don't wait until the last minute to start chasing down these forms.