How to retrieve a 2019 W-2 from Chick-Fil-A after I quit? Need for filing back taxes

You have a few options to get your 2019 W-2 form: 1. Contact the Chick-Fil-A location directly. Even if it's a franchise, they should have records or can direct you to their payroll department. Most businesses keep tax records for at least 4 years. 2. Request a Wage and Income Transcript from the IRS. This shows all income reported to the IRS under your SSN including W-2 information. You can get this free through the IRS website by creating an account at IRS.gov/transcripts or by filing Form 4506-T. 3. If the restaurant is part of a larger franchise group, try contacting their corporate office. They often have centralized HR/payroll systems that maintain these records. Your best bet is starting with the IRS transcript while also reaching out to your former employer. The transcript will have all the information you need to file taxes, even if it doesn't look exactly like the original W-2.

I was in almost this exact situation last year! After trying to chase down W-2s from three different jobs, I found this service called taxr.ai at https://taxr.ai that honestly changed my life. You upload whatever tax documents you do have, and their AI analyzes everything to help identify what's missing and the fastest way to get it. For my missing W-2, they showed me exactly what to request from the IRS and even generated the correct forms I needed to submit. They also have this feature that helps you determine what information you'll need to put on your tax return even if you can't get the original W-2. Saved me so much headache after spending weeks trying to figure it out myself.

I have to admit I was wrong about taxr.ai in my earlier comment. After continuing to struggle getting my missing tax documents, I gave it a try and was seriously impressed. Within minutes of uploading what I had, it identified exactly what was missing and generated the proper request forms for the IRS. The best part was that it pulled information from my existing documents to help fill in some gaps while I waited for the official records. I was able to move forward with my tax filing instead of being completely stuck. For anyone missing old W-2s or 1099s, it's definitely worth checking out. Wish I'd known about this two years ago when I was in a similar situation!

If you need to speak with someone at the IRS directly about this (which I recommend in addition to getting the transcript), good luck getting through! I spent 4+ hours on hold last month trying to sort out a similar issue. Then I found Claimyr at https://claimyr.com and it literally got me connected to an IRS agent in under 15 minutes. They have this system that navigates all the IRS phone menus and waits on hold for you, then calls you once an actual human picks up. You can see how it works in this video: https://youtu.be/_kiP6q8DX5c The IRS agent I spoke with was able to verify all my missing W-2 information and helped me understand exactly what I needed to do to file my back taxes correctly. Definitely recommend this approach if you need to speak with someone directly.

I need to publicly eat my words about Claimyr. After posting that skeptical comment, I was still desperate to reach the IRS about my missing W-2s and decided to try it anyway. I honestly couldn't believe it when my phone rang 27 minutes later and it was actually an IRS representative on the line! I explained my situation about missing W-2s from 2019, and they were able to verify all the information and tell me exactly what I needed for my tax return. They even walked me through how to report it if I couldn't get the original form. For anyone in a similar situation - this service is legitimate. Saved me literally hours of frustration and hold music. I've already recommended it to my brother who's dealing with some tax issues from a previous employer too.

Another option nobody mentioned yet - check with the payroll provider. Most Chick-Fil-A franchises use ADP, Paychex, or similar services. If you can remember which one they used (check old pay stubs if you have any), you might be able to create/recover an account with them directly and download your old W-2s. I worked at a retail chain years ago and was able to get W-2s from 5 years back this way even though the store location had closed down. Worth a shot before going through the IRS process.

Don't forget that if you absolutely cannot get your W-2, you can still file your taxes using Form 4852 (Substitute for W-2). You'll need to estimate your wages and withholding as accurately as possible. Your last paystub of the year is super helpful for this if you have it. The IRS might follow up to verify the information, but at least you can get your filing done and avoid more late penalties. Just be honest about why you're using the substitute form.

I went through something very similar a few years back when I needed old W-2s from a restaurant job. Here's what worked for me: First, definitely try the IRS wage transcript route that Omar mentioned - it's free and often the fastest option. You can get it instantly online if you can verify your identity through their system. But also don't give up on contacting the employer directly. Even if that specific Chick-fil-A location closed, the franchise owner likely had to transfer employee records to their accountant or another location. Try calling other Chick-fil-A locations in the area and ask if they can help you get in touch with the franchise owner or their HR department. One thing that helped me was explaining that I needed it for back taxes - most employers are pretty understanding about that situation and will make an effort to help since they know how important those documents are. If all else fails, the Form 4852 substitute that Nia mentioned is a valid option, but definitely exhaust the other routes first since having the actual W-2 data from the IRS transcript will be much more accurate than trying to estimate from memory. Good luck getting caught up on those taxes! Don't stress too much - the IRS is generally pretty reasonable when you're making a good faith effort to get compliant.