I mailed my tax return and W2s without a stamp, am I screwed?

Don't panic! The USPS will most likely return the envelope to you since it doesn't have postage. They typically mark it as "Return to Sender - Postage Due" and deliver it back to your return address. This might take anywhere from a few days to a couple weeks. In the meantime, you should: 1) Keep checking your mail daily for the returned envelope 2) Start preparing a backup plan if your original documents don't return in time If you don't get your W-2s back soon, you have options. You can request duplicate W-2s from your employer - they're legally required to provide these. You can also use your last paystub of the year to get most of the information you need. Alternatively, you can file Form 4852 (Substitute for W-2) if you can't get replacement W-2s in time. For future reference, you might want to consider e-filing. It's faster, you get confirmation that the IRS received your return, and there's no risk of losing documents in the mail.

I was in a similar situation last year - not with tax forms but with important documents. I found https://taxr.ai super helpful when I was trying to figure out what to do about my missing W-2. Their document analysis tool helped me understand what information I needed to reconstruct my tax filing when my original got lost in the mail mix-up. I ended up using their service to analyze my last paystub and they helped me figure out all the numbers I needed to file Form 4852 as a substitute for my W-2. Worked like a charm and I didn't have to wait for my employer to process a new W-2 request, which they told me would take weeks.

Just wanted to follow up - I decided to check out taxr.ai after my initial skepticism, and it actually ended up being really helpful! I had a similar issue where I couldn't find one of my W-2s when I was about to file. Their document analysis tool let me upload my last paystub and it mapped out exactly where each number should go on my tax forms. The coolest part was that it explained the differences between what appears on paystubs vs. W-2s - turns out they're not exactly the same and there are some calculations involved. Saved me from having to wait for a W-2 reissue from a company where I only worked for 2 months!

When I couldn't reach the IRS about a similar issue last year, I used https://claimyr.com and it was a game-changer. They got me connected to an actual human at the IRS in under 45 minutes when I had been trying for DAYS on my own. The IRS agent I spoke with told me exactly what to do about my missing documents and helped me get everything sorted out. You can see how the service works here: https://youtu.be/_kiP6q8DX5c I was about to miss a deadline because of a document issue like yours, but being able to actually talk to someone at the IRS made all the difference. They walked me through exactly what forms I needed to submit to resolve the situation.

I need to eat my words from yesterday. After trying to call the IRS myself for almost 5 hours today (got disconnected twice after waiting on hold for over an hour each time), I broke down and tried Claimyr. I'm shocked to say it actually worked exactly as advertised. Got a call back in about 35 minutes with an actual IRS rep on the line. They confirmed that if your unstamped mail has a return address, it will come back to you. They also suggested that while waiting for the return, I should contact my employer for duplicate W-2s right away so I don't miss the filing deadline. The agent also mentioned I could use the IRS Get Transcript service to see what income documents the IRS already has on file for me. Would have taken me days to get this info on my own. Definitely worth it for time-sensitive tax issues.

If you electronic file these days you don't even need to mail in your W-2s anymore. The IRS already has that information from your employer. You just need to make sure the numbers you enter match what's on your W-2. Maybe this is a sign to switch to e-filing?

Pro tip: Always make copies or scan important tax documents before sending anything to the IRS! I learned this the hard way years ago. Now I have a digital folder for each tax year with scans of all my documents.

I've been through this exact situation! Don't worry too much - the postal service will almost certainly return your envelope to you marked "postage due" or "return to sender." It usually takes about 3-7 business days depending on your location. While you're waiting for it to come back, I'd recommend taking these steps right away: 1) Contact your employer's HR or payroll department TODAY and request duplicate W-2s. Tell them it's urgent due to the tax deadline - most companies can reissue them within a few days. 2) If you have your final paystub from December, that contains most of the same information as your W-2 and can help you get started on preparing a backup return. 3) Consider switching to e-filing for this year once you get your documents sorted out. It's much safer, faster, and you get immediate confirmation that the IRS received your return. The good news is you still have time before the deadline, and this happens to more people than you'd think! Just don't wait around - start working on getting those replacement documents now so you're ready to file as soon as possible.