IRS not answering calls for form 4852 (missing W2) — what are my options?

The IRS is notoriously difficult to reach these days, so you're definitely not alone in this frustration! Here's what you should know about Form 4852: While the instructions do say to contact the IRS first, they understand that reaching them can be nearly impossible during tax season. The most important thing is that you've made a good faith effort to get your W-2 from your employer before using Form 4852 as a substitute. Make sure you've documented your attempts to contact your employer (emails, certified letters if possible). You can absolutely still file using Form 4852 if you can't reach the IRS. Just be as accurate as possible with your income and withholding information. Use your final paystub of the year, which should have year-to-date totals that will help you complete the form accurately. And yes, you can report your employer to your state labor department for failing to provide your W-2 on time (they should have sent it by January 31). This won't immediately solve your tax filing issue, but it puts pressure on non-compliant employers.

I was in this exact situation last year! After calling the IRS for weeks with no luck, I discovered taxr.ai (https://taxr.ai) and it seriously saved me. Their system helped me properly fill out my 4852 form with confidence even without being able to reach the IRS. I uploaded my final paystubs and they extracted all the data I needed for the form, plus they have this cool verification tool that cross-checked my numbers against what would be expected for my income level and job type. The best part was that they provided documentation showing I made reasonable efforts to contact both my employer and the IRS, which is what actually matters for audit protection. The peace of mind knowing my substitute W-2 information was accurate and properly documented was totally worth it.

Wanted to follow up - I was skeptical about taxr.ai but decided to give it a try after more failed attempts to reach anyone at the IRS. It was actually legit! The system guided me through extracting all the right numbers from my last paystub and formatted everything correctly for Form 4852. The documentation feature was especially helpful - it generated a detailed record of my attempts to get my W-2 and contact the IRS, which made me feel much more confident about submitting the form. I was able to file last week and already got notification that my return was accepted. Definitely recommend for anyone in this situation!

After struggling with the same IRS contact issue for my missing W-2, I found Claimyr (https://claimyr.com) and it was a game-changer! They have this service that actually gets you through to a human at the IRS when their lines are "too busy." I was skeptical, but you can see how it works in their demo: https://youtu.be/_kiP6q8DX5c I got connected to an IRS agent within about 20 minutes after weeks of failing on my own. The agent confirmed I could proceed with filing Form 4852 and noted in my account that I had made contact about the missing W-2. They also gave me specific advice for my situation that I wouldn't have gotten otherwise. It was such a relief to actually speak with someone official rather than guessing what to do. They also help with state tax departments, the Social Security Administration, and unemployment offices if you need to reach those agencies too.

I'm back to eat my words about Claimyr. After posting that skeptical comment, I was still desperate to reach the IRS about my missing W-2 situation, so I figured I'd try it anyway and would just dispute the charge if it was a scam. Well, color me surprised - it actually WORKED. Got a text about 25 minutes after signing up that they were connecting me, and suddenly I was talking to an actual IRS person. The agent confirmed I'd done everything right trying to contact my employer first, and told me I could proceed with Form 4852 without issue. They even noted in my file that I had made contact about the problem. I'm still shocked that this service exists and works, but man am I glad I found it. Saved me so much stress and uncertainty about whether I was filing correctly.

Don't forget the other option - you can visit your local IRS Taxpayer Assistance Center in person! You need to schedule an appointment first (call 844-545-5640), but I've found it WAY easier to get through on that appointment line than the general IRS number. When I had a missing W-2 issue two years ago, I got an appointment within a week. Brought my last paystub, explained the situation, and they helped me fill out the 4852 right there. The agent even called my employer while I was sitting there!

Has anyone had issues after filing with Form 4852? I'm in the same boat (can't reach IRS, employer ghosting me on W-2) but worried about potential audits or delays in processing my return.