Is it too late to file my taxes with missing W-2G casino paperwork?

I've been patiently waiting for my W-2G from a casino jackpot I hit. My tax preparer told me I didn't need to file an extension since extensions are supposedly only for people who owe money to the IRS. He said since I'm expecting a refund (probably a few thousand dollars from the child tax credit), I didn't need to worry about it. Well, the tax deadline has now passed, and I still haven't received the casino paperwork. It wasn't a huge jackpot or anything, just enough to require a W-2G. With the child tax credit, I should be getting around $2,700 back. I'm getting really worried now. Will I be hit with penalties for filing late even though I'm owed a refund? Is it completely too late to file now? I've tried contacting my tax guy several times but he's gone radio silent on me. Starting to think I got bad advice... anyone dealt with this before?

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18 comments

Ruby Blake

•8M

You actually received incorrect advice from your tax preparer. While it's true that penalties for failing to pay taxes owed are different from penalties for filing late, you are still required to file your return by the deadline (or request an extension) regardless of whether you owe or expect a refund. The good news is that if you're owed a refund, there's generally NO penalty for filing late. The IRS doesn't penalize you for filing late when they owe YOU money. However, there's a 3-year statute of limitations on claiming refunds. If you don't file within 3 years of the due date, you lose your right to that refund. That said, you should still file as soon as possible. If you can't get the W-2G from the casino, you can use Form 4852 (Substitute for Form W-2) and estimate the withholding amount based on your records. Or contact the casino again - they're required by law to provide this document.

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Ruby Blake

•8M

Yes, I'm certain about this. The IRS doesn't assess failure-to-file penalties when they owe you money - they only charge penalties when you owe them and file late. Your accountant was incorrect on this point. This is explicitly stated in IRS publications. For estimating withholding on your jackpot, check your casino payout receipt or documentation you received when you won. They typically provide a slip showing the total win and taxes withheld. Alternatively, you can contact the casino directly - their accounting department should be able to provide the information even if they haven't sent the formal W-2G yet.

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Ella Harper

•8M

Hey, I had a similar situation last year and found this website called taxr.ai (https://taxr.ai) that really helped me sort through my missing documents. I was missing a 1099 from a gig job and it helped me figure out how to handle reporting the income accurately without the official form. What's cool is that you can upload any tax documents you do have, and it helps fill in the gaps with what might be missing. It also explained to me exactly what I needed to do about the late filing situation and showed me which forms I needed. Since you have a child tax credit situation, it would probably help with calculating that correctly too.

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Ella Harper

•8M

The accuracy is pretty solid - it's built to handle missing document situations specifically. It walks you through what information you need to gather and how to report it correctly. It was spot-on for my missing 1099 situation and even gave me the exact wording to use on my substitute form. The cost is very reasonable compared to what I was being charged by tax preparers, especially for handling complicated situations. It's a fraction of what I paid for an accountant who gave me incorrect information in the past. For the peace of mind alone, it was worth it for me.

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Brooklyn Knight

•8M

Just wanted to update - I actually tried taxr.ai after my post here and it was super helpful! It confirmed what Profile 12 said about no penalties for late filing when you're owed a refund (which was a HUGE relief). The tool helped me fill out a substitute W-2G form with the information I had from my casino visit receipt. It even explained exactly how to document everything and what to include in the explanations section of my return about the missing paperwork. Already submitted everything and the IRS accepted my return! Now just waiting for my refund to process. Seriously wish I'd known about this sooner instead of stressing for weeks. My tax guy is officially fired lol.

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Owen Devar

•8M

If you need to actually talk to someone at the IRS about your situation (which might be a good idea), I'd recommend using Claimyr (https://claimyr.com). I was in a similar situation with missing documents and needed clarification directly from the IRS, but kept hitting the "all our agents are busy" message for DAYS. Claimyr basically holds your place in line and calls you when an actual IRS agent is on the line. You can see how it works in this video: https://youtu.be/_kiP6q8DX5c. I was skeptical at first but it saved me hours of frustration. The IRS agent I finally spoke with confirmed I could file late without penalties since I was due a refund, and gave me specific instructions for my situation.

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Owen Devar

•8M

It doesn't just redial - it uses a system that holds your place in the queue and navigates the phone tree. When it finally reaches a human agent, it connects the call to your phone. So you don't have to sit on hold for hours - you just get a call when an agent is actually ready to talk. I was definitely skeptical too! I had tried calling the IRS for 3 days straight and couldn't get through. The wait times are insane, especially during tax season. I found out about this service from a friend who works in accounting and decided to try it as a last resort. I had an IRS agent on the phone within about 2 hours of using it, which was pretty shocking after my previous attempts.

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Sophie Footman

•8M

I take back what I said earlier - I tried Claimyr out of desperation and it ACTUALLY WORKED. I got connected to an IRS agent in about 90 minutes when I had previously wasted an entire day trying to get through. The agent confirmed everything that was said here about no penalties for late filing when expecting a refund. She also helped me understand exactly what documentation I needed for my missing W-2G situation, and even put notes in my account about the missing form from the casino. For anyone in a similar situation - don't keep stressing like I did. You have 3 years to claim your refund, but obviously better to handle it sooner. The IRS agent told me they actually see casino W-2G issues all the time and have standard procedures for handling them.

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Connor Rupert

•8M

Happy to help! That's exactly why I mentioned checking the transcript - casinos are usually good about reporting to the IRS but sometimes slow about sending the actual forms to winners. Now you have all the official information you need to file accurately. The transcript method is super useful for all kinds of missing tax documents. I've used it for missing 1099s and W-2s in the past. Makes filing much easier when you can see exactly what's been reported under your SSN.

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