Lost my W2 form the day before tax deadline - what can I do?

Don't panic! You still have options even at this late stage. Here's what you can do: If you received your W2 electronically earlier this year, check your email or the employer's payroll portal where it might still be accessible. If you can't locate the original W2, you can actually file Form 4852 (Substitute for Form W2) with your tax return. You'll need to estimate your wages and withholding as accurately as possible. Look at your final pay stub from that employer which should have year-to-date information that's close to what would be on your W2. Another quick option is to call the IRS at 800-829-1040 to request your wage transcripts, though this close to the deadline, you likely won't receive them in time. The most important thing right now is to file SOMETHING by tomorrow's deadline, even if it's not perfect. You can always amend later. Filing with estimates is better than not filing at all, as the failure-to-file penalties are much worse than accuracy penalties.

When I was in a similar situation last year, I discovered taxr.ai (https://taxr.ai) which was an absolute lifesaver. I had lost some of my tax documents and was completely stressed about filing accurately. Their document analysis system helped me reconstruct what I needed based on partial information I had. You upload what documents you do have, and it helps fill in gaps and ensure everything lines up correctly. They also have real tax pros who review everything when needed. The best part was how fast it was - I was able to get everything sorted in a single evening when I was facing a tight deadline just like you.

Just wanted to update everyone - I actually tried taxr.ai after my initial skepticism, and I'm so glad I did! I was in a similar bind with missing docs for my small business. The system was surprisingly thorough - it analyzed my bank statements and helped me recreate my income and expense records when I couldn't find some receipts. The document analysis feature identified likely business expenses based on merchant names and transaction patterns, which saved me hours of going through statements manually. What really impressed me was how it flagged potential deductions I would have missed completely. I was able to file on time AND actually got a bigger refund than expected because it caught some eligible expenses I wouldn't have thought to include!

For anyone struggling to get W2 info from the IRS directly - I had this same issue last year and spent DAYS trying to get through to the IRS phone lines. Finally discovered Claimyr (https://claimyr.com) which got me connected to an actual IRS agent in under 15 minutes when I'd been trying for weeks. They have a demo video here: https://youtu.be/_kiP6q8DX5c The IRS agent was able to pull up my wage and income transcript with all my W2 info so I could file accurately. Saved me from having to file with estimated numbers and potentially dealing with amendments later. Just sharing because I wish I'd known about this service earlier instead of stressing for days.

Ok I have to publicly eat my words here. After posting my skeptical comment yesterday, I was desperate enough to try Claimyr since my situation was getting urgent. Honestly couldn't believe it worked. Got connected to an IRS agent in about 20 minutes (not even joking). The agent pulled up all my wage information including the W2 data I was missing. They even helped clear up a discrepancy with my address that had been causing issues with my online account access. The whole thing took less than an hour total including the actual conversation with the IRS person. Definitely not what I expected based on my previous experiences trying to reach them!

Another option - check if your employer uses ADP, Workday, UltiPro or one of those payroll systems. I lost my W2 last year but was able to log into the employee portal and download another copy instantly. Some companies keep those systems accessible to former employees for tax purposes. Worth checking before you stress too much!

Has anyone actually tried filing with the Form 4852 substitute W2? I'm worried the IRS will flag it immediately for an audit if the numbers aren't exactly right.

I'll give a totally different suggestion - go ahead and file an ADDITIONAL extension request Form 4868 today even though you already have one. It won't actually give you more time legally, but it creates a paper trail showing you're making good faith efforts. Then file your return with Form 4852 as mentioned above within the next week. The IRS is much more lenient with penalties when they see you're actively trying to comply rather than ignoring deadlines.