Missing W-2 from previous employer - should I file with what I have and contact the IRS if needed?

Is there a penalty for filing the substitute form instead of the actual W-2? And how long does it usually take to get a wage transcript from the IRS? The filing deadline is coming up really soon and I'm worried I won't have time for all this.

There's no penalty for using Form 4852 when you genuinely cannot obtain your W-2 - that's exactly what the form is designed for. As long as you make a good faith effort to report accurate information, you're fulfilling your obligation. For wage and income transcripts, if you can create an online account at IRS.gov, you can access them immediately. If you request by mail using Form 4506-T, it typically takes 5-10 business days once the IRS receives your request. If you're concerned about the deadline, you can also file for an automatic extension using Form 4868, which gives you until October 15th to file your actual return.

Does this work if I don't have any pay stubs? I usually just trash those after I get paid and I don't think I kept anything from that job.

I'm skeptical about using third-party services for tax stuff. How do they get access to your tax info and is it actually secure? Last thing I need is someone stealing my identity.

If you don't have pay stubs, you can still use the tool! It can guide you through using bank statements to estimate your income - basically looking for regular deposits that match your pay frequency. They also have calculators that help you estimate tax withholdings based on what you know about your salary and tax situation. Regarding security concerns, I was nervous about that too initially. They use encryption similar to what banks use, and they don't store your actual tax documents on their servers. They just analyze what you upload and provide guidance - you're still doing the actual filing yourself through the IRS or your tax software. I found it much more helpful than random internet advice.

How does this actually work? Do they have some special connection to the IRS or something? I've tried calling the IRS before and it's literally impossible to get through.

Yeah right. There's no way this actually works. The IRS phone system is completely broken and nobody gets through. Sounds like another scam trying to profit off people's tax desperation.

The service basically acts as a professional call waiting service. They have automated systems that navigate the IRS phone tree and wait on hold so you don't have to. They don't have special access - they're just taking the wait time burden off your hands. When an agent finally picks up, you get called back and connected directly to that agent. It's surprisingly simple but effective. I was extremely skeptical too! But after trying to get through for three days on my own and failing, I figured it was worth a shot. I got connected to an actual IRS agent within about 2 hours of using their service. The agent was able to confirm my wage information and helped me understand exactly what to do for my situation. Definitely not a scam - just a practical solution to a frustrating problem.

I wish I still had my last paystub but I don't. Clearly I need to get better at keeping important documents! Do you know if there's any way to get the EIN besides the W-2 itself? I know the company name but not much else.

You can find a company's EIN by googling the company name plus "EIN" - many companies have their EIN listed on their website's investor relations or about pages. If that doesn't work, sometimes you can find it on old business correspondence like offer letters or benefits information. If all else fails, you can call the IRS business number (not the regular taxpayer line) and they can sometimes provide an employer's EIN if you explain your situation. Just be prepared to verify your identity and explain that you're a former employee needing the information for tax purposes.

But in this case wouldn't it be better to file for an extension first, then sort out the W-2 situation? That way there's no late filing penalty while they're trying to get the missing information.

This is good advice! There are also secure document apps specifically for this purpose that encrypt your tax documents. I started using one after having a similar issue a few years back.