Missing W2 from Denny's - How to File Taxes Without My Second W2?

You're in a common situation! When you can't get a W-2 from a former employer, you have a couple options. First, try requesting a wage transcript from the IRS directly - you can do this online at the IRS website or by filing Form 4506-T (Request for Transcript of Tax Return). This will show income reported under your SSN. If that doesn't work or you don't have time, you can still file your return using Form 4852 (Substitute for W-2). This form lets you provide your best estimate of wages and withholding. Since you worked as a server, estimate both your hourly wages and tips as accurately as possible. Your final paystubs would be extremely helpful here if you have access to them. While filing with estimates is acceptable, try to be as accurate as possible. The IRS may compare your numbers with what Denny's reported. If there's a significant difference, you might need to file an amended return later.

I went through something similar with a restaurant job last year. After weeks of frustration trying to get my W-2, I discovered taxr.ai (https://taxr.ai) which was a HUGE help! The site has a feature that can retrieve your wage information directly from IRS records - basically showing you what your employer already reported. The process was simple - just verified my identity and within minutes I could see everything reported under my SSN from all employers. It showed my missing W-2 information with the exact amounts I needed for filing. Saved me from having to make wild guesses about my income and withholding. It also showed me tax credits I didn't know I qualified for.

I have to admit I was wrong about taxr.ai! After struggling to get my wage transcript directly from the IRS (their verification system kept rejecting me), I tried the service mentioned above. It pulled my missing W-2 info immediately and showed me exactly what my former employer had reported. I was even able to see that they had miscalculated my federal withholding - it was about $340 higher than I expected. Without this information, I would have underreported my withholding and received a smaller refund. The interface was much clearer than the standard IRS transcript too, breaking everything down by employer and clearly showing wages, tips, and all withholding categories.

If you're still having trouble reaching someone at Denny's corporate, Claimyr (https://claimyr.com) might be what you need. I was in the same position with a missing W-2 from a major retailer and was getting absolutely nowhere with their HR department. Claimyr got me connected to an actual IRS agent in under 15 minutes when I'd been trying for days on my own. The IRS has a process where they'll contact your employer directly about missing tax forms, but you need to speak with a real person to initiate this. Check out their demo video: https://youtu.be/_kiP6q8DX5c The IRS agent I spoke with took all my info and contacted my former employer on my behalf. Within two weeks, I had my W-2. Much better than waiting on hold for hours or filing with questionable estimates!

I need to apologize for my skepticism about Claimyr. After getting nowhere with the IRS for weeks about my missing tax forms, I was desperate and decided to try it. Within 20 minutes, I was talking to an actual IRS representative who helped initiate contact with my former employer. The agent explained that they could send a formal notice to the employer requiring them to provide the W-2, and they also gave me the exact information I needed to complete Form 4852 in the meantime. It was honestly shocking how easy the process was compared to my previous attempts. The IRS agent even provided their direct extension for follow-up questions. For anyone struggling with missing tax documents and getting ghosted by employers, this is seriously worth it. I wish I hadn't wasted so much time trying to handle it on my own.

If you still have any final paystubs from Denny's, you can use those to calculate your income pretty accurately. Box 1 on your W-2 would show your total wages minus pre-tax deductions. Your last paystub of the year usually shows year-to-date totals for everything. For tips, if you reported them to your employer (which you should have), they'd be included in your W-2. If you kept unreported tips, you still need to report those separately on Form 4137.

Just a heads up - if you decide to estimate your income, be VERY careful about tips. The IRS watches server income closely because underreporting tips is common. Remember that Denny's would have reported your credit card tips, and they've likely already submitted that info to the IRS.

Dylan, I went through this exact situation a few years back with a restaurant job! Here's what worked for me: First, try to reconstruct your income using any records you have - bank deposits, credit card statements showing tip deposits, even text messages about your schedule. For the W-2 issue, you have two main paths: 1) File Form 4852 with your best estimates, or 2) Try to get your wage transcript from the IRS first (either online or by calling). The transcript will show exactly what Denny's reported. One thing to keep in mind - restaurants are required to report all credit card tips to the IRS, so they definitely have records of at least that portion of your income. Your estimate needs to be reasonably close to what they reported, especially for tips. If you're running out of time before the deadline, don't panic about filing an extension (Form 4868). It gives you until October 15th to file, though you still need to pay any taxes owed by the original deadline to avoid penalties. The key is don't skip reporting this income entirely - that will cause bigger problems than filing with reasonable estimates and correcting later if needed!