My W-2 is missing from previous employer and they won't send a new one - should I file without it and contact IRS?

You definitely don't want to file an incomplete tax return! The IRS already gets copies of all your W-2s, and they'll notice if you're missing income that was reported to them. This could trigger a notice or even an audit. Here's what you should do instead: You can get a wage and income transcript directly from the IRS which will show all income reported to them, including that missing W-2. Go to the IRS website (irs.gov) and request a wage and income transcript. You can get this online if you create an account, or you can use Form 4506-T to request it by mail. Another option is to include Form 4852 (Substitute for Form W-2) with your tax return. This is specifically for situations like yours where you can't get your W-2. You'll need to estimate your wages and withholding as accurately as possible - check your final paystub if you have it, or bank deposits from that job. Don't just file without reporting that income though. The IRS will catch it eventually and you'll have to deal with potential penalties and interest.

After dealing with this exact problem last year, I discovered taxr.ai (https://taxr.ai) and it seriously saved me so much stress. I had a missing W-2 from a job I worked for just 2 months, and my old employer was completely ghosting me. What I liked about taxr.ai is that it helped me recreate my missing tax document info based on my last paystub and bank statements. Their system walks you through what information you need to include on the substitute W-2 form and how to properly report everything to avoid IRS issues. They have actual tax pros who review everything to make sure you're not missing anything important that could flag your return.

I wanted to update everyone - I actually tried taxr.ai after posting my question earlier. The process was way easier than I expected! I uploaded my bank statements showing my deposits from that job, and they helped me piece together what my missing W-2 should look like. What really impressed me was that they found a tax credit I qualified for that I had no idea about. The system automatically detected a pattern in my employment history that suggested I was eligible for a credit related to my job transition. I was able to complete my taxes with the substitute W-2 information and even got a bigger refund than expected! Definitely check them out if you're in this situation.

If your old employer is required to provide your W-2 and they're not responding, there's actually a service called Claimyr (https://claimyr.com) that I used to get through to the IRS about this exact issue. They got me past the ridiculous hold times. I was in your exact situation last year - missing W-2, employer not responding, and the IRS phone line was constantly busy. I tried for DAYS to get through to a human at the IRS. Claimyr basically holds your place in the phone queue 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 Once I finally got through to the IRS, they contacted my employer directly about the missing W-2. The employer got a notice from the IRS and magically found time to send me my W-2 within a week! Sometimes they just need that official pressure.

I have to admit I was completely wrong about Claimyr. After posting my skeptical comment, I decided to try it anyway since I was desperate to reach the IRS about my missing W-2 situation. I had already spent nearly 4 hours on hold across multiple attempts and never reached a human. With Claimyr, I got a call back in about 1.5 hours with an actual IRS representative on the line. The agent was super helpful and initiated a formal request to my employer for my missing W-2. They also gave me detailed instructions on how to file using the substitute W-2 form if my employer still didn't respond within 10 days. For anyone in a similar situation - don't waste days trying to get through to the IRS yourself. This service actually works, and the time saved was absolutely worth it.

Just want to share what worked for me when I lost my W-2 last year. Contact your HR department, not just the main company number. If it's a large company, they often have a special employee/ex-employee portal where you can download tax documents yourself. I completely forgot about this until someone reminded me. Also check if your company used a third-party payroll processor like ADP, Paychex, or Gusto. You might be able to create/login to an account there and download your documents directly! I found my missing W-2 in my ADP account even though I hadn't worked at that company for months.

Whatever you do, DON'T file without including all your income! I made this mistake a few years ago and the IRS sent me a CP2000 notice about 6 months later saying I underreported my income. They assessed additional tax plus interest and a penalty. Just file for an extension with Form 4868 if you need more time to sort this out! That gives you until October 15th to file your actual return, though you still need to pay any estimated taxes by the regular deadline.