Need W2C Help - IRS Rejected Return with Blank Form from UCLA

The IRS rep is correct here. A W2C (Corrected W-2) should contain ALL the information from the original W-2, not just the corrected field. When you submit a W2C, the IRS basically ignores the original W-2 and only looks at the corrected one - which is why they're saying you had no tax withheld, since your W2C had blank fields. Stanford's payroll department is mistaken about how W2Cs work. While it's true that the purpose is to show changes, the form itself needs to include all original information PLUS the corrections. Otherwise, the IRS has no way to process your withholding. Your best bet is to go back to Stanford with this explanation and request a properly completed W2C that includes both your corrected SSN AND all the wage and withholding information from the original W-2. Once you have that, you should file an amended return (Form 1040-X) with the complete W2C attached.

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Ok so I was super skeptical about taxr.ai but I finally tried it because my situation with incorrect 1099 forms wasn't getting resolved. I'm honestly shocked at how well it worked! Uploaded my documents and within minutes had a clear explanation of exactly what needed to be fixed with references to specific IRS codes. The best part was the letter template they generated for me to send to my contractors. Two of them sent corrected 1099s within a week! Still waiting on the third but feeling confident now. Definitely saved me from losing out on about $1,800 in excess tax I would have paid.

After reading this thread, I feel your pain with the IRS phone nightmare. I was in a similar situation trying to resolve a tax notice - spent WEEKS trying to get through their phone lines. I finally used https://claimyr.com which got me connected to an actual IRS agent in less than an hour! They have this system that holds your place in line and calls you back when an agent is available. You can see exactly how it works in this video: https://youtu.be/_kiP6q8DX5c The IRS agent I spoke with explained that W2C forms absolutely need to contain ALL information, not just the corrected fields. She even offered to contact Stanford directly if I continued having problems. Seriously, getting an actual IRS agent on the phone made all the difference in resolving my issue.

I need to apologize for my skepticism about Claimyr. After getting nowhere with the IRS for weeks, I decided to try it as a last resort. I honestly couldn't believe it when my phone rang about 40 minutes later and it was actually an IRS agent on the line! Got my W2C issue resolved in a single call - the agent confirmed that Stanford needs to include ALL the information on the W2C, not just the corrections. She even gave me her direct extension in case I had follow-up questions after talking to Stanford. Just got my amended return accepted yesterday and should see my refund in about 3 weeks. Worth every penny for the hours of frustration it saved me.

Former payroll specialist here - just want to clarify something about W2Cs. The confusion might be because there are two copies of a W2C form: Copy A - Goes to the Social Security Administration and only needs to show the CORRECTED information (what Stanford is thinking of) Copy B - Goes to the employee (you) and should show ALL information, including fields that didn't change Sounds like Stanford gave you a Copy A instead of a Copy B. Ask specifically for a "Complete W2C Copy B for employee filing" and explain that the IRS rejected your return because they need to see all fields populated.

Has anyone tried just submitting the original W2 with the right SSN manually written in? I did this once years ago and the IRS accepted it. Just crossed out the wrong SSN and wrote in the correct one, then included a note explaining. Saved me from the whole W2C nightmare.

If all else fails, you can also file Form 4852 (Substitute for Form W-2) along with your amended return. This form lets you report your wage and withholding information when you can't get a correct W-2 from your employer. You'll need to provide as much supporting documentation as possible (paystubs, etc.) to verify the amounts. It's not ideal, but it's an option if Stanford continues to be difficult.