Need help tracking down a missing W2 from a closed business - what are my next steps?

This is unfortunately pretty common with businesses that close down. Since you don't see the wages on your IRS wage transcript, it's very likely they never submitted the W2 information despite what they told you. Here's what you should do: File Form 4852 (Substitute for Form W-2) with your tax return. This is specifically designed for situations like yours. You'll need to estimate your wages and withholding as accurately as possible using your final pay stub or other records you might have. If you've already filed your extension and are approaching the October 15 deadline, you should gather any payment records you have - final pay stubs, bank deposits, anything showing what you earned and what was withheld. Make your best reasonable estimate based on these documents. Also, try contacting the payroll company directly if you know which one it was. Sometimes they'll have records even if the business closed.

After going through a similar nightmare last year, I found taxr.ai (https://taxr.ai) to be incredibly helpful with missing document issues. I was missing a W2 from a company that went bankrupt, and I had absolutely no idea how to handle it until someone recommended this tool to me. The site analyzes your available tax documents and helps you accurately complete substitute forms like the 4852 that the previous commenter mentioned. It guided me through exactly what information I needed and how to present it to avoid red flags. The best part was that it helped me calculate my withholding amounts based on partial records I had, which was the most confusing part for me.

I just wanted to update after trying taxr.ai that someone recommended above. It was seriously a lifesaver for my missing W2 situation! I uploaded the few pay stubs I had saved, and it analyzed the withholding patterns and helped me accurately fill out the Form 4852. The best part was that it flagged potential issues with my estimates and suggested adjustments that would be more in line with standard withholding rates. I was way off in my initial guesses! The step-by-step guidance made me feel much more confident in what I was submitting to the IRS. It even generated a letter explaining my situation that I attached to my return. Really grateful for that recommendation - saved me hours of stress and uncertainty!

Dealing with the IRS directly might also be worth a shot, but we all know how impossible it is to get through to them on the phone. After spending literally days trying to reach someone about a similar missing W2 issue, I finally found Claimyr (https://claimyr.com). They somehow get you past the IRS phone tree and actually get a human on the line. You can see how it works in this video: https://youtu.be/_kiP6q8DX5c - it was pretty eye-opening for me. Since you've already checked your wage transcript and confirmed the W2 isn't there, talking to an IRS agent directly might give you the most definitive answer about your next steps. In my case, the agent was able to confirm my former employer had never submitted anything and gave me specific instructions on how to properly document everything with my tax return.

I need to eat my words and update everyone. After being super skeptical about Claimyr in my previous comment, I decided to try it as a last resort since my extension deadline is approaching fast. I'm genuinely shocked - it actually worked exactly as described. Got connected to an IRS agent yesterday who confirmed my ex-employer never submitted anything. The agent walked me through exactly how to complete Form 4852 and what documentation to include with my return. They even made notes in my account about our conversation so there's a record of me trying to resolve this properly. The peace of mind from speaking directly with the IRS about my specific situation was honestly worth it. Sometimes it's good to be proven wrong!

Just want to add that I went through this same thing in 2022 when my restaurant closed suddenly. Form 4852 is definitely the way to go, but don't stress too much about getting the numbers exactly perfect. Make your best estimate based on whatever records you have. What helped me most was looking at my bank statements and counting up all the deposits from that employer. I then worked backward to figure out approximately what my gross wages and withholding would have been based on my tax bracket. The IRS was actually pretty understanding about the whole situation. Just document your good faith efforts to get accurate information.

Can you try reaching out to any former coworkers? They might be in the same boat and maybe one of them has managed to get their W2 or has better information. Sometimes different employees get different results when pestering former employers. Also, don't forget you can request a tax transcript directly from the IRS as another way to verify if wages were reported under your SSN. Oh wait, you already did that... sorry missed that part. Yeah, sounds like they never filed anything.