Need help with Letter 12C: Submitting W2 form and additional documents for my 2020 tax refund - confused!

I received this IRS Letter 12C about my 2020 tax return and I'm completely lost. They're asking me to submit my W2 form, which I have, but there's all this other stuff they want that I don't understand! The letter mentions something about verifying my income and withholding amounts, but I'm not sure what else I need to send them besides the W2. I filed back in 2021 for my 2020 taxes and thought everything was fine. Now, years later, they're asking for more documentation? My refund has been held up for months now. The letter gives me 30 days to respond but I'm already 2 weeks in trying to figure this out. Has anyone dealt with a Letter 12C before? What exactly do I need to submit along with my W2? The instructions aren't very clear to me and I really need that refund money!

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22 comments

Anastasia Sokolov

•8M

The Letter 12C is basically the IRS saying they need to verify some information on your tax return before they can process your refund. It's actually pretty common, especially if there's a discrepancy between what you reported and what the IRS has on file. For a Letter 12C requesting your W2, here's typically what you need to send: 1. A copy of the actual Letter 12C they sent you 2. Your W2 form for 2020 3. Any other income documents mentioned in the letter (like 1099s if applicable) 4. A brief explanation letter stating you're responding to their request The letter should specify exactly what they're questioning - usually it's just verifying your income and withholding amounts. If they're asking about deductions or credits you claimed, you might need to provide documentation for those as well. Don't overthink it - usually they just want the W2 to confirm the numbers match what you reported on your return.

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Anastasia Sokolov

•8M

Yes, you can typically fax the documents instead of mailing them. The Letter 12C should have the fax number listed somewhere near the mailing address. Faxing is usually faster and gives you a confirmation that they received it. Calling them first isn't necessary, but it can be helpful if you have specific questions about what exactly they need. Just be prepared for a potentially long wait time. If your deadline is approaching, I'd recommend just sending what you have rather than waiting to speak with someone first.

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Zara Ahmed

•8M

I went through something similar last year with a Letter 12C for my 2019 taxes. After spending DAYS trying to get through to the IRS, I found this service called taxr.ai (https://taxr.ai) that actually helped me figure out exactly what documents I needed to submit. They analyzed my letter and tax situation and gave me a clear breakdown of what to send. For my Letter 12C, besides my W2, I also needed to include documentation for some education credits I claimed. I wouldn't have known that without getting proper guidance - the letter wasn't super clear. Taxr.ai saved me from going back and forth with the IRS multiple times.

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Zara Ahmed

•8M

You upload the IRS letter you received, and they use AI to analyze it and tell you exactly what documents you need to submit and why. They explain everything in plain English instead of IRS jargon. They also have tax pros who review everything to make sure the guidance is correct. As for doing it yourself, sure you can, but I wasted weeks trying to figure out what the IRS wanted before using taxr.ai. It saved me so much time and stress, especially when you're up against that 30-day deadline. And it helped me avoid making mistakes that would have further delayed my refund.

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Nia Johnson

•8M

Just wanted to update! I decided to try taxr.ai after seeing the recommendation here. I was skeptical but desperate since I was running out of time on my Letter 12C response. Uploaded my letter yesterday and got a detailed breakdown of exactly what I needed to submit - turns out I also needed to provide proof of some childcare expenses I claimed, not just my W2! The step-by-step instructions made it super easy to gather everything and submit it correctly. They even provided a cover letter template to send with my documents. Just faxed everything to the IRS this morning, and got confirmation it went through. Feeling way more confident now that I've submitted everything they wanted!

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CyberNinja

•8M

If you're having trouble getting answers directly from the IRS (and who isn't?), I'd recommend trying Claimyr (https://claimyr.com). I was in a similar situation with a Letter 12C and kept getting the "due to high call volume" message for WEEKS. Claimyr actually got me connected to a real IRS agent in about 20 minutes when I had been trying for days on my own. The agent was able to tell me exactly what I needed to submit for my specific case. You can see how it works here: https://youtu.be/_kiP6q8DX5c For my Letter 12C, it turned out I needed to submit not just my W2 but also documentation related to a retirement account withdrawal. The letter didn't make that clear at all, and I would've sent incomplete information without speaking to an agent.

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CyberNinja

•8M

They basically use technology to navigate the IRS phone system and wait on hold for you. When they get through to an actual agent, you get a call back and are connected. So yes, they do the calling and waiting part for you. I was pretty skeptical too before I tried it. I figured it was worth a shot since I had already wasted so much time trying to call myself. The IRS doesn't make it easy to get through, especially during tax season, but talking to an actual agent made all the difference in understanding exactly what I needed to submit.

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Aisha Abdullah

•8M

Update on my situation: I ended up trying Claimyr because I was desperate to talk to someone at the IRS about my Letter 12C. Honestly, I can't believe it actually worked! After trying for over a week on my own, Claimyr got me through to an IRS agent in about 25 minutes. The agent was able to tell me EXACTLY what they needed from me - turns out I needed my W2 plus documentation for some charitable contributions I had claimed. The letter wasn't clear about that at all! The agent even gave me a specific fax number to use that would go directly to the department handling my case. I sent everything in yesterday and the agent said I should expect my refund within 2-3 weeks once they process my documents. Talking to a real person made such a difference - wish I'd done this sooner!

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Yuki Tanaka

•8M

You can usually get copies of your 1099-INT forms by logging into your bank or financial institution's website. Most keep those tax documents available for several years. If you can't access them online, call the bank directly - they should be able to provide copies. If you absolutely cannot get those documents, submit what you have with a letter explaining the situation. Sometimes the IRS already has the information from the bank and just needs your W2. But definitely try to get those 1099s if possible.

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Genevieve Cavalier

•6M

I went through the exact same thing with a Letter 12C for my 2020 taxes! It's definitely stressful when you're not sure what they want. From my experience, the key is to read the letter very carefully - they usually specify exactly which tax year and which forms they need. For most Letter 12C requests, you'll need: - The W2 you mentioned (make sure it's for 2020) - Any 1099 forms if you had other income - A copy of the letter itself - Sometimes proof of deductions if that's what they're questioning Don't panic about the timeline - even if you're past the 30 days, they usually accept late responses as long as you send everything they need. I was about 6 weeks late responding to mine and still got my refund processed. One tip: make copies of everything before you send it, and if you fax, keep the confirmation sheet. The IRS can be slow but they do process these eventually. My refund came about 2 months after I sent my response. You've got this! Just gather what they asked for and get it submitted.

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Norman Fraser

•5M

Good questions! For the explanation letter, I just wrote a brief note saying "In response to Letter 12C dated [date], please find the requested documents attached." Nothing fancy - they mainly just want the forms they asked for. And yes, when I say make copies, I mean for your own records. Send copies to the IRS and keep the originals safe at home. Never send original documents to the IRS unless they specifically ask for them (which is rare). The copies are just as valid for their verification process. Also, if you're faxing, definitely keep that confirmation page! It's your proof that you submitted everything on time. I actually had to reference mine months later when there was a processing delay.

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Gianna Scott

•5M

I just went through this exact situation with a Letter 12C last year! The stress is real when you're not sure what they want and that 30-day deadline is looming. Here's what I learned from my experience: The Letter 12C usually means there's a mismatch between what you reported and what they have on file from your employers/financial institutions. For 2020 taxes, this was pretty common because of all the pandemic-related changes and delays in reporting. Besides your W2, check if the letter mentions any specific lines on your tax return they're questioning. Sometimes they want documentation for: - Unemployment compensation (if you received any in 2020) - Stimulus payments that might have been incorrectly reported - Any 1099 forms for side income or investment earnings The good news is that most Letter 12C issues get resolved pretty quickly once you submit the right documents. I was worried for nothing - turned out they just needed to verify my W2 matched what my employer reported, and I had my refund about 6 weeks later. Don't stress too much about being 2 weeks into the 30-day period. Focus on gathering the documents and getting them submitted. You've got this!

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