When is the legal deadline for my employer to provide a corrected W2?

The January 31st deadline applies to the initial W-2 forms, which your employer did meet. For corrected W-2s (W-2c forms), the IRS doesn't technically set a specific deadline, but employers are expected to issue corrections "as soon as possible" after discovering errors. While there's no hard deadline for W-2c forms, your employer shouldn't be dragging their feet this long. They should be making a reasonable effort to get you the corrected form, especially since they've told you not to file yet. At this point, I'd recommend contacting your HR or payroll department directly to ask for an update on the status of your corrected W-2. If you can't get a satisfactory response from your employer, you have a couple of options. You could file with your original W-2 and then file an amended return later, or you could contact the IRS directly at 800-829-1040 for assistance. They may contact your employer on your behalf.

I had almost this exact situation last year with a corrected W2 that was taking forever! I was super stressed about it until I tried using a service called taxr.ai (https://taxr.ai) that helped me figure out what to do. They analyzed my original W2 and helped me understand what information was likely missing and how significant the changes would be. Turns out, the correction was for a relatively small amount that wouldn't hugely impact my refund. They explained that in some cases, you can file with your original W2, then just file an amendment later when the corrected one comes. They even helped me draft an email to HR that actually got a response! It was way more helpful than the generic IRS guidance I was finding online.

Ok I need to eat my words from my earlier comment. I was skeptical about taxr.ai but decided to give it a try with my own delayed W2c situation. Honestly, it was super helpful! They helped me figure out that my correction was related to my retirement contributions which wouldn't actually change my refund much. The best part was they helped me understand exactly what to say to HR to get things moving. I was actually able to get my corrected W2 within a week after trying their suggested approach instead of my previous "any updates?" emails that were getting ignored. Definitely worth checking out if you're still waiting on your employer.

Been there, done that with unresponsive employers! After weeks of waiting for a corrected W2 last year, I finally decided to try Claimyr (https://claimyr.com) to get through to an actual human at the IRS. They have this service where they basically wait on hold with the IRS for you, then call you when an agent is on the line. You can see how it works in this video: https://youtu.be/_kiP6q8DX5c I was initially hesitant because I thought "why pay someone to wait on hold?" but after trying to get through on my own and hanging up after 2+ hours, it was totally worth it. The IRS agent I spoke with was actually super helpful and initiated contact with my employer, which magically made my corrected W2 appear within days. Funny how that works when the IRS comes knocking!

I have to publicly admit I was completely wrong about Claimyr in my previous comment. After another week of no response from my company's payroll department, I decided to try it myself out of frustration. The service worked exactly as described - I got a call when an IRS agent was on the line and didn't have to wait on hold at all. The agent took my information about the missing corrected W2 and said they would contact my employer. Three days later I got an email from our payroll manager apologizing for the delay and attaching my corrected W2. The correction was minor (some retirement contributions coded wrong) but I'm relieved to finally have it done. I'm still shocked at how effective this was compared to my multiple emails to HR that got ignored for weeks. Lesson learned!

Just want to add that you might want to check if your employer has an online portal where they post your tax documents. My company sent physical W2s but when they did corrections, they only posted the W2c forms to our online payroll portal without telling anyone. I found mine sitting there for weeks while I was checking my physical mail every day. Also, depending on what the correction is for, you might be able to file without waiting. When I called our payroll department, they told me exactly what was being corrected (a code related to health insurance that didn't affect my tax liability) and said I could go ahead and file with the original W2.

If you're still waiting, you can actually report your employer to the IRS using Form 4852 (Substitute for W-2). There's a section where you explain that you requested the W-2 but didn't receive it. The IRS will contact your employer, and trust me, companies don't like getting these notices!

I'm dealing with a similar situation right now! My employer said they'd have corrected W2s out "soon" back in February and it's now April. What I've learned from calling around is that while there's no specific deadline for W2c forms, the IRS does expect "prompt" correction once errors are discovered. Here's what worked for me: I called our payroll department and asked for the specific nature of the correction and an estimated timeline. Turns out mine was just a minor coding issue that wouldn't affect my refund at all. They told me I could file with the original W2 and just ignore the corrected one when it comes. If your employer won't give you details about what's being corrected, you might want to consider filing with your original W2 and amending later if needed. The longer you wait, the more you're potentially losing out on your refund or owing penalties if you end up owing taxes. At some point, the employer's delay becomes your financial problem, which isn't fair.

I completely understand your frustration! As someone who works in tax preparation, I see this situation way too often. While there's technically no hard deadline for corrected W-2s, "early March" turning into "end of March" is definitely unreasonable. Here's my practical advice: First, call your HR/payroll department TODAY and ask for two specific things: 1) What exactly is being corrected on the W-2, and 2) A firm date when you'll receive it. Don't accept vague answers like "soon." If the correction is minor (like a coding issue that doesn't affect your actual wages or withholdings), you can likely file with your original W-2 and ignore the corrected one. However, if it involves actual dollar amounts for wages, taxes withheld, or retirement contributions, you'll want to wait or file an amended return later. If they can't give you a firm timeline, I'd seriously consider filing with your original W-2 and amending later. You're losing potential refund money sitting in limbo, and if you end up owing taxes, you could face penalties for late filing. Your employer's inefficiency shouldn't cost you money or peace of mind.