Can I File My Taxes Without a W-2?
Every year, people find themselves in a position where they need to file a tax return and do not have one or more W-2 forms. In some cases, this is because of an irresponsible employer and sometimes it is accidental. You still have to file and claim the money you made, even without a W-2. Although this is a hardship, there is a way to file your return and try to make things right.
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Contact the Employer
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Before you file your tax return without the W-2, try to contact the employer that was supposed to give it to you. In some cases, a wrong address can cause the form to be returned to sender. In other cases, the W-2 can get lost in the mail. Sometimes, there is a good reason why you did not receive a W-2 and the employer will be more than happy to help.
Contact the IRS
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When an employer cannot be found or reached, call the IRS to ask for a transcript associated with your Social Security number. If the employer filed the W-2 copy with a 1096 with the government, they will have amounts for you. If the employer reported wages throughout the year and sent withholdings to the government, you will be able to see those transcripts for tax purposes.
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Use the Last Pay Stub
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If you have the very last pay stub with a year-to-date section, you will be able to use this information to fill out Form 4852. You will need to know what your yearly gross pay was and how much was withheld for federal and state taxes. If you are filing online using any e-file software, you will need to know how much Social Security and Medicare tax was paid. Subtract any pre-tax deductions from the gross.
Estimate Income and Withholdings
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If you don't have your last pay stub, you will have to estimate your gross income and withholdings. This is the hardest way to file taxes because you may be under or over in your calculations. If you were a full-time employee with an hourly wage, it is easier, but a part-time employee with varied hours will have a harder time. Make a ledger and follow the tax rates for deductions.
File a 4852
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File Form 4852 when you don't have a W-2 to support your gross income. This form is mailed along with the federal tax form and shows the IRS that you were missing the form, but are still abiding by the statutes pertaining to filing your taxes. Follow the instructions and enter the information as correctly as you can.
Warning
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If you file your taxes using the estimated method and an employer decides to send you a W-2 or sends his or her information to the IRS, you may be contacted to amend your return to reflect the information that is on file. Don't worry, this is not a reflection on you unless you exaggerated your estimates for personal gain.
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