Will I Still Get a Refund If I Forgot a W2?

If you forget a W-2 form, you may still receive a refund from the IRS.

Form W-2 is the Wage and Tax statement completed by an employer and submitted to each payee and the Internal Revenue Service. Tax reporting must be completed and submitted to the IRS no later than April 15 unless you have been granted an extension. In some cases, a W-2 form may have been overlooked and unreported on an individual's tax submission. The individual may be issued a tax refund by the IRS if the information on the original submission denotes an overpayment of taxes; however it is necessary to notify the IRS of the additional W-2 to ensure the proper refund or amount owed.

Complete Form 1040X

All W-2's are reported to the IRS, so eventually the IRS will determine this income to be unreported, unless a Form 1040X has been completed. Form 1040X is an "Amended Return" form used to correct forms 1040, 1040A, 1040EZ, 1040EZ-T, 1040NR, or 1040NR-EZ.

Deadline for Form 1040X

The IRS requires that Form 1040X must be filed within three years of the date you filed the original return. or within two years after the date you paid the tax, whichever is later. The IRS will charge interest on any amount owed past the required filing deadline, including taxpayers who have filed an extension. Therefore, it is best to submit your amended form as soon as possible.

Impact on original return

Depending on the total income reported on the original form versus the information on the amended return, you may be eligible for more or less than the refunded amount on the original return. If you receive a refund based on your original return, it is recommended that you do not cash the check until you have completed form 1040X and have determined the actual amount of what you owe or should expect for a refund.

Avoid missing information

As tax documents arrive in the mail, keep them together in a secure location until it is time to prepare your return. Before completing your tax return, look through the tax documents to ensure that all of your wages have been accounted for on each W-2. If you have not received an expected W-2 form by Feb. 15, contact your employer first and then the IRS.

References

• IRS Form 1040X
• IRS.gov

Resources

• IRS Form 1040X
• Form 1040X Instructions