- It's the end of the first week in February and you still don't have your W-2, and you haven't heard anything from your employer. The first thing to do is to contact the appropriate person or department, whether it's your immediate supervisor or the payroll department. They should be able to confirm whether or not the form has been sent. If it has, you might have to wait another week to see if it arrives.
- If after two weeks into February you still haven't received your W-2, it's time to contact the IRS. Even if your employer says it's been sent, it's possible the form was lost in the mail or there has been some other error. The easiest way to contact the IRS to report your situation is by calling 800-829-1040. Be sure to have your employer's name and address (as well as your own), your Social Security number, the length of time with the employer, and estimates of your earnings and withholding for the previous year. This information may be available on your pay stub.
- Alerting the IRS about a missing W-2 does not get you an extension on your return. The IRS will probably attempt to contact your employer and have your form sent. But, if it doesn't arrive, you're still obligated to file your taxes on time. If it comes time to file and you don't have a W-2, you can use Form 4852, which acts as a substitute. On this form you'll have to estimate your earnings and withholding as accurately as possible and attach the form to your return.
- It's possible, for whatever reason, that you might receive your W-2 after you've already filed your tax return. Or, you might be able to consult with your employer and get precise figures for your earnings and withholding. Sometimes an employer makes a mistake and has to send out a corrected W-2C. If any of these events happen, and your actual earnings or withholding differ from what you reported, you must amend your return by filing Form 1040X. Amending your return could create a tax liability, in which case you'll need to also include payment.
