How to Get a Copy of Your W2 From Last Year
Need your W2 from a prior year? Learn the straightforward ways to retrieve this essential income document for tax or financial purposes.
A W-2 form, the Wage and Tax Statement, is an annual document employers issue to employees, detailing their wages, salaries, compensation, and federal, state, and local taxes withheld. This form is foundational for filing income tax returns, providing a clear record of earnings and tax payments. W-2 information is essential for accurately calculating tax liabilities and fulfilling tax obligations.
Beyond tax season, a W-2 serves multiple financial purposes, such as verifying income for loan applications. Individuals may need a copy of a W-2 from a prior year for various reasons, including misplacing the original, never receiving it, or changing jobs. Obtaining a past W-2 ensures continuity in financial records.
Contacting Your Employer for a Copy
The most direct method for obtaining a past W-2 is to contact your former employer. Employers are legally obligated to provide W-2 forms to employees by January 31st each year and retain these records for at least four years.
Before reaching out, gather specific personal and employment information. This includes your full legal name as it appeared on employment records, your Social Security Number (or at least the last four digits), your dates of employment with the company, and your last known address while employed there.
Reach out to their Human Resources (HR) or payroll department. Many companies also utilize online employee portals where you might be able to access and download your past W-2s directly, provided your account is still active.
If your former employer is no longer in business or is unresponsive to your requests, alternative methods are necessary. You might explore if the company was acquired by another entity, as the successor company may have inherited employee records. If these avenues prove fruitless, the IRS offers additional resources for obtaining your wage and income information.
Obtaining Wage and Income Information from the IRS
When direct contact with a former employer is unsuccessful or not feasible, the Internal Revenue Service (IRS) provides options to obtain your wage and income information. It is important to understand the distinction between the types of information available from the IRS: Wage and Income Transcripts and actual copies of tax returns or W-2s. A Wage and Income Transcript summarizes the income data reported to the IRS by various payers, including W-2 information, and is often sufficient for tax filing purposes. A copy of the actual W-2 form, however, is a physical replica of the original document.
To request a Wage and Income Transcript, the quickest way is often through the IRS “Get Transcript Online” tool available on IRS.gov. This online service requires identity verification, typically by providing your Social Security Number, date of birth, filing status, address from your last tax return, and an account number from a financial institution or a prior year’s Adjusted Gross Income (AGI) for security purposes. Once verified, you can view and download your transcript instantly for the current and prior nine tax years.
Alternatively, you can request a transcript by mail using the “Get Transcript by Mail” service on IRS.gov or by calling their automated phone transcript service at 800-908-9946. For these methods, you will need to provide your Social Security Number, date of birth, and the mailing address from your latest tax return. Transcripts requested by mail typically arrive within 5 to 10 calendar days at the address the IRS has on file.
For situations requiring an actual copy of your filed tax return, which includes all attachments like W-2s, you must use Form 4506, Request for Copy of Tax Return. This form is used when a transcript does not suffice, such as for specific legal or financial applications. Unlike transcripts, there is a fee of $50 for each tax return copy requested, and processing times can be significantly longer, potentially taking up to 75 days.
Checking Other Possible Sources
Beyond directly contacting your employer or the IRS, several other sources might hold copies or information from your past W-2s. These supplementary methods can be helpful if primary avenues are exhausted or if you need quick access to certain details.
Many popular tax preparation software providers, such as TurboTax or H&R Block, store past tax returns and associated documents, including W-2s, within your account. If you used such software to file your taxes in previous years, logging into your account may grant you immediate access to your stored W-2 forms. This can be a convenient option for retrieving digital copies.
If you have used a professional tax preparer or an accountant in the past, they may have retained copies of your W-2s as part of their client records. Tax professionals often keep these documents on file for several years, and they may be able to provide you with a copy upon request. Some tax professionals even have authorized online access to IRS transcripts, allowing them to retrieve the information on your behalf.
While not a direct copy of a W-2, your bank statements or year-end financial summaries might provide some proof of income. These documents can show records of direct deposits from your employer, which can serve as a last resort for income verification in certain situations. However, bank statements do not provide the detailed breakdown of wages, taxes withheld, and other W-2 specific information necessary for tax filing.