How to Get a Copy of Your W2 If You Lost It

A W-2 form, or Wage and Tax Statement, details annual wages and the amount of federal, state, and local taxes withheld by an employer. It is necessary for filing income tax returns and can also serve as proof of income. Losing this document can be concerning, but procedures exist to obtain a copy.

Requesting from Your Employer

The most direct and often fastest way to acquire a lost W-2 form is by contacting your employer. Employers are legally obligated to issue W-2 forms to employees by January 31 each year. If you have not received your W-2 by this date, or if it has been lost, your employer’s payroll or human resources department should be your first point of contact.

When contacting your current or former employer, provide your full legal name, Social Security Number, last known address, and the specific tax year(s) needed. Providing dates of employment for the relevant year can also assist. Many employers can provide a duplicate copy directly or through an online employee portal.

While employers are not legally required to reissue W-2 forms on demand or within a specific timeframe after the initial January 31 deadline, most will facilitate the request. Some employers might charge a small fee for reissuing a W-2, often ranging from $5 to $20. If an employer is no longer in business or is unresponsive to requests, alternative methods through the Internal Revenue Service (IRS) become necessary.

Obtaining from the IRS

If obtaining a copy from your employer is unsuccessful, the Internal Revenue Service (IRS) provides access to your wage and income information. The IRS does not provide actual W-2 forms; instead, it offers a “wage and income transcript.” This transcript contains data from W-2s and other informational returns (e.g., Forms 1099, 1098, and 5498) reported to the IRS. This transcript includes all federal tax information reported by your employer to the Social Security Administration (SSA).

To request a wage and income transcript, complete Form 4506-T, “Request for Transcript of Tax Return.” You must provide your personal information on the form, including your name, Social Security Number (SSN), and current address. If you moved since the tax year for which you are requesting the W-2, list any previous addresses used during that period on Line 4.

On Form 4506-T, select the checkbox on Line 8 for “Form W-2, Form 1099 series, Form 1098 series, or Form 5498 series transcript” to request wage and income information. Specify the tax year(s) needed on Line 9, typically entered as 12/31/YYYY for a calendar year. Sign and date the form, as unsigned forms will not be processed.

Once completed, Form 4506-T can be mailed or faxed to the IRS office listed in the form’s instructions. The IRS processes online requests within 10 business days and mailed requests within 6 weeks. The transcript is usually mailed to your address on file within 5 to 10 calendar days after processing. While the wage and income transcript provides the necessary figures for tax filing, it does not include state or local tax information.