How to Get a Lost W-2 From Previous Years

A W-2 form is a document employers are required to issue to employees each year. This form reports the employee’s annual wages and the amount of taxes withheld from their paycheck, including federal income tax, state income tax, and Social Security and Medicare taxes. It is a foundational document for filing income tax returns. Misplacing a W-2 form from a previous year is a common occurrence, but various solutions exist to help individuals retrieve the necessary wage information.

Retrieving from Your Former Employer

The most direct approach to obtaining a lost W-2 form from a previous year involves contacting your former employer. Before reaching out, it is helpful to gather specific personal and employment details. You should have your full legal name as it appeared on your employment records, your Social Security number, the approximate dates you were employed by the company, and your last known address used during that employment period.

Once prepared, you should contact the Human Resources or Payroll department of your former employer. Request a duplicate W-2 form for the specific tax year you are missing. Inquire about any potential fees and the typical processing time, which usually takes one to two weeks. Some employers may be able to send an electronic copy, while others may only provide a physical duplicate.

If your former employer has gone out of business, this direct method will not be feasible. In such cases, the company would no longer have a Human Resources or Payroll department to contact, making it impossible to request a duplicate W-2 directly. You will need to explore alternative avenues for retrieving your wage information, such as those provided by government agencies.

Requesting from the Social Security Administration

The Social Security Administration (SSA) maintains records of reported wages. To access this information, you will need to complete and submit Form SSA-7050, “Request for Social Security Earnings Information.” This form requires your personal identifying information, including your full name, Social Security number, and date of birth, along with details about the specific tax years for which you need earnings information.

There is a fee associated with obtaining a detailed earnings statement. This fee can vary based on the extent of the information requested, potentially ranging from approximately $100 to $150 for comprehensive records spanning multiple years. The form provides instructions on how to submit payment.

The primary method for submitting Form SSA-7050 is through mail. After mailing your completed form and payment, the processing time for your request can range from several weeks to a few months. The SSA will provide the information as an earnings statement, which includes the wage data reported from your W-2 forms, rather than providing an actual duplicate W-2 document. This statement contains the necessary wage and tax withholding information required for tax filing purposes.

Accessing Wage Information Through the IRS

The Internal Revenue Service (IRS) offers several ways to access your wage information from previous tax years. The IRS provides a “Wage and Income Transcript” rather than an actual W-2 form. This transcript includes data from W-2s, 1099s, and other income documents filed with the IRS, and it is sufficient for tax filing.

To access IRS services, you will need specific identifying information, including your full name, Social Security number, date of birth, and your current mailing address. For online access, you will also need information from a prior year’s tax return for identity verification purposes.

Use the IRS’s “Get Transcript Online” tool, which allows immediate access to your transcript. You will need to create an account or log in, and then select the “Wage and Income Transcript” for the desired tax year. This transcript will display all wage and income data reported to the IRS.

Alternatively, you can request a transcript through the “Get Transcript by Mail” tool or by submitting Form 4506-T. When using the online mail tool, the transcript is mailed to your address of record within five to ten calendar days. Form 4506-T is a paper form that can be mailed or faxed to the IRS, and it is particularly useful if you need transcripts for multiple tax years or prefer a physical request.

The IRS also offers the option to request a transcript by phone. You can call the IRS customer service line to request a wage and income transcript. The “Wage and Income Transcript” provided by the IRS contains the necessary figures for tax preparation, including your gross wages, federal income tax withheld, and Social Security and Medicare wages and taxes.