How to Get a W-2 From a Former Employer

Form W-2, the Wage and Tax Statement, is a document an employer is required to send to each employee and the Internal Revenue Service (IRS) at the end of the year. The form reports an employee’s annual wages and the amount of taxes withheld from their paycheck. This information is fundamental for preparing and filing a personal income tax return.

Contacting Your Former Employer for Your W-2

The most direct method for obtaining a missing W-2 is to contact the former employer. Companies are required to mail these forms to employees by January 31st of each year. It is advisable to wait until at least the middle of February to allow for any potential postal delays before taking action. Some companies may also provide digital access to tax forms through an online employee portal, which may still be accessible after your employment has ended.

Have your full name, Social Security number, employee identification number if you know it, the dates you were employed, and your last known mailing address on file with the company. When you make contact, confirm the address they have on record, as the form may have been returned as undeliverable.

While a phone call or email is often sufficient, sending a request by certified mail provides a documented record of your attempt to obtain the form. This paper trail can be useful if you need to prove you took steps to get your W-2 before seeking further assistance.

Requesting Assistance from the IRS

If you have been unable to secure your W-2 from a former employer after mid-February, the next step is to ask the IRS for assistance. The process involves calling the IRS, and you must be prepared with specific information for them to act on your behalf.

You will need to provide your name, address, phone number, and Social Security number. You must also supply the employer’s name, address, and phone number. If you have it, the employer’s Employer Identification Number (EIN) is also helpful; this can often be found on a pay stub or a W-2 from a previous year.

Be prepared to share your dates of employment and provide an estimate of the wages you earned and the federal income tax that was withheld. With this information, the IRS will contact the employer for you, typically by sending a formal request, to remind them of their obligation to furnish the missing W-2. The agency does not immediately provide you with the tax form at this stage; they act as an intermediary to compel your former employer to send it.

Filing Your Taxes Using Form 4852

If you have not received your W-2 by the tax filing deadline, typically April 15, you can still file your return using Form 4852, Substitute for Form W-2, Wage and Tax Statement. This form is considered a last resort and should only be used after you have attempted to get your W-2 from your employer and have contacted the IRS for assistance.

To complete Form 4852, you will rely on the information from your final pay stub for the tax year. You must use the year-to-date figures to report your total wages, tips, and other compensation, as well as the amounts withheld for federal and state income taxes. You will also need to describe how you determined these amounts and detail your efforts to obtain your actual W-2 from the employer.

Once completed, you must attach Form 4852 to your paper-filed Form 1040 and mail it to the IRS. Filing with this substitute form may result in a delay in processing your return or any associated refund while the IRS verifies the information. If you eventually receive the official W-2 from your former employer and the figures differ from what you estimated on Form 4852, you will be required to correct the information by filing an amended tax return using Form 1040-X, Amended U.S. Individual Income Tax Return.