How to Get a W2 Form: Lost, Late, or Incorrect

A W-2 Form, or Wage and Tax Statement, records wages earned and taxes withheld during a tax year. Employers use this document to report income, Social Security, and Medicare taxes to employees and the Internal Revenue Service (IRS). Employees use W-2 information to file their annual income tax returns.

Receiving Your W-2

Employers must issue W-2 forms to employees by January 31st of each year, covering the previous tax year’s earnings. This deadline ensures employees have documentation to prepare tax returns before the April 15th filing deadline. W-2 forms are commonly mailed to the employee’s last known address. Many employers also offer electronic delivery through secure online portals, if consented. Employees should verify their current mailing address and contact information with their employer to prevent delays.

If You Haven’t Received Your W-2

If a W-2 form has not arrived by the end of January, contact your employer’s payroll or human resources department. Confirm the mailing address on file and inquire about the W-2’s status. If the employer is unresponsive or unable to resolve the issue by mid-February, contact the IRS for assistance. The IRS can then contact the employer on your behalf, requesting the missing W-2.

If the W-2 is still not received in time to file a tax return, use Form 4852, Substitute for Form W-2, Wage and Tax Statement. This form allows individuals to estimate wages and withheld taxes using pay stubs or bank statements. Attaching Form 4852 to the tax return ensures compliance with filing deadlines, though it may delay refund processing while the IRS verifies the information.

Getting a Duplicate W-2

Obtaining a duplicate W-2 form is often necessary if the original is lost, destroyed, or never received. The most direct approach is to request a duplicate directly from your employer’s human resources or payroll department. Many companies also provide access to electronic copies through employee self-service portals.

If an employer cannot provide a duplicate, other avenues are available. The Social Security Administration (SSA) maintains wage records and can provide copies of W-2s from previous years, often for a fee. The IRS also offers a free wage and income transcript service. This transcript includes W-2 information reported by employers and can be requested through the IRS.gov “Get Transcript Online” service or by submitting Form 4506-T. This transcript serves as a summary of the information the IRS received, which can be used for tax filing.

Correcting W-2 Information

If a W-2 form contains incorrect information, such as an inaccurate name, Social Security number, or erroneous wage and tax amounts, immediate action is warranted. First, contact your employer’s payroll or human resources department to report the error. Employers are responsible for issuing a corrected W-2, officially known as Form W-2c, Corrected Wage and Tax Statement. This corrected form will show both the previously reported incorrect information and the new, accurate details.

Do not file a tax return using an incorrect W-2. If the corrected W-2c is not received before the tax filing deadline, and the original W-2 had errors that significantly impact the tax return, you might need to file an amended return using Form 1040-X, Amended U.S. Individual Income Tax Return, once the accurate W-2c is obtained. If an employer is unresponsive to requests for correction, the IRS can be contacted for assistance, and they may intervene by sending a letter to the employer.