How to Get My W2 From a Former Employer

The Form W-2, Wage and Tax Statement, is an Internal Revenue Service (IRS) document employers must send to each employee, detailing their annual wages and the amount of taxes withheld. This form reports income, Social Security, and Medicare taxes withheld, which is necessary for accurately filing your personal income tax return. Employers are legally required to mail or electronically provide Form W-2 to their employees no later than January 31 each year. If this date falls on a weekend or holiday, the deadline shifts to the next business day.

Initial Steps to Request Your W-2

The most direct method to obtain your W-2 is to contact your former employer. Many larger companies have automated online portals where current and former employees can access payroll documents, so checking the company’s human resources website is a good first step. If that is not an option, the next step is to directly contact the payroll or human resources department.

When you reach out, be prepared to provide specific information to verify your identity. You will need to supply:

• Your full name used during employment
• Your Social Security number
• The dates you were employed
• Your current mailing address

Confirm that the address they have on file is correct, as a simple error could be the cause of the delay.

For your records, document your attempts to contact the employer. An email creates a digital paper trail, while sending a request via certified mail provides proof of delivery, which can be useful if you need to escalate the issue later.

Contacting the IRS for Assistance

If you have not received your W-2 by mid-February and your former employer is unresponsive, you can seek assistance from the IRS. The agency recommends waiting until after February 14 to allow for potential mail delays.

When you call the IRS, an agent will initiate a formal request on your behalf. You will need to provide your personal information as well as details about your former employer, including:

• Your name, address, Social Security number, and phone number
• Your former employer’s complete name, address, and phone number
• Your former employer’s Employer Identification Number (EIN), if you have it from an old pay stub
• Your dates of employment
• An estimate of the wages you earned and the federal income tax withheld, which can be found on your final pay stub

After gathering these details, the IRS will send a letter to the employer requesting that they furnish you with your W-2.

Filing Your Taxes Without a W-2

You cannot delay filing as the tax deadline approaches just because your W-2 is missing. If you have completed the previous steps and still do not have your form, you must use IRS Form 4852, Substitute for Form W-2. This allows you to report your earnings and withholdings using the best available information, ensuring you file on time and avoid late-filing penalties.

To complete Form 4852 accurately, you will need your final pay stub for the tax year. It should contain year-to-date totals for wages and the amounts withheld for federal, state, and local taxes. You will transfer these figures onto Form 4852, making a good-faith estimate of the annual totals.

You must also describe your efforts to obtain the W-2 from your former employer on the form. Once completed, you attach Form 4852 to your paper-filed tax return in place of the missing W-2. If you are filing electronically, the information from Form 4852 is entered directly into the tax software, which will generate the form as part of your electronic submission.

Amending Your Return After Receiving the W-2

After filing your tax return using Form 4852, you may eventually receive the official Form W-2. Compare the information on the official W-2 with the estimates you reported on Form 4852. If the figures for wages and withholdings are identical, no further action is necessary.

If there are discrepancies between the two documents, you are required to amend your original tax return. This is done by filing Form 1040-X, Amended U.S. Individual Income Tax Return. This form allows you to correct the previously reported income and withholding amounts to match the official W-2.

On Form 1040-X, you will report the figures from your original return, the corrected figures from your W-2, and the difference between them. This adjustment may result in you owing additional tax or being entitled to a larger refund. You should attach a copy of the newly received W-2 to your Form 1040-X and provide a brief explanation for the changes.