Missing Your W2’s? What To Do Next!

It’s that time of the year, however cliched that sounds, when your W2 comes in the mail. The W2 as you know shows your annual taxable earnings, tax payments and other deductions. The due date for the employers to send those out was January 31st, 2014. Some employers do send those out via email as well. Whereas others still rely on the pony express errrr the regular mail.

If you have not received yours and are anxious because you need that refund (like yesterday!!). First step, check your Email Inbox (yeah, I know…but please read on), some emails are ignored and may have slipped down the list. Your employer might require you to log in to a separate secure website.

Not there?..In that case contact your HR department or Employer and make sure they have the correct mailing address on file for you. Some employers wait till the last day to mail your W2, so it may still be on it’s way. IRS advises you to wait for a “reasonable amount of time” which I have determined to be till mid-February.

So the employer did send it out or worse they have gone out of business and haven’t made arrangements to send out W2’s to former employees, contact the IRS at 800-829-1040. Please have the following information ready:

• Your name, complete address, Social Security Number and phone number.
• Your Employer’s (or former employer) complete address
• Dates of Employment
• Estimate of the wages earned, federal tax withheld based on your last pay-stub from the employer

If you have already taken the steps as above, that is, contacted your employer and/or the IRS, go ahead and file your tax return by the due date or file an extension with a Form 4852, Substitute for Form W2, Wage and Tax Statement. Attach this form to the tax return. You may not be able to file this electronically and there will be a delay in processing since all the information has to be verified.

Voila, if you receive your W2 after you have filed in the above manner. (Believe me, this has been known to happen!) AND the information is different from what has been provided by you on the return filed, you will have to amend your tax return via Form 1040X.

And that, my friends, will be a story for another post. As always, please consult a qualified tax professional for your unique situation.

Original Post By:  Manasa Nadig

I am Manasa Nadig, enrolled to practice and represent taxpayers with the Internal Revenue Service. I have been in the business of Tax Preparation & Tax Planning since 1999. My firm, MN Tax Solutions, LLC is based in Michigan, USA. Please connect with me on TaxConnections for more information about myself & the services provided by my firm.

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