What to do if you do not Receive your Form W-2

Hopefully by now you have received your form W-2. If you have not, below are some steps you can take.

Form W-2, Wage and Tax Statement, shows both the income and taxes withheld from employees’ pay for the year. This form is necessary to file your taxes if you work as an employee.

Your 2018 W-2 form should have been sent by your employer by January 31, 2019. If you have not received yours by now, below are two steps you can take to get your copy so you can file your taxes.

Reach out to your Employer

Contact your employer to find out if and when your Form W-2 was mailed. It may have been returned to your employer due to an incorrect address. Ask them to re-send your form and give them adequate time to get it to you via mail.

Contact the IRS

If you have not received your W-2 by the end of February and you have already reached out to your employer, call the IRS for assistance at (800) 829-1040 or visit an IRS Taxpayer Assistance Center. You will need to have your name, address, phone number and Social Security Number ready as well as your employer’s name, address and phone number. Look for a final pay stub for an estimate of wages and federal income taxes that were withheld in 2018 to tell the person on the phone or at the center as well. The IRS can then contact your employer for you based on this information. The IRS will also mail a Form 4852, which is a substitute for form W-2 that is completed by taxpayers when they do not receive a Form W-2 from their employer (or if it is incorrect).

You still need to file your return, on or before April 15, 2019, even if you have not received your form W-2. Attach Form 4852 to your return with an estimate of your income and taxes withheld as accurately as you can. Keep in mind there may be a delay in processing any refunds due to you while the IRS works to verify the information.