I got my mail today and a W-2 came in from a company I use to work for in Indiana. I resigned from that job December of 2014. Why am I getting a W-2 when I already got one for the 2014 year when I filed in 2015.
You would have to ask them why you got it. They probably paid you for Dec 2014 in early January 2015.
How much was listed on the w-2 for 2015. If you quit at the end of 2014, it's very likely you may have gotten a final check the first week of January.
What's the amounts on the W2 say? Does it say you earned anything?
I does say that I made money. But not enough for a weeks pay.
I checked all of my recent pay stubs from them and not one check amounts to that money. Another issue is that I have already filed my taxes.
Well if you've filed already then just forget about it. If you don't remember working there for much last year then it won't be enough of an amount to matter
@nikkitomasiak if this is a legit W-2, you will need to amend your return to add it. If you don't, the IRS will send you a CP2000 notice when they notice that your return does not match your W-2s. So you need to find out what this is for and either get it rescinded by the company, or amend your return.
Really it all just depends on the amount. I had this same prob a few years ago. I didn't get a w2 in the mail until July and my file deadline is April 15. It was only for 200 so it wasn't a big deal. If its under 500 you can get away without claiming it. So you can either take your chances and hope you don't get audited. Or you can report it and this drag out for months, possibly all year.
You need to ask them. I would not file until you get an answer you understand. There are a few reasons that they might need to adjust your W-2, but if you really quit in 2014, they probably should have corrected your 2014 W-2 instead of issuing a new one.
You may have received a check in Jan for work performed in Dec. You may have also received a commission check later. The W-2 is determined by when you received the money, not when you earned it. Also, as far as amending the return, if it's a small amount then just let the IRS adjust your return. That costs you nothing except perhaps a few more dollars in taxes due. If they charge penalty and/or interest, then just write them a letter to request a waiver of the P&I due to the fact that you had already filed your return before receiving the W-2 which you were not expecting. They will usually waive it unless you are a habitual offender. Good luck.
I am also going through this same thing. The employer I worked for stated I worked for them in 2015. I quit 2014 in December. They made my W2 for 2015 the EXACT same as 2014: 13,656. So now I’m having to pay all the taxes and interest and penalties due to this. I was not working for them as I was pregnant with my daughter at this time and in and out of the hospital. They now have sold said business and idk where to start. What can I do?
Could you please clarify did just receive a notice from the IRS about your 2015 W-2 and the tax, interest and penalty due?
@LeonardS I did indeed. I received a cp2000 saying I didn’t report my 2015 W2 for this employer. And now I have to pay 3500$ with Interest and penalties.
Do you have any proof at this point that you quit in 2014? Think broadly. Besides any emails you might’ve saved, or other termination paperwork, maybe you had direct deposit. Can you get bank records from 2014 and 2015 showing that the direct deposit stopped? Can you show that you started work with a new company at the end of 2014 or in 2015? Can you get copies of your medical records, hospital bills, insurance explanation of benefits, and other paperwork that would show you had significant medical concerns and could not have been working?
Additionally, there is something very strange about this notice, because normally the IRS only has three years to contest a tax return. If you filed a tax return for 2015 on time (before April 15, 2016), the IRS deadline to issue the CP 2000 notice would have been April 15, 2019. If you never filed a 2015 tax return – possibly you were not working – then that clock never started, but it is still strange. Do you know if the W-2 was filed on time in January 2016, or was it just filed recently when the company closed? Do you have any witnesses who can attest to the fact that you stop working for that company in 2014?
Unfortunately, a consultation with an enrolled agent (a tax accountant who specializes in practicing before the IRS) could cost a significant portion of the tax you are trying to avoid. If you want to go alone, you need to send a response to the IRS within the timeframe indicated in the letter to preserve all of your rights. I would start by sending a letter with a comprehensive explanation that asserts that you don’t know the tax for two reasons, one.the expiration of the statute of limitations, and to.that you never received this income. Explain the circumstances of your separation from the company, including copies of emails and any other proof. Include copies of bank records showing that your pay from that company stopped. Include a summary of your medical issues including the dates and length of your hospital stay. Point out that the W-2 is for exactly the same dollar amount which is highly unlikely for what sounds like a part-time job with variable shifts.
You should also send a registered letter to the new owners of the company and the old owners of the company if you know where they are, explaining that you that the IRS received a duplicate W-2 and that you will hold them financially responsible for any taxes and penalties caused by this false information. Demand that they prove you worked and were paid in 2015.
Be creative, think outside the box, and do everything you can to establish that you were not working for them in 2015.