No, you do not have to contact the IRS with that sad story. If you have not finished preparing your 2022 tax return, it is just going to be late now. There are no further extensions except for certain people in parts of CA---and the IRS is aware of those folks.
Online preparation is now closed for starting a new tax return for 2022; you cannot use online TurboTax. if you have not started to prepare your 2022 return. You need the CD/download on a full PC or Mac. When you have prepared your return, it will have to be filed by mail. It cannot be e-filed.
If you are getting a refund or do not owe, there is no penalty for filing a late tax return. If you owe tax due, it was supposed to be paid by mid-April and you are subject to late filing penalties and interest on the amount owed.
If you lost your W-2 you are going to need to make the effort to get another copy. Start by contacting your employer (s) to ask for a copy. You might have to call them, email them, text them, snail mail them, drop in on them----whatever it takes to request a copy and have them send it to you.
If those efforts fail to get you the W-2, then you can request a copy of your wage and income transcript from the IRS. It will only show federal information--nothing for your state---so if you need to file a state return you still have a problem.
You can get a free wage and income transcript from the IRS: It will not show the actual W-2, 1099’s, etc, but will show the income information the IRS received. It will not, however, show your state information. It will only show the federal information.
https://www.irs.gov/individuals/get-transcript
You can also pay Social Security $126 for a copy of a W-2.
https://faq.ssa.gov/en-US/Topic/article/KA-02501
**Disclaimer: Every effort has been made to offer the most correct information possible. The poster disclaims any legal responsibility for the accuracy of the information that is contained in this post.**
