Get your taxes done using TurboTax

To ensure the income is treated as earned income and flows correctly to your 1040, follow these steps to trigger Form 4852 (Substitute for Form W-2).

1. Go to the W-2 Section: Navigate to Federal Taxes > Wages & Income. Even though you don’t have the physical form, click Start or Update next to Wages and Salaries (Form W-2). 
2. Add a W-2: Select Add a W-2. If prompted to "Work on your W-2 now," click through.
3. The "Workaround" Entry: TurboTax will ask for the Employer ID Number (EIN). If you have it from a paystub, enter it. If not, you can try entering 9 zeros. When you get to the screen where you'd normally type in your box amounts, leave the boxes empty for a moment and look for a checkbox or a button that says "I need to substitute a form" or "I didn't get a W-2." 
4. On the screen asking how you want to enter your W-2, select "I'll type it in myself."
5. Enter the employer information as best as you can from your final paystub.
6. Look for a checkbox at the bottom of the screen (or on a subsequent "Special Situations" screen) that says: "I did not receive a W-2 from my employer and need to complete a substitute form."
7. Explain the Situation: Once you check that box, TurboTax will generate Form 4852. You will be asked:

• How you determined the income/withholding amounts (e.g., "Calculated from year-to-date totals on final paystub dated MM/DD/YYYY").
• What efforts you made to get the W-2 (e.g., "Contacted HR on three occasions; company has since ceased operations").