You can still file your return without the missing W2. What you can do is file form 4852 which will serve as a substitute W-2 form
Form 4852 serves as a substitute for Form W-2, Form W-2c, and Form 1099-R, and is completed by taxpayers or their representatives when:
- Their employer or payer does not give them a Form W-2 or Form 1099-R.
- An employer or payer has issued an incorrect Form W-2 or Form 1099-R.
File Form 4852 with your tax return
If IRS intervention still doesn't produce the form you need and you want to file by the tax deadline, fill out Form 4852. Form 4852 is a substitute for Form W-2 that taxpayers can complete if:
- they haven't received a W-2, or
- their employer issued an incorrect W-2.
When you use TurboTax, we'll ask you a few questions to estimate your total wages and withholding using your final pay stub, and fill out Form 4852 based on your answers. The IRS doesn't allow Form 4852 to be filed electronically, so you'll need to print out the necessary forms and mail them to the IRS.
It might take the IRS longer than normal to process your return while it verifies your information. If you don't mind waiting, you can request an extension. This gives you additional months to get your W-2 and file a return.
Request a Wage and Income Transcript
If you filed your return using Form 4852 and want to verify that the information you included on your return agrees with the income your employer reported to the IRS, you can request a Wage and Income Transcript from the IRS. This transcript shows data from the informational returns that the IRS receives from issuers like your employer, including Forms W-2 and 1099.
- You can request a Wage and Income Transcript online using the Get Transcript Online tool, or by mail using Form 4506-T.
- Unfortunately, it takes a while for the IRS to compile all of this information. Your transcript might not be complete until July, so trying to order it before the tax deadline might not work.
- Once you receive the transcript, you can use it to compare the information you provided on Form 4852 to the wage and withholding information that the IRS has on record.
Amend your return (maybe)
If you receive a W-2 or order a Wage and Income Transcript after filing your tax return and the information you receive is different from what you reported on your tax return, you may need to amend your tax return.
TurboTax can help you make any necessary corrections and file Form 1040-X easily and accurately.
