First the values on the
paycheck and W-2 almost always differ somewhat and the IRS wants an exact
match. This can delay any refund by weeks.
You also will not know what
to enter for the various boxes on the W-2
If you do not receive your
W-2, then you can use your paycheck and file a 4852 form, but you must follow
the IRS rules in order to do so.
[Paraphrased from IRS rules]
Can you file without having received your W-2? Yes, but only
if you have not received it by Februrary 14, and you have contacted your employer and attempted to obtain it, and you still have not received it by
February 14, and then you contact
the IRS (see the link below), then
if the IRS is not successful in getting your W-2, you can use form 4852 in
place of your W-2. But you MUST
speak to the IRS before doing so.
Otherwise, you cannot file before
you receive your W-2.
http://www.irs.gov/uac/Here-is-What-to-do-If-You-Are-Missing-a-W-2
The IRS will not be
processing any returns before about Jan. 20 anyway, so there is no advantage to file
before that - it will just sit on the TurboTax server until the IRS is
ready. If you discover anything that needs to be changed or
added in the mean time, you will not be able to change it. Once you
e-file it is like dropping it into the mail - it is gone and cannot be
retrieved.
**Disclaimer: This post is for discussion purposes only and is NOT tax advice. The author takes no responsibility for the accuracy of any information in this post.**
