I still have not received my w2. What can I do? I can’t access it online and the employer will not answer the phone or accept emails not coming from a corporate email.

[0fa12240a34a]

For my 2023 taxes

[TomK2023]

Wait at least until the end of February; your employer may still send your W2 form.

What happens if your employer truly never issued your W-2? Perhaps they went out of business or aren’t responding to your request for a W-2? In that case, it's time to try contacting the IRS.

• The IRS recommends contacting your employer first and waiting until the end of February to see if your W-2 arrives before getting the agency involved.
• If you've met those 2 requirements, contact the IRS or make an appointment at a Taxpayer Assistance Center (TAC) if there's one near you.  (800-829-1040) 

Whether you call or visit a TAC in person, be ready to provide the following information:

• Your name, address, Social Security number, and phone number
• The employer's name, address, phone number, and tax ID if you have it
• The dates you worked for the employer
• An estimate of your wages and federal income tax withheld (you can usually find this information on your last pay stub for the tax year)

The IRS will contact your employer on your behalf to request the missing form and remind the employer of the penalties for failing to issue Form W-2.

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
• 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 paper file your tax return by printing out the necessary forms and mailing 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.

• Just keep in mind that you still need to pay any taxes due by the tax deadline, so an extension to file isn't an extension of time to pay any taxes you may owe.
• Otherwise, the IRS will add interest and perhaps penalties to the amount due when you eventually file your extended return.

TurboTax article: What To Do If You Haven't Received a W-2

You can file a conventional paper return that includes IRS Form 4852 if you haven't been able to get a W-2 from your employer. Here's how to fill one out:

1. Open or continue your return and search for W-2. Select the Jump to link in the search results to go to the W-2 entry screen.
2. Fill out your W-2 using the information from your last pay stub.
3. Answer any questions until you get to Let's check for uncommon situations.
4. Check the box next to Didn't get a W-2 and select Continue.
5. On the Let's check if you need a substitute W-2 screen, select Yes then Continue.
6. Answer the follow-up questions. Select Print to download and print your IRS Form 4852.

Note: Returns including Form 4852 can't be e-filed because of IRS regulations.

TurboTax FAQ: How to file a substitute W2 using Form 4852?

[rjp3526]

I filled out my TurboTax for 2024 using deluxe with live assistant. I didn't get one of my W2s from 1 employer. I entered the information into TurboTax following their instructions for filling out the substitute 4852 form, based on what I had in my final paystub from that company, as it showed the accumulated federal and MD State income tax they withheld up until that final paycheck in Feb 2024 (I was only with that company through February 2024). Everything looked good and I proceeded to all the final checks in TurboTax.  I could see that the 4852 form online was filled in and completed in the documents and my TurboTax package. I then went to the final check of the return phase online, it said everything looked good to go, and I also opted to have the live assistant expert person review everything and they looked it over and then they said everything looks fine and I'm good to file.  So then I continued as normal and did the electronic e-file option to file everything.  I was not realizing that the IRS requires the return to be printed out, filed on paper, and mailed in, since it has a 4852 form included.  It's already gone in through the electronic process and it says 'accepted' by the state of Maryland and accepted by the IRS which I guess just means they received it.  Not actually looked at it and processed it and that everything is good I assume, yet.  So my question is, since I'm submitted everything electronically what should I do at this point? I'm not sure what the best thing to do is since TurboTax did not warn me or stop me from submitting it electronically even though it has the electronic 4852 form filled out with all the information included.   I don't want everything to get messed up on this tax return and I'm not sure what to do next. Thank you. Robert 

[BrittanyS]

If you e-filed your return and it was accepted you will need to amend the return once the return has fully processed and mail in the amendment with the form 4852.  Form 4852 will not process through e-file and will have to be mailed in.  To get the IRS to accept form 4852 and not count the return as a duplicate, you'll need to file the return as an amendment with Form 4852.  

@rjp3526 

[rjp3526]

Thank you so much.

Can I ask 2 follow-ups please.  

So (1) I have to wait until the 'electronic' returns I filed already are "Completely" processed and done with the IRS (I have a small refund supposedly coming via DD into bank account) - in other words do not submit the amended return until the initial electronic one is done & completely processed? After that, mail in the paper copy to the IRS.

(2) I live in MD so have state income tax too I did thru TurboTax - so when I do the amended Federal return and mail that in, do I an amended Maryland state income tax return, and mail that in to state of MD, too ?

(3) When I print and prepare the paper copy of the federal to mail in, do I have to physically include (attach) all the paper things like W2's, Interest statement, and all of those things - asking because I've only done electronic filing for many years now, and because the first "electronic" filing I already submitted of course had all of those W2's and such included, electronically. So was not sure since the IRS got them electronically on the 1st submission, if I have to now include "all" paper attachments for income & expenses, to this amended paper income tax form I will mail in ?

[JohnB5677]

Lets answer your questions one by one.

(1) I have to wait until the 'electronic' returns I filed already are "Completely" processed and done with the IRS (I have a small refund supposedly coming via DD into bank account) - in other words do not submit the amended return until the initial electronic one is done & completely processed? After that, mail in the paper copy to the IRS.

• Yes, because the original return must be completely processed.  
• Prior to completing the processing the IRS could have question, or make adjustment.
• Note:  Please remember to physically sign your tax return. The IRS will not accept it otherwise.

(2) I live in MD so have state income tax too I did thru TurboTax - so when I do the amended Federal return and mail that in, do I an amended Maryland state income tax return, and mail that in to state of MD, too ?

• Yes, you should prepare the Maryland return and file it at the same time as the Federal

(3) When I print and prepare the paper copy of the federal to mail in, do I have to physically include (attach) all the paper things like W2's, Interest statement, and all of those things - asking because I've only done electronic filing for many years now, and because the first "electronic" filing I already submitted of course had all of those W2's and such included, electronically. So was not sure since the IRS got them electronically on the 1st submission, if I have to now include "all" paper attachments for income & expenses, to this amended paper income tax form I will mail in ?

• TurboTax will include all required documents.  You only have 
  • Print 
  • Sign
  • Mail

Your Federal tax return goes to a different location depending on the state that you live in.  See this list to determine the location for you.

Where to File Paper Tax Returns (irs.gov)
 State mailing addresses

[rjp3526]

Thank you so much you've been a tremendous help for me. I thought of one other question, I read in the instructions for 4852 form that they want you to call the IRS and tell them what happened and supposedly they will notify the employer as well about not giving their employee a w2. But it also says something about the IRS will send out I guess it's a paper copy of a 4852 form to me when I call them. So in light of the fact that I already filled out the 4852 online within TurboTax, and I have the form prepared and I can print that out to send it into the IRS with the amended tax return , do you recommend that I still call the IRS anyway because I have not done that so far. All I did was send a message and an email to my employer requesting the missing W-2 and they never responded. So I was not sure if that's an absolute requirement as part of this process that I must call the IRS and notify them on the telephone of this problem? It was a bit confusing to me this whole process for the 4852 form. Thank you so much for your assistance. Robert.

[JohnB5677]

My suggestion is to call the IRS before you send your amended return.

• You can then ask them the same question and get a definitive answer.
• You can call toll-free at 800-829-1040