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Februrary 15 is a very important date for those waiting for their W-2s.calendar with bow image by Photoeyes from Fotolia.com
Wait until February 15 before beginning the process. The IRS will not accept a return, electronically or paper, without a W-2 until after that date. Employers have until January 31 to mail the W-2s, and many of them wait until the last possible minute to get them to their employees. If you attempt to file before this date, the IRS will reject the return even if all other steps have been taken. - 2
Try to contact your employers; sometimes they are hard to find.patriotic business woman hiding her face image by Ken Hurst from Fotolia.com
Contact your employer if you have not received the form by February 15. Ask if the forms are on their way. It could be that the W-2 was sent to a prior address by mistake. This is going to be the first question the IRS asks when you call, so be prepared. - 3
Use your last paystub and the Year To Date amounts to complete the return.Paying Bills image by ne_fall_photos from Fotolia.com
Contact the IRS at their customer-service number, 1-800-829-1040. The IRS can find your previous employer, but they will not be as time-motivated as you are. You must provide them with your basic information--name, address, city, state, zip code and phone number. You will need to provide information about your employer as well. Be sure to include the dates of your employment and an estimate of the wages you earned and taxes withheld. You can find this information on the last pay stub you have. Use the Year To Date amounts. - 4
A missing W-2 doesn't excuse a late return; file it before the deadline.clock image by Elena Nabokova from Fotolia.com
File your return. Missing a W-2 does not excuse you for being late filing taxes. In order to file your return use your year-to-date information on the last pay stub. You must also include a Form 4852--a substitute form for a W-2. Enter your best estimates of all figures used in a W-2 for that job. If you are able, use a prior year's W-2 as a guide. Line 9 asks how you determined these amounts. "Last pay stub amounts" will work. Line 10 will want you to detail the efforts you went to in order to obtain your W-2. - 5
An amended return can mean either you get a bigger refund or you have to pay more taxes.dollar bills image by sasha from Fotolia.com
File a Form 1040X if needed. Sometimes the W-2 will show up very late, after you have filed your return. You may need to use an amended return, or 1040X, and enter the correct numbers on the amended return. Depending on how substantial the difference is, you may end up owing taxes on a refund already sent or you may end up with a bigger refund.
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