Tax Filing Explained: A Guide on How to File Taxes Without a W-2

Filing your taxes each year can be a tricky process. If anything goes south as the deadline approaches, it can quickly turn stressful.

One of the most common issues with tax filing is a missing form or two. A W-2 form outlines your earnings and taxes withheld. It also holds all the information you need to file your taxes accurately. If it’s the W-2 form that’s missing, it can complicate tax filing significantly.

So, tax season came and you haven’t received your W-2. There’s no need to worry since you still have options. Let’s check the steps to file your taxes without a W-2.

What might have happened to the W-2 form?

As an employee, you should receive your W-2 form by the end of January. If you’ve changed jobs in the year, you can expect two or more W-2 forms in the first days of February. Your employer is legally responsible for mailing the W-2 by the 31. January.

Independent contractors can expect to receive a Form 1099 from their employer instead.

However, if it’s the middle of February, and you haven’t received any form, here are some recommended steps to obtain it.

Check your inbox

The easiest solution would be to double-check your inboxes, as you may have overlooked the W-2 form. Your employer might have sent it to you via email, even though it’s not the safest option. Rather, they send you a link to the employee portal, where you can log in and download your W-2 form as a safer alternative.

Sometimes, these mail end up overlooked in the cluttered inbox or could have landed in your spam folder. Double-check your inbox to try to find it. If you can access the employee portal, you can try to find the W-2 there.

Contact your employer

If your online hunt was unsuccessful and you still don’t have your W-2 form, it’s best to contact your employer or relevant HR personnel. They may have had the wrong address for you so your W-2 form bounced back to them. Or, they might have used an alternative route to try to deliver it to you.

Follow the instructions you get from your employer or HR manager to obtain a copy of the W-2, which you can then use to file your taxes.

Your employer went out of business

If you’ve changed jobs, you will likely have more than one W-2 to consult while filing your taxes. Unfortunately, your previous employer might have gone out of business in the meantime. Or, your current employer may be otherwise unable to provide you with the needed W-2.

If you don’t have a way to contact your employer to obtain a W-2, you still have another alternative. Some online tax software can help you fetch and import your W-2 from an employer. However, with most providers, you’ll have to know the employer’s EIN to do so.

No W-2? Here’s how to file taxes without W-2 form

Even if you can’t obtain your W-2 from the employer, you still have a couple of options to file your taxes.

One of the options is to ask for an extension to file. To do this, submit Form 4868 and send it to the IRS online or through mail. The extension will provide additional time to collect all the documents. The extension moves the filing deadline from April 15 to October 15.

However, the extension doesn’t grant additional time for paying the amount owed. You still have to meet April 15 with your payments. You should estimate the amount of your tax bill and pay it before April 15 due date.

If you are certain you will not be able to obtain the W-2 at all from your employer, the most common way to file your taxes is to rely on Form 4852.

You’ll have to contact the IRS to rely on this alternative. The IRS recommends contacting the employer first, and waiting until the end of February before you involve the agency. If the agency gets involved because your employer is unresponsive, they will try to contact your employer for you.

The IRS will typically ask for your name, address, social security number, contact information, and dates of employment. You’ll also have to provide information about your employer, including name, address, and contact information.

While the IRS looks to obtain your W-2 from your employer, they will provide you with Form 4852 to file your taxes in the meantime. You can also get this form from the IRS website.

How to file your taxes through Form 4852?

To file your taxes using Form 4852, you need to have:

1. A detailed explanation of how you tried to obtain the form W-2 from your employer,

2. Employer’s name and contact information,

3. The estimated wages and tax withheld you’d typically find on your W-2 form,

4. A statement explaining how you estimated the amounts you’ve entered.

If your job position, salary, and other relevant data didn’t change much from last year, you can rely on last year’s W-2 to input this information.

Another option is to rely on your pay stub as a substitute for W-2. Your paystub, especially the one from the last month of the year you're filing for, will hold all the relevant information. You can use your last pay stub to find your year-to-date income amount. It will be useful only if your paycheck doesn’t change much throughout the year.

Keep in mind that the IRS doesn’t allow Form 4852 to be submitted electronically. You’ll have to print the relevant documents out and mail them the form.

What happens after filing the Form 4852?

After you file Form 4852, it will take some time for the Internal Revenue Service (IRS) to review the information. Processing times do vary depending on many factors, but filing through Form 4852 grants you a six-month extension on paperwork automatically.

On average, it may take several weeks or a few months for the IRS to review and process Form 4852. It's important to ensure that all information on the form is accurate before you file to avoid any delays in processing.

After filing Form 4852, you may also consider requesting a Wage and Income Transcript from the IRS. You can do this through the IRS's online tool or using Form 4506-T and submitting it via mail.

This transcript provides a record of your reported income and tax documents. It will also include any W-2 forms submitted by your employer. You can use this transcript to verify the accuracy of the information you've provided on Form 4852.

What if you’ve submitted the wrong information on your Form 4852?

If you submitted Form 4852 and you received your W-2 form after, you want to act immediately. The same goes for receiving your Wage and Income Transcript and realizing you’ve made a mistake when estimating your taxes.

You want to amend your tax filing as soon as possible to avoid potential complications with the IRS. You can file an amendment using Form 1040-X, also known as Amended U.S. Individual Income Tax Return.

Make sure to include all the relevant information in your amendment. You should include any additional income you find reported on the late W-2 form. Also, make necessary adjustments to your tax calculations.

The sooner you file the amendment, the better. You want to avoid penalties and interest charges that may apply.

FAQ:

Can I file taxes without a W-2?

Yes, you can. If your employer doesn’t provide with you a W-2, and you’ve already tried talking to them, you should contact the IRS. They will attempt to contact the employer and provide you with Form 4852 to file instead.

How do I report income without a W-2 form?

You can use Form 4852 to report income without the W-2 form. It is a common solution to not having a W-2 form. Make sure to contact the IRS so that they will issue you this form.

Do employers get fined for not sending W-2s?

Yes, employers will get fined for not issuing W-2s. The fines range from $60 to $310. How much the employer will be fined depends on how late the W-2 is. The fine will also be exponentially higher if it is uncovered that not sending the W-2 was intentional.

Can I add a W-2 after filing?

If you have filed your taxes, but forgot to include your W-2, it’s best to file an amended return, that includes your W-2 as soon as possible.