Would you like to get started on your taxes? you can’t get started without your w-2 form. Your W-2 tax form details the amount of tax withheld by your employer during the previous tax year. Your employer holds it until the last day of the tax year and then sends a copy to you and the IRS. A W-2 form goes to the Internal Revenue Service (IRS), but it details your federal and state tax liability. you need it to file any tax forms. Since the tax deadline is in April, employers need to submit the W-2 form on time so that both you and the IRS have a chance to fix everything on time. when are the w2’s shipped? Read on to find out when you’ll receive your W-2 and what to do if it never arrives.
when are the w-2s sent?
The fiscal year ends on December 31, the last official day of both the calendar and the official fiscal year. you will not get your w-2 before the end of the year because it must reflect all your wages. when do you receive a w-2 form? Expect your W-2 form to arrive in the mail between January 1 and January 31 of the new year. Please note that the form must be postmarked by the 31st. You may not receive your form until the first week of February, depending on the date it was sent, your address, and the speed of your local delivery service. employers can request a thirty-day extension for filing. If you did not receive the form by the end of January, your employer may have asked the IRS for more time. When you receive your form, be sure to check for inaccuracies. According to the Social Security Administration (SSA), some of the most common errors on these forms include:
- Missing or misspelled employer identification number
- Missing or incorrect names and details of employees
- Wage credit after death of an employee
- use of abbreviations or titles
- incorrect drug wages
- incorrect tip reporting
You can find a complete list of errors in the General Instructions section of Forms W-2 and Form W-3.
who gets a w-2?
Employees of businesses that earn more than $600 during the tax year receive a W-2 form from their employer. The IRS requires employers to send them a copy and provide a copy to you. If you are a contractor, irregular employee, or earned less than $600 from that employer last year, you may not get a W-2. In those cases, the IRS expects you to complete a 1099-misc form.
what to do if you don’t receive your w-2
The irs sets a deadline of January 31 of the new tax year to receive w-2 information. all businesses must submit w-2 forms before that date. even companies that have closed their stores should also make a file. If your employer closed last year, you must submit your paperwork on time. If your form is still not in your hands by February 15, you need to follow up. Your first port of call when looking for your W-2 is your employer. They keep records of your paperwork and can let you know when it was mailed to give you an idea of where to expect it. Sometimes your employer sent the paperwork, but it appears the form was misplaced or even lost in the mail. if you think this is the case, ask your employer to issue you a new one. In most cases, obtaining a copy is as simple as submitting a request to the human resources department. it is legal for an employer to charge her a fee to issue a second copy of the w-2 if she lost or misplaced it. However, if you never received Form W-2 and your employer wants to charge a significant fee to issue what would otherwise be your first copy, you can report this to the IRS. An employer cannot charge you to access your tax information.
what if you still can’t get a w-2?
In rare cases, employers will not honor your request. If your employer doesn’t issue a new one or you can’t get in touch, contact the IRS. the irs can help you after february 15. To request your form, you will need to provide as much information about the employer as possible. you will need:
- operating name of your employer
- legal name of your employer
- employer identification number
- address
You can find all of this information on the previous year’s W-2 forms or even on your pay stubs. The IRS will also want to know your details. give them your best estimates based on your paycheck:
- total salary
- taxes withheld
- personal details (name, ssn, address, etc.)
With enough information, the IRS should be able to honor your request immediately. If even the IRS can’t send your W-2, then you still have one last option.
how to file your taxes without a w-2
If neither your employer nor the IRS provides you with a W-2 form prior to tax day, then you must go through the manual process of collecting your data. To file taxes without a W-2, the IRS requires the use of Form 4852, which is a substitute for a W-2. You will complete Form 4852 based on information from all of your pay stubs for the tax year in question. Although most employees receive their Form W-2, you should keep your pay stubs in case you end up needing to file Form 4852. Also, it’s a good idea to compare your pay stubs to what’s on your Form W-2.
keep everything for three years
when are w-2 forms sent? You will find it in your mailbox at the end of January or at least on February 15. once you get it, hang on to it. The IRS recommends keeping all of his records for three years after you file his return, just in case. Are you an employer looking for a way to simplify your W-2 process? Try our check stub maker to speed up tax season for everyone, or let us help you create your w-2 form today!