Can You Legitimately File Your Taxes Without A W-2?
Yes, it’s perfectly possible to file your income taxes without a W-2. If you didn’t get a W-2 form, you could file taxes using IRS form 4852. If you still need to receive the W-2 form, it can be a way to file your earnings manually since not filing is illegal.
Our 3-step action plan
Hands-on deck, this article offers you your piece of mind.
First, discuss the matter with your immediate boss. Your current or prior place of employment is legally required to provide you with a copy of your W-2 form. Next, check the address your supervisor has on file for you by checking it out.
The second step is to make contact with the Internal Revenue Service. Call the Internal Revenue Service at 800-829-1040. If, by February 14, you still need to receive your W-2. Get your full name, current address, contact information, and Social Security number ready.
Before you call, double-check that you have all of the necessary information available: Kindly provide the following information regarding your place of employment:
- The name of your employer
- The address of your employer
- The phone number of your employer
- The dates you worked for your employer
- An estimate of your 2022 wages and the amount of federal income tax withheld
Third, double-check that you have submitted your tax returns before the deadline. You must submit your tax return by April 15, regardless of whether or not you have received your W-2.
Use Form 4852, Substitute for Wage and Tax Statement, to report wages and taxes instead of submitting W-2 forms. Answer the questions to the best ability so that the IRS can estimate your income and tax withholding.
The Internal Revenue Service will need additional time to prepare your tax return if any inconsistencies are found when conducting their inquiry.
If you require more time to submit your return, you can ask for it (up to a total of six months). Complete the necessary fields on Form 4868 to request an extension to submit your income tax return in the United States for six additional months. To seek an extension, you must send in this completed form by April 15.
Steps to File Form 4852
You will still need to have copies of your paystub over the year. After you access it, you can enter the data by adding all the required information to the form. In most cases, it’s easiest to add all the numbers with the help of a calculator or using an annual payslip.
Are You Allowed to Submit Taxes if you don't have your W-2?
No, you must file your W-2 form or use the alternative form 4852 for your income taxes. If you are missing your W-2, you can file with another form, which will require slightly more effort.
When do I need to Submit the Form?
The Internal Revenue Service (IRS) requires that your employer send your W-2 by January 31, after the end of the calendar year, to ensure that you receive it on time. This frequently suggests that W-2s are shipped out by January 31. However, employees may receive them after that date.
Employers must submit W-2 forms to the Social Security Administration (SSA) and the Internal Revenue Service (IRS) by January 31. Still, they can request a 30-day extension by filing Form 8809, Application for Automatic 30-Day Extension of Time to File Information Returns. You will have until February 15 to file your information returns if the extension is granted. You must submit proof that you have met at least one of the conditions for getting an extension.
Even if you seek and are given an extension to file W-2s, you must still send copies of W-2s to your employees by January 31. This is true unless you additionally seek and are granted an extension to submit W-2s to your employees beyond the deadline, in which case you are exempt.
Who Receives a W-2 Form?
Anyone who is employed by a business should receive a W-2 form. You will have to file your W-2 throughout your employment, and your boss should send you one.
Withholding taxes are applicable if you have a job and are employed by a business. In addition, your state income tax filing allows you to get back some medicare or social security tax from the government. With their good faith, the IRS luckily offers a number of options to make your payments.
Learn more about Tax Services.
If you want a tax refund, a professional tax assistant with good tax software can give you an advantage when dealing with the IRS.
Daily, the IRS does everything from processing withholdings, controlling tax forms, and looking for businesses to audit when the numbers don’t add up. A tax professional benefits you by filing your tax return and helping to make sure everything is in order before the tax deadline.
A good CPA may cost more upfront, but it will be worth it in the long run because they are thorough. Others who file by themselves skip certain sections accidentally or make small errors in specific categories. While taxpayers can legally change their filing, their errors often go unnoticed.
Call Tips with The IRS
Before you contact the IRS as an employee, remember to collect a copy of all tax returns, which a tax preparer or contractor can supply if you have one. In addition, make sure you have a document of your paystub from your payroll company, not just your wages.
Remember to keep your details and documentation readily available when you call the IRS. Individuals must keep their tax identification number, income tax paperwork, documents, name, pay stub, employer, and address readily available. This is because the Internal Revenue Service will likely ask you questions about your tax filing, and they will need to assess the tax situations according to the tax information that they have readily available.
Filing Late with the IRS
Filing late with the IRS comes with consequences. Make sure you contact the IRS before the deadline for filing taxes. If you are late for almost any reason, your tax bill will incur penalties and interest.
In addition, if you got a letter from the IRS with a specific charge, there are chances that if your tax debt is significant, you might encounter financial difficulties or problems. We recommend contacting a tax professional or a tax agency if you’ve received a notice.
Fresh Start Program
In addition, a tax professional can offer you a transparent rate to offer step-by-step support for whatever reasons you might need. For example, a tax professional goes to work carefully and could arrange an extension of your payment period, like applying for the fresh start program.
The IRS fresh start program allows you to pay the tax debt in installments. For example, you could deposit 10% and pay back the remaining balance on your account over the following years. Our advice is to estimate the refunds you have gotten based on errors.
FAQ
How much is your EITC worth?
It ranges from $560 to $6,935 depending on factors like income, number of children, and your tax-filing status. From 2023, the newly established EITC has a range of $600 to $7,430
What to do if you do not receive a W-2 form
Firstly, you should check online if there is any process active on your tax form. If you are still looking for something, you could ask your payroll provider, employer, or someone else / people who might have resources about your situation. In addition, the IRS could give you more information on these kinds of forms.
What are W-2s?
U.S. employers and employees utilize IRS Form W-2 to record payroll taxes withheld from employee paychecks. If an employee is paid a salary, wage, or other kinds of payment from their employer, the employer must file a W-2 form for that employee. The latest deadline for sending out W-2 forms to workers is January 31. This gives them nearly two months to have their tax returns ready before the April 15 deadline.
Can You File Taxes Without a W2?
Form 4852, “Substitute for Form W-2, Wage and Tax Statement,” can be used in place of a W-2 or 1099 if you cannot get a copy of either form.
What If I File by Mail?
The IRS offers both filings by mail and filing electronically. However, submitting taxes online is far more precise than filing on paper. Mistakes will arise if the procedure is not carried out properly. Reporting your tax liability online can help improve accuracy and, therefore, more than often, more compensation.
