What if I don’t receive my W2?

Employers are required by law to mail all employee W2’s by the end of January each year. So, January 31st has come and gone and you haven’t yet received your W2. What should you do?

First, consider whether or not you’ve allowed enough time for the mailing to reach you. Employers need only mail the document by the 31st of January, not have it in your hands by that date.

Ok, you’ve patiently waited out the normal delivery time frame of your postal service and still no W2; what now? Your first step at this point should be to contact your employer; normally the Human Resources department. Most often, it’s as simple as that. If it’s simply a matter of delivery, your company should be able to easily supply you with another copy.

If you absolutely can’t get a W2 from your employer - because they’ve gone out of business, they don’t have good records, etc. - then you can download Form 4852, which is a substitute W2, from the IRS website, and use this form to prepare your tax return.