It’s January already & many people may be having this question popping up in their minds – ‘How to get W2 from previous employer?’ You’ll find answers to this by the time you finish reading this blog.
As it is important to figure out the money you made last year, and the amounts withheld as taxes (Medicare, Social Security Tax, Income Tax, etc.), you can expect your employer to provide you with W2 until January 31 every year. In case, if January 31 is falling on the weekends, this deadline may be extended too.
Some may be confused with the basics – Do I even need a W2? Here’s the answer!
Why Do You Need a W2 form?
Firstly, W2 forms are filed by employers for every single employee. W2 form contains information regarding the total income earned during the year and the deductions withheld by the employer. Besides this, the contributions made from the income during this period like retirement fund & healthcare are also clarified.
When you’ve switched jobs, it is your responsibility to get a W2 from your previous as well as a current employer before filing the tax returns. The process may get cumbersome for some employees while filing tax returns when no cooperation happens from the previous employer. In such cases, they’re often left with confusion – How to get W2 from previous employer?
How to get a w2 from a former employer?
Here is what you should do for requesting your W2 from your previous/former employer:
- Contact your Previous Employer
You’ll have to contact your previous payroll admin formally via emails or calls & ask for help. Also, you need to make sure that they have your email address correct in their database so that when they mail your W2, you can receive it easily.
- Take help from IRS
What would you do if your previous employer isn’t cooperative? When they aren’t answering your emails or calls, you can give your previous company’s Employer Identification Number to the IRS. IRS will then send a reminder notice to your former employer and you only have to stick to filing taxes on time.
Related article: How Many Pay Periods Are In A Year?
What If My W-2 Arrives Late?
If you haven’t received your W-2 until the time your tax filing deadline is almost near, you may request an extension from the IRS. When employees, as well as IRS, fail all the attempts to get W2 from the previous employer, the IRS may inform employees to file a Form 4852, Substitute W2 Form & 1099-R.
All you’ll need is your last paycheck stub for creating a substitute W2 form.
What If My Previous Employer Refuses To Send My W-2?
Some employers are cooperative enough to assist employees with the requested copies of W2 while some don’t care to re-connect with their ex-employees. As discussed above, you can try reaching out to your former employer via all means & make sure that they agree & send W2 as requested. You can try it on your own by email or calls and if it doesn’t work, you know what you’re supposed to do!
How can I get my w2 online for free?
You now know the importance of a W2-Form & you can also get it online for free! Some platforms allow you to create W2 Forms instantly by entering the basic information in a few minutes only.
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