How to Obtain Your W-2
Q. My former employer hasn't sent me my W-2 yet, and Paychex prepared my checks. Can you send me my W-2?
A. Paychex would like to provide you with your W-2 but we are unable to for the following reasons:
- Our contract is with your employer and we can only take action at the direction of your employer.
- The law states that is the employer's responsibility to provide W-2s to their employees.
- It's your employer's responsibility to verify that all documents generated by Paychex represent the wages you actually received. Paychex has no way to verify this information.
Although Paychex is unable to provide your W-2, here are some general suggestions on how you can have one sent to you:
- Make every attempt to contact your employer.
- Try to locate your last pay stub because it could be helpful.
- If it's after mid-February, you can contact the IRS for instructions on how to proceed. The phone number is in your Form 1040 booklet or you can call 1-800-829-1040. You can also contact the IRS.
The IRS will offer to complete a form and send it to your employer requesting that they provide your W-2. The IRS will need the following information:
- Your name, address, phone number, and social security number.
- Dates of your employment within the tax year.
- Your year-to-date estimate of wages earned.
- Your year-to-date estimate of federal income tax withheld.
- Your employer's name, address, and phone number.
If your employer does not respond to the request from the IRS, the IRS will issue you a substitute Form W-2 based on the information you've provided to them. You can use this form to complete your personal tax return.
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