Now that we are in the new year, many U.S. taxpayers are eager to get their 2011 tax returns out of the way. Throughout the month of January, you should receive important tax documents related to income of all kinds. Most American workers are waiting on IRS Form W-2. In this article, learn when to expect this form and what to do if you’re missing your 2011 Form W-2 after a certain date.
When Should You Get Your 2011 Form W-2?
Unfortunately for anyone eager to file a 2011 tax return, the IRS gives employers until January 31, 2012 to give employees their 2011 W-2s. Where they used to always be mailed or hand-delivered in the office, companies now have the option of making the forms available electronically by the January 31st deadline instead.
What if You’re Missing 2011 Form W-2 after January 31st?
If you haven’t received your W-2 by January 31st, you have some options. If you don’t think you ever received it, first call your employer to check on its status. It’s very possible that your W-2 has been mailed, but you just haven’t received it yet. It’s also possible the accountants goofed up or simply made a mistake by not sending you a W-2. This, of course, is not allowable, but human error is always a possibility. Another explanation is that your employer doesn’t have your current address on file. Make sure that is correct.
You may also want to double-check that your W-2 isn’t being provided through a secure online portal. Retrieving it could be as simple as logging on to the company website or other secure portal and downloading it to your computer. Even if your company provided paper forms last year, the switch could have been made to electronic delivery, and you may have simply forgotten about the change (or perhaps an announcement was never made).
How to Get a Replacement W-2 Form for 2011
If you are sure you received your 2011 W-2, but have since lost it, the first place you should turn to is your company’s accounting department. They should be able to issue you a replacement.
If, for some reason, you cannot get a replacement 2011 W-2 from your company in a timely manner, you can contact the IRS as a last resort. The IRS suggests waiting until mid-February to do so. That’s because the information your employer can be provide will be the most accurate information available and your W-2 may simply be delayed for some of the reasons mentioned above.
Form 4852 – Substitute for Form W-2, Wage and Tax Statement (or for Form 1099-R)
There is a substitute form (IRS Form 4852) you can file along with your personal tax return instead of an actual W-2. Before you file Form 4852, you should call the IRS at 1-800-829-1040. Be prepared to provide quite a bit of personal identifying information as well as mailing information for your employer. The IRS will send a letter to your employer.
Want to File a Personal Tax Return, but Still Missing Your 2011 Form W-2?
You should continue to request a replacement W-2 from your employer until you get one; however, if you cannot get one before it’s time to file your federal tax return, then use Form 4852 as a replacement, filling it in to the best of your knowledge, using check stubs or other paycheck information to gather totals. If you actually receive the official W-2 from your employer at a later date, make sure to compare it to what you reported on your return. If the amounts don’t match, you will need to file an amended individual return to correct the error(s).
Related Video:
Want a quicker explanation of everything covered in this article? Check out the IRS YouTube video on the subject.
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