Your employer must send you a W2 by January 31

Your employer is required by law to mail or deliver your W2 form by January 31 of the year following the one you worked. If you have not received it by early February, contact your employer's payroll or human resources department directly — they have your address on file and can resend it or confirm it was mailed.

If your employer says they already sent it, ask them to check the address they have for you. Mail sometimes goes to an old address if your employer's records were not updated. Provide your current address and ask them to send a replacement copy.

Do not wait until tax time to chase this down. The sooner you contact your employer, the sooner you can get what you need.

Key Takeaways

  • Your employer must send your W2 by January 31, so contact payroll or HR if you have not received it by early February.
  • If your employer mailed it to an old address, provide your current address and request a replacement copy.
  • The IRS has a tool to report missing W2s, but only after you have tried to reach your employer and it is mid-February or later.
  • If your employer is out of business or unreachable, you can file your taxes using pay stubs and bank records while you wait for the IRS to investigate.
  • Keep copies of all W2s you receive, whether by mail, email, or through your employer's online portal.

Check your employer's online portal or email first

Many employers now deliver W2s electronically through a payroll portal or email rather than mailing paper copies. Log into your company's payroll system — the same place you view your pay stubs — and look for a section labeled "Tax Documents" or "W2." If your employer uses a third-party payroll service like ADP, Gusto, or Paychex, you may have a separate login for that platform.

Check your email inbox and spam folder for a message from your employer or their payroll provider with a link to read your W2. Some employers send these in December or early January, so you may need to scroll back through older messages.

Report a missing W2 to the IRS if your employer will not respond

If you have contacted your employer multiple times and received no response, or if it is mid-February and you still have not received your W2, you can report it to the IRS. Use Form 4506-C to request a copy of your tax return information, or call the IRS at 1-800-829-1040 to report that your employer has not sent your W2.

The IRS will contact your employer and investigate. This process takes time — typically several weeks — so do not expect your W2 to arrive when ready. In the meantime, you can file your taxes using your pay stubs, bank deposits, and any other records of income you have.

File your taxes without your W2 if your employer is unreachable

You do not have to wait for your W2 to file your tax return. If your employer is out of business, has closed, or is not responding after you have made a good-faith effort to reach them, you can file using the income information you have on hand.

Gather your most recent pay stubs from that employer, which show your year-to-date earnings and taxes withheld. If you do not have pay stubs, use your bank statements to document deposits from that employer. Write down the employer's name, address, and your best estimate of your total wages and taxes withheld for the year.

File your return with this information. When your W2 eventually arrives or when the IRS receives it from your employer, you can amend your return if the numbers differ significantly. The IRS matches W2s to returns automatically, so discrepancies will be caught and you will be notified if you owe additional tax or are owed a refund.

Keep W2s from multiple employers organized

If you worked for more than one employer during the year, you will receive a separate W2 from each one. You must report income from all of them on your tax return. Create a folder — physical or digital — and keep all W2s together as they arrive.

Make copies of each W2 before you file your taxes. Keep one copy for your records, one to send with your tax return (if filing by mail), and one for your files. If you file electronically, you do not mail the W2, but you should still keep a copy for your records for at least three years.

Understand what information is on your W2

Your W2 shows your total wages, tips, and other compensation for the year in Box 1. Box 2 shows federal income tax withheld. Boxes 3 and 5 show Social Security wages and tax withheld. Boxes 17 through 20 show state and local taxes withheld, which vary by where you worked and where you live.

Review your W2 carefully when it arrives. Check that your name, address, and Social Security number are correct. Verify that the wage and tax amounts match what you expect based on your pay stubs. If you spot an error, contact your employer when ready and ask for a corrected W2, called a W2-c.

Request a corrected W2 if there is an error

If your employer made a mistake on your W2 — wrong wages, wrong tax amounts, or wrong personal information — ask them to issue a corrected W2-c (the "c" stands for corrected). Your employer must send the corrected version to you and to the IRS.

Do not file your tax return using an incorrect W2. Contact your employer's payroll department as soon as you notice the error and ask how long it will take to issue the correction. Most employers can correct and resend a W2 within one to two weeks.

Frequently Asked Questions

What if I never worked for my employer but received a W2 with my name on it?

Contact the employer when ready and tell them you did not work there. This is usually a data entry error. Ask them to issue a corrected W2 showing zero wages, or to remove you from their records entirely. If they do not respond, report it to the IRS — receiving a W2 you did not earn can cause problems when you file.

Can I get my W2 from a previous year?

Yes. Contact your former employer's payroll or HR department and request a copy of your W2 from that year. If the company is no longer in business, you can request a transcript from the IRS using Form 4506 or by calling 1-800-829-1040. The IRS keeps records of W2s filed on your behalf.

Do I need my W2 to file my taxes electronically?

You need the information from your W2 — your total wages and taxes withheld — but you do not need the physical form. You can enter this information directly into tax software or give it to a tax preparer. However, keep your W2 for your records once it arrives.

What if my employer says they sent my W2 but I never got it?

Ask your employer to confirm the mailing address they have on file. If it is wrong, provide your correct address and ask for a replacement. If the address is correct, ask your employer to check with their mail service or payroll provider to see if it was returned as undeliverable. Request that they resend it or deliver it by email instead.

Can I file my taxes without waiting for my W2?

Yes, if your W2 is late. Use your pay stubs and bank records to document your income and taxes withheld, then file your return. When your W2 arrives, compare it to what you reported. If the amounts match, you are done. If they differ, you may need to file an amended return.