How to Obtain a Copy of a W2 Form From a Previous Employer
- 1). Contact the previous employer. Note that if the employer uses a payroll service provider to do payroll processing, the provider may charge a small fee for issuing the W2 copy. If you never received the W2, the fee can be waived.
- 2). Call the IRS at 800-829-1040 and request a free transcript of your W2. Give the IRS the name of the employer and the tax year you are requesting. The transcript may take a few weeks to arrive in the mail. Furthermore, you can request the transcript for free using Form 4506-T (Request for Transcript of Tax Return).
- 3). Use Form 4506 (Request for Copy of Tax Return) to request an exact copy of the W2. The IRS keeps copies of your W2 attached to the related tax return; therefore, you can get the actual copy of the W2 only if you order the entire return. As of 2010, the fee for this service was $57. It can take up to 60 days for the copy to arrive.
- 4). Ask your tax preparer if you used a tax service to prepare your tax return, the service should have a copy of your tax documents on file.
- 5). Try a transcript service. These companies provide tax transcript quickly to individuals, mortgage companies, lawyers and banks. You must complete a Form 4506-T and pay a fee for the service. In many cases, you can receive the transcript within a day or two. The company and the individual processing your request should be registered with the IRS. Verify the company with the IRS, if necessary.
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