Call the IRS toll free at 800-829-1040 or make an appointment to visit an IRS Taxpayer Assistance Center (TAC). The IRS will send your employer a letter requesting that they furnish you a corrected Form W-2 within ten days.
If you're unable to get your Form W-2 from your employer, contact the Internal Revenue Service at 800-TAX-1040. The IRS will contact your employer or payer and request the missing form.
The IRS will often automatically make a correction to your tax return for missing or incorrect W-2 or 1099 forms. You do not need to amend your federal tax return if the IRS corrects the error when they process your original tax return.
Contact the IRS
If you find yourself deep into February without your W-2, it's time to get the IRS involved. If your efforts to get a copy from your employer have proved fruitless, call the IRS toll-free at 800-829-1040. During that call you'll need: Your name, address, phone number and Social Security number.
The IRS may correct mathematical, clerical errors on a return and may accept returns without certain required forms or schedules. In these instances, there's no need to amend your return. However, do file an amended return if there's a change in your filing status, income, deductions, credits or tax liability.
If you realize there was a mistake on your return, you can amend it using Form 1040-X, Amended U.S. Individual Income Tax Return. For example, a change to your filing status, income, deductions, credits, or tax liability means you need to amend your return.
Employers are required to correct errors on Forms W-2 as quickly as possible. The penalty for filing an incorrect W-2 with the SSA increases over time. To avoid penalties, a Form W-2c is generally required within 30 days of becoming aware of an error.
To correct a Form W-2 you have already submitted, file a Form W-2c with a separate Form W-3c for each year needing correction. File a Form W-3c whenever you file a Form W-2c, even if you are only filing a Form W-2c to correct an employee's name or Social Security number (SSN).
When do you need a corrected W-2 form? You need to create an amended W-2 form if you make an error on Form W-2, such as including incorrect names, Social Security numbers, or amounts. Employers can make Form W-2 corrections on forms sent to employees as well as forms filed with the SSA.
If you forgot about or didn't yet have one of your W-2 forms when you filed your tax return, you can't just wait and add it to your taxes next year. You must instead file an amended return using Form 1040-X.
You may file Forms W-2 and W-3 electronically on the SSA's website at Employer Reporting Instructions & Information. You can create fill-in versions of Forms W-2 and W-3 for filing with SSA. You may also print out copies for filing with state or local governments, distribution to your employees, and for your records.
A careless mistake on your tax return might tack on a 20% penalty to your tax bill. While not good, this sure beats the cost of tax fraud -- a 75% civil penalty. The line between negligence and fraud is not always clear, however, even to the IRS and the courts.
Remember that the IRS will catch many errors itself
For example, if the mistake you realize you've made has to do with math, it's no big deal: The IRS will catch and automatically fix simple addition or subtraction errors. And if you forgot to send in a document, the IRS will usually reach out in writing to request it.
How long will it take to process an amended return? A Form 1040-X, Amended U.S. Individual Income Tax Return can take up to 16 weeks to process once we receive it.
Call the IRS toll free at 800-829-1040 or make an appointment to visit an IRS Taxpayer Assistance Center (TAC). The IRS will send your employer a letter requesting that they furnish you a corrected Form W-2 within ten days.
You cannot go to jail for making a mistake or filing your tax return incorrectly. However, if your taxes are wrong by design and you intentionally leave off items that should be included, the IRS can look at that action as fraudulent, and a criminal suit can be instituted against you.
The IRS will send your employer a letter requesting that they provide you with a corrected Form W-2 within ten days. The letter advises your employer of their responsibilities to provide a corrected Form W-2 and of the penalties for their failure to do so.
If you fail to meet the January 31 deadline but file the form within 30 days of the due date, the IRS can assess a penalty of $50 per Form W-2. If you file after 30 days but before August 1, the fine is $110 per form. If you don't file by August 1, the fine increases to $270 per W-2.
If an employer makes a mistake on a form W-2, the employer will issued a corrected form W-2, called a form W-2c, Corrected Wage and Tax Statement. The form W-2c can be confusing because it includes the original (incorrect) amounts, as well as the corrected amounts.
Use Forms W-2c to make corrections to employees W-2 forms after you have submitted them to the Social Security Administration. Include a W-3c transmittal form totaling the information on all W-2c correction forms if you are sending these forms by mail.
How long does an IRS audit take to complete? Now for the answer to the all too familiar question every tax attorney gets: “How long does a tax audit take?” The IRS audit period itself should generally take no more than five to six months. Sometimes with proper preparation, they can be resolved faster.