HI, I'M RACHEL… AND I WORK FOR THE INTERNAL REVENUE SERVICE. WHAT IF YOU WANT TO FILE YOUR TAX RETURN . . . BUT YOU STILL DON'T HAVE YOUR W-2? EMPLOYERS SHOULD SEND THIS TO YOU BY JANUARY 31ST. GIVE IT A FEW WEEKS TO ARRIVE IN THE MAIL. BUT IF YOU DON'T GET IT BY THE END OF FEBRUARY… THE FIRST THING YOU SHOULD DO IS CHECK WITH YOUR EMPLOYER. AND IF YOU MOVED... MAKE SURE THEY HAVE YOUR NEW ADDRESS. IF YOU STILL DON'T GET YOUR W-2… YOU MUST FILE ON TIME ANYWAY. THE GOOD NEWS IS THAT YOU CAN USE FORM 4852 INSTEAD OF YOUR W-2. LIST YOUR ESTIMATED WAGES AND WITHHOLDING ON THE FORM. YOU CAN USE A PAY STUB OR SIMILAR STATEMENT TO HELP ESTIMATE THE AMOUNTS. IF LATER ON YOU RECEIVE YOUR W-2 AND DISCOVER THAT YOUR ESTIMATE WAS OFF… YOU WILL HAVE TO CORRECT YOUR TAX RETURN. DO THIS BY FILLING OUT FORM 1040-X. JUST KEEP IN MIND, YOUR AMENDED RETURN CAN TAKE UP TO 16 WEEKS TO PROCESS. FINALLY, IF YOU TRIED TO GET YOUR W-2 FROM YOUR EMPLOYER . . . AND YOU STILL HAVEN'T RECEIVED IT BY THE END OF FEBRUARY... YOU MAY CALL THE I-R-S AND WE'LL SEND A LETTER TO YOUR EMPLOYER. YOU CAN LEARN MORE AT I-R-S-DOT-GOV . . . AND DOWNLOAD FORM 4852 AT I-R-S DOT GOV SLASH FORM 4852.
