What should I do in California do if my W-2 is lost or incorrect? These are the steps to take
Your W-2 is among the most important tax documents you will receive in a given year.
The W-2 is a tax form that reports how much money an employee received from an employer in a calendar year, including how much income, Social Security and Medicare tax was withheld from payments.
This document is vital for reporting your income on your tax return and determining if you must pay taxes to the IRS or receive a tax refund.
What happens if you lose your W-2 or realize the document contains an error?
Don’t worry. There are a few steps you can take to ensure that you file your tax return accurately and on time before the April 15 deadline.
Here’s what to do, according to the Internal Revenue Service:
What should I do in California if my W-2 is lost?
If you lost your W-2 or did not receive one by the end of February, don’t panic.
Call the IRS toll-free at 800-829-1040 and have the following information available:
- Your name, address and phone number
- Your Social Security or individual tax ID number
- The dates when you worked for the employer
- Your employer’s name, address and phone number
The IRS will reach out to your employer and request a copy of the W-2.
In the meantime, the federal tax agency will send you instructions for filling out a Substitute for Form W-2, Wage and Tax Statement to return.
What if my W-2 is incorrect?
According to the IRS, if the information listed in your W-2 is incorrect, you have one of two options:
- Call the IRS at 800-829-1040
- Make an appointment at an IRS Taxpayer Assistance Center
Have the following information available when you call or visit an assistance center:
- Your employer’s name and complete address
- Your name, address and Social Security number.
The agency will reach out to your employer and request they send you a corrected form within 10 days.
If you do not receive the corrected form within 10 days, you can request that an IRS representative file a Form W-2 complaint by calling the IRS or visiting an IRS Taxpayer Assistance Center.
California has 28 IRS Taxpayer Assistance Centers across the state, including offices in Sacramento, Modesto, Fresno and Stockton.
You will also be provided instructions on how to file Form 4852, a replacement for Form W-2, so you can estimate your earnings with it.
What if I filed with an incorrect W-2?
If the information on your W-2 was incorrect or you filed with Form 4852 and received a correct W-2, you can file an amended tax return with Form 1040-X, Amended U.S. Individual Income Tax Return
If you want to claim a refund on an amended return, you have up to three years from the date you filed your original return or two years from when you paid a tax based on the original return.
This story was originally published February 13, 2025 at 5:00 AM with the headline "What should I do in California do if my W-2 is lost or incorrect? These are the steps to take."
