If you are missing your W2 or 1099 forms, you have several options for getting the wage and income information you need to file your tax return. The easiest is to call your previous employers or contractors and have them resend the forms. But if that is not possible, or if you wish not to reach out to them, a second option is getting a wage and income transcript directly from the IRS.
Remember, for every W2 and 1099 form that gets sent to you, a copy also gets sent to the IRS.
Here are the basics you need to know about obtaining an IRS wage and income transcript.
When Do I Need an IRS Wage and Income Transcript?
You need an IRS wage and income transcript when you are missing a W2 or 1099 that you need to file your tax return and cannot get it any other way.
When you earn money, you receive a W2 or 1099 each tax season. Which of these forms you receive depends on the type of worker you were. Salaried and hourly employees receive W2s, while independent contractors receive 1099s. The income information and taxes withheld on these forms is needed to file your tax return.
So, if you are missing them at tax time and cannot get them before the filing deadline, you could get saddled with interest and penalties.
An IRS wage transcript provides a rundown of the information on your W2 and 1099 forms, such as your total earnings for the year, how much you had withheld in federal taxes, and how much you paid in payroll taxes. You can use this wage and income transcript information in place of the actual forms to file a timely tax return.
You can request transcripts for the current tax year plus previous nine years. Information for the current tax year may not be available until July.
What Information Does an IRS Wage and Income Transcript Show?
An IRS wage and income transcript shows information from all tax forms that report income. The most common of these include the following:
- W2. Your W2 form is your wage and tax statement. It shows all the money you have earned for the year from wages and all the taxes you have had withheld from those earnings.
- 1099-MISC. You receive a 1099-MISC form for all income you receive from work as an independent contractor. If you contract with many companies, you might receive several 1099-MISC forms in a given tax year.
- 1099-INT. Your 1099-INT form reports all the interest you have earned throughout the year from your investments.
- 1099-DIV. This form reports the income you have received during the year from dividends and distributions.
- 1099-R. You receive a 1099-R during any year in which you have taken distributions from a retirement account, such as a pension, IRA, or annuity.
How to Get an IRS Wage and Income Transcript Online
You can get an IRS wage and income transcript online at the IRS Get Transcript website by visiting https://irs.gov/Individuals/Get-Transcript. You are required you to verify your identity with the IRS by answering a few simple questions, including your Social Security number, date of birth, filing status, mailing address, and adjusted gross income (AGI) from the previous year.
If the IRS cannot verify your identity online, you will need to request your wage and income transcript by mail.
How to Get an IRS Wage and Income Transcript by Mail
You can also get an IRS wage and income transcript by mail. To request it, you will need to call the IRS transcript service at 800-908-9946. To verify your identity, they will ask for your Social Security Number (SSN) or Individual Tax Identification Number (ITIN), your birthdate, and your address from the last tax return you filed.
If the IRS cannot verify your personal information by phone, you will have to file Form 4506-T to request your transcript.
If you run into additional difficulties getting the wage and income information you need from the IRS or filing your tax return on time, Wiztax can help.
How Can Wiztax Help?
Schedule a free phone consultation so we can learn a bit more about your situation, and we will tell you exactly how we can help. We never charge for consultations or ‘investigations’ and if necessary, we can pull your Wage and Income transcripts.
6 Simple Questions. Free Evaluation.
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