You should receive a Form W-2, Wage and Tax Statement, from each of your employers for use in preparing your federal tax return. Employers must furnish this record of 2016 earnings and withheld taxes no later than January 31, 2017 (if mailed, allow a few days for delivery).
If you do not receive your Form W-2, contact your employer to find out if and when the W-2 was mailed. If it was mailed, it may have been returned to your employer because of an incorrect address. After contacting your employer, allow a reasonable amount of time for your employer to resend or to issue the W-2.
If you still do not receive your W-2 by mid-February, contact the IRS for assistance at 1-800-829-1040. When you call, have the following information handy:
- the employer’s name and complete address, including zip code, and the employer’s telephone number;
- the employer’s identification number (if known);
- your name and address, including zip code, Social Security number, and telephone number; and
- an estimate of the wages you earned, the federal income tax withheld, and the dates you began and ended employment. You can use your final pay stub for these amounts.
If you misplaced your W-2, contact your employer. Your employer can replace the lost form with a “reissued statement.” Be aware that your employer is allowed to charge you a fee for providing you with a new W-2.
You still must file your tax return on time even if you do not receive your Form W-2. If you cannot get a W-2 by the tax filing deadline, you may use Form 4852, Substitute for Form W-2, Wage and Tax Statement, but it will delay any refund due while the information is verified.
If you receive a corrected W-2 after your return is filed and the information it contains does not match the income or withheld tax that you reported on your return, you must file an amended return on Form 1040X, Amended U.S. Individual Income Tax Return.
Important: 2016 Health Insurance Forms
Starting in 2016, most taxpayers received one or more forms relating to health care coverage they had during the previous year.
If you enrolled in 2016 coverage through the Health Insurance Marketplace, you should receive Form 1095-A, Health Insurance Marketplace Statement by early February.
If you were enrolled in other health coverage for 2016, you should receive a Form 1095-B, Health Coverage, or Form 1095-C, Employer-Provided Health insurance Offer and Coverage by the end of March. Contact the issuer of the form (either the Marketplace, your coverage provider or your employer) if you think you should have received a form but did not get one.
If you are expecting to receive a Form 1095-A, you should wait to file your 2016 income tax return until you receive that form. However, it is not necessary to wait for Forms 1095-B or 1095-C in order to file.
If you have questions about your Forms W-2 or 1099 or any other tax-related materials, please call or email the office.