How to Get a W-2 from a Former Employer
By
Liz Fujiwara
•
Feb 10, 2026
A W-2, or Wage and Tax Statement, reports your annual earnings and the federal, state, and local taxes withheld from your paycheck. Without it, you cannot accurately complete your tax return, which can delay refunds, create stress, and potentially trigger IRS notices if your reported income does not match your employer’s records.
For 2025 earnings, employers must send W-2s by January 31, 2026. You will use that form to file your taxes by the April 15, 2026 deadline. Whether your former employer is a small startup or an established company, the legal obligation is the same.
This article provides a step-by-step guide for getting your W-2, from contacting your previous employer to using IRS and Social Security Administration tools as backup, so your taxes do not get held up by a slow payroll department.
Key Takeaways
Employers must send W-2s by January 31 for the prior tax year, and the IRS expects employees to receive them by mid-February, so if yours hasn’t arrived by then, it’s time to act by checking your address, accessing digital portals, contacting HR, and escalating to the IRS if needed.
Backup options include filing with Form 4852, requesting an IRS wage and income transcript, or obtaining records from the Social Security Administration.
Keep documentation such as your last pay stub, emails to HR, and notes from phone calls, and employers that use modern HR and payroll platforms reduce the risk of missing tax documents and frustrated former employees.
Understand Your Rights and Deadlines for Receiving a W-2
Before you start making calls and sending emails, it helps to know exactly what your former employer is legally required to do and by when. The Internal Revenue Service sets clear deadlines, and understanding these protects you from unnecessary stress.
The January 31 Deadline
Employers must send W-2 forms to all employees, current and former, who earned at least $600 in wages during the tax year. For 2025 earnings, this means the form must be mailed or made available electronically no later than January 31, 2026. This is federal law.
The February 14 Expectation
While employers have until January 31 to mail your W-2, the IRS generally considers February 14 a reasonable date by which taxpayers should have received their forms. If mid-February passes and you still haven’t received anything, it is time to escalate.
Mail or Electronic Delivery
W-2s can arrive in your physical mailbox or through a secure online portal depending on your employer’s policy and whether you opted into paperless delivery. Many tech companies use digital HR platforms, so do not assume your form will come by mail.
Your Responsibility Remains
Even if you left the company in March of last year, you are still responsible for filing your taxes on time. The employer’s obligation to send your W-2 does not change your April 15 filing deadline, so if the form does not arrive, you will need to use backup methods.
How Do You Get Your W-2 from a Former Employer?
Follow these steps in order and document each attempt along the way. If you eventually need to contact the IRS, having a record of your efforts, including emails, notes from phone calls, and certified mail receipts, makes the process smoother.
The steps at a glance:
Check the calendar and allow standard delivery time
Confirm and update your mailing address
Search for digital W-2 access through email and payroll portals
Contact your former employer’s HR or payroll department
Reach out to the third-party payroll provider, if applicable
Contact the IRS if you still do not have your W-2
Acting early, ideally in early February, gives you more time and options. Waiting until April creates unnecessary pressure and limits your choices.
1. Check the Calendar and Give Standard Delivery Time
Employers have until January 31 to mail or electronically post W-2s for the prior tax year. Before assuming your form is lost, factor in standard USPS mail delays.
What to do:
Wait until at least the first week of February before taking action
The IRS considers February 14 a reasonable date by which you should have received your W-2
Set a calendar reminder for February 15 to follow up if nothing has arrived
Do not wait until April; early action gives you more options
2. Confirm and Update Your Mailing Address
The most common reason W-2s don’t arrive? The employee moved since leaving the company. If you’ve relocated or even just changed apartments, your W-2 may have been sent to an old address.
What to do:
Submit an official change-of-address request with USPS, online or at a local post office; forwarding typically takes 7–10 days to become effective
Contact your former employer’s HR or payroll department to update your mailing address directly
If mail is undeliverable, the W-2 may be returned to the employer, causing additional delays
Proactively updating your address prevents waiting weeks for a re-mailed form
3. Search for Digital W-2 Access (Email and Portals)
Many employers now offer paperless tax statements. Before you panic about a missing form, thoroughly check your email and any payroll portals you used during employment.
What to do:
Check personal and former work email inboxes, including spam, promotions, and junk folders, for messages about “tax documents,” “W-2,” or “year-end statement”
Look up the exact payroll system your former employer used, such as ADP, Paychex, Gusto, Rippling, or Justworks
Attempt to log into the online portal, as many retain access for former employees
Use the “forgot password” function if needed and ensure you have access to the email address on file
Digital W-2 access is often faster than mailed copies and can be reprinted multiple times at no cost
4. Contact Your Former Employer’s HR or Payroll Department
If digital access fails and your mailed form hasn’t arrived, it’s time to reach out directly. This is where having a clear, professional request makes all the difference.
What to do:
Locate a direct HR or payroll email and phone number from old onboarding documents, the company website, or LinkedIn
Provide concise information in your request: full name, dates of employment, last known mailing address on file, last four digits of your Social Security number, and preferred delivery method
Ask whether the W-2 was already sent and to what address, and request a reprint if the original appears lost
Follow up in writing so you have a time-stamped record
For small startups or early-stage tech companies, the HR contact may be a founder, office manager, or external accountant; adapt your outreach accordingly as these contacts can often resolve the issue as well
5. Reach Out to the Third-Party Payroll Provider (If Applicable)
Many tech employers outsource payroll functions to external providers. If your former employer used a third-party payroll company, you may be able to bypass slow internal teams entirely.
Common payroll providers:
Provider | Self-Service Portal | Notes |
ADP | Yes | Large enterprise and SMB clients |
Paychex | Yes | Common for mid-size companies |
Gusto | Yes | Popular with startups |
Rippling | Yes | Common in tech companies |
Justworks | Yes | PEO model for small businesses |
What to do:
Check prior pay stubs for the payroll provider’s name, often printed on the stub or in the email footer
Visit the provider’s website, create or restore your login, and navigate to the “Tax Forms” or “W-2” section
Download your form directly if it is available
In some setups, only the employer can trigger a re-issue, so the provider may direct you back to the company’s HR contact
6. Contact the IRS if You Still Don’t Have Your W-2
If February 14 has passed, you’ve made good-faith efforts to contact your employer, and you still don’t have your W-2, it’s time to escalate to the IRS.
What to do:
Call the IRS individual assistance line at 800-829-1040
Be prepared to verify your identity and provide your name, address, phone number, social security number, your employer’s name and address, your employer’s EIN from a pay stub or prior W-2, dates of employment, and estimated earnings and withholding amounts
The IRS will send a letter to your former employer reminding them of their legal obligation and provide guidance on filing using Form 4852 if needed
Keep your last pay stub, as it contains the income and withholding information you will need to estimate earnings if you must file without the official form
Backup Options If You Can’t Get Your W-2 in Time
Sometimes, despite your best efforts, the W-2 simply doesn’t arrive before the tax filing deadline. The IRS anticipates this and provides backup tools and forms so taxpayers can still file reasonably accurate returns on time.
Using these options may delay refunds slightly or require an amended return later if corrected information becomes available. But they ensure you don’t face late-filing penalties.
Using Form 4852 as a Substitute for Form W-2
Form 4852, officially titled “Substitute for Form W-2, Wage and Tax Statement,” is used when an employer does not provide a W-2 or when the W-2 you received is incorrect and cannot be corrected in time.
How it works:
Use your last pay stub and other records to estimate total wages and tax withholding for the year
File Form 4852 along with your regular tax return in place of the missing W-2
Keep copies of all supporting documents, including pay stubs, emails to your employer, and notes from calls, in case the IRS requests verification
If your W-2 arrives later with different information, file an amended return using Form 1040-X
Form 4852 may prompt IRS review if your estimates differ significantly from what your employer reported, so accurate record-keeping minimizes this risk
Form 4852 may prompt IRS review if your estimates differ significantly from what your employer reported. Accurate record-keeping minimizes this risk.
Requesting an IRS Wage and Income Transcript
A wage and income transcript is an IRS document showing data reported on information returns, including Forms W-2, 1099, 1098, and 5498, and serves as a record of what your employer reported to the IRS about your earnings.
Key details:
Feature | Details |
Years available | Typically up to 10 years |
Access methods | IRS “Get Transcript” online tool, Form 4506-T by mail, or in-person at an IRS office |
Delivery time (mail) | 5–10 business days for most requests |
Cost | Free |
Limitations | Does not include state or local withholding; current-year data may not be available until later in the year |
An income transcript can help reconstruct missing W-2 information if you no longer have pay stubs.
When to Consider an Extension vs. Filing on Time
If you expect your W-2 to arrive shortly but not by April 15, you have a choice: file an extension or file on time with estimates.
Filing an extension (Form 4868):
Gives you an additional six months to file your return
Does not extend your deadline to pay taxes owed, which are still due by April 15
Useful if you are confident the W-2 will arrive soon
Avoids the stress of estimating income if accurate data is expected shortly
Filing on time with Form 4852:
Avoids late-filing penalties
May require an amended return using Form 1040-X if the W-2 later shows different numbers
Best if you have reliable pay stub data and want to close out the tax year
Weigh your confidence in your income estimates and the likelihood of receiving a W-2 soon when deciding between these options.
Getting Old or Very Late W-2s (Previous Tax Years)
Sometimes you need W-2s from years ago, not just the most recent tax year, for purposes such as amended returns, mortgage applications, establishing residency, or Social Security questions.
Where to look depends on what you need: an exact copy of a filed return with the W-2 attached, or just the wage data your employer reported to the IRS.
Requesting Past W-2 Information from the IRS
For up to around 10 years back, wage and income transcripts will generally list W-2 data. These transcripts show federal tax information reported by employers but do not include state or local tax withholding details.
Your options:
Form/Method | What You Get | Fee | Processing Time |
Get Transcript (online) | Wage and income transcript | Free | Immediate |
Form 4506-T (mail) | Wage and income transcript | Free | 5–10 business days |
Form 4506 | Exact copy of filed return with attachments | Fee per year (check IRS.gov) | Several weeks |
The IRS typically retains full copies of returns for up to 7 years. Older returns may not be available.
Requesting W-2 Copies from the Social Security Administration (SSA)
The Social Security Administration holds wage data that employers report with Social Security taxes going back many years, which is useful for verifying earnings or correcting Social Security records.
What to know:
SSA can provide copies or printouts of W-2 information for social security related reasons (like correcting earnings records) at no charge
For non-SSA purposes (general tax or loan applications), the SSA may charge a fee per W-2 year
SSA records generally do not include state or local information as they’re primarily for verifying federal wage and social security earnings
What if Your Former Employer Is Unresponsive, Closed, or Bankrupt?
In the tech world, startups may shut down, get acquired, or go silent, complicating W-2 retrieval, but options remain. Preserve pay stubs, contracts, and bank statements as supporting documents, as these become essential when employers cannot be reached.
If Your Former Employer Won’t Respond
Non-responsive employers are frustrating but not insurmountable. Here’s how to handle it:
Document everything by keeping copies of emails, certified letters with proof of delivery, and phone logs showing your attempts to contact HR
Escalate within the company by reaching out to remaining founders, finance leaders, or board contacts if HR or payroll does not respond
Contact the IRS after mid-February to report non-receipt of your W-2 and provide documentation of your contact attempts
Use Form 4852 in persistent non-response cases, filing it with pay stubs or bank records to estimate wages and withholding
If the Company Has Closed or Filed for Bankruptcy
Even dissolved or bankrupt companies have obligations for past-year wage reporting. Their closure doesn’t erase data already filed with the IRS and SSA.
Steps to take:
Search for the bankruptcy case online and identify the trustee or legal contact who may hold payroll records
Locate former payroll administrators, accountants, or PEOs via LinkedIn or old pay stub branding
Request an IRS wage and income transcript for the year in question, which may show the W-2 data filed before closure
As a last resort, file Form 4852 with any available income evidence such as bank deposits, completed pay stubs, or offer letters
The IRS received date on your transcript confirms what was reported, giving you a foundation even when the company itself is gone
How This Connects to Better Hiring and Payroll Practices
The experience of chasing down a missing W-2 from a previous employer is not just an individual headache; it often reflects broader HR dysfunction.
Fast-growing tech companies and AI startups with disorganized onboarding, payroll, and offboarding processes create real problems for both current employees and alumni.
When companies lose track of former employee records, use inconsistent payroll systems, or miss basic reporting deadlines, it damages their reputation because former employees talk, candidates research, and Glassdoor reviews happen.
Modern, integrated talent and HR operations reduce these risks. Companies that invest in accurate classification, timely tax document delivery, and clean processes build trust with their workforce.
Hiring infrastructure matters because the same operational discipline that produces accurate W-2s also leads to better hiring outcomes, including clear job requirements, fair compensation, and transparent communication throughout the candidate experience.
Conclusion
To get your W-2 from a former employer, wait for standard deadlines, confirm your address, check portals and email, contact HR or payroll, reach out to third-party providers if needed, and escalate to the IRS if all else fails. Backup options include Form 4852, IRS wage transcripts, SSA records, and filing extensions.
Keep your own records, like pay stubs and bank statements, to reduce dependence on employer responsiveness. For employers and talent leaders, clean hiring and payroll processes ensure former employees never have to wonder where their W-2 went.
