What do I do if Im filing late on this year and previous years on my taxes? How can I obtain previous W2's?

Question

I wondering If I can file for previous years on my taxes without getting any penalties, I remember seeing commercials sometime ago about helping people who are late on there taxes. Also I lost my W2's is there a way of obtaining them besides going through the IRS?

Answer 1

contact IRS at 1-800-829-1040 and request the wage informaiton (W2's) be mailed to you to file your deliquent tax returns.

Or visit your local IRS office in your city for the copies of your w2's.

Or download Form 4506-T Return Transcript from the IRS website www.irs.gov.

OR: Call 1–800–772–1213, or visit the SSA web site at www.socialsecurity.gov for instructions on how to obtain wage information from the SSA.

.Once you file you can write and request abatement of penalties, you must provide explanation of why you didn't file on time; such as you were in a coma and you have all the documentation from the hospital proving you were unable to file timely.

Answer 2

My son got all his W-2s from the last five years on line for all his jobs at one website. Sorry I don't know where.

Answer 3

Why worry about contacting IRS for W-2 information?  It is a routine request.  They already have the information you need and if they though you owed a significant amount of money, you would have heard about it by now.   Penalties are based on the amount of tax that is unpaid.  If you owe zero or have a refund, the penalty is zero.  

I am an enrolled agent, a tax specialist licensed by the US Treasury Department Office of Professional Responsibility (not an IRS employee) and represent taxpayers the same way as attorneys and CPAs and handle this kind of problem for a small fraction of what the companies whose commercials you have seen.  If you would like some additional information outside this forum, you can send me email through my profile.

Answer 4

If you are filing late, all you need to do is file your tax returns like you normally would.  If you owe, then you will have to pay penalties and interest.  If you are due a refund, then you must file your taxes within 3 years of the due date (including andy extensions that you previously filed) of the return.

As of right now, you can only get a refund for 2005, 2006, and 2007 taxes.  You can only get an extension to file your 2004 taxes if you filed an extension by April 15, 2005.

If you don't have your W-2's, you should be able to get copies from the IRS.  Don't be surprised if you have to pay for this.

Answer 5

You get W-2s from your employers.