By now you have probably heard the term “W-2” but you may be asking “What is a W-2 and why do I have to have it to file my taxes?” Worry not dear Ōdult, we have anwers to your questions right here.Form W-2 is a tax document that shows how much you were paid during the year and, most importantly, shows the amount of taxes that were withheld from your paycheck. This document is important in figuring out how much money you will get back from your tax refund.
Since your employer is the one who issues your W-2, they are the first place you should go to get an extra copy. If you are not sure who at the office to ask about this, it is best to go to your HR department or boss. If you work for a staffing company, call the local office and let them know about the issue. Once you find the right person, they may be able to print your W-2 the same day, but in some cases, they may have to mail you another copy. If snail mail is their preferred method, just be sure they have the correct mailing address.
Many companies now have a dedicated place on the employee website for you to print off a W-2. Each company site is different but you are likely to find this feature somewhere under your profile or in the HR department of the website. If your company site has the option, simply search “W-2” and that may point you to the exact page.
For our Teammates, we have a dedicated website and app where they can reprint or check their W-2, paycheck or even benefits information.
Many companies now email tax documents instead of sending them through the mail. Your W-2 may have made it to you, but is possibly buried under spam or even going to an old email you no longer use. Companies are required by law to send your W-2 by January 31st, so simply check your emails that came in between January 1st and February 1st.
If issues like a lost W-2 are causing your refund to run long and you need some money now, you may want to consider a Tax Refund Advance Loan
Starting out the new year a little strapped for cash? Waiting for your W-2 and tax refund may just not be an option. Totally understandable. There is an option to get a Tax Refund Advance Loan, which is essentially an advance on your tax refund in the form of a loan. This gives you access to money until your refund arrives. Once you receive your tax refund you are required to pay this loan back.
You can find these loans with many of the large tax-preparation services such as H&R Block or Jackson Hewitt. Most of the time all you need to provide is your SSN and a paystub to show your income.
Some things to keep in mind when agreeing to these loans:
