When Are W-2s Sent Out & When Should You Receive It?

Before you can prepare your federal taxes, you need a W-2 form that shows your income for the tax year. If you’re eager to get your taxes filed, you may find yourself checking the mail or your online payroll portal constantly.

So, when are W-2s sent out, and when can you expect to receive yours? Get a better idea of what to expect with this quick guide.

When should I receive my W-2 form?

If you were employed during 2024, you should receive your Form W-2 (officially known as the Wage and Tax Statement) from your employer soon since employers are required to send them out by January 31, 2025. If you have opted to go paperless, you may also receive your W-2 online through your employer’s online payroll portal. 

If you were self-employed or worked on a contract basis with no taxes withheld, your income may be reported to you on different tax forms: a 1099-NEC or 1099-K, which you should also see within the beginning of February.

What should you do if you don’t receive your W-2 on time?

If you are an employee, your W-2 is one of the most important items on your tax document checklist.

If you don’t receive your W-2 form by the first week of February, contact your employer. If the employer refuses to provide your W-2, contact the IRS at 1-800-829-1040 with the employer’s:

• Name
• Address
• Telephone number
• Employer ID number (if you know it)

If you still can’t get a W-2 form, file Substitute W-2 Form 4852 with your tax return, based on your final pay stub from that employer for 2024.

Can you file your taxes without a W-2?

Everybody who’s employed should receive a W-2 from their employer at the start of the following year, but what do you do if you don’t receive a W-2? If you’re doing your taxes for the first time, you might be confused about how to proceed without a W-2.

Since the deadline for employers to send out your W-2 is January 31st, you should have it well before taxes are due on April 15, 2025. Even if you don’t receive a W-2, you still need to meet the filing deadline. However, you can request an extension to file if you don’t receive your W-2 by the deadline. Requesting an extension gives you until October 15, 2025 to file your taxes.

If you receive your W-2 and notice the information is incorrect, you’ll need to request that your employer amend your W-2 by filing a W-2C. Once you receive your W-2C, you can use this information to then complete your tax return and file via mail or electronically.  

Tax planning can help you make sure you’re prepared to file your taxes on time. Many employers offer W-2 early access, which allows you to receive your W-2 and file sooner.

What information is reported on a W-2?

Your W-2 shows you a summary of the income you earned from your employer and how much tax was withheld on your behalf. On your W-2, you’ll find:

• Taxable wages, tips, and other compensation
• How much of your wages were subjected to Social Security tax, and the total Social Security tax withheld
• How much of your wages were subjected to Medicare tax, and the total Medicare tax withheld
• Dependent care benefits
• Nonqualified deferred compensation plan distributions
• Retirement plan contributions
• Third-party sick pay
• Insurance premiums deducted
• Disability insurance deduction

This information is used as part of the calculation to report your taxable income and taxes withheld to the IRS, which is how your tax refund or tax due is calculated.

Additionally, the Affordable Care Act requires employers to report the cost of offered employee insurance coverage under an employer-sponsored group health care plan on the W-2 they issue to you. That information will appear in Box 12 of your Form W-2, identified by the Code DD.

But don’t worry – just because the information appears on your W-2 doesn’t mean it is taxable to you. These benefits have always been tax-free, and the information is there so you can better understand the cost of the health insurance benefits you receive through your employment.

If your employer paid for your moving costs during the year, review Box 1 to see if those payments are included there. Prior to tax year 2018, if your employer paid your moving costs, you were also able to deduct what you spent on moving expenses, but under the Tax Cuts and Jobs Act (TCJA) , you can no longer claim moving expenses unless you are active-duty military.

The Tax Cuts and Jobs Act expires on Dec 31, 2025, which means moving expenses may revert back to being deductible once again.

What to look for when reviewing your W-2

Here are some tips for reviewing your W-2:

• Notify your employer if your Social Security number is wrong in Block a, and ask your employer to issue you a corrected form. Don’t try to change it yourself – your employer must send a correct copy to the government for the change to be effective.
• Don’t assume your W-2 is correct – compare the figures in Box 1 (federal wages), Box 2 (federal income tax withheld), Box 16 (state wages), and Box 17 (state income tax withheld) to the figures on your final paycheck stub for 2024.

Knowing how to read a Form W-2 can help you understand your salary, and can also help you get a head-start when preparing your taxes.

TurboTax lets you get a jump start on your taxes by allowing you to snap a photo of your W-2 from your phone or tablet, no matter what your tax situation is. TurboTax can also import your W-2, eliminating data entry. With TurboTax W-2 import, over 150 million W-2s are supported.

What should you do if the information on your W-2 is wrong?

If the information on your W-2 is wrong, your employer will need to amend it by filing a W-2 C. This form can be filed electronically or via mail.

What should you do if your W-2 may have been stolen?

If you suspect your W-2 may have been stolen, you need to report it to the IRS as soon as possible. 

1. You can email dataloss@irs.gov with the subject line “W2 Data Loss”. 
2. Include your contact information in the body of the email so the IRS can contact you about your W-2.
3. Update your Online Account password and follow IRS instructions.

A stolen W-2 may also be indicative of identity theft, so you may want to take steps to protect your identity.

What other forms should I keep an eye out for?

There may be other forms you may start seeing soon, like Form 1098 for mortgage interest or Form 1095-A, B, or C for health insurance information.

And keep in mind: you only need the information from Form 1095-A to prepare your tax return if you purchased 2024 health insurance from the Health Insurance Marketplace, but you don’t need to wait for a Form 1095-B or C. These forms are for information purposes only.

No matter what moves you made last year, TurboTax will make them count on your taxes. Whether you want to do your taxes yourself or have a TurboTax expert file for you, we’ll make sure you get every dollar you deserve and your biggest possible refund – guaranteed.