Home |IRS Tax Return | What steps should I take if I didn't file my taxes as a college student due to difficulties obtaining my W2 forms from my previous employers, who are now unresponsive to my attempts to contact them?

What steps should I take if I didn't file my taxes as a college student due to difficulties obtaining my W2 forms from my previous employers, who are now unresponsive to my attempts to contact them?

Robert James, 20+ years of experience in IRS matters
Answered on September 28,2023

If you can get your IRS Wage and Income transcript, you can use that to file your tax return. The version you can get online will be partially redacted, but has enough information to prepare a federal tax return you can print and mail in.

If you want to get the full EINs of your W-2 so you can e-file, you run have to call IRS and request an Unmasked Wage and Income transcript for tax preparation.

You can still file the tax return - if you are due a refund there's no penalty for being late. You just need to file the return within three years of the due date in order to still get a refund.

Since e-filing for self-prepared returns is only allowed until Oct 16th, you might want to get the transcripts and wait until next tax season. The free tax preparation programs can still e-file 2022 returns next year, as long as you have the Unmasked Wage and Income transcript with full EINs.

Check the locators in late December or early January:

Free Tax Return Preparation for Qualifying Taxpayers

Get Yout Refund

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