GREENSBORO, N.C. — You need your W-2 to file your taxes. W-2 is your statement of wages and taxes. The W-2 reports how much money you made and how much tax was withheld.
Your employer is the one who reports all of this information to the Social Security Administration and the IRS by January 31st and then sends the information to you. It used to be employers would send your W-2 to you by mail, but as technology puts everything at our fingertips, most companies have the W-2 available in the same company portal as your paystub.
If you're wondering where your W-2 is, look for it online on your company HR portal first. Chances are, your company no longer mails them and allows you to print the W-2 or download it and send it yourself as an attachment.
Your employer has 30 days after January 31st to get your W-2 to you.
According to the IRS:
Every employer engaged in a trade or business who pays remuneration, including noncash payments of $600 or more for the year (all amounts if any income, social security, or Medicare tax was withheld) for services performed by an employee must file a Form W-2 for each employee (even if the employee is related to the employer) from whom:
- Income, Social Security, or Medicare tax was withheld.
- Income tax would have been withheld if the employee had claimed no more than one withholding allowance or had not claimed exemption from withholding on Form W-4, Employee's Withholding Allowance Certificate.