Ideally, you should keep careful records of your earnings as an employee, subcontractor, or recipient of any other type of income. If you do so and you do not receive the appropriate tax statement from the payer by the end of February, you will be in a better position to proceed. You’ll also be able to tell if the amount is correct and take steps to obtain a corrected one if it is not.
The first thing to do if you have not received your 1099R or W-2 by the end of February is to contact the payer/employer to ask about it. They might have sent it to the wrong address or perhaps found they were missing information. You should also contact them if you received one that is incorrect. If they are not helpful or do not produce the required document, you can ask the Internal Revenue Service to assist you.
While there is still time before the April 15 deadline, if you still do not have the necessary form, you can use Form 4852 Substitute for Form W-2, Wage and Tax Statement, or Form 1099R, Distributions from Pensions, Annuities, Retirement or Profit-Sharing Plans, IRAs, Insurance Contracts, etc. when filing your taxes. This assumes you have kept records, as you’ll need to provide the numbers normally found on the W-2 or 1099R. It is okay to estimate your wages or payments at this point, as you can file an amended tax return later once you get the form from the employer/payer. The IRS will continue to assist you in getting the form if you request that they initiate a complaint.
If you have any questions about this subject or need other questions addressed regarding your taxes, give us a call at Proctor & Assocs. We would be happy to help you with preparing your personal or business income taxes, as well as help you get set up with a bookkeeping system that will help you track your income for this year. Call today to learn more.