Are You Missing a Form Required for Your Taxes?

Health Insurance Form – Starting in 2016, most taxpayers received one or more forms relating to the health care coverage they had during the previous year. If you enrolled in coverage through

  • Health Insurance Marketplace
    • By early February you should get Form 1095-A, Health Insurance Marketplace Statement for the previous tax year.
    • Wait to file your income tax return until you receive Form 1095-A.
  • Other health coverage and deadlines for filing with the IRS
    • Form 1094-B, Transmittal of Health Coverage Information Returns, and Form 1095-B, Health Coverage
      • The due date is February 28, 2017; if filing electronically, the due date is March 31, 2017.
    • Health Coverage, or Form 1095-C, Employer Provided Health insurance Offer and Coverage
      • The due date is March 2, 2017, for furnishing to individuals Form 1095-C
      • It is not necessary to wait for Forms 1095-B or 1095-C in order to file.

If you think you should have gotten a form but did not get it, contact the issuer of the form (the Marketplace, your coverage provider, or your employer), and let the provider know you did not receive your form.

Did you get more than one form? You will get more than one form if you had coverage from more than one coverage provider, if you worked for more than one employer that offered coverage or if you enrolled for coverage in the Marketplace for a portion of the year and received coverage from another source for part of the year. You are also likely to get more than one form if you changed coverage or employers during the year or if different members of your family received coverage from different coverage providers.

You should not attach any of these forms to your tax return but should keep them with your tax records.

W-2 Forms – Most people get their W-2 forms by the end of January. Form W-2, Wage and Tax Statement, shows your income and the taxes withheld from your pay for the year. You need it to file an accurate tax return by April 17, 2018.

If you haven’t received your form by mid-February, here’s what you should do.

  • Contact your Employer. Ask your employer (or former employer) for a copy. Be sure they have your correct address.
  • Call the IRS after Feb. 23. If you are unable to get a copy from your employer, call the IRS at 800-829-1040. The IRS will send a letter to your employer on your behalf. Before you make the call to IRS, make sure you have the following:
    • Your name, address, Social Security number and phone number;
    • Your employer’s name, address and phone number;
    • The dates you worked for the employer; and
    • An estimate of your wages and federal income tax withheld for the previous calendar year. You can use your final pay stub for these amounts.
  • File & Pay on Time. Your tax return is normally due on or before April 17, 2018. Use Form 4852, Substitute for Form W-2, Wage and Tax Statement, if you don’t get your W-2 in time to file.
    • Estimate your wages and taxes withheld as best as you can.
    • If you can’t get it done by the due date, ask for an extra six months to file. Use Form 4868, Application for Automatic Extension of Time to File U.S. Individual Income Tax Return, to request more time, or file an e-file a request for more time.
    • Do it for free with IRS Free File.
    • However, pay what you owe the IRS or be prepared to pay both penalties and interest on the amount due.
    • In the memo section of your check, write, “2017 – 1040 Tax Due” along with your social security number.
      Send your check via certified mail with a return receipt requested. Mark on the top of both the receipt and the return postcard, “2017 – 1040 Tax Due.”
  • Correct if Necessary. You may need to correct your tax return if you get your missing W-2 after you file. If the tax information on the W-2 is different from what you originally reported, you may need to file an amended tax return. IF so, use Form 1040X, Amended U.S. Individual Income Tax Return to make the change.

 

References: IRS Tax Tip 2016-12 and HCTT 2016-13