Send us a signed written statement with your:
- full name
- old and new addresses
- Social Security number, ITIN, or EIN
Mail your signed statement to the address where you filed your last return.
- full name
- old and new addresses
- Social Security number, ITIN or EIN
If you filed a joint return and are still residing with the same spouse, both you and your spouse should provide your names, social security numbers, new address and signatures on the form or statement.
If you filed a joint return and you now have separate addresses, each of you should notify us of your new, separate addresses.
Authorized representatives filing a form or written statement to change an address for a taxpayer must attach a copy of their power of attorney or Form 2848, Power of Attorney and Declaration of Representative. Unauthorized third parties can't change a taxpayer's address.
Changes of address through the U.S. Postal Service (USPS) may update your address of record on file with us based on what they retain in their National Change of Address (NCOA) database. However, even when you notify the USPS, not all post offices forward government checks, so you should still notify us.
For changes of address relating to an employment tax return, we issue confirmation notices (Notices 148A and 148B) for the change to both the new and former address.
It can generally take four to six weeks after receipt for a change of address request to fully process, however there may be delays.
Additional Information:
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Can I get a transcript or copy of Form W-2, Wage and Tax Statement, from the IRS?
Answer:
Yes, but an actual copy of your Form W-2 is only available if you submitted it with a paper tax return:
Transcript
- You can get a wage and income transcript, containing the Federal tax information your employer reported to the Social Security Administration (SSA), by visiting our Get your tax records and transcripts page. Refer to Transcript types and ways to order them and About Tax Transcripts for more information.
- You can also use Form 4506-T, Request for Transcript of Tax Return. Check the box for Form W-2, specify which tax year(s) you need, and mail or fax the completed form. Most requests will be processed within 10 business days from the IRS received date.
Copy
- If you e-filed your tax return or you didn't attach your Form W-2 to your paper return, then use one of the transcript options above. Otherwise, you'll need to contact your employer or SSA for a copy.
- The quickest way to obtain a copy of your current year Form W-2 is through your employer. Your employer first submits Form W-2 to SSA; after SSA processes it, they transmit the federal tax information to the IRS.
- If you can't get your Form W-2 from your employer and you previously attached it to your paper tax return, you can order a copy of the entire return from the IRS for a fee. Complete and mail Form 4506, Request for Copy of Tax Return along with the required fee. Allow 75 calendar days for us to process your request. We will waive the fee for taxpayers impacted by a federally declared disaster. (For more information, see Publication 3067, IRS Disaster Assistance, Federally Declared Disaster Area PDF )
See Topic 159 for additional information.
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Can I file an amended Form 1040-X electronically?
Answer:
You can file Form 1040-X, Amended U.S. Individual Income Tax Return electronically with tax filing software to amend your Form 1040, 1040-SR, 1040-NR, or 1040-SS/PR for the current or two prior tax periods. If amending a prior year return originally filed on paper, then the amended return must also be filed on paper. See Form 1040-X, Amended U.S. Individual Income Tax Return, frequently asked questions for more information. You still have the option to file a paper version of the Form 1040-X and should follow the instructions for preparing and filing the paper form.
Additional Information:
- Filing Your Taxes
- Instructions for Form 1040-X, Amended U.S. Individual Income Tax Return
- Tax Topic 308 — Amended Returns
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What if I entered the correct account and routing numbers, but the IRS made an error in depositing my refund?
Answer:
Contact an IRS customer service representative to correct any agency errors by calling 800-829-1040 (see telephone assistance for hours of operation). Unfortunately, this may result in you receiving a paper check.
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Is there an age limit on claiming my child as a dependent?
Answer:
To claim your child as your dependent, your child must meet either the qualifying child test or the qualifying relative test:
- To meet the qualifying child test, your child must be younger than you or your spouse if filing jointly and either younger than 19 years old or be a "student" younger than 24 years old as of the end of the calendar year.
- There's no age limit if your child is "permanently and totally disabled" or meets the qualifying relative test.
In addition to meeting the qualifying child or qualifying relative test, you can claim that person as a dependent only if these three tests are met:
- Dependent taxpayer test
- Citizen or resident test, and
- Joint return test
Additional Information:
- Whom May I Claim as a Dependent?
- Publication 501, Dependents, Standard Deduction and Filing Information
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I lost my refund check. How do I get a new one?
Answer:
If you lost your refund check, you should initiate a refund trace:
- Use Where's My Refund, call us at 800-829-1954 and use the automated system, or speak with an agent by calling 800-829-1040 (see telephone assistance for hours of operation).
- However, if you filed a married filing jointly return, you can’t initiate a trace using the automated systems. Download and complete the Form 3911, Taxpayer Statement Regarding Refund PDF or the IRS can send you a Form 3911 to get the replacement process started.
Your claim for a missing refund is processed one of two ways:
- If the check wasn't cashed, you'll receive a replacement check once the original check is canceled.
- If the refund check was cashed, the Bureau of the Fiscal Service (BFS) will provide you with a claim package that includes a copy of the cashed check. Follow the instructions for completing the claim package. BFS will review your claim and the signature on the canceled check before determining whether they can issue you a replacement check. The BFS review can take up to six weeks to complete.
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I received an incorrect Form W-2. My former employer won’t issue me a corrected Form W-2. What should I do?
Answer:
If by the end of February, your Form W-2, Wage and Tax Statement has not been corrected by your employer after you attempted to have your employer or payer issue a corrected form, you can request that an IRS representative initiate a Form W-2 complaint. Call the IRS toll free at 800-829-1040 or make an appointment to visit an IRS taxpayer assistance center (TAC).
- The IRS will send your employer a letter requesting that they furnish you a corrected Form W-2 within ten days.
- The IRS will send you a letter with instructions and Form 4852, Substitute for Form W-2, Wage and Tax Statement, or Form 1099-R, Distributions from Pensions, Annuities, Retirement or Profit-Sharing Plans, IRAs, Insurance Contracts, etc. You can use the Form 4852 in the event that your employer doesn't provide you with the corrected Form W-2 in time to file your tax return.
Depending on the time of year, the IRS may have federal wage information in the form of a wage transcript. See Topic 159 for more information on how to get a transcript of W-2 information.
When you call the IRS or visit a TAC office, please have the following information available:
- Your employer's or payer's name and complete address including ZIP code and
- Your name, address including ZIP code, and Social Security number.
If you file your return and attach Form 4852, you’ll need to estimate the wages you earned, taxes withheld, and the period for which you did not receive or received an incorrect Form W-2. You should base the estimate on year-to-date information from your final pay stub, if possible. When filing a Form 4852 instead of a Form W-2, there may be delays processing your refund while we verify the information you gave us.
To help protect your Social Security benefits, keep a copy of Form 4852 until you begin receiving Social Security benefits, just in case there's a question about your work record and/or earnings in a particular year. After September 30 following the date shown on Form 4852 line 4, use a my Social Security online account or contact your local SSA office to verify wages reported by your employer.
If you receive a corrected Form W-2 after you filed your return with Form 4852, and the information differs from the information reported on your return, you must amend your return by filing Form 1040-X, Amended U.S. Individual Income Tax Return.
Additional Information:
- How to Correct Your Social Security Earnings Record
- Tax Topic 154 - Form W-2 and Form 1099-R (What to Do if Incorrect or Not Received)
- Tax Topic 308 — Amended Returns
