Prior Year(s) Form W-2 (How to Get a Copy)

The IRS does not retain actual copies of Form W-2 (PDF) except as an attachment to your tax return, for prior years. However, the IRS maintains (and will provide free of charge) Form W-2 information for any purpose for the past ten processing years. Use Form 4506-T (PDF), Request for Transcript of Tax Return, to request Form W-2 information. The only way to get an actual copy of your Form W-2 from the IRS is to order a copy of the entire return on Form 4506 (PDF), Request for Copy of Tax Return, and pay a fee of $57.00 for each return requested.

The Social Security Administration (SSA) will provide the Number Holder (NH) or legal representative(s) at no charge with a microprint copy of the Form W-2 requested for purposes of resolving an SSA program related matter; e.g., resolving an earnings discrepancy in connection with the processing of a Title II and/or Title XVI claim or an SSA or NH initiated earnings investigation.

Call 800-829-3676, or visit the IRS website at www.irs.gov to obtain Form 4506 (PDF), Request for Copy of Tax Return, or Form 4506-T(PDF), Request for Transcript of Tax Return.

Call 800-772-1213, or visit the SSA web site at www.socialsecurity.gov for instructions on how to obtain wage information from the SSA.

Source: Internal Revenue Service
Last reviewed: September 21, 2013