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Have you lost your W-2? Not filed your prior year tax returns and can’t locate your tax documents? The Social Security Administration can give you copies/printouts of your
Forms W-2 for any year from 1978 to the present. The IRS has the information in free electronic format for 10 years. Per the SSA website FAQs , you can get free copies if you need them for a Social Security-related reason. However, there is a fee of $37 for each year if you need them for an unrelated reason (such as completing your income tax returns). The Internal
Revenue Service will give you a W-2 transcript for free. See IRS Prior Year W-2 info. However, the free IRS information does not include your state tax withholding information which could be needed to complete your state tax return. The IRS only retains actual copies of Form W-2 as an attachment to your tax return for prior years. So to order an actual copy of the W-2 from the IRS use Form 4506 and pay the $50 fee. When
you write to the SSA, be sure to include: Send your request with a check or money
order payable to the Social Security Administration. Please include your Social Security number on the check or money order. You also can pay with a credit card by completing Form-714. Regular credit card rules apply.
Please send your request to:
Social Security Administration
Office of Central Operations
Division of Earnings and Business Services
P.O. Box 33003
Baltimore, MD 21290-3003
By Melinda Nelson, CPA
A replacement Social Security SSA-1099 can be obtained through your My Social Security account.
Those who already receive benefits can view their payment history, current status, and manage their benefits.
To open a personal My Social Security account, go here to get started.
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By Megan Forristall
Social Security Public Affairs Specialist in Peru, IL
Tax season is approaching and replacing your annual Benefit Statement has never been easier. The Benefit Statement, also known as the SSA-1099 or the SSA-1042S, is a tax form we mail each year in January to people who receive Social Security benefits. It shows the total amount of benefits you received from us in the previous year so you know how much Social Security income to report to the Internal Revenue Service on your tax return.
If you live in the United States and you need a replacement form SSA-1099 or SSA-1042S, simply go online and get an instant, printable replacement form using your personal my Social Security account at www.ssa.gov/myaccount. A replacement SSA-1099 or SSA-1042S is available for the previous tax year after February 1.
If you don’t have access to a printer, you can save the document to your computer or email it to yourself. If you don’t have a my Social Security account, creating one is very easy to do and usually takes less than 10 minutes. With a personal my Social Security account, you can do much of your business with us online. If you receive benefits or have Medicare, your personal my Social Security account is also the best way to:
- Request a replacement Social Security number card (in most states and the District of Columbia).
- Get your benefit verification letter.
- Check your benefit and payment information.
- Change your address and phone number.
- Change your direct deposit information.
- Request a replacement Medicare card.
- Report your wages if you work and receive Social Security disability insurance or Supplemental Security Income benefits.
If you’re a non-citizen who lives outside of the United States and you received or repaid Social Security benefits last year, we will send you form SSA-1042S in the mail. The forms SSA-1099 and SSA-1042S are not available for people who receive Supplemental Security Income benefits.
Visit www.ssa.gov to find more about our online services.
The Planning Center, is a fee-only financial planning and wealth management firm. Email us at .