Can you create your own W2 using your last pay check stub?

Answer 1

No. If you do not have a W2 from your employer(s) regardless of the reason, you should contact the IRS for instructions on how to file your return. = Answer = If what your suggesting is you want to file your return before you receive the offical W-2 from your employer (say mid January rather than the end of Jan when W-2s must arrive by), by using the information from the year end pay stubb - well it's possible but not a good idea. Clearly, with electronic filing, little (actually nothing) regularly is now sent. You basically input all the information from the W-2 into the electronic transmittal and really don't actually need the paper W-2. (And I should hope we've all seen the ads from the company claiming to be "your people" and how even the mailman doesn't wait for his W2 to get his refund...etc. enough already to puke). But, understand that the W2 you get is a paper form of some info from an in depth electronic filing report sent to the IRS by the employer. The IRS matches it to return info we provide, and confirms the employer actually paid over the amounts he is claiming to, etc. This is now all becoming very electronic, automatic, quick and accurate. ALL the information you report better be represented EXACTLY like the employers report....including which boxes (and codes within those boxes when needed) were used, what ID numbers they filed it under, etc. Those are required by the electronic filing programs. Otherwise, if the info doesn't jive, there will be delays and problems for all!