What taxpayers should do if they have incorrect or missing documents

Do you have the information you need from your clients to complete their returns or do you need to put them on extension? According to the IRS, taxpayers should make sure they have all their documents before filing a tax return, but if they do not have the correct information, here are some solutions for your review and to pass on to your clients.

• Taxpayers who haven’t received a W-2 or Form 1099 should contact the employer, payer, or issuing agency and request the missing documents. This also applies for those who received an incorrect W-2 or Form 1099.
• If they can’t get the forms, they must still file their tax return on time or get an extension to file. To avoid filing an incomplete or amended return, they may need to use 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.
• If a taxpayer doesn’t receive the missing or corrected form in time to file their tax return, they can estimate the wages or payments made to them, as well as any taxes withheld. They can use Form 4852 to report this information on their federal tax return.
• If they receive the missing or corrected Form W-2 or Form 1099-R after filing their return and the information differs from their previous estimate, they must file Form 1040-X, Amended U.S. Individual Income Tax Return.

Most taxpayers should have received their documents near the end of January, including:

• Forms W-2, Wage and Tax Statement
• Form 1099-MISC, Miscellaneous Income
• Form 1099-INT, Interest Income
• Form 1099-NEC, Non-employee Compensation
• Form 1099-G, Certain Government Payments; like unemployment compensation or state tax refund
• Letter 6419, 2021 Total Advance Child Tax Credit Payments
• Letter 6475, Your 2021 Economic Impact Payment

Incorrect form 1099-G for unemployment benefits. Many people received unemployment compensation in 2021. Unemployment compensation is taxable and must be reported on the recipient’s tax return.

Taxpayers who receive an incorrect Form 1099-G for unemployment benefits they did not get should contact the issuing state agency to request a revised Form 1099-G showing their correct benefits. Taxpayers who are unable to obtain a timely, corrected form from states should still file an accurate tax return, reporting only the income they did receive.

Reconciling advance child tax credit or economic impact payments. People who need to reconcile advance child tax credit payments or claim the recovery rebate credit will need information about 2021 payments when they file.

These individuals must have the total amounts of advance child tax credit payments to receive the remainder of their child tax credit and the amount of their third Economic Impact Payment to claim a recovery rebate credit. Taxpayers should check their online account or review Letter 6419, 2021 Total Advance Child Tax Credit Payments, and Letter 6475, Your 2021 Economic Impact Payment, for their total payment amounts. This will help them file an accurate return. If they have lost or misplaced these letters, they can check their online account. Married spouses who received joint payments will need to log into their own online account or review their own letter for their portion of the total payment. If filing a 2021 return as married filing jointly, they should add the payments together to provide the total amount.

Editor’s note: Access the Intuit Tax Pro Center’s full library of IRS-related content.