# Tax question(or wheres my w2 form?)

**URL:** <https://boards.straightdope.com/t/tax-question-or-wheres-my-w2-form/396820>\
**Category:** Factual Questions\
**Created:** [March 21, 2007, 4:22am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/tax-question-or-wheres-my-w2-form/396820 "2007-03-21T04:22:28Z")\
**Posts on this page:** 4\
**Page:** 1

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**Author:** ![Harmonix](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/h/3ec8ea/32.png) [@Harmonix](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Harmonix)\
**Post date:** [March 21, 2007, 4:22am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/tax-question-or-wheres-my-w2-form/396820/1 "2007-03-21T04:22:28Z")

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I recently filed away all my papers and now I can’t find my w-2 form from my most recent employer. I’m starting to wonder if I ever had one.  
I started the job on December 4 , but my first paycheck was on January 1(my employer pays monthly). Did I make any money for the 2006 fiscal year? Should I have a w-2 form from them?

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**Author:** ![friedo](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/f/8edcca/32.png) [@friedo](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/friedo)\
**Post date:** [March 21, 2007, 4:24am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/tax-question-or-wheres-my-w2-form/396820/2 "2007-03-21T04:24:26Z")

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If your paycheck was dated January 1, then as far as their payroll system is concerned, you didn’t earn anything in 2006. That’s the way it usually works, anyway; it can’t hurt to double-check with HR or the payroll department, though.

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**Author:** ![DrDeth](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/d/b487fb/32.png) [@DrDeth](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/DrDeth)\
**Post date:** [March 21, 2007, 6:27am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/tax-question-or-wheres-my-w2-form/396820/3 "2007-03-21T06:27:44Z")

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Assuming you are- as are most individuals- a “cash basis taxpayer” then he’s right. No W-2 as you didn’t get paid anything last year from that job.

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**Author:** ![Mama\_Zappa](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/m/71e660/32.png) [@Mama\_Zappa](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Mama_Zappa)\
**Post date:** [March 21, 2007, 5:22pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/tax-question-or-wheres-my-w2-form/396820/4 "2007-03-21T17:22:21Z")

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What they said.

If you want to set your mind at ease: do you still have your paystubs for the past 3 months? Check the “current pay period” and “year to date” figures. If the February paycheck shows more in the YTD figure than it does in the "Current: figure, you know your January pay is responsible for that so you know January is FY 2007.