Ok, so when I got my social security statement this year, I realized that it didn’t show any income for the 2001 tax year (so, it’s the one I filed in 2002, right?). I called the SS Administration, and they told me that I needed my W2 for that year to add the income to my statement. During 2001, I worked for a single employer in the state of Georgia - so I would have filed a GA tax return as well.
Well, I’ve still been hunting for it in my apartment, but I’m afraid that somehow I misplaced it during the move in August 2002 - but I know I had it when I did my financial aid forms while applying to grad school in March 2002.
I sent a form to the IRS service center in Doraville, Georgia, since that’s where I would have filed my taxes, requesting a copy of my W2 for 2001. I sent this in July of 2003.
Today, I got a notice that “There is no record of W-2 forms and/or information returns for tax year 2001”.
First, does this mean that they have no record of me filing my taxes for that year? Second, how can I go about getting a copy of my W2 (and if necessary, proving that I filed my taxes for 2001)?
I have never not filed my taxes, and this certainly is not the response I expected to get to the form I filed. Now I’m feeling fairly stressed!
I don’t know exactly what you need to do, Lsura, but I can tell you yhay it’s not at all unusual for the SSA to have missed a year (or a few) of you income record. I know many people who’ve had the same experience. They’ve missed several years for me, including one for which I was audited by the IRS. I can’t imagine how I’d dig up 1976 tax records.
Don’t worry about it. If you’re counting on SS to pay enough to keep you alive (food, shelter) when you retire, you’re screwed anyway. I’m not counting on any of that cash.
NBIT33, whether or not would like to have that money when I retire is irrelevant.
The question involves the fact that the IRS appears not to have a record of my 2001 tax return, based on the information I’ve received from SSA and the IRS. If you can help with that, please do. Otherwise, thank you for your input.
Have you tried getting a copy of your state tax return from Georgia? That should also have a W-2 attached. The FAQ at the Georgia Department of Revenue’s website says you can request a copy of a GA state tax return by calling (404)417-6760. (If there is a form to make the request it is not on the website.)
The IRS said they didn’t have copies of your W2’s or information returns. I don’t think they were referring to your tax return. That could include 1099’s which employers file reporting income for independent contractors. Once the return is checked I don’t imagine they keep the W-2’s. They just put the info on the computer.
But, before you call IRS Customer Service to clarify this, did you owe tax for 2001? Then you should have a record of them accepting your payment. Were you due a refund? Then if you got it, they got your return.
Thirdly, the SSA is normally two years behind posting income so I would wait until I got my next statement in 2004 before I started worrying about it. Your SS statement didn’t show 2002 income did it?
Meanwhile you can follow up on getting a copy from your former employer; they can make a “corrected copy” for you.
I don’t suppose you kept any pay stubs.
Unless this was a very large amount of income, it won’t make much difference in your benefit; maybe a few dollars if you are working for 30+ years. On the other hand, if you need the quarters because you won’t be working much or only working part-time, then it’s important you get these four quarters.
It sounds like you’re worried about being accused of not filing a return, rather than about your SS benefits. Why not just send the IRS a letter explaining what you’ve said here and ask them what you should do. If they find your return, fine, and you can take that information to the SSA. If the IRS can’t find your return they might ask you to refile. The point is that you will be starting a paper trail to demonstrate that you aren’t hiding, and you are trying to solve the problem, if there is one.
Nope, got a refund, had to pay Georgia. It wasn’t a huge refund, maybe $300, but I remember getting it - and writing the check to Georgia (that was all of about $20 or something).
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Yeah, it did show 2002 income, that’s why the missing 2001 income worried me - there was this gap. On the statement, there was X amount for 2000, $0 for 2001, and Y amount for 2002. It’s really kind of wierd.
Humble Servant, thanks - I found the phone number to contact Georgia last night after I’d posted this, and if my schedule allows today, I’m going to call them. Otherwise, I’ll call them tomorrow.
If Georgia says they don’t have it, I’m going to have a heart attack.
No, not really. What I’ll do then is call the IRS and try to figure things out.
You don’t say how old you are, but if you are young (20 or more years away from retirement), one lost year of SS contributions won’t matter. You need to have 40 quarters (10 years) of earnings recorded to be eligible for benefits upon retirement. Also, your benefits are not based on every year’s earnings, but rather on an average of some number of your last few years earnings. So a blip in your record when you’re 30 or 35 won’t matter a bit.
If you’re 55, you should fix this. If you’re 35, give it a shot but don’t worry if you can’t get it straightened out (unless you don’t plan to work for the next 20 years).
StinkPop, I’m 30, and since I went back to grad school in 2002 as part of a career change, I expect to work for at least another 20 years.
But, I’m still not stressing about the whole Social Security thing. I’ve been putting stuff into retirement accounts long enough - and I’ll continue - so that I’m hoping not to need Social Security just to live.
And I do appreciate the help - but I suppose I’ll know the answer to my question (does the IRS not have a record of me filing) once I’m able to contact them. Classes are in the way all day today - but tomorrow I’m free until 5PM, so I’ll give them a call then.
Thanks, y’all. (and I’m really hoping that last paragraph didn’t sound snippy. It’s not meant to be. It’s just that 4 hours of sleep and too much stress about everything do not make me a happy camper.)