# Will IRS accept photocopy of W2? **URL:** \ **Category:** Factual Questions\ **Created:** [April 14, 2008, 2:46pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/will-irs-accept-photocopy-of-w2/445302 "2008-04-14T14:46:13Z")\ **Posts on this page:** 7\ **Page:** 1
**Author:** ![The\_Composer](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/t/898d66/32.png) [@The\_Composer](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/The_Composer)\ **Post date:** [April 14, 2008, 2:46pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/will-irs-accept-photocopy-of-w2/445302/1 "2008-04-14T14:46:13Z")
Will the IRS accept a photocopied version of the W2 form? My W2 has been lost during a recent move. We have my wife’s W2, but not mine. My employer states they can’t reprint the W2 but will give me a copy. Will a copy work? ---
**Author:** ![friedo](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/f/8edcca/32.png) [@friedo](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/friedo)\ **Post date:** [April 14, 2008, 2:49pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/will-irs-accept-photocopy-of-w2/445302/2 "2008-04-14T14:49:01Z")
Yep. ---
**Author:** ![Shagnasty](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/s/9dc877/32.png) [@Shagnasty](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Shagnasty)\ **Post date:** [April 14, 2008, 2:55pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/will-irs-accept-photocopy-of-w2/445302/3 "2008-04-14T14:55:46Z")
What is the worst that can happen? I mean that in all honesty. Just file it and let them decide if there is a serious issue. There won’t be but, even if they don’t like it, you still won’t be in any trouble. They already know what is supposed to be on your W-2 anyway. The worst case is that they would pressure you find an original copy. The IRS is pretty reasonable with individuals as long as you try to be honest. Just file it and forget about it. ---
**Author:** ![CookingWithGas](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/cookingwithgas/32/485_2.png) [@CookingWithGas](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/CookingWithGas)\ **Post date:** [April 14, 2008, 3:07pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/will-irs-accept-photocopy-of-w2/445302/4 "2008-04-14T15:07:17Z")
The [IRS instructions](http://www.irs.gov/instructions/i1040gi/ar01.html#d0e26454) don’t say it has to be an original and so it probably doesn’t matter. (There is another set of instructions for submitting a W-3 that says that photocopies of a W-2 are not acceptable, so I imagine if that were true for the 1040 they would say so.) Note that if you file electronically you don’t have to send a W-2 at all. I don’t why they require one from paper filers. ---
**Author:** ![The\_Composer](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/t/898d66/32.png) [@The\_Composer](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/The_Composer)\ **Post date:** [April 14, 2008, 3:36pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/will-irs-accept-photocopy-of-w2/445302/5 "2008-04-14T15:36:10Z")
Thanks. We will use the copy. The H&R Block consultant filing our taxes seemed to want the original. I wonder if it’s a liability for them to use a copy instead of the original form. ---
**Author:** ![TroubleAgain](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/t/e480ec/32.png) [@TroubleAgain](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/TroubleAgain)\ **Post date:** [April 14, 2008, 3:57pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/will-irs-accept-photocopy-of-w2/445302/6 "2008-04-14T15:57:30Z")
If you file electronically, the govt never gets a paper w-2 anyway. As long as the figures match what your employer reported, you should be fine. ---
**Author:** ![ftg](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/ftg/32/2801_2.png) [@ftg](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/ftg)\ **Post date:** [April 15, 2008, 2:22pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/will-irs-accept-photocopy-of-w2/445302/7 "2008-04-15T14:22:38Z")
A lot of employers now don’t send out W2s by mail. Mrs. FtG just downloads and prints hers out. So in a lot of cases, there is no concept of an “original” anyway.