How to Get a W-2 With Your Full Social Security Number

If the W-2 in your hand shows Xs where the first five digits of your Social Security number should be, the quickest way to get a W-2 with your full Social Security number is to ask your employer’s payroll department for a reprint. The copy your employer files with the Social Security Administration still carries the complete nine-digit number, and payroll can usually reissue one on request. If the employer is gone or unresponsive, the IRS and the Social Security Administration each offer records that show the full number, at prices ranging from free to $96 depending on what you need and how quickly.

Why Your Copy Shows Only the Last Four Digits

Starting in 2019, the IRS began allowing employers to replace the first five digits of your Social Security number with Xs on the copies they give employees (Copies B, C, and 2). Truncation is voluntary, but many payroll systems now do it by default to reduce identity-theft risk.1Federal Register. Use of Truncated Taxpayer Identification Numbers on Forms W-2, Wage and Tax Statement, Furnished to Employees The masking applies only to your copies. The version filed with the Social Security Administration (Copy A) and the copy the IRS receives still show the complete number, which is why government agencies can supply unmasked records.

Ask Your Employer First

Contact the payroll or human resources department at your current or former employer. The underlying payroll data includes your full Social Security number, and most companies can reprint a W-2 quickly. Expect to verify your identity with a government-issued photo ID or a signed written request before they hand over a document with your complete number on it.

Federal rules require employers to keep employment tax records, including W-2 data, for at least four years after filing.2Internal Revenue Service. Employment Tax Recordkeeping Larger employers often retain records longer in practice, but a company that closed or switched payroll vendors may no longer have yours. When the employer route is closed, the IRS and Social Security Administration are your next stops.

Get an Unmasked IRS Wage and Income Transcript

The IRS Wage and Income transcript pulls data from the Forms W-2, 1099, 1098, and 5498 filed under your Social Security number. It is available for the current tax year and the nine prior years.3Internal Revenue Service. Transcript Types for Individuals and Ways to Order Them

By default, transcripts are masked, showing only the last four digits of any Social Security number. The IRS will provide an unmasked Wage and Income transcript, displaying your full name, address, Social Security number, and the employer’s name and EIN, when you need it to prepare and file a tax return.4Internal Revenue Service. About Tax Transcripts If your reason is something other than tax filing, such as a legal proceeding, the transcript route generally will not give you the full number, and you should look at the paper-copy or SSA options below.

A transcript is a typed summary of the data the IRS received, not a photograph of the original W-2. It also omits state and local tax information if you e-filed. If you need a true reproduction of the W-2 as filed, order the return itself.

How to Request the Transcript

Three channels are available, all free:

  • IRS Individual Online Account at irs.gov. First-time users verify their identity with their Social Security number, filing status, last-filed return address, a financial account number such as a credit card or mortgage, and a U.S.-based mobile phone for a verification code. Transcripts are viewable immediately once you are verified.
  • Form 4506-T, mailed to the address in the form’s instructions. Check line 8 for a Wage and Income transcript. Most requests process within about 10 business days.5Internal Revenue Service. Form 4506-T, Request for Transcript of Tax Return
  • The IRS automated transcript line, 800-908-9946. The transcript is mailed to the address on your most recent return.

Order a Paper Copy of Your Tax Return (Form 4506)

Form 4506 gets you a physical photocopy of the return you originally filed, including every attachment. Because it reproduces the original filing, the W-2 copies attached to it show your full Social Security number, and the copy is accepted where a transcript summary would not be.

The fee is $30 per tax year, paid by check or money order made out to “United States Treasury.” Processing takes up to 75 calendar days, with no expedited option.6Internal Revenue Service. Form 4506, Request for Copy of Tax Return Line 5 on the form lets you send the copy directly to a third party, such as a lender or attorney.

The form asks for your name and Social Security number exactly as they appeared on the return, the address shown on that year’s return, and the tax year in four-digit format. Include your current address if you have moved. Mail the completed form and payment to the processing center listed in the instructions for your state.

Request Records From the Social Security Administration

The Social Security Administration keeps W-2 data going back to 1978, which makes it the right source when the IRS window has closed or your employer disappeared long ago. There are two separate services.

W-2 Copies From SSA

The SSA can provide copies or printouts of your actual W-2 forms for any year from 1978 to the present. If you need them for a Social Security-related reason, such as correcting your earnings record, they are free. For any other purpose, including tax filing, a personal-injury case, or proving income for a pension, the fee is $62 per request. Write to the SSA and include your Social Security number, the exact name on your Social Security card, any different names shown on your W-2s, your mailing address, the year or years needed, a daytime phone number, and the reason for your request. If you do not state a reason, the SSA treats it as a non-program request and charges the fee.7Social Security Administration. How Can I Get a Copy of My Wage and Tax Statements (Form W-2)?

Detailed Earnings Statement (Form SSA-7050-F4)

Form SSA-7050-F4 produces an earnings record rather than a W-2 reproduction, but it is the right document when a court or opposing party requires a certified record. Three tiers are available:

  • Non-certified itemized statement: $61. Lists periods of employment or self-employment, employer names and addresses, and total wages.
  • Certified itemized statement: $96. Same detail, plus an official seal for use as evidence.
  • Certified yearly totals: $35. Total earnings per year, without employer names or addresses.8Social Security Administration. Form SSA-7050-F4, Request for Social Security Earnings Information

Allow 120 days for processing.8Social Security Administration. Form SSA-7050-F4, Request for Social Security Earnings Information Certification is unnecessary unless someone specifically requires it.

Getting Records for Someone Who Has Died

Both agencies require proof of your authority before releasing a deceased person’s records.

For the IRS, an executor, estate administrator, or personal representative can request the return and its W-2 attachments on Form 4506. Attach a copy of the death certificate and either court-approved Letters Testamentary or IRS Form 56 (Notice Concerning Fiduciary Relationship) with the supporting court appointment.9Internal Revenue Service. Request Deceased Person’s Information Form 56 tells the IRS you are authorized to act as the taxpayer’s fiduciary.10Internal Revenue Service. Instructions for Form 56 The $30 fee and 75-day timeline still apply. Form 4506-T works the same way for a free transcript.

For the SSA, you must be the legal representative of the estate, a survivor (spouse, parent, child, or divorced spouse), or someone with a material financial interest, such as an heir or beneficiary under the will. Send proof of death and documentation of your relationship with the Form SSA-7050 request.8Social Security Administration. Form SSA-7050-F4, Request for Social Security Earnings Information

Which Source Fits Your Situation

Which route is best depends on how old the record is, why you need it, and whether you need a reproduction or a summary.

Start with payroll. If that door is closed and you need the number for a return, an unmasked IRS transcript will get you there for free the same day. Save the paid paper routes for cases where you need the actual W-2 reproduction, records older than a decade, or a certified document.