Haven't you received your tax documents? Here's what you can do.

By now, you should have received most of your tax documents. Keep in mind that most of them must be sent according to IRS regulations. Otherwise, fines could be imposed. But, of course, paperwork can get lost along the way. An administrative error could send your tax documents to the wrong address, or maybe you recently moved and forgot to update your address. So, what do you do if you haven't received everything you need to file your taxes before the April deadline?

Well, first of all, there is no need to panic. There are actions you can take to expedite the matter. However, it is vital not to wait until the last minute.

For taxpayers, the most common documents are divided into four categories. Let's see what to do in each of them:

Categoría #1

The W-2 Form reports wages and salaries along with the amounts withheld for income tax, Social Security, and Medicare.

If you are missing the W-2, call your employer. In rare cases, there may be resistance or perhaps the company has gone bankrupt. In that case, you can contact the IRS (1-800-829-1040) and the agency will reach out to the employer.

And if this doesn't work, the best approach is probably to complete Form 4852, which is used to create a substitute W-2. You will need your final pay stub for this.

Categoría #2

The 1099-R Form contains pension/annuity income or the amount of an IRA distribution.

The 1099-INT Form reports the interest earned on your bank or brokerage account.

The 1099-DIV Form provides the amount of dividends received.

If you are missing a 1099, you can contact the issuer, which is usually a bank or a brokerage firm. In fact, you may be able to download the form directly from the firm's website.

Categoría #3

The 1099-MISC Form is for income earned from self-employment or royalties.

If you are missing the 1099-MISC, you should call the issuer directly. Although a 1099-MISC can be more difficult to obtain. This is especially true when the issuer is a small business ( the owner may be avoiding paying taxes ). If you cannot obtain the form, you can report the income on your 1040, on Schedule C.

Now, there may be cases where you are not required to be sent a 1099-MISC because the income is below $600 or the compensation is paid with a service like PayPal. This is common for, for example, freelance work with ride-sharing companies.

But this does not mean that you are exempt from reporting it. The IRS requires you to declare all your income. Period.

Categoría #4

The K-1 reports the income or losses of a partnership.

This form does not have a deadline. The reason is that companies often need time to finalize their books. Please note that you may not receive a K-1 until after the April 15 deadline. As a result, you will need to file an extension ( IRS Form 4868 ), which will give you an additional six months. However, you will still need to pay the estimated taxes owed by the partnership, or you will be subject to pay interest and penalties.

This can certainly get complicated; in other words, you may need the assistance of a tax professional.