Pay Stub for Tax Filing: Use Your Last Stub to File Taxes

Using Pay Stubs for Tax Filing

Your final pay stub of the year is a valuable tool for tax preparation, containing much of the same information found on your W-2.

Pay Stub Information Useful for Taxes

From Your Last Pay Stub YTD Totals

• Gross income — Total earnings for the year
• Federal tax withheld — Amount to claim on your return
• State tax withheld — For state tax return
• Social Security wages — Subject to the wage base limit
• Medicare wages — All earnings subject to Medicare
• 401(k) contributions — May affect your taxable income

Can You File Taxes with Just a Pay Stub?

Before Receiving Your W-2

You can estimate your tax return using your last pay stub, but:

• The IRS prefers W-2 filing
• Some numbers may differ slightly from your final W-2
• You can use Form 4852 if W-2 is unavailable

When W-2 Is Unavailable

If you don't receive your W-2 by February 15:

1. Contact your employer
2. Call the IRS at 1-800-829-1040
3. Use your last pay stub with Form 4852 (Substitute W-2)

Verifying Your W-2 Against Pay Stubs

Compare these fields:

Tax Filing Tips

1. Don't discard December pay stubs — They're your year-end reference
2. Compare W-2 to final pay stub — Report discrepancies to employer
3. Keep pay stubs for 3 years — Matches IRS audit period
4. Use pay stubs for estimated taxes — Self-employed quarterly payments
5. Check withholding early — Adjust W-4 if over/under-withheld