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I had multiple jobs this year but want to file my federal taxes using the first W2 I receive?

And then go back and file an amended return when I get my other W2s. See, one of my jobs was with a huge charity, another was for the community college, and the last was for a small 8 person doctor's office. I know that the charity and the college are going to take forever getting the W2s out, and I really need my EIC as soon as possible. Will there be any big problem with this, other than the time it takes to file the amended return? Can't I file my amended return after I get my refund? It's just a really desperate situation. Poop.... I guess you guys are right..... Thanks!

Public Comments

1. No, No, No. Wait for all three W-2s and then file. Your EIC is based on all of your income. When you cheat (and it is cheating to file with less than all of your income) and file just 1 or 2 W-2s, you invariably get too much EIC. Then when you file the amended return you owe the excess EIC back.
2. As far as I know and have ever heard, by law everyone has to get you a W2 by February 1st. Unless you didn't give them an up to date address, then it wouldn't be their fault :)
3. Your amended return will take 8 to 12 weeks to process so, disregarding everything else, you would be shooting yourself in the foot.
4. When you sign the jurat stating that the return you file is complete and honest and yada and file the return it is considered "perjury" to lie thereon. If you know you have more W-2's coming then you could be taken to task for your misstatement. That is what martha stewart spent a couple of years in prison for; why take the chance? The IRS isn't going to be up and running for returns untill the middle of January anyway, your W-2's are all supposed to be in your hands by the end of the month.
5. You could easily wind up shooting yourself in the foot with this. It's entirely possible to qualify for the max EIC with the first return, yet not qualify for it at all with the amended return. In that case, you'd need to pay back the IRS in full. They could also wind up barring you from claiming the EIC for up to 10 years if they felt that your original claim was fraudulent. Have a look at the bottom of Form 1040, where you sign. You are certifying under penalty of perjury that the return is true and complete to the best of your knowledge. Filing an incomplete return as you propose is therefore committing perjury. Don't go there!
6. They are required to send them to you by Jan 31. You could also use the last pay stubs as input...have the return ready to go...and file as soon as you get the actual forms. The IRS will not like filing an amended return for that reason
7. No, that's illegal. And besides, EIC is calculated based on your income, so the EIC wouldn't be the right amount. Either you would end up UNDERpaid for EIC, or else you'd be overpaid for it and have to pay the extra back, plus interest and maybe penalties, and could be banned from getting EIC for the next several years. Either way, you end up causing yourself more problems. You need to find a different solution for your situation. Good luck.
8. you can't do that - you'll probably wind up owing money on the amended return, and you could wind up owing penalties and interest for filing a fraudulent tax return - you should have ALL your w-2's within a week or so of each other