How do you get a copy of your W-2 form online?

You may have the ability to get a copy of your W-2 form online through the employer that issued it, the IRS explains. The IRS provides copies of W-2 forms attached to the completed copies of a taxpayer's return when a taxpayer requests a copy of his return.

A W-2 comes from an employer, which sends it to the Social Security Administration, the IRS notes. From there, the Social Security Administration forwards them to the IRS. If a taxpayer wants a copy of his transcript, he should complete Form 4506-T. Tax transcripts are available for the previous 10 tax years and are generally received within five to 10 days of the receipt of the request.