When should employees expect to receive their 2025 Form W-2? Most years, employers must either directly provide or mail W-2s by Jan. 31. But Jan. 31 falls on a Saturday in 2026, so the deadline this year is Monday, Feb. 2. If your employer mails your W-2, you should receive it within a week of that date. W-2s must be issued to employees if the employer withheld income, Social Security or Medicare tax or if the employee earned at least $600 and income tax would have been withheld had the employee claimed no more than one withholding allowance or not claimed exemption from withholding. Once you’ve received your W-2 and other tax documents, contact us to get started on your tax return.