Help! Filing tax return by hand?

[serpentstooth]

My husband's employer issued an incorrect W-2 and is refusing to provide a correct one. Apparently, this means I need to file form 4852 with my taxes, and it appears that there's no tax software that supports this. The only incorrect information on the W-2 is the amount of local income (I live in a jurisdiction that has a local income tax). Everything else is correct. We have a moderately complex tax return involving a couple of businesses, taxable investment income, 15 assorted W-2s and a home mortgage. We itemize and live in NYC. So a few questions:

1. If the federal tax information is correct, can I file federal at least with software, or does the incorrect local income issue mess up the state tax owed and with it our deduction for state income taxes owed, so I have to hand file everything?

2. I really have no idea where to start dealing with a tax return this voluminous, and I don't quite know where to start. Can anyone link me to some useful guides? I feel like I'm in way over my head, and normally taxes don't faze me.

[seattlecyclone]

What's the worst thing that happens if you file your federal taxes with software? They audit you, find that the local number was wrong, and that changes your federal tax by $0? Seems like you have your answer.

[Midwest]

Is the local tax withheld wrong or just the local income?  How much is the discrepancy?

[Sibley]

The local amount would only affect the itemized deductions on the Federal, and that would depend on the problem. You can use the software.

Depending on your state, it may affect more there.

Your local return definitely would be affected.

However, your husband's employer sucks.

[MDM]

Apparently, this means I need to file form 4852 with my taxes, and it appears that there's no tax software that supports this.

Appears both TaxAct and TurboTax do:
https://www.taxact.com/support/832/filing-form-4852-with-your-return-as-a-substitute-for-form-w-2-or-form-1099-r/
https://ttlc.intuit.com/questions/1901028-it-s-february-and-i-still-don-t-have-my-w-2

[serpentstooth]

Apparently, this means I need to file form 4852 with my taxes, and it appears that there's no tax software that supports this.

Appears both TaxAct and TurboTax do:
https://www.taxact.com/support/832/filing-form-4852-with-your-return-as-a-substitute-for-form-w-2-or-form-1099-r/
https://ttlc.intuit.com/questions/1901028-it-s-february-and-i-still-don-t-have-my-w-2

THANK YOU. This is the opposite of what the IRS told me, btw, when I asked them if there was any tax software that supported the form. Sign.

[serpentstooth]

Is the local tax withheld wrong or just the local income?  How much is the discrepancy?

When we moved within the city in mid-January, the company's payroll software decided that we no longer lived in the city at all and ceased withholding local tax entirely, so it was only reporting my husband's earnings for the first two weeks as local taxable income. So they massively underwithheld, and we will pay the difference, but it was the incorrect amount in box 18 that was worrying me.

[Midwest]

Is the local tax withheld wrong or just the local income?  How much is the discrepancy?

When we moved within the city in mid-January, the company's payroll software decided that we no longer lived in the city at all and ceased withholding local tax entirely, so it was only reporting my husband's earnings for the first two weeks as local taxable income. So they massively underwithheld, and we will pay the difference, but it was the incorrect amount in box 18 that was worrying me.

The IRS doesn't care about box 18.  if it's just local taxable income (and not the tax itself that is wrong), you may be able to avoid filing the 4852 entirely and just deal with the locality. 

In my jurisdiction (not New York), state tax follows AGI and the local tax runs off box 18.  If box 18 is wrong, we put the correct amount on the local return and attach w-2.  I'm not in New York so I don't know the specifics of your state and local interplay, but the IRS doesn't care about local taxable wages.  Only the tax withheld (the actual amount which it appears is correct based on your statement), impacts schedule A of the federal.  Again, I'm only referencing the federal form as I'm not as familiar with New York state and local tax.