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EMPLOYER’S GUIDE
To Filing Timely
And
Accurate W-2 Wage
Reports

SOCIAL SECURITY ADMINISTRATION

Office of Income Security Programs

SSA Pub. No. 16-004

ICN 361752

December 2006

YOUR RESPONSIBILITY 3


HOW TO FILE 4
WHERE TO FILE 9
HOW TO AVOID ERRORS WITH NEW HIRES 11
HOW TO AVOID ERRORS ON FORMS W-2 AND W-3 15
FORM W-2 AND REMINDERS 20
FORM W-3 AND REMINDERS 22
MOST FREQUENT REPORTING ERRORS 23
WAGE REPORTING SOFTWARE 26
IF YOU MAKE A MISTAKE 27
EMPLOYER CORRECTION REQUEST LETTER 29
WHERE TO FIND HELP ON WAGE REPORTING QUESTIONS 30
OTHER EMPLOYER SERVICES PROVIDED BY SSA 32
THE SOCIAL SECURITY STATEMENT 33
EMPLOYER SERVICE LIAISON OFFICERS (ESLO) 34-37

APPENDIX 38

  • SPECIAL REPORTING SITUATIONS 39

SPECIAL WAGE PAYMENTS 39

THIRD-PARTY PAYERS OF SICK PAY 39

BACK PAY UNDER A STATUTE 40

TERMINATING A BUSINESS 40

REPORTING HOUSEHOLD EMPLOYEE WAGES 40

REPORTING A MINISTER’S INCOME 41

REPORTING TIPS 41

STATE AND LOCAL GOVERNMENT EMPLOYEES 42

  • HOW SSA PROCESSES WAGE REPORTS 43

SSA AND IRS RECONCILIATION PROCESSES 43

  • MONTHLY ER WAGE REPORTING RESPONSIBILITIES 44

  • END OF YEAR PREPARATION FOR WAGE REPORTING 45

  • SETTING UP FEDERAL TAX RECORDS FOR A BUSINESS 47

  • COMMENTS 48


YOUR RESPONSIBILITIES
Employers are required to:


  • Report wages by filing Form W-2 (Wage and Tax Statement) for each employee from whom income, Social Security or Medicare taxes are withheld, or would have been withheld if exemption had not been claimed on Form W-4 (Employee’s Withholding Allowance Certificate).




  • File a Form W-3 (Transmittal of Wage and Tax Statements).




  • File electronically if 250 or more W-2s are filed.




  • File accurate reports:




    • Make sure the name and Social Security number on each employee’s Form W-2 is shown exactly the way it appears on the employee’s Social Security card.




    • You can verify the name and Social Security number by contacting Social Security (see page 11 for more information).



NOTE: These W-2/W-3 reports are filed with the Social Security Administration (SSA), not the Internal Revenue Service (IRS).

HOW TO FILE
This is an overview of each filing method available to meet your wage reporting responsibilities.

Electronic Filing

Paper Forms W-2



NOTE: You or your tax preparer may submit your wage reports by one of the methods described below. Tax preparation service providers can be located in the yellow pages of your telephone directory under headings such as: accountants, bookkeeping service, tax return preparation, or return preparation. Service providers are also identified on a vendor list maintained by SSA. This can be found at www.socialsecurity.gov/employer/vendor.htm , search under Vendor List. However, the use of a service provider to file wage reports with SSA does not exempt the employer from responsibility for the accuracy of the reports or for any penalties assessed by the Internal Revenue Service (IRS).

ELECTRONIC FILING


Electronic filing is considered the “best practice” when it comes to submitting Form W-2 data to SSA. It’s ideal for all submitters (i.e. employers, certified public accountants, payroll service providers, etc.) because:


  • It is free, fast and secure.

  • It saves time and reduces filing burden.

  • It offers a later filing deadline (the due date for electronically filed W-2s is March 31 versus February 28 for all other filing methods).

  • It provides an electronic receipt for proof of filing.

  • It is a paperless process.

  • You can track the status of your W-2 report as it’s processed within SSA.

Two electronic filing methods are available through SSA’s Services for

Businesses online website at www.socialsecurity.gov/bso/bsowelcome.htm



  1. Upload a Wage Report- You can upload a wage report file formatted according to the specifications in SSA’s MMREF-1 publication, Magnetic Media Reporting and Electronic Filing. This is available on SSA’s employer reporting instructions and information website at www.socialsecurity.gov/employer/pub.htm . This filing method is ideal for any size filer.




  1. W-2 Online- You can complete up to 20 Forms W-2 right on your computer, submit them to SSA and print copies for your records and to give your employees. You will need Acrobat Reader 5.0, or a higher version of this software, to print employee copies. This option is ideal for businesses who submit 20 or fewer

W-2s or for individuals with household employees.

Registration is required for both options. Third-party preparers need only register once in their own firm’s name. A PIN will be issued immediately. SSA will verify your registration information and mail you a password within 10 to 14 days.


Have questions? You will find the answers, including systems requirements, in the Business Services Online Handbook available on SSA’s website at www.socialsecurity.gov/employer/bsohbnew.htm or contact:
BSO TECHNICAL ASSISTANCE

Mon-Fri, 7:00 a.m. to 7:00 p.m. Eastern Time

Voice: 1-800-772-6270 Toll-free call

Fax: 1-410-597-0237 Toll call

Email: bso.support@ssa.gov
Electronic Data Transfer (EDT) - SSA has a third electronic filing option suitable for some State and Federal agencies. It involves connecting directly with SSA via a dedicated telecommunications line. For more information about this filing option see our Electronic Data Transfer (EDT) Procedural Guide under “How to File” on SSA’s employer website www.socialsecurity.gov/employer/how.htm .
You may file wage reports (Forms W-2) electronically regardless of the number of employees. However, employers who file 250 or more Forms W-2 or W-2Cs MUST file their reports electronically. This requirement may be waived by IRS for one year. Waiver requests should be filed with IRS on Form 8508 (Request for Waiver from Filing Information Returns on Magnetic Media).

If you file electronically, do not send paper copies of Form

W-2 (Copy A) and Form W-3, or W-2C (Copy A) or Form W-3C to SSA. However, you must still provide paper copies of Forms W-2 and W-2C to your employees.

If you choose to have someone else prepare your electronic reports, you may wish to consult a list of registered vendors, which is accessible on SSA’s website at www.socialsecurity.gov/employer/vendor.htm .



PAPER W-2 FILING

Employers filing fewer than 250 Copy A forms can file either electronically or using paper Forms W-2 and W-3. This is what you need to prepare a paper wage report submission:




  • IRS’s website at www.irs.gov allows you to download instructions for preparing Forms W-2 and Forms W-3. Printed instructions and Forms

W-2/W-3, W2C/W3C can be obtained for free from the IRS by calling 1-800-829-FORM (1-800-829-3676).


  • Laser Printed Forms- SSA accepts laser printed Forms W-2/W-3 as well as the standard red drop-out ink accepted in prior years. Both the laser printed and the red drop-out ink forms must comply with IRS’ Publication 1141, General Rules and Specifications for Private Printing of Forms

W-2/W3.
VERY IMPORTANT: Laser printed forms require approval from SSA.

Approval is based on conformance with Publication 1141. If you use a

software package to prepare your Forms W-2/W-3, make sure it is compliant

with Publication 1141. If you are a software vendor desiring to have your

forms approved, follow the instructions in Publication 1141. For a printed

copy of the publication, call IRS at 1-800-829-3676 or print a copy from the

IRS website.


  • If you use in-house software to produce your W-2 forms, you must follow the standards, specifications and edits in SSA’s Software Specifications and Edits for Annual Wage Reporting publication No. 31-011. It provides employers guidance on compiling payroll data used to produce Forms W-2/W-3 and furnishes programmers with requirements for properly producing the forms. You can obtain the booklet by calling 1-800-772-6270 or your local ESLO (see page 34-37). It can be downloaded at our website www.socialsecurity.gov/employer .



  • In-house software used to prepare Forms W-2c (Statement of Corrected Income and Tax Amounts) should follow the prescribed standards, specifications and edits in SSA’s Software Specifications and Edit Criteria for Correcting Annual Wage Reports publication No. 31-031.




  • Helpful information for preparing Forms W-2 for Puerto Rico-sited employers can be found in SSA’s Employer’s Guide to Filing Timely and Accurate Form 499R-2/W-2PR Wage Reports on Puerto Rico Sited Employees publication No. 16-011, in Spanish and English.




  • Employers with 20 or fewer employees, should consider W-2 online (see page 4).

WHERE TO FILE


Select the appropriate mailing address depending on whether you are sending magnetic tape, cartridge, diskette or paper AND the carrier you choose (U.S. Postal Service or a private carrier such as FedEx or UPS).





Paper Forms W-2/W-3
Delivered by the U. S. Postal Service
Social Security Administration
Data Operations Center
Wilkes-Barre, PA 18769-0001
(for Certified Mail Use ZIP code 18769-0002)

Paper Forms W-2/W-3
Delivered by the Private Delivery Service (FedEx, UPS, etc.)
Social Security Administration
Data Operations Center
Attn: W-2 Process
1150 E. Mountain Drive
Wilkes-Barre, PA 18702-7997

Paper Correction Forms (USPS) W-2c/W-3c
Social Security Administration
Data Operations Center
P.O. Box 3333

Wilkes-Barre, PA 18767-3333


Paper Correction Forms (Non-USPS & Certified) W2c/W3c
Social Security Administration
Data Operations Center
Attn: W-2c Process
1150 E. Mountain Drive
Wilkes-Barre, PA 18702-7997


HOW TO AVOID ERRORS WITH NEW HIRES
SOCIAL SECURITY NUMBERS (SSNs)

The IRS requires taxpayers to provide the SSNs for the dependent children listed on their tax returns, it should be infrequent that you will have a new employee who does not have an SSN. However, if that happens, or, if you have an employee whose name has changed, via marriage, court order, etc., you should advise the employee to contact any SSA office. For either an SSN or a card showing the new name, the employee will need to complete an application and provide the necessary evidence. If the employee has changed his or her name, the card showing the new name will usually be received in about 2 weeks. If the employee has never had a number and is now applying for one, there may be a delay in processing the application. SSA verifies the birth records of people born in the United States applying for SSNs and verifies the immigration documents of all non-citizen applicants for SSNs and SSN cards. This takes from two to eight weeks, depending on the individual situation. If the new employee has applied for an SSN but not received the card before you must file your W-2 reports:



  • Enter all zeros in the SSN block if filing electronically or on magnetic media and

  • Enter “Applied for” in box (d) on paper forms W-2

When the SSN is received, file Form W-2c with SSA showing the SSN assigned.
Though not required as a condition of employment, each new employee hired should show his or her Social Security card to you, if it is available so that:


  • You can check the SSN for accuracy. Valid SSNs must have nine digits in this format: XXX-XX-XXXX. A listing of all SSN ranges issued to date is available on SSA’s web page at www.socialsecurity.gov/employer/ssnu.htm




  • You can accurately transcribe the name and SSN to the employee’s payroll records.


If you report an employee’s name and/or SSN that do not match SSA’s records:
The employee’s wages may not be credited to his or her Social Security record, which could result in potential loss of benefits

VERIFYING SOCIAL SECURITY NUMBERS (SSNS)—SOCIAL SECURITY EMPLOYEE VERIFICATION SERVICE (EVS)
In many cases, name and SSN mismatches prevent wages from being posted to individual earnings records. This can mean additional processing costs for you. Using Social Security’s verification service will help you correct name and SSN errors before submitting your reports to SSA. Using this service is easy.


To verify 1 to 5 names/SSNs: Call our toll-free number for employers, 1-800-772-6270, Monday to Friday 7 a.m. to 7 p.m. Eastern Time or SSA’s general toll-free number, 1-800-772-1213, Monday-Friday 7 a.m. to 7 p.m. local time. Verification will be given over the telephone.
To verify up to 50 names/SSNs: Up to 50 names/SSNs can be submitted on paper lists and submitted to your local Social Security office. Some offices accept faxed listings. To find the office nearest you, check your local phone book or visit SSA’s Internet Home Page at www.socialsecurity.gov. You may call or visit the office.
To verify over 50 names/SSNs: A simple registration process is required for a verification request of more than 50 names/SSNs (regardless of how many items you want verified). Just complete a registration form. To obtain more information or to register, call the EVS hotline at 410-965-7140. At the prompt, leave your name and telephone number and a verification specialist will return your call. Publication 20-004, Employee Verification Services, which provides detailed information and instructions, is available online at www.socialsecurity.gov/employer/ssnu.htm.
INDIVIDUAL TAXPAYER IDENTIFICATION NUMBER (ITIN)
An Individual Taxpayer Identification Number (ITIN) is a tax processing number issued by the IRS to individuals who are resident or nonresident aliens, who are NOT eligible for a Social Security Number because they do NOT have work eligibility granted by the U.S. Bureau of Citizenship and Immigration Services (BCIS). ITINs are also issued to their spouses and dependents. ITINs are a nine digit number formatted like a SSN but with the first digit of “9” in this format: 9NN-NN-NNNN.
ITINs are only used for Federal income tax purposes. The issuance of an ITIN does not:


  • Entitle the recipient to Social Security benefits or the Earned Income Tax Credit (EITC);

  • Create an inference regarding the individuals’ immigration status; or

  • Give the individual the right to work in the U.S.


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