All You Need to Know on How to Simplify W2 Form Delivery and Filing for Your Employees

When January rolls around, it’s inevitable that payroll administrators nationwide begin fielding calls with the same tax question: “When will I get my W-2 Form?” Want to learn how to simplify the W-2 Form process? Read on.

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Brace yourself. The sad truth is that even if you have emailed, texted, posted notices, and verbally relayed the information directly to your employees’ ears that W-2 forms will be distributed no later than January 31, you will likely still be hounded.

There are a few things you can do, however, to make the process a little smoother and hopefully preserve your sanity.

Go Electronic with the W-2 Form

A popular practice is to encourage employees to accept electronic W-2 versions that don’t have to be sent through the U.S. Postal Service.

Keep in mind that the IRS says employers must specifically notify employees in person, electronically, or by mail that they must consent to receive an electronic version of their W2, and also instruct them on how to withdraw that consent. If employees don’t agree, employers must continue mailing a paper version via the postal service, which can take longer to receive.

Making the electronic selection part of your onboarding procedures helps ease frustration down the line. But be forewarned that some employees will forget they opted for electronic, or click boxes without reading or understanding thoroughly, and will still ask about their mailed W-2 form copy.

Secure Accurate Employee Information for W2 Form Delivery: Request Address Updates

One of the main obstacles to W2 form delivery occurs after employee terminations. When employees leave a company earlier in the year, next year’s tax filings are often the furthest thing from their minds. As part of their termination checklist, many companies include a reminder to employees to keep their email and physical address current post-termination.

Even if you provide this reminder – or several reminders – some employees will still forget. All too often terminated employees forget to update their address with their former company, then become irate when their W-2 is lost en route to their former home. The same goes for current staff – it’s not uncommon for them to move mid-year and never realize that their pay stub consistently displays the wrong address. If they receive direct deposit, they may not realize that the address displayed on the stub is the same location where their important paperwork, like tax forms, will be mailed.

As part of year-end procedures, some companies include reminders to all employees, current and past, to update personal information for timely receipt of important data.

Plan for W2 Form Electronic Replacements

To save yourself stress, learn how to reprint W-2s quickly and easily for employees whose forms were misplaced or lost in the mail. To discourage multiple requests from the same workers, some companies enforce a “one print” rule for only one hard copy with subsequent electronic transmittals.

Another good practice is to suggest that employees create a personal online folder to easily save and recall their electronic tax forms. Or you might advise that they scan and save their own printed copy so they always have a version ready.

Send Reminders to Employees for Early Tax Filing

If all goes smoothly and your employees receive W-2s early in January, it’s also a good idea to recommend they file their taxes ASAP. Not only does it save last-minute time crunch stress, but it helps employees avoid tax scams, i.e. someone illegally filing under their name and social security number before they’ve had a chance.

The 2024 tax filing deadline is Monday, April 15, but workers can begin filing January 18. The IRS proposes that before this time individuals:

• Create or access personal account information at IRS.gov/account.
• Gather important records, including last year’s taxes, deductions, credits, receipts, and tax payments made throughout the year.
• Update direct deposit data to speed up tax refunds.

Key Takeaways: Streamlining W-2 Form Processes for Effective Implementation

• Make electronic W-2 form options part of onboarding procedures.
• Encourage terminated employees to keep contact information current.
• Add address verification reminders to the year-end checklist.
• Learn to easily print replacement W-2s.
• Remind employees to save copies to avoid reprints.
• Encourage employees to file taxes early.

Contingency Plans: Resolving W-2 Form Issues with a Strategic Approach

If you’re an employee and don’t receive a W-2 form by January 31 through no fault of your own, these are the steps you should take:

1. Contact your employer and give them a reasonable amount of time to reissue it.
2. Contact the IRS if it’s not received by the end of February. You will need to provide your name, address, social security number, and phone number; your employer’s name, address, and phone number; and estimate your wages and income tax using your final pay stub of the year.
3. File your return by April 15 or request an extension, even without the W-2 form. In this case you should request a Form 4852 from the IRS.
4. File a Form 1040X to amend your taxes. This step should be completed if you receive your W-2 after filing using Form 4852 and the amounts have changed from your estimates.
5. Make sure your employer has your correct W-2 form delivery preference and address so the same thing doesn’t happen in the future.

FAQ on W-2 Forms

The material presented here is educational in nature and is not intended to be, nor should be relied upon, as legal or financial advice. Please consult with an attorney or financial professional for advice.