W-2 question

[Roberts]

Just to clarify what I've read:

The IRS website has W-2's and W-3 forms but if you submit them to the SSA you can be fined. You are supposed to use original copies.

But for the past 6 years I've printed my W-2's and W-3's from Quickbooks (not using the originals) and were never fined.

If I print off the W-2 forms from the IRS website with a laser printer, what are the odds the SSA is going to fine me? They look exactly like the Quickbook versions I've used in the past.

[thomtax]

I can't answer whether the ssa will ever fine you are not. But you cannot download a copy of the W3 from the IRS website to use. If you will note, in parenthesis beside the description of the form, it say " copy for information only". An actual W3 has a lot of either pink or pale red on it and is not black and white.

Hope this helps a little.

LT

[BOB W]

I have not heard of any change in the W-2 & W-3 having to be the RED copies. Computer generated W-2 & W-3 have been OK for submission to SS. Only 1099 and 1096 are required to be RED forms for submission to IRS.

If there has been a change in this, I have not heard.

[BHoffman]

QB laser printed reports OK with SSA

See under "Paper W-2 Filing": http://www.socialsecurity.gov/employer/how.htm

Don't have to use the red copies anymore. I've submitted them to SSA using inkjet instead of laser in the past and had no problems.

I use Efiling now and it's great if you have fewer than 20 to submit.

[thomtax]

mea culpa

You are probably right about the color. I think I am confusing W3 with 1096.

However, I went back and checked the IRS forms site and it does say it is for information only.

LT

[Black Bart]

No change

I have not heard of any change in the W-2 & W-3 having to be the RED copies. Computer generated W-2 & W-3 have been OK for submission to SS. Only 1099 and 1096 are required to be RED forms for submission to IRS.

If there has been a change in this, I have not heard.

I've sent black and white W-2/W-3 forms for the last several years -- never been fined. I recently asked my forms company about it (again--I can't seem to stop worrying about that) and they were complaining that since SSA began allowing laser-printed stuff his W-2 business was down drastically except for perforated employee copies.

I think the deal is that IRS simply doesn't want to encourage non-scannable forms of any kind (don't know why particularly since SSA processes them).

Still, don't think I'd use any IRS forms marked (like LT said) "for information only."

[Roberts]

I just don't understand HOW you can't print forms off of IRS.gov to meet their needs for scanning purposes. When you think about it, that's pretty pathetic. I don't have anything that will print the 1099-a or 1096 so now I've got to find a supply. GRRRRRRR

[JCH]

If you only have a few to file, you might try this site www.filetaxes.com
It's a lot easier than printing and mailing.

[BHoffman]

Nonperforated paper

Does anyone know the penalty for not using perforated paper?

[S T]

Peforated Paper

Not sure of the penalty or whether it is enforced, but you should be able to just cut them and provide 3 separate copies to employee, Fed, State and Employee copies.

Sandy

[FEDUKE404]

Just file W2/W3 online

For the past couple of years I have filed client W2s/W3s online with this site:

http://www.socialsecurity.gov/bso/bsowelcome.htm

Same amount of typing, and nothing to mail (except copies to employees and state/local stuff).

FE

[Larmil]

What about

Not sure of the penalty or whether it is enforced, but you should be able to just cut them and provide 3 separate copies to employee, Fed, State and Employee copies.

Sandy

employees that get their W-2's online. Do they have to have perf paper to to print?

[Black Bart]

Sub-standard W-2s

The chances of being fined for non-perforated employee W-2s are even more remote than filing black and white "A" copies. I'm a worry-wart as much as anybody else, but have scissored regular copy paper many, many times and it went okay.

You know, this is one reasons lawyers and sloppy preparers have the edge on us in many different areas -- they realize the odds of being fined are remote and don't give such trivia a thought, while we agonize over minute details. I've been hackin' at this stuff since the late sixties and have yet to see a W-2 returned for using sub-standard forms. Too, I've seen some of the worst fifth-grader level hand-scrawled W-2s and 1099's sent in (plus lots of illegible W-2s) and nothing I know of was ever sent back.

Tell you what, I'm gonna post a poll and try to get a sense of everyone's experience with this.

[BHoffman]

Perforated paper suppliers are rejoicing as we speak. Client called in a panic today because bookkeeper sent out unperf-ed W2s. I told him it would be OK and not to worry.

I print some W2s from clients' QB files, so no retyping needed. Just wondering if I need to continue putting them through the papercutter. That's a pain. I suppose I should just bite the bullet next year and buy the perforated paper.

[taxxcpa]

Cut them

employees that get their W-2's online. Do they have to have perf paper to to print?

I never use perforated paper. I use my paper slicer for the employee copy. I send the SSA it's copies on plain unperforated paper if I don't e-file them