Changed addresses on W-2 forms.

[FEDUKE404]

Limited explanation

Unless the rules have changed...

If an EIN is issued after December 31, then you can't e-file a return with that EIN on a Form W-2.

Which makes sense, kind of.

I can get creative, and envision a scenario in which someone starts a business near the end of the year, but doesn't get an EIN until after December 31.

But how the **** would the business have been able to pay wages during the prior year without an EIN? The business wouldn't even have been able to open a bank account until they got the EIN.

I think it's mainly a fraud prevention measure.

Sophisticated con artists have started generating fake W-2 forms. The software has gotten really cheap.

BMK

Your points are all valid.

Here is the "best" explanation I could obtain: The wages were paid to my client (and many others) by a local college. Apparently there was some confusion with a tax-exempt operation established by/within the college. Think of "College of Joe" vs "College of Joe Foundation.") At some point the possible name confusion was resolved, and apparently replacement EIN(s) issued.

In any case, the wages paid were valid, the EIN changes were correct (college not at fault), but the IRS computers could not figure out the change......for anyone....and rejected all efiles! (Even though the IRS guy explained to me, over the phone, the process that had occurred.)

Client may have same similar part-time teaching income for 2011 - we'll see what happens this year!

FE

[Koss]

Bad EIN

Unless the rules have changed...

If an EIN is issued after December 31, then you can't e-file a return with that EIN on a Form W-2.

Which makes sense, kind of.

I can get creative, and envision a scenario in which someone starts a business near the end of the year, but doesn't get an EIN until after December 31.

But how the **** would the business have been able to pay wages during the prior year without an EIN? The business wouldn't even have been able to open a bank account until they got the EIN.

I think it's mainly a fraud prevention measure.

Sophisticated con artists have started generating fake W-2 forms. The software has gotten really cheap.

BMK

[FEDUKE404]

Should fly with correct EIN?

I have never heard of a Form W-2 getting rejected due to an incorrect address. If it is something new this year, I have not seen it yet....

BMK

Same here - at least so far the EIN seems to be the important thing.

I have often wondered if the street address/city/state info was verified at all.

However, I did have one aggravating situation where everything was entered correctly but the efiled return was still rejected. At some point between issuance of the W2 and filing of the return (late September) the employer had been assigned a different EIN. (Same employer/same business/same location.) All the employer would say was "yep - you cannot efile this year!"

A person at the IRS acknowledged my number was "bad" (and I found out later every other employee who filed could also NOT efile), he would not provide the correct number (likely I could not have used it anyway!), and the client ended up having to file a monster PAPER return, thus putting the client at the mercy of an IRS data entry person who had to key in a LOT of information!

Alas!

FE

[Koss]

W-2 Data Entry

I have never heard of a Form W-2 getting rejected due to an incorrect address. If it is something new this year, I have not seen it yet.

Forms W-2 do in fact get rejected if the tax pro enters the EIN incorrectly. I have had rejects because I or someone else in my office entered an EIN with one digit that was wrong. The EIN that was entered was invalid, and the return was rejected.

The original post in this thread is referring to cases where the software may import W-2 data from the previous year. If the client works for the same employer, it is easy to miss a change in the employer's address or EIN.

I agree that you have to check these things. If the employer has gone through a merger, or changed its form from a corporation to an LLC, it may even have a new name that is very close to the old name, as well as a new EIN and address.

BMK

[jimenright]

changed W2

I have already seen MANY W-2 forms which have had changed EI numbers or
addresses. If we do not catch this and correct this IRS will issue a reject.

Always enter W2 info exactly as shown on the form. It will not be rejected.

Suggest to the taxpayer that he have the employer update their information.

[dyne]

I have already seen MANY W-2 forms which have had changed EI numbers or
addresses. If we do not catch this and correct this IRS will issue a reject.