Can Anyone Use Prior Year CFS Payroll (After-the-Fact) forms?

[Uncle Sam]

I'm clearing out my office closet of prior year supplies I don't need anymore.
I've got the CFS Payroll software forms (W-2, 1099-MISC, W-3, 1096) for years 2005, 2007, 2008, 2009, 2012, 2013, 2015 and 2016. (2017 I'm keeping for a while). I contacted CFS to see if they'll take back any of those supplies and was told they use it for scratch paper only. They don't stock it for an occasional need from a practitioner.

If any of you wish to take it, please send me a PM for the arrangements. All I would like is reimbursement for the shipping.

[ATSMAN]

I don't do Payroll anymore so pardon my ignorance. But can you even file a 2005 or 2006 W2 or 1099 and have it considered timely filed? Assuming you had to make payments for back wages would it not require the W2 for the year it is paid?

[Uncle Sam]

There are times when clients will ask for copies of documents for prior years for a number of reasons - whether it be for legal, tax, insurance, medical purposes.
Unrelated to this specific thread, I currently have a business client who is soon to terminate a professional practice to be merged in with a larger institution. In order to comply with insurance needs of the new place, he's being asked to produce documentation of liability insurance going back 10 years.
During this past tax season, a long time 1040 client asked me to check the file going back years to document his employment status with a specific employer, as well as 1099-MISC received from a few employers. So simply because it doesn't mean preparing W-2s/1099s for IRS or Social Security years of documents do get requested occasionally.

[ATSMAN]

Thanks Uncle Sam for providing the reason. But if I as the preparer is asked by a client to recreate a prior year W2/1099 that was already filed or perhaps not filed after the fact, am I not exposing myself to some legal liability. Would it not make sense to request account transcripts from IRS to prove prior year W2/1099?

[Uncle Sam]

And wait indefinitely when your client needs the information IMMEDIATELY?

[TAXNJ]

Thanks Uncle Sam for providing the reason. But if I as the preparer is asked by a client to recreate a prior year W2/1099 that was already filed or perhaps not filed after the fact, am I not exposing myself to some legal liability. Would it not make sense to request account transcripts from IRS to prove prior year W2/1099?

Great response. Good policy. Maybe best to recycle the paper.

[ToledoEd]

Thanks Uncle Sam for providing the reason. But if I as the preparer is asked by a client to recreate a prior year W2/1099 that was already filed or perhaps not filed after the fact, am I not exposing myself to some legal liability. Would it not make sense to request account transcripts from IRS to prove prior year W2/1099?

I would limit my liability by only reprinting a W-2 that my company had originally issued for a client.

As to reasons, I had two clients come in this year requesting W-2s from 2008 and 2009. One was for a client changing jobs and they had to prove move their employment history for the new company. The other was for a Toledo resident who had to prove prior city taxes were paid. Federal transcripts of W-2 info do not include state and local withholding information. Luckily I had scanned the Old W-2s and could provide them. Toledo does not require a tax return if residents do not owe taxes, but often will request old info.

[Rapid Robert]

I would limit my liability by only reprinting a W-2 that my company had originally issued for a client.

As to reasons, I had two clients come in this year requesting W-2s from 2008 and 2009. One was for a client changing jobs and they had to prove move their employment history for the new company.

These types of requests to prove employment or taxes paid always baffle me, as anyone could mock up a bogus W-2 or tax form for any given year, as this discussion demonstrates. Only a fool would rely on this type of self-provided secondary verification -- either believe what the applicant tells you up front, or don't, but don't pretend to believe and pretend that you've done due diligence.

Any employer which was genuinely concerned would use a commercial verification service, such as

https://www.theworknumber.com/Employees/DataReport/

Formerly (?) known as TALX, this is like a credit report, except for employment. I think it's run by Equifax. You can request your own report for free, you might want to try it. It has pretty detailed payroll history info, and a record of who else has inquired about your history.

[TAXNJ]

I would limit my liability by only reprinting a W-2 that my company had originally issued for a client.

As to reasons, I had two clients come in this year requesting W-2s from 2008 and 2009. One was for a client changing jobs and they had to prove move their employment history for the new company. The other was for a Toledo resident who had to prove prior city taxes were paid. Federal transcripts of W-2 info do not include state and local withholding information. Luckily I had scanned the Old W-2s and could provide them. Toledo does not require a tax return if residents do not owe taxes, but often will request old info.

The benefits of PDFs.

As you know, as long as it is a PDF copy of the "original" w-2, it should not be an issue. Since we "scan" clients originals papers and later they can't find (for whatever reason) their originals (which was given back to them) , our firm offers the service of providing copies the clients need for a fee.