W-2 Employee Copy 2006

[Black Bart]

Worrying about it

...I'm just thrilled they get to the office with them. I don't care if I have to cut them

The above quote is the whole point.

Consider their tax preparer -- he/she are ordinary mortals like us; just grateful that the dopey customer actually made it to the office with a "good" ordinary W-2 -- easy to read and copies B-C-2 intact. So, they're not going to complain to the client and demand he take it back to us for "perforated" copies (would you?). They're going to unstaple it/scissor it, prepare that tax return, and get their fee.

Too, if the client actually was looking for an excuse to gouge you; they're not smart enough to know they're not strictly according to Hoyle (unless you're mailing them in standard #10 envelopes instead of those imprinted "IMPORTANT TAX RETURN DOCUMENT ENCLOSED"). But even then, an envelope's just an envelope to them.

Veritas is right though -- not too many years in the futute; mandated EF filing for preparers will make all these things a moot issue.

[TAXNJ]

Thanks For The Responses

Thank you all for the responses.

I decided that I will comply with the paper required. Though I do not see the point of the requirement, I still have the obligation to my clients. Here I thought it was getting more efficient to file!!!!

As you know, the required paper can be obtained FREE from the IRS or purchased at staples, etc. and hopefully it makes it through the printer

[Snaggletooth]

Lasso A Fish

In Tennessee there is a law which assesses a fine if you lasso a fish.

That's how I feel about silly regulations like perforated paper requirements, and the "Do Not Staple" warning on some of the forms.

I'm not going to pay extra for perforated paper unless I have HUNDREDS of W-2s to print. And if I "Do Not Staple" some idiot will lose some of the paperwork and the repercussions will fall upon me and my client, NOT the government flunkie who loses the forms.

I have even been guilty of the "maximum evil." I have the customer staple a check on the very front of the form. Invariably the government cashes all checks but can lose all forms and pretend they didn't receive them in the mail. Stapling the check to the form unequivocably tells you they received the form.

[Black Bart]

Cashing in

In Tennessee there is a law which assesses a fine if you lasso a fish.

I didn't know that. Hmmm...I wonder what wonders are under Arkansaw law?

"Do Not Staple" warning on some of the forms.

...I have the customer staple a check on the...form...the government cashes all checks...Stapling the check to the form unequivocably tells you they received the form.

That's a pretty good idea/guarantee if you're worried about a particular one (I've always just put the check in the envelope loose).

Item of interest: I once toured the Memphis IRS service center as part of a tax seminar and the guide told us that the first thing they do with the mail is to pull the checks out/off and send them straight to the bank. She said they once waited until returns were completely processed before cashing them until somebody noticed that they were losing thousands of dollars a day in interest.

[DonPriebe]

Half compliant

One of the major employers in town (a division of one of the big three automakers) prints four copies on letter size paper. The horizontal division is perforated but the vertical one has a little "use scissors" note.

But at least you can read them. How about the folks who still use impact printers and carbon paper forms?