

While the IRS does not give specific instructions for handling undeliverable W-2s, you should make a reasonable effort to fulfill your W-2 responsibilities. If your email notifying an employee of electronic W-2 access is returned as undeliverable, you have 30 days thereafter to provide notice by mail or in person.
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Further, you must tell those who have consented how to access the document electronically. If you do not have employees' consent, then you must inform them that they will receive a paper W-2. This includes obtaining the employee's consent to receive W-2s electronically. Also, document your attempts to contact the employee.Įmployers that provide electronic access to Form W-2s must follow the guidelines in IRS Publication 1141, General Rules and Specifications for Substitute Forms W-2 and W-3. Just be sure to keep the W-2 on file for at least four years, as required by the IRS. If you fail to reach the employee, there's not much else you can do. You can try to contact him or her via phone or email. If the employee no longer works for you, things could get tricky. In this case, consider having the employee sign to acknowledge receipt.
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If there's an error on the returned envelope: Then, cross-check the address on the returned envelope against your records. Make a photocopy of the sealed, postmarked envelope and retain the copy for your records. The sealed, postmarked envelope is evidence that you mailed the W-2 by the deadline. If the W-2 form is returned as undeliverable, what you should do depends on how you sent the form and whether the employee still works for you.ĭo not open the envelope with the returned W-2. You can mail Form W-2 to the respective employee's address on file or you can make the W-2 available electronically. If the deadline falls on a legal holiday or a Saturday or Sunday, the form should be distributed to employees by the next business day. Employers who feel like they qualify for an official extension need to read the instructions given through Form 8809.įortunately, many employees can now get their W2 online and simply import it into their tax returns.Under federal law, you must send each employee a Form W-2 - showing their wages earned and taxes withheld for the previous year - by Jan. The IRS will only grant filing extensions for extremely specific reasons. If the deadline is not met, employers will not receive an automatic extension. If required, employers also need to consider ordering paper Form W-2s, as these can take time to arrive. Employers can prevent future problems by diligently preparing all the required information well before the deadline.Ī good place to start is by verifying and updating employee information, such as names, addresses, TIN numbers, and Social Security numbers.Įmployers also need to ensure that the Social Security Administration’s account information on them is valid and correct. Employers filing 250 returns or more must file electronically through the E-file platform by law.Īvoid Problems Through Diligent PreparationsĮrrors and other problems with required filings tend to occur when the process is rushed. It is the most convenient method of filing returns. The easiest way for employers to file any returns is the E-file system on the IRS platform.
