Form W-2 — Wage and Tax Statement

Report wages, tips, and other compensation paid to employees, along with taxes withheld.

What is Form W-2?

Form W-2 is the most common tax form in American workplaces. Employers must file a W-2 for each employee to whom they paid wages, tips, or other compensation during the year. The form reports federal, state, and local income tax withheld, Social Security and Medicare taxes, and other compensation details.

Who Must File W-2?

  • 1Every employer that paid wages to employees
  • 2Employers that withheld income, Social Security, or Medicare taxes
  • 3Employers that would have withheld taxes if the employee claimed no more than one withholding allowance

Filing threshold: Any amount (for employees)

W-2 Filing Deadlines

Paper Filing

January 31

Electronic Filing

January 31

Recipient Copy

January 31

Penalties for Late or Incorrect Filing

$60–$310 per form depending on how late; up to $630 for intentional disregard

2024 penalty tiers: $60/form (≤30 days late) → $130/form (31 days–Aug 1) → $310/form (after Aug 1) → $630/form (intentional disregard). Small business caps may apply.

W-2 Box-by-Box Guide

BoxDescription
Box 1Wages, tips, other compensation
Box 2Federal income tax withheld
Box 3Social Security wages
Box 4Social Security tax withheld
Box 5Medicare wages and tips
Box 6Medicare tax withheld
Box 12Various codes (retirement, health, etc.)

How TaxBlitz Simplifies W-2 Filing

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AI-Powered Extraction

Upload documents and let our 14-agent AI system extract data automatically — no manual entry.

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Direct IRS eFiling

File electronically via FIRE (Pub 1220) or IRIS — no paper, no postage, instant confirmation.

TIN Verification

Verify taxpayer IDs before filing to avoid CP2100 notices and B-Notice requirements.

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Print & Mail

Automatically print and mail recipient copies via USPS with delivery tracking (Lob API).

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eDelivery Portal

Recipients access forms instantly through a secure, token-authenticated online portal.

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Corrections & Void

File corrections or void forms electronically — no manual IRS correspondence needed.

W-2 Frequently Asked Questions

What is the deadline for W-2 forms?

January 31 — both to employees and to the SSA. This is the same whether filing on paper or electronically. There is no extension for providing copies to employees.

Do I file W-2 with the IRS or SSA?

W-2 forms are filed with the Social Security Administration (SSA), not the IRS. TaxBlitz handles the correct routing automatically.

What if an employee worked in multiple states?

You may need to issue multiple W-2s or use Box 15–17 to report wages and tax withholding for each state where the employee worked.

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