Form W-2: Employee Wage Statement
Annual statement of wages and taxes withheld for each W-2 employee. Must be sent to employees AND filed with the Social Security Administration by 31 January following the calendar year. Employers who file 10 or more information returns in a year, counting W-2s together with Forms 1099 and others, must file them electronically. The Form W-3 transmittal accompanies the paper filing.
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Who this applies to
- All US employers with W-2 employees
- Including S-corp owner-employees who took W-2 wages
What to file
Form W-2 for each employee showing wages, federal income tax withheld, FICA withheld, and various supplemental items (401k contributions, HSA, dependent care, etc.).
How to file
E-file via Business Services Online (BSO) at SSA.gov. Most payroll software files automatically.
Payment due
No payment with W-2: payroll taxes were paid throughout the year via 941 deposits.
Penalties for missing this deadline
Tier-based penalties for 2026: $60 per form within 30 days, $130 from 31 days late through 1 August, $340 after 1 August or not filed, and $680 for intentional disregard with no cap. The charges apply to each return and each employee statement.
Filing checklist
- Reconcile annual payroll totals to 941s filed
- Include health insurance premiums in Box 12 (DD)
- Mark S-corp owner-employee health insurance in Box 14
- Send W-2 to each employee by 31 January
- File with SSA by 31 January
Documents you'll need
- Payroll register totals by employee for the full year
- Form W-4 and state withholding forms on file
- Records of fringe benefits and taxable reimbursements
- Reconciliation to the four Forms 941 for the year
Common mistakes to avoid
- Missing the 31 January deadline (used to be later, brought forward in 2016)
- Not including S-corp shareholder health insurance correctly
- Forgetting Box 12 codes for various benefits
- Misalignment between Box 1 (federal wages) and Box 3/5 (FICA wages) without explanation
- Using a different name or SSN from the Social Security card, which leads to a mismatch notice from the SSA
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