Tax forms in the spotlight

Tax forms can be tricky so this article will help you understand the basics of the employer tax requirements and the forms that can help you file them accurately.

IRS & SSA approved tax forms

All our tax forms undergo strict guidelines to meet the specific OCR scanning requirements for the government agencies that require them, such as the Internal Revenue Service that regulates personal and corporate taxes and the Social Security Administration that regulates benefits for individuals, such as retirement, disability, family or survivor payments.

W-2 Forms

W2 forms are designed to have employers report the wages that were paid to their employees so that the employees can, in turn, use this information to file their personal income taxes. There are 4 parts and each copy is labeled for a specific use:

COPY A - Employer Copy for SSA (Social Security Administration)

COPY B - Employee's Copy for Tax Return

COPY C - Employee's Record Copy

COPY D - Employer's File Copy

W2 due date: January 31st

Each order includes the summary transmittal form required.

Choosing the right W-2

When States have no State or local income tax, a 4-part W2 will generally be enough. 6-part tax forms are usually required where there are State or local taxes, as an additional copy is provided for the employer to file with the State and another for the employee to attach to their State tax return. 8-part forms are typically when local or city tax programs exist. The State Requirements chart provided below will help you determine the amount of parts (copies) required for your State.

Availability of W2 tax forms

Electronic W-2 tax forms

Whenever you are required to file 250 or more W-2s, you will need to file electronically. The category to find the right tax form for that purpose will be listed under our "Magnetic Media" category.

W-3 Forms

W3 forms are intended for employers to report employee wages paid to the IRS and Social Security Administration. 

W3 due date: January 31st

1099 Forms

1099 forms are designed to have employers report any amount over $1,000 paid to individuals or companies other than employees, such as contractors, 

Each order includes the summary transmittal form required.

1099-NEC due date: January 31st 

1099 due date: February 28th

1099 electronic filing due date: March 31st

How many copies of the 1099 do you need?

The number of copies required with a 1099 is typically 2 per recipient, along with a copy for the tax agency and one for the employer. This results in 3-parts (3 copies) , 4-parts (4 copies), and 5-parts (5 copies) forms when the 2 copies for the recipient, along with one federal tax and local tax agency and the employer all receive a copy. All 5 copies will be listed as below:

Copy A - IRS copy

Copy 1 - State tax agency copy

Copy 2 - Recipient copy

Copy B - Recipient copy

Copy C - Employer copy

Availability of 1099 tax forms

Electronic 1099 tax forms

Whenever you are required to file 250 or more 1099s, you will need to file electronically. The category to find the right tax form for that purpose will be listed under our "Magnetic Media" category.

State Requirements

Different states have different requirements for the number of parts (copies) they require per form. Below is the chart of the number of parts each state will require for W2 forms and 1099 forms.

Number of Parts Required by State