E-File Your W-2 Forms
Preparing and filing employee W-2s is a critical year-end task for employers. As an Intuit QuickBooks Payroll subscriber, you can make the task faster and easier by electronically filing your W-2s with the Social Security Administration (SSA). Here's how.
E-File W-2s with Enhanced Payroll
If you subscribe to Intuit QuickBooks Enhanced Payroll, you can quickly and easily e-file your W-2s from within the W-2 workflow. When you prepare your W-2s, you will see an option to e-file W-2s. Click E-File and the forms will be on their way to the SSA. In addition, you'll receive status messages notifying you when the forms have been sent and received by the SSA. To learn more about e-file with QuickBooks Enhanced Payroll, check out our Get Started with E-File information.
E-File W-2 Forms with the SSA
If you subscribe to Intuit QuickBooks Standard Payroll, the SSA offers employers a way to file W-2 forms online. To use this service, you'll need to register with the Social Security Administration Business Services Online (BSO).
For more information about filing W-2s online, visit www.socialsecurity.gov/employer and also refer to the Business Services Online Handbook.
If you subscribe to Intuit Assisted Payroll, our service takes care of preparing and filing these returns for you. Visit www.payroll.com/assisted for more information.
Important Dates for E-Filing W-2s
Following are some important dates for e-filing:
- Dec. 8, 2008: Employers may begin transmitting 2008 W-2s to the SSA.
- Dec. 13, 2008-Jan. 4, 2009: The IRS will not be accepting Forms 940, 941, and 944 via e-file due to year-end preparation for 2009.
- Feb. 2, 2009: Deadline to supply each employee with a 2008 Form W-2, Wage and Tax Statement.*
- March 2, 2009: Deadline to file Form W-3, Transmittal of Wage and Tax Statements, along with Copy A of all the Forms W-2 you issued for 2008 if you file paper forms.
- March 31, 2009: Deadline to file Form W-3, Transmittal of Wage and Tax Statements, along with Copy A of all the Forms W-2 you issued for 2008 if you file electronically.
What to Expect When You E-File Your W-2s
When you e-file your W-2s, you can expect it will take approximately six weeks to process your submission. The SSA usually begins processing in mid-January and ramps up to handle peak volumes.
Important: Please don't re-send your W-2s if you haven't received acknowledgment from the agency; instead, you can check the BSO Web site for updated information. Unless the SSA has requested you to correct and resubmit information, transmitting W-2 forms again will result in a rejection for a duplicate when they are processed.